Security forces across the country, especially in the coastal port cities such as Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, and Mumbai, have stepped up their patrolling and surveillance following an alert from Intelligence Bureau (IB) that a Pakistan-based terror group is trying to land a full container of ammonium nitrate (AN) either at Kolkata port or at Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai.
But in Visakhapatnam, what is worrying the men in khaki is the regular import of ammonium nitrate by a private firm through VPT.
Ammonium nitrate is basically an important raw material for the fertiliser industry, but the grade that is imported is also the basic ingredient of improvised explosive devices (IED), and is much in demand by the terror groups, including the Maoists.
“And that is the cause of worry. Even if 500 gm of ammonium nitrate falls into the wrong hands, it can cause mayhem in a public place,” says DCP G. Ram Gopal Naik.
The DCP, who is on deputation from New Delhi to the port city, was one of the investigating officers in the 2011 Delhi bomb blast case, and, according to him, ammonium nitrate is the most preferred explosive material of the terror groups, as it can be used to quickly assemble an IED, which can be easily handled and has a devastating effect.
According to the DCP, “We are not trying to enforce curbs on its import. But we are worried about the security aspects and the pilferage factor.”
To tide over this problem, VPT had banned the import of ammonium nitrate in a bulk quantity and it is now being imported as bagged consignment. “Control over bulk import was difficult. At least we can enforce some amount of control over the bags that are sealed and tagged,” says a senior officer from the Traffic Department of VPT.
But that is not sufficient, says Mr. Ram Gopal Naik. “Primarily, the cargo is imported by a private party and stored in a private warehouse. The security is handled by private staff, and it is inadequate, considering the volatility of the cargo,” says the DCP.
The DCP has further stated that the CCTV cover is not as desired and instructions have been given for upgrading it.
Transit timeBut the crucial factor is the transit time. “The security arrangement during the transit time from the port to the warehouse and from the warehouse to the end point is not up to the mark, even if the cargo is stated to be bagged,” he says.
Vizag port handles between one lakh and two lakh tonnes of ammonium nitrate annually.
