The Chhattisgarh Government has issued directives to all District Collectors and Superintendents of Police to ensure strict compliance of norms regarding storage of manufacturing, storage, selling and transportation of explosives.
In an order issued by Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand, collectors and SPs, the Government’s intention had been clear that the it will not be tolerating any sort of violation in norms connected to explosives.
Dhand has issued a circular to collectors and SPs to keep close watch on storage and transportation of explosives.
Moreover, the circular issued by the Chief Secretary says that storage of explosives in residential areas is illegal and concerned authority must launch requisite moves to keep tabs on such practice.
Besides, Dhand also directed to follow norms and parameters set up by Chief Explosives Controller regarding storage of explosives.
The circular recommends that the storage unit for explosives must be established at a place away from timber mill, coal yard, kiln and electric transformer. Similarly, activities like welding and blasting should not be performed close to explosive storage units.
Notably, on the direction of Raipur District Collector, as many as seven teams have been constituted for verification of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) issued here in the district for explosives license and other issued linked with it.
It may be recalled that as many as five people were killed in a powerful explosion at M/s Navbharat Fuse Company and M/s Navbharat Explosive Company under Chhattisgarh’s Abhanpur block around 35 km away from Raipur in first week of August last year. In the wake of such an incident, a probe was also ordered in this connection.
As per available records, both explosive units have been placed under highly dangerous ZZ category. M/s Navbharat Fuse Company has been given the annual production license for PETN/TNT (625 MT), Nitrl compound explosives (PETN/TNT/BOOSTER)( 6900kg), electric detonators (4000 kg), slurry explosives(10000 kg) and other explosives and materials. Similarly, M/s Navbharat Explosive Company has been given the annual production license for slurry explosives (1 crore kg and 8 lakh MT separately) and nitrate mixture (37.5 MT, 16 MT and 37.5 MT separately).