Chennai, August 9 : Ammonium nitrate weighing 740 tonnes stored in 37 containers in a container freight station (CFS) here is being shifted to Hyderabad(Hyd) in a phased way, stated an officer of the CFS.
“The 1st 10 containers of ammonium nitrate have left the CFS on Sun. & the balance going to be shifted over the next 2 days. All 1 has to accomplish is to burden the containers onto a truck as the ammonium nitrate has been imported in containers & impounded by this customs,” an officer informed IANS preferring anonymity.
He stated that according to the schedules, 10 containers going to be sent out daily in order to avoid bunching & rising the risk enroute.
A consignment of 740 tonnes of ammonium nitrate in 37 containers has been imported by this Amman Chemicals in 2015 as fertiliser from Korea.
Although, as the importer didn’t have the required license, the Customs Dept. confiscated the overall consignment & had it stored in Sattva CFS, Manali, here.
It may be recalled that 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored in the Beirut port in Lebanon erupted on Tue., killing 135 people & wounding thousands.
Following that issues have been rised regarding the safety risk of storing 740 tonnes of ammonium nitrate in the CFS.
The Customs had auctioned off the ammonium nitrate.
The successful bidder, it’s learned, has been Salvo Explosive & Chemical, Hyderabad(Hyd).