LIVE news: Ammonium nitrate near Chennai being shifted after e-auction

Storage of ammonium nitrate has been e-auctioned and is being shipped to Hyderabad. Stay tuned for latest news live updates

7:50 PM

Latest News LIVE: Ammonium nitrate near Chennai being shifted after e-auction

Safety concerns over storage of ammonium nitrate arising in the backdrop of the explosion of the chemical in Beirut were addressed as the substance has been e-auctioned and is being shipped to Hyderabad, sources according to a PTI report said on Sunday.

 

The 697 tonnes of the chemical have been lying in the container freight station near here and the e-auction is over, the sources said. The disposal of the cargo would be done within a short period by adhering to safety norms, they said. Some containers with the chemical have already left for Hyderabad, police sources said.

 

The substance was seized in 2015 under the Customs Act 1962. The cargo was then kept at the freight station located about 20 km from the city and there was no residential locality within the vicinity of the storage area, they said.

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12 naxals surrendered before Dantewada Police today in Chhattisgarh

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All 6 shutters of Pamba dam in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district opened for 60 cm each after rainfall

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PM Modi to present new outline for a self-reliant India on Aug 15: Rajnath Singh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will present a new outline for a self-reliant India in his address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday.
 

The defence minister said various departments and ministries of the government are working seriously to implement Modi's initiative for a self-reliant India and that it is an attempt to give a fresh dimension to Mahatma Gandhi's push for 'Swadeshi'.
 

Singh was speaking at an online event organised to pay tributes to revolutionary freedom fighter Udham Singh. Talking about the 'Atmanirbhar' initiative, the defence minister said that the coronavirus pandemic has shown that a country may not be able to effectively protect its sovereignty if it is not self-reliant. READ MORE... 

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Six die in Jharkhand's Deoghar district after inhaling toxic gas inside septic tank

Six persons died on Sunday after inhaling poisonous gas in a septic tank in Jharkhand's Deoghar district, a senior police officer said. Two labourers - Govind Manjhi (53) and Tilu Murmu (24) -- got into the septic tank of a private home to clean it in the morning in Devipur village of the district, Superintendent of police Piyush Pandey said.

 

When they failed to return, house owner Rajesh Barnwal's two brothers - Brajesh (54) and Mithilesh (43) -- entered the tank to check on the labourers, the SP said. As all four of them failed to respond, one by one Manjhi's two sons, both in their 20s, went in, he said.

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Andaman and Nicobar will play important role in govt's self-reliant India programme: PM Modi

A day before inaugurating a submarine optical fibre cable facility for Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Sunday that it will ensure that the region faced no problem in getting virtually connected to the outside world as he highlighted his government's various development initiatives for the union territory.

 

Speaking at an interaction with BJP workers from the distant region, he noted that the islands are strategically located and can become a key centre for global sea trade, stressing that the central government is working to make it a blue economy hub and also an important place for maritime startups.

 

Modi said 12 islands of Andaman and Nicobar have been selected for high-impact projects, with an emphasis on boosting trade of sea-based, organic and coconut-based products of the region.

 

The region will play an important role in his government's self-reliant India project and the growth of new India, the prime minister said, while referring to the ongoing work to expand Port Blair airport and boost air connectivity. Over 300 km of national highway in the region is expected to be completed in a record time, he said.

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Our government will not allow any harm to come to India's self respect and sovereignty at any cost: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

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Work on to connect some islands with seaplanes and 300 km of national highway in Andaman and Nicobar: PM Modi

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12 islands in Andaman & Nicobar selected for promoting high impact goods; Govt to put emphasis on sea,organic, coconut-based foods: PM Modi

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27,600 litres of chemicals containing spirit seized by Punjab Excise Dept

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Evacuation of stranded Indians to continue: Civil Aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri

In the aftermath of the Air India Express plane crash that killed 18 people, Union Civil Aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said the Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) for evacuating stranded Indians across the globe amid the pandemic will continue with the "same undaunted spirit".

 

In a series of tweets, he paid tribute to the people who lost their lives in the tragedy and also applauded the "solidarity and brotherhood" shown by the people of Kozhikode who took personal risks in providing immediate relief and help to the victims. Their immediate support helped in averting a greater tragedy, he added.

 

"Deeply pained at the loss of lives on Flight IX-1344 operating under Vande Bharat, a mission which has otherwise been incident-free & facilitated repatriation of more than 973K stranded citizens through various modes," Puri said in a tweet.

 

He also hailed the "undaunted spirit" of the aviation professionals and people of Kerala as despite the accident, operations from the airport recommenced with two Air India Express flights landing on Saturday morning.

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Defence Ministry heading towards dream of making 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' a success: Rajnath Singh

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Major and tough decisions are being taken to promote self-reliance in defence production: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

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Big weapon systems will now be produced in India: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

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Heavy to very heavy rainfall likely in parts of Maharashtra: IMD

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in parts of Maharashtra due to a low pressure area formed over north-west and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal, the India Meteorological Department said on Sunday.

 

Most of the places in Maharashtra received rain or thunderstorms on Saturday, an IMD official said. Heavy rainfall is likely at some places in the Western Ghat sections of Madhya (central) Maharashtra and coastal region of the state starting Sunday, the official said.

 

"Heavy rainfall is expected over the Vidarbha region on Monday while Madhya Maharashtra would receive thunderstorms accompanied with lightning, the official said.