MARGAO
More than a year after an explosion and fire destroyed Magazine No. 1 at Hughes Precision Manufacturing Ltd.'s facility on the Naqueri plateau, the company has finally removed the propellant stored in Magazine No. 2.
The development came to light after the company's Chief Manager (Commercial & Finance) filed an affidavit before the High Court stating that the entire stock of propellant stored in Magazine No. 2, located at Survey No. 82/1 in Naquerim village in Quepem, had been fully and safely evacuated from the site.
Sources said the company completed the removal of the propellant on Sunday, a day before the affidavit was placed on record before the High Court during Monday's hearing in the writ petition filed by the Naqueri-Betul Panchayat challenging the in-principle nod given to the company to set up the explosive storage facility on the plateau.
Earlier, on July 1, the company's Chief Manager (Commercial & Finance) had assured the High Court that the explosive substance stored in the magazine was stable and did not pose any danger.
Officials from the Quepem Mamlatdar's office confirmed that the storage facility at Naqueri has now been cleared of the explosive material. According to officials, around 500 kilograms of propellant that remained inside the depot was recently removed, completing the evacuation process.
Following the explosion and fire that engulfed Magazine No. 1 on the night of March 20 last year, authorities had sealed the facility and seized the propellant stored in Magazine No. 2. At the time of the seizure, approximately 13.5 tonnes of propellant was found stored in the magazine.
In April 2025, the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Quepem, ordered the release of the seized propellant after Hughes Precision Manufacturing Ltd. sought permission to transport and use the 13.5 tonnes of propellant while shifting it to its manufacturing unit at Verna.
However, the court imposed several conditions while granting the application. It directed the company to comply with all provisions of the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) regulations, the Explosive Substances Act, 1884, and other applicable laws. The company was also instructed to obtain all necessary permissions and licences for the transport, storage and use of the propellant.
In its order, the JMFC observed that the seized propellant was intended for the manufacture of ammunition for the Indian Army. The court noted that allowing the material to remain in Magazine No. 2 posed a potential risk to public safety and the environment, while its destruction could also be hazardous.
"Admittedly, the seized propellant was to be used for the preparation of ammunition for the Indian Army. The seized propellant would be dangerous to the public and the environment if kept lying in Magazine No. 2. The destruction of the said propellant would also be hazardous to the public and the environment at large. The possibility of an untoward event cannot be ruled out if it is kept lying in Magazine No. 2 for a longer period," the JMFC observed.
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HC to examine p'yat's challenge to explosives storage approval
MARGAO: While the primary concern expressed by the High Court regarding the safety of the villagers in the locality has now been addressed following the removal and transportation of the explosives stored in Magazine No. 2, a legal battle of sorts is on the cards as the Naqueri-Betul Panchayat has challenged the in-principle approval granted by the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board to Ms Hughes Precision Manufacturing Ltd. for the storage of explosives on the plateau.
The High Court has directed the State to file its detailed affidavit in view of the fact that the vires of the provisions of the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation of Single Window Clearance Act, 2021, have been challenged. While issuing directions to issue notice to the Advocate General in view of the challenge to the vires of the provisions of the said Act, the High Court has fixed the hearing of the matter for August 24.
Among the host of prayers made by the Naqueri-Betul Panchayat while challenging the Goa IPB’s in-principle approval, the panchayat prayed to the High Court to declare that the "in-principle approval granted by the "Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board" under the "Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation of Single Window Clearance Act, 2021" to the company to operate an explosive storage facility is contrary to the zoning regulations of the Goa Regional Plan 2021 and in violation of the Goa Land Use Act and the Goa Agricultural Tenancy Act."
The panchayat has further prayed to the Court to issue a writ of certiorari to quash and set aside the proclamation dated 01.06.2026 under Section 43 of the IPB Act as being wholly illegal and without jurisdiction.
The panchayat has further prayed for the issuance of a writ of mandamus or a writ in the nature thereof declaring that the IPB has no jurisdiction to entertain an application pertaining to Survey No. 82/1 on account of the bar under Sections 45(f) and 45(g), where the statutory authority, i.e. the village panchayat, has already passed a demolition order and the land is agricultural tenanted land.
The panchayat has further prayed to quash and set aside the Technical Clearance dated January 2, 2026 issued by the Town and Country Planning authorities without any conversion sanad, on agricultural tenanted land which is partly zoned as a No Development Zone and partly zoned as Orchard.
The panchayat has further prayed to quash and set aside the memorandum dated April 7, 2026 issued by the Directorate of Panchayats directing the village panchayats to issue licences in view of the IPB's in-principle approval.
