I want to
draw the attention of the decision making bodies as well as common citizens regarding the safety of villages and Ludhiana city in the danger area radius of around 10 Kms from the centre of the Ammunition Dump at Baddowal. It is not only the
residents who are on the verge of the 1000yards limit who are unsafe but
residents staying in the radius of 10 kms and beyond are equally unsafe if we go by the
effects and damage caused by various
fires at Ammunition dumps situated at Bharatpur (Rajasthan)and Suratgarh. So leaving aside the old safety distances we need to
look beyond stipulations of the 1903 rule and look for safety measures which
are safe and effective for area residents while keeping the army’s logistic support systems also in view. As of now due to the limits
imposed by the safety distance of 1000 yards no construction on the periphery
around the ammunition dump is allowed. In order to give a practical solution I
am suggesting a few measures in this regard.
BACKGROUND
THE WORKS
OF DEFENCE ACT, 1903 (PARA7(b) when it came into being
-the lethality of munitions then stored was much less and with lesser areas of
destruction. But with the present day munitions all these distances have become
redundant. Basically 1000 yards/993 meters was distance kept to for following
purposes.
·To
avoid Fire and destruction in case of unwanted detonation.
·To
avoid sabotage by natives/enemies as English were ruling or present day
sabotage by enemy agents/Terrorists.
·To
avoid fire and ballast hazards to nearby residents
FACTS
In view
of all the advances in technology all the above reasons have become nullified.
Destruction
due to fire and other blasts all areas are have become unsafe around the radius
of the dump say up to 6 to12 KMs. This fact is borne out in the fires which
have been experienced at various ammunition dumps.
The risk
of sabotage is there now also and it does not get diminished with 1000 yards
ring around the Ammunition Depots.
ACTION
REQUIRED NOW
It is
very clear that being strategically placed on ground the Baddowal Ammunition
Dump cannot be shifted. Then it is worth considering it making it safe.
Therefore what is required to be done immediately is to actually safe guard all
who can be affected in case of a tragedy. THERE EXISTS A CLEAR CUT CASE
FOR CHANGING THE STRATEGY FROM HAVING PERIMETER DISTANCE
SEPARATION BY IMPOSING A NO CONSTRUCTION ZONE AT A DISTANCE OF 1000 YARDS
DISTANCE TO SWITCHING OVER TO ACTIVE NEGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF BLAST, FIRE AND
FLYING MISSILES/DEBRIS.
A SUGGESTED
METHOD
The time
is now to build a steel reinforced RCC ring wall all around the perimeter of
the dump with a design and baffle wall system which will have the following
characteristics.
NEW
METHOD’S CHARACTERISTICS
·Height
of the SAFETY AND SECURITY WALL AROUND THE AMMUNITION DUMP BE UP TO 30 to 40
meters (This will depend on the type of munitions kept and DISTANCE where they
are stored from the periphery WALL).
·Similar
baffle walled separators can built to reduce distances from the actual fire centre
to the perimeter and reduce sympathetic detonations of the neighboring
munitions storage structures.
·It
will be Made of RCC with steel reinforcement and adequately padded from both
sides with sand AND BLAST AND DEBRIS ARRESTING MATERIALS.
·Thickness
at base will be 3-5 meters and going to one meter thick up wards.
·Designed
to withstand and contain blasts of the highest grade of munitions kept at the
dump.
·It
will have a honey comb configuration to be filled with debris catching
materials which will be fire depressant materials.
·This
design can be confirmed on a Computer Aided Design (CAD) model to test the
efficacy. This will help the design be made and tested to take into the effect
of blast, fire, shock, detonation and vibrations etc and thus build the same
amount of safety in the design.
Conclusion
In order
to safe guard the residents and use the land on the periphery of the Dump it is
imperative that the action be ensued and alternatives found out. The
alternatives can be studied with help of CAD and their feasibility ascertained
in order to overcome problems arising out of Dump’s strategic location as well
its conflict with Ludhiana’s Development plans contiguity and safety of
residents. Because residents not only close to the dump’s perimeter are unsafe
but even who are at distance all around the dump can be at the receiving end of
any tragedy. So it is good time to take safety measures and not repent later.
Keeping
the above in view my request to powers that be to please consider this option or any option they deem fit and start
converting the Ammunition Dumps safe for all surrounding areas and not just secure the 1000 yards perimeter which cannot be shifted because of strategic
compulsions. The first such initiative can be started as a
pilot project with the Ammunition dump at BADDOWAL.
