27/11/2007 (The Hindu), Kochi - Thirtyfive rail wagons carrying 1,820 tonnes of palm oil from Chennai were seized here on suspicions that the edible oil was of inferior quality and brought in wagons used to transport petroleum products.

The palm oil consignment brought by rail was confiscated by Ernakulam District Collector A P M Mohammed Hanish last night following a directive from Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, official sources said.

Hanish said the seizure was made following information that the palm oil was of inferior quality and it was being brought in wagons used for petroleum products.

Authorities are also probing whether the consignment had been imported to Chennai and then brought to Kerala in a bid to circumvent a Kerala High Court order banning import of palm oil through the Cochin Port.

The papers and documents would be inspected and the palm oil would also be tested by food and health inspectors today, the sources said.

The train, coming from Salt Quarters in Chennai, carried 1,820 tonnes of palm oil in 35 wagons. Eleven wagon loads of the oil had been transferred to the tanks of the consignee.

On October 17, the Union Government had imposed a ban on the import of palm oil through the Cochin Port, but this was stayed by the Kerala High Court.

However, hearing a batch of petitions challenging the stay, the high court on November 20 directed that no vessel carrying palm oil would be allowed to offload the cargo at the Cochin Port till further orders.