After the Customs Department gave the information that 740 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored in a Chennai depot was ‘safe’ and not located within two kilometres of any residential locality, an inspection by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board’s (TNPCB) has contradicted this claim. The TNPCB released a report which showed that two residential areas, with a population of around 12,000, were located under 2 kilometres from where the chemical is being stored.

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According to a report submitted by the TNPCB, an inspection was conducted by its officials and the police on Thursday in the Container Freight Station (CFS) in which it was found that the CFS is located at a spot surrounded by other similar warehouses. “The nearest habitations namely Manali New Town at a distance of 700 metres in the northern direction with a population of about 7,000 and Sadayankuppam village at a distance of 1500 metres in the eastern direction with a population of about 5,000,” the report stated.

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The report by the TNPCB is in direct contradiction with the claims made by the Customs Department in its statement issued on Thursday. After several reports highlighted that a huge consignment of ammonium nitrate has been stored for around five years in a warehouse in Chennai, the department issued a statement that the cargo is stored securely. “Concerned CFS is located approximately 20 km away from the city and there is no residential locality within the vicinity of 2 km from this CFS,” the Customs Department said in a press statement.

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