Largest MPPEH Processing Operation in India Underway
Punjab, India India's military is conducting their largest munitions scrap processing exercise to date to process over 17,000 munitions and related debris. The munitions and scrap metal were initially found in a busy industrial port facility back in 2004. The material was reportedly shipped to a steel company in India from the gulf region. The Indian Army 202 Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) is involved in the inspection and processing of the material potentially presenting an explosive hazard (MPPEH). The Commanding Officer of the BDU reported that munitions items found or suspected to be intermingled with the scrap include mortars, projectiles, grenades, rockets, detonators, and artillery shells of various caliber.
The Army has setup temporary open burn / open detonation (OB/OD) area in the Mattiwara forest area to carry out the processing. Each day, local residents and farmers within the safety exclusion zone of the operation are relocated to temporary camps. The operation involves several steps including transporting the munitions and scrap metal storage containers from the port area to temporary holding pits where remote vehicles are used to segregate MEC from munitions debris. MEC is then transported to the OB/OD area where it is disposed of through open detonation. The munitions debris is then visually inspected to confirm that no hazards remain.
Approximately 40 military officers are involved in the operation. To date, 52 disposal shots have been performed to destroy over 1,300 MEC items. On average, six to eight disposal shots are conducted every day. Twelve police check points have been established in the periphery of the disposal area which are manned by over 40 police officers to keep personnel and cattle out of the area. The operation is expected to last at least another month.
Authorities are considering whether or not to leverage a fine against the company that was responsible for importing the munitions into the country to cover the estimated $250,000 (U.S.) price tag for the operation. Although the munitions were discovered in 2004, it took six years to coordinate, plan and fund the effort. The munitions and related debris were held in dry storage at the port located in a very populated area during that time.
