New Delhi. 04 February 2019. The statement on the blast at Central Ammunition Depot at Pulgaon came from the government . “Multi-tier system of Safety Audit and Quality Audit is already in existence for assuring quality of ammunition and compliance of safety norms in the process of manufacture. In addition to this, for defect noticed at production stage, detailed investigation is carried out by Failure Review Board (FRB), one of the members of which is from Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) whereas in case of defects at customer end, if any, AHSP (Authority Holding Sealed Particulars) carries out defect investigation in association with the concerned Ordnance Factory to find out the exact cause of defect and suggest remedial measures.
Further, ammunition store is supplied only after ensuring quality requirements by DGQA as per relevant Specifications, Inspection Schedules, Proof Schedule and carrying out Tests as per Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP).
The accident was not due to sub-standard ammunition. A team of officials from Ordnance Factory Khamaria (OFK) was deputed to Central Ammunition Depot (CAD), Pulgaon from 19.11.2018 to 08.12.2018 for demolition of old / unserviceable / obsolete / rejected ammunition under technical supervision of CAD, Pulgaon. On 20.11.2018, ammunition boxes containing unserviceable ammunition were being unloaded and shifted from the vehicle to the demolition pit. During this shifting, one of the boxes fell down and exploded.
There is no such incidence of accident due to technical fault of ordinances manufactured at Khamaria in the last three years. As such, demolition of unserviceable / rejected / surplus / obsolete ammunition is a regular practice being undertaken by Central Ammunition Depot (CAD), Pulgaon to dispose of accumulated ammunition which cannot be issued to the Armed Forces.”
