Reports on chemicals lying in port junkyards sought

NEW DELHI - The shipping ministry Thursday

asked all port trusts to submit by July 21 detailed reports on all dangerous and inflammable material that might be lying in the port junkyards.

The ministry has sought the reports after about 100 people were taken ill following leakage of chlorine gas from a drum dumped in a Mumbai Port Trust junkyard, said an official release.

The ministry has demanded to know what goods and chemicals have been lying in the junkyards of various ports and since when, the release said.

Seeking details like the quantity and technical classification (whether dangerous or otherwise) of the goods and chemicals that might be lying in junkyards of various ports, the ministry has also demanded to know various actions that have been taken by port authorities to dispose them off.

The ports have been asked to ensure all the safety norms in and around the storage area, the release said, adding any dangerous goods lying in the port premises beyond the stipulated period of one month should be disposed off in the manner specified under Section 62 of the Major Port Trust Act 1963.

The ministry has further directed that goods lying under seizure by customs department and other enforcement agencies may be moved to their godowns at the earliest and followed up with the agency concerned for their expeditious disposal and to avoid any accidents in the port premises.