Naqueri gunpowder storage plan faces scrutiny over pending safety reports

File photo of the massive fireball that lit up the night sky following the March 20, 2025 explosion at Magazine No. 1 of Hughes Precision Manufacturing unit at Naqueri.

MARGAO
The fate of Precision Manufacturing’s plea to store gunpowder at the Naqueri site remains uncertain, with key government reports still pending even as the company awaits formal approval from the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board (Goa-IPB) by May 31.
While the report on the joint inspection of the proposed storage site, ordered by the Kushavati district Collector, is yet to be compiled, Hughes Precision Manufacturing Pvt Ltd is expecting the Goa-IPB to issue a formal notification permitting the establishment of a dedicated propellant storage facility at Naqueri on a 10,000-square-metre plot.
On April 12, officials from multiple government departments carried out a joint inspection of the Naqueri site after the company applied to the district Collector for reinstatement of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Magazine No. 2, meant for storage of propellant.
The Collector had directed officials from the police department, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Chief Town Planner, Deputy Collector, Quepem Mamlatdar, and PWD Roads Division to conduct the inspection and submit a report within three days.
However, nearly 43 days later, sources in the Collector’s office said reports from the concerned departments are still awaited.
The delay has raised eyebrows, particularly because the Goa-IPB had already granted in-principle approval for the proposed dedicated propellant storage facility at its 41st meeting held on February 25, 2026.
During the meeting, the Board recommended notification of a 10,000-square-metre parcel of land bearing Survey No. 82/1 (part) at Naquerim as an Investment Promotion Area to facilitate the project, subject to compliance with all applicable regulations.
Adding another layer to the issue, Hughes Precision Manufacturing, while submitting the Goa-IPB’s in-principle approval to the district Collector, reportedly informed the authorities that it expected formal notification and permission from the Goa-IPB by May 31.
The developments have now triggered a key question: if the Goa-IPB issues formal approval for the project before the inspection reports are submitted, will the other government authorities have any meaningful say in granting or withholding final permission for the proposed storage facility at Naqueri?
Opposition to the storage unit
Both local Quepem MLA Alton D’Costa and the Betul village Panchayat have vowed to oppose the gunpowder storage site at Naqueri following the March 20, 2025 explosion-cum-fire at Magazine No. 1 at the site.
They had made their opposition clear when officials of the government agencies conducted the joint inspection of the site on April 12.
In fact, the local Panchayat as well as the MLA had told the media that they would take legal recourse if any attempt was made by the government to bulldoze the gunpowder storage unit at Naqueri through the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board.
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Defence concerns place govt in tight spot amid safety questions
MARGAO: The Indian Army’s intervention in support of Hughes Precision Manufacturing Pvt Ltd has added a new dimension to the ongoing debate surrounding the proposed gunpowder storage facility at Naqueri, with questions now emerging over whether strategic defence considerations could influence the regulatory process.
In a communiqué addressed to the Goa Chief Secretary, a senior Army officer had sought all possible assistance for Hughes Precision Manufacturing, describing the company as a critical supplier of ammunition and stressing that uninterrupted production and delivery were vital in the current geopolitical scenario.
Pointing out that the regular and continued supply of ammunition from Hughes Precision is critical for maintaining the operational readiness of the armed forces, the Army’s letter stated that the company had twice approached the Army seeking an extension in delivery timelines.
“Apart from the Emergency Procurement, regular supply orders worth more than Rs 350 crore have also been placed on Hughes Precision in the ongoing procurement cycle, in alignment with the Make in India initiative in defence. Interruptions arising from regulatory complications could adversely affect the preparedness of the armed forces,” the letter cautioned.