Nagpur police book contractor and chlorine tanker supplier over Godhni water plant gas leak

Nagpur: Mankapur police have registered a case against a contractor and a chlorine tanker supplier over a chlorine gas leak at the Godhni water purification centre that endangered the lives of residents and left several people with serious breathing problems. The incident took place around midnight on August 24. The action follows the report of an inquiry committee formed by the district administration after the incident.

The complainant, Shrikant Battulwar, is a deputy engineer (mechanical) at the Godhni water purification centre. The accused are contractor Mohan Anand and Rajkumar Tated, owner of the tanker supplier firm Parshva Associates.

According to the inquiry report, a large quantity of gas suddenly leaked from the standby chlorine tanker kept at the centre. Despite knowing that chlorine gas is toxic and can be fatal, the people concerned were negligent in taking the necessary precautions. Even after the leak began, the situation could not be brought under control in time, which put the lives of nearby residents at risk.

Several residents who were exposed to the gas suffered serious breathing problems. They had to be admitted to various hospitals, and some patients were also kept in the ICU. The complaint also stated that several dogs in the area died due to the effects of the gas.

Mankapur police registered the case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and other related sections, after the report of the District Disaster Management Authority's inquiry committee, the administration's orders and guidance from senior officers. Police are investigating the case further.