Nagpur: A chlorine gas leak at Godhani water treatment plant in the early hours of Monday sent scores of residents to hospitals and raised concerns over the facility’s safety and operational management. Godhani Nagar Panchayat president Roshna Kolte said the plant has not yet been handed over to the civic body.Speaking to TOI, Kolte said the incident occurred around 12-12.15am. She clarified that the nagar panchayat has no direct control over the facility. “There is only one worker at the plant and he is not an employee of the nagar panchayat. The facility belongs to Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) and has not yet been handed over to us,” she said.Kolte added that the nagar panchayat currently receives water supply from Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s water treatment plant as the new Godhani facility is yet to be fully commissioned.She said the exact cause of the chlorine leak would be known only after inputs from the plant supervisor and other officials. According to her, residents started experiencing discomfort shortly after the gas escaped from the facility. Many rushed out of their homes and were later shifted to hospitals for treatment.“Our priority is to ensure that residents are stable and have not suffered any serious harm. That is the most important thing at this stage,” Kolte said.She said the nagar panchayat would deploy a team to assess the situation and review condition of the affected residents before deciding on further action. “There will be an investigation. We will ascertain what happened and determine the appropriate action,” she said.Kolte said the water treatment plant has a capacity of around 4.5 MLD and was undergoing testing when the leak occurred. Godhani has only one water treatment facility, which is intended to supply water to two elevated reservoirs, including those at MHADA and Aradhana Society. The Godhani plant is the main water treatment facility for the area.Her remarks come amid growing concerns over safety arrangements and operational oversight at the plant, especially as it was reportedly undergoing testing at the time of the incident.Kolte assured that the nagar panchayat would extend all possible assistance to affected residents and review the situation comprehensively.The gas leak triggered panic in the locality, with several residents reporting breathing difficulties and other symptoms. Many of those affected were admitted to nearby hospitals.As the plant has not yet been formally handed over to the Godhani Nagar Panchayat, the incident is likely to bring increased scrutiny on the agencies responsible for operating and supervising the facility.Meanwhile, during a visit by Nagpur collector Kumar Ashirwad, local councillors demanded that the water treatment plant be relocated from the area.
