The Centre is planning to impose a strict regulatory regime to check the easy availability of ammonium nitrate,which is a preferred ingredient in improvised explosive devices (IEDs) used in terror strikes. The Draft Ammonium Nitrate Rules,2009,prepared by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA),seeks to regulate and put restrictions on the loading and unloading of bulk ammonium nitrate from a ship,its import,export,transport,possession for sale and use,except as permitted under the rules. Anyone seeking to engage in any of these activities will have to obtain a permit from the government. Those already in the business will have to apply for a permit within six months from the day the rules are published. The use of ammonium nitrate,also commonly used as fertiliser,has been reported in bomb explosions in Varanasi,Lucknow,Jaipur,Faizabad,Hyderabad and the serial blasts in Bangalore. Under the proposed rules,a bag or container containing this chemical will henceforth have to be clearly marked ammonium nitrate,in conspicuous,indelible characters,and will also have to display the name and address of the manufacturer,the agent loading or unloading it from a ship etc. The package must also have an identification number,weight of the chemical in it,date of manufacture,batch number and unique identification number of the agent. In order to maintain an audit trail of all the bags produced or imported,the rules stipulate that the manufacturer or importer should ensure electronic bar-coding. Failing this,the consignment will be deemed as invalid and will invite penalties under the Explosives Substances Act,1908. The rules also put the onus of securing a consignment on the permit holder. If a consignment of ammonium nitrate is likely to pass through sensitive areas notified by the MHA,it should be escorted by armed police escort or guard provided by the district police administration, the rules state,prohibiting the transportation in such sensitive areas from sunset to sunrise. A truck or tanker engaged in transport of ammonium nitrate will have to be equipped with Global Positioning System. The permit holder will have to report any loss,theft or accident to the district authority and the police station.
