An anti-Naxalite operation in progress.

(This story originally appeared in on Aug 13, 2018)

NEW DELHI: An end-to-end tracking of more than 13 lakh metric tons of explosives produced annually in the country would soon be possible, with the centre developing a software to digitise the industry and prevent pilferage of gelatine sticks and detonators to Naxalites and for illegal mining activities.

System for Explosive Tracking and Training Project (SETT) is being designed at a cost of Rs 62.45 crores for effective monitoring of every explosives right from the manufacturer to user on real time basis, through the supply chain. Petroleum and Explosives Safety Orgnisation (PESO), which comes under Ministry of Commerce and Industry Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, is developing the SETT with the assistance from the NIC which has roped in Microsoft to complete it, chief controller of explosives SK Shukla told ET.

Explaining how the software module would work, Shukla stated that each explosives – which comprise of gelatine sticks, detonators and wires -- would get a unique “2-D barcode”. The explosive box, inner pack and entity will be identified by the barcode which will be generated by explosive manufacturers using the IT system. It would be printed on each of them at the time of making and packaging before uploading the details on the SETT software module, he stated.

Shukla stated that the NIC is also developing mobile application for scanning of barcodes for accepting, dispatching and use of explosives by licence holders while generating the connected online returns.

The SETT will be implemented in three phases and the progress is being regularly monitored by DIPP additional secretary Shailendra Singh, Shukla stressed. The Ministry of Home Affairs reviewed the progress of the implementation of the SETT in a meeting joint secretary in-charge of Left Wing Extremism took on August 6.

The phase one for barcoding of boxes would be rolled out by December. And the next two phases -- for tagging numbers to detonators and fuse wires -- is expected to be over by 2019 end. Fifty detonators make a bunch and 20 to 25 such bunch constitute a packet. Similarly a detonator fuse wire is normally 15 metre long. The PESO is working towards barcoding each metre to prevent illegal sale of the wire by chopping its length into pieces.

Each barcode will have country code, state code, company's licence number, machinery number and series code, which would help the investigators to trace back where it was produced or sold in case of any irregularity is detected.

All the manufactures are integrating data on physical parameters of explosive, packaging patterns, factory location and every manufacturing building on the NIC-developed Standardisation Software Module.

A senior home ministry officer believes once the initiatives takes off, it would to a certain extent help check pilferage of the legally produced explosives which anti-national elements are exploiting to attack security forces.

A report prepared by anti-naxal forces showed growing trend of use of IEDs, which indicated Red ultras have easy access to smuggled industrial explosives. Last year alone, 1,702 IEDs weighing over 5000 kgs were seized from different Left wing extremist areas, pointing out to the fact that Naxalites are relying more on it for mass destruction as opposed to engaging in gun battle with security forces. The recovery of detonators in 2017 was also at an all-time high with 20,871 of them being recovered from different Naxal dominated states. During 2014 only 523 EIDS were seized.

An expert on naxals stated on the condition of anonymity that pilferage of explosive is huge and so is scale of problem. It would be difficult to monitor if barcode is defaced. The whole challenge is to identify last mile pilferage because Naxalites are mostly getting at that level.

Of more than 13.3 lakh metric ton of class-2 ( catridge and site mixed-bulk) high explosives and 985 million number of detonators produced annually by 76 manufacturers, 45 percent is consumed by Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) Coal India Ltd and its subsidiaries. Another 25 percent of explosives are utilised by mining industry in organised sector and remaining 30 percent is consumed for infrastructure activities including for building dams, roads and oil exploration.

