All containers of ammonium nitrate will be moved out from Chennai in a few days, police commissioner says

Mahesh Kumar Agggarwal said so far, 10 containers of ammonium nitrate have been moved out from Manali in the first phase, and the remaining 27 containers will be moved out in two to three days

The police and fire service departments have provided adequate safety arrangements for the removal of the ammonium nitrate and the public need not be apprehensive of any danger, the city police commissioner said on Monday

City Police Commissioner Mahesh Kumar Agggarwal on Monday said all containers of ammonium nitrate will be moved out from a container freight station (CFS) in Manali within two to three days

It may be recalled that in the wake of the blast in Beirut recently, the authorities had chalked out a plan to move over 700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate which was seized by Customs, and stored in a container freight station (CFS) in Manali . Customs authorities began to move the seized ammonium nitrate to a Hyderabad-based buyer from Sunday. Ten containers with 181 tonnes of ammonium nitrate were moved by Customs officials from the Manali Sattva Container Freight Station on Sunday. There are 27 more containers filled with ammonium nitrate at the CFS.

On Monday, Mr. Aggarwal and other officers gave a warm reception to 32 police personnel, including Deputy Commissioner, Mylapore, G. Shanshank Sai, who recovered from COVID-19 and rejoined duties.

Later, talking to reporters, Mr. Aggarwal said 1,870 police personnel of the city police have tested positive for COVID-19 so far and 1,468 of them rejoined their duties after they recovered. Expressing happiness over the instance of some police personnel coming forward to donate plasma, he appealed to police personnel to volunteer to donate plasma.

Mr. Aggarwal also said so far, 10 containers of ammonium nitrate were moved from the CFS on Sunday in the first phase, and the remaining 27 containers will be moved out in two to three days. The police and fire service departments have provided adequate safety arrangements and the public need not be apprehensive of any danger, he added.

According to him, instances of snatching mobile phones were not increasing. The Commissioner said suspects have been quickly arrested as and when complaints are received from the public. He said 32 criminal suspects have been detained under the Goondas Act in the last month alone.

Mr. Aggarwal said there is a good response from the public to the video-calling facility introduced to redress public grievances and many women have benefited from this initiative.