Case filed against contractor, chlorine tanker supplier over Godhani water plant gas leak in Nagpur

Mankapur police in Nagpur have registered a case against two people over the chlorine gas leak at the water purification centre in Godhani. One is a contractor and the other is the owner of the firm that supplied the chlorine tanker.

According to the complaint lodged with the police, the accused were aware of the dangers of chlorine gas but were still negligent. It is alleged that as a result a large quantity of gas leaked and the lives of people living nearby were put at risk.

The first of the two named in the case is contractor Mohan Anand, 55, a resident of Dharampeth. The second is Rajkumar Tated, 50, who lives in Budhwari. Tated is the owner of Parshva Associates, the firm that supplied the chlorine tanker.

The incident took place around midnight on August 24, 2026. The leak occurred between about 12.30 am and 1 am. Many people in the area had serious difficulty in breathing. Those affected had to be admitted to different hospitals, and some patients had to be kept in intensive care units. The complaint also states that some dogs in the area died because of the gas.

Considering the gravity of the incident, the District Collector, who is also chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority, had constituted an inquiry committee. The police have acted on the basis of this committee's inquiry report.

According to the complaint, a large quantity of gas suddenly began escaping from the standby chlorine tanker kept at the centre. The tanker is said to have been valid until January 2027. Despite this, gas leaked from it, and the accused are alleged to have been negligent in keeping the situation under control. The police are investigating the case further.

Soon after the incident, teams of the local administration and the fire brigade reached the spot and set about bringing the situation under control. After hours of effort, the spread of the gas was halted.

Local residents and environmentalists are angry after the incident. People allege that safety norms are being ignored at such a sensitive water treatment plant built close to a densely populated area, and that a major accident could occur at any time. Residents have demanded the strictest legal action against such negligent agencies and contractors so that such life-threatening incidents do not recur.