Case filed against contractor, chlorine supplier over Nagpur's Godhani plant gas leak
Police have booked a contractor and a chlorine supplier for negligence after the 24 August leak at the Godhani water treatment plant, following an inquiry that found serious safety lapses.
Police in Nagpur have registered a case against a contractor and a chlorine gas supplier over the chlorine leak at the Godhani water treatment plant on 24 August. The action followed an inquiry that reportedly found serious lapses in safety arrangements.
The leak came from the plant's standby 900-kg chlorine tonner. The spread of the toxic gas caused panic in the surrounding area, and people had difficulty breathing. More than 50 people reportedly had to be admitted to hospital. Several dogs caught in the gas are also reported to have died.
The two named in the police case are accused. One is Mohan Anand, 55, who is associated with Prithipal Singh and Company. The other is Rajkumar Tated, 50, owner of Parshva Associates. The tonner of chlorine was supplied by this firm.
The case has been registered at Mankapur police station. The complaint was filed by Shrikant Krishna Batulwar, deputy mechanical engineer at the plant. According to the complaint, the accused did not take full care in handling and supplying the hazardous gas. It is alleged that this negligence led to the leak and the emergency.
The inquiry is said to have found several shortcomings in the plant's chlorine safety arrangements. It is stated that there were no gas sensors or alarms, no properly functioning neutralisation system and not enough safety equipment. The standby tonner is also said to have been kept in the open.
The tonner's validity is stated to run until January 2027. The inquiry has therefore focused on safety arrangements and gas-handling practices, and not only on whether the gas container was valid.
The inquiry began on the orders of District Collector Ashirwad Kumar. He had asked for the incident to be investigated and directed that criminal action be taken if negligence was established.
The case has raised questions about the safety of water treatment plants that use highly toxic chemicals. The accountability of contractors and suppliers has also been questioned. Police are examining the circumstances of the leak and the lapses that were reported. Whether further action will be taken against others responsible for running the plant may depend on the findings of the inquiry.
Lapses in the storage, monitoring and emergency arrangements for chemicals can put entire neighbourhoods at risk.
