The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Thursday demanded that the Visakhapatnam Port Trust issue a public statement on imports of ammonium nitrate through the port.
“The ammonium nitrate blast in Beirut has horrified people all over the world. Reports that ammonium nitrate is being imported into India mainly through VPT is a major cause for concern for residents of Visakhapatnam,” CPI(M) State Secretariat member Ch. Narasinga Rao said in a statement on Thursday.
A series of industrial accidents in Visakhapatnam city, due to a lack of adherence to safety norms, and the recent blast in Beirut, have added to the fears of residents,” Mr. Narasinga Rao said, adding that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate reserves that were stored in Beirut for the last six years caught fire and exploded, with the resulting shockwave being felt as far as 400 km away.
Mr. Narasinga Rao said it is the responsibility of the government to inform people about the ammonium nitrate being imported through VPT, where it is being stored, and how it is being transported to various industries and the safety precautions being adopted by them.
He said that there were allegations that extremists and mine owners were using ammonium nitrate clandestinely. He demanded that the Collector and VPT authorities come out with a statement on the issue to allay the fears of the public.
