The devastating blast in Beirut has served as a wake-up call for some ports in India where stockpiles of ammonium nitrate pose a similar threat.
Indian authorities ordered a review of all potentially hazardous materials in its ports and container terminals after the August 4 blast, which killed more than 170 people and injured thousands in the Lebanese capital.
Customs officials in Chennai are being pressed to clear more than 700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored near the port in the south Indian city for the past four years. The consignment was seized in November 2015 after the importer falsely declared the ammonium nitrate was fertiliser grade but it was found to be of explosive grade.
A panel of environmental engineers and senior police officers visited the container freight station at Manali, about 14 kilometres from the port, and recommended quick disposal of the explosive chemical.
About 12,000 people live in the area around the storage site, the panel said in its report.
Of the 740 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored in 37 containers, 690 tonnes have been put up for auction online, the Customs department said. The remaining amount was damaged during heavy flooding in Chennai in December 2015.
“The seized chemical is securely stored and the safety of the cargo and public is ensured considering the hazardous nature of the substance,” the department said.
Concerns were also raised at Visakhapatnam, a major port in Andhra Pradesh state that handles most of India’s ammonium nitrate imports.
A warehouse in the Mindi area of the city was found to contain about 18,500 tonnes of ammonium nitrate – more than six times the amount that caused the Beirut blast.
Customs officials issued a statement saying the ammonium nitrate stored there “is safe and there is no residential area up to 2 kilometres around the depot”.
Some politicians have called for storage facilities to be moved to places far from residential areas and strategic assets such as airports.
Dr S Ramadoss, chief of the Pattali Makkal Katchi, the ruling party’s ally in Tamil Nadu state, of which Chennai is the capital, tweeted that he was “shocked to learn about 740 tonnes of the explosive substance stored in a warehouse near the Chennai Port”.
India imports ammonium nitrate from Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria and South Korea. It is mainly used in fertilisers, but also as the main component in many types of mining explosives, in which it is mixed with fuel oil and detonated by a charge. Most of these explosives are used in iron ore and coal mines in the states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Bihar.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Past winners of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2014 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2012 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2011 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2010 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2009 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 1 Manchester City 2
Huddersfield: Otamendi (45' 1 og), van La Parra (red card 90' 6)
Man City: Agüero (47' pen), Sterling (84')
Man of the match: Christopher Schindler (Huddersfield Town)
Calls
Directed by: Fede Alvarez
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Karen Gillian, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
4/5
Specs
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The years Ramadan fell in May
More on Quran memorisation:
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
