The Hindu Business Line : Nitro glycerine-based explosives to be banned from today

These explosives, synonymous with dynamite, can no longer be manufactured, stored, sold or used following a Commerce Ministry's notification that takes effect from April 1. The Ministry has said that the decision is based on reasons of public security.

Most of the manufacturers, who have shifted over to alternatives such as emulsion or slurry-based explosives, are prepared for the change. However, a few including Tamil Nadu Industrial Explosives Ltd (TIEL), a Tamil Nadu Government undertaking, and two private sector manufacturers in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, will have to shutdown a part of their operations. They have an annual capacity to produce about 20,000 tonnes of nitro glycerine explosives, according to industry estimates. TIEL produces about 8,000 tonnes and employees about 800.

According to reliable sources, the Madras High Court has granted a partial reprieve to the employees of TIEL on Wednesday in response to a petition filed by 74 employees.

Pending a final hearing, the court has said that the possession of nitro glycerine-based explosives would not be an offence and the company should not terminate the services of the employees following the shutdown of production.

The officials of the public sector enterprise could not be contacted for comment.

When contacted, Mr T.C. Kothari, Managing Director, Noble Explochem Ltd in Nagpur, a leading nitro glycerine explosives manufacturer, said that the company has shutdown production about two months ago.

"We do not know what to do with the 500 workers we employ. It is the Government that has forced us to close shop." The company was getting into emulsion-based explosives but it would take more than a year to start production. "We will need only about 50 workers at the new facility," he said.

A cross section of manufacturers told Business Line that the industry is prepared for the change. Most countries had stopped producing nitro glycerine explosives that were more hazardous to produce, store and use when compared to emulsion-based explosives. India is following the international trend.

Use of nitro glycerine-based explosives had been phased out nearly a decade ago in major applications like underground mines, most of which are in the public sector.

Now the Government has phased out this variety (class 3 division 1) of explosives commonly used in coal and lignite mines, road laying, quarrying, well-digging and other civil works. Industry estimates peg the annual demand for such uses at about 60,000 tonnes of which nitro glycerine-based explosives account for about 7,500 tonnes.

While TIEL has invested over Rs 5 crore to set up an emulsion-based explosive facility, officials declined to comment on the status of the project.

The employees who have set up the TIEL Employees' Joint Action Committee to oppose the ban by the Commerce Ministry had earlier said that the Ministry has speeded up the process of phasing out nitro glycerine explosives.