Most detonators don’t have barcode, tough to track handlers

Nagpur: The seizure of 58 detonators along with 15 live cartridges in central Nagpur has again exposed the lack of a mechanism to track movement of devices that trigger a blast.Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) — the industry regulator — has developed a barcoding system to monitor movement of explosives, but not the detonators.The sensitive material used for making detonators makes barcoding risky. This has left a loophole, enabling diversion of detonators for use by subversive elements. PESO issued directions to manufacturers in July last year to eliminate electric detonators with electronic devices, which can be easily tracked if diverted.A barcode helps in tracking production to movement of explosives till the end user. If found abandoned like the Ganeshpeth haul on Tuesday, the barcode can track the manufacturer and also the user to whom the material may have been sold, as per records. The manufacturer needs to file returns disclosing the quantity made. Even the sale has to be reported, declaring the buyer's name. If the cartridge is pilfered midway or manufactured more than the declared quantity, it can be matched with the barcode. This is not possible with non-electronic detonators. A senior official handling the cache also confirmed the detonators found in central Nagpur did not appear to have barcodes.PESO too has been pushing for use of electronic detonators. These have to be activated using a logger — a handheld device. Both the detonator and logger have to be made by the same manufacturer, like a lock-and-key combination. This can prevent misuse and diversion. However, electronic detonators are yet to gain numbers, said a source in the organisation.A PESO letter says electronic detonators can have an embedded chip to ensure traceability. It also mandated all exploder devices must have passwords accessible only by the actual user.