How Vizag seaport docks bomb material
17 Dec 2012 7:13 AM IST
Ships containing fertiliser-grade ammonium nitrate in loose form continue to dock merrily into one of India’s most sensitive ports, Visakhapatnam, itself a key naval base, thanks to loopholes in the rules that security officials have repeatedly called ridiculous. The new rules for Ammonium Nitrate (AN) notified earlier in 2012 permit the import of the chemical in ‘preferably’ bagged form. The net result is that large cargoes, often ranging from 20,000-25,000 metric tonnes, continue to come into India to be unloaded and bagged at sensitive ports like Visakhapatnam.
Highlighting the ridiculousness of the word ‘preferably’ in the AN rules, Jayant Umranikar, a retired IPS official, and a respected security expert, said, ‘Saying that ammonium nitrate should preferably be imported in bags is akin to saying that terrorists should preferably not kill people. The word preferably is does not exist in any legal lexicon. It should be removed and the import of AN in waterproof and sealed bags from the point of origin itself should be made mandatory.’
After the ships arrive at the port, a final survey of the vessel is done to calculate the actual quantity and then the unloading process starts. Removable hoppers are put on the wharf of the port and the material is unloaded through these hoppers. Cranes fitted onto the ships put the material in the hoppers, which then fill the trucks standing under these hoppers leading to considerable spillage. These trucks are then covered with tarpaulins that are not air tight and hence cannot prevent further spillage of material during transportation.
The trucks are unloaded at godowns located outside the port area. Bagging is done manually by engaging gangs of 50-100 people at a time. Filled bags are then stacked on one side from where they are loaded and dispatched to explosive manufacturers. The entire process results into substantial spillage and loss that is open to pilferage.
‘It is frightening to even imagine the damage even a fraction of loose ammonium nitrate can cause, if it lands in terrorists’ hands,’ said Umranikar. Given that about 350,000 MT of AN is imported into India every year, if even 1 per cent (which is normally commercially tolerated by any importer) remains unaccounted, it means a substantial amount of 3500 MT every year. ‘Why aren’t the rules plugging loopholes that leave open the possibility of this material reaching the terrorists? Considering the extent of damage that AN can create the rules should be unambiguous,’ said Umranikar.
Highlighting the ridiculousness of the word ‘preferably’ in the AN rules, Jayant Umranikar, a retired IPS official, and a respected security expert, said, ‘Saying that ammonium nitrate should preferably be imported in bags is akin to saying that terrorists should preferably not kill people. The word preferably is does not exist in any legal lexicon. It should be removed and the import of AN in waterproof and sealed bags from the point of origin itself should be made mandatory.’
After the ships arrive at the port, a final survey of the vessel is done to calculate the actual quantity and then the unloading process starts. Removable hoppers are put on the wharf of the port and the material is unloaded through these hoppers. Cranes fitted onto the ships put the material in the hoppers, which then fill the trucks standing under these hoppers leading to considerable spillage. These trucks are then covered with tarpaulins that are not air tight and hence cannot prevent further spillage of material during transportation.
The trucks are unloaded at godowns located outside the port area. Bagging is done manually by engaging gangs of 50-100 people at a time. Filled bags are then stacked on one side from where they are loaded and dispatched to explosive manufacturers. The entire process results into substantial spillage and loss that is open to pilferage.
‘It is frightening to even imagine the damage even a fraction of loose ammonium nitrate can cause, if it lands in terrorists’ hands,’ said Umranikar. Given that about 350,000 MT of AN is imported into India every year, if even 1 per cent (which is normally commercially tolerated by any importer) remains unaccounted, it means a substantial amount of 3500 MT every year. ‘Why aren’t the rules plugging loopholes that leave open the possibility of this material reaching the terrorists? Considering the extent of damage that AN can create the rules should be unambiguous,’ said Umranikar.
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