Nagpur: Years before the 900kg chlorine tank leak, residents and the then Godhani gram panchayat had already warned against building the water treatment plant (WTP) in a residential area, proposing Chakkikhapa as a safer alternative. That warning went unheeded, and Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) eventually built the plant at Sakar Nagar instead. Monday’s incident, which left several people hospitalised, has now vindicated those concerns.“We suggested Chakkikhapa because sufficient government land classified as Zudpi forest was available there. However, obtaining forest department clearance proved tedious, and the administration eventually chose public land at Sakar Nagar instead,” former Zilla Parishad vice-president Kunda Raut told TOIThe probe panel has also questioned how, and by whom, the WTP’s construction was cleared despite its narrow approach road. It noted that the road should have been widened to allow emergency vehicles quick access, given that the facility handles chlorine.The inquiry committee is expected to submit its report on Thursday, examining not just the circumstances of the leak but also site selection, accessibility, and safety arrangements. The district administration is separately drafting a standard operating procedure (SOP) to prevent recurrence.Local resident Sumesh Narnaware said he had submitted several applications opposing the project, including petitions bearing residents’ signatures, but these failed to alter the decision.Residents allege that pressure from elected representatives led to the WTP being sited at Sakar Nagar despite their objections. They note that when the project was approved, Congress controlled both the Godhani gram panchayat and the Zilla Parishad, while BJP’s Sameer Meghe was the MLA for Hingna.After meeting residents still undergoing treatment at the hospital, Meghe said protective measures — including reinforcing the wall around the chlorine tank and installing an alarm system — should be considered once a scientific study is conducted.He added that the administration would bear the treatment costs of those affected by the leak. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed the collector to convene a meeting of hospital in-charges to ensure affected patients faced no difficulty over money or medicines. The CM is expected to meet the residents personally later this week.Rs 25.57 crore projectGodhani (Railway) water supply scheme was sanctioned under Jal Jeevan Mission at an estimated cost of Rs 25.57 croreGram sabha approved it on Aug 1, 2022, and work order was issued on Dec 2, 2022MJP’s Water Management Department, Nagpur, built WTP with a capacity of 6.5 million litres per dayIt was originally scheduled for completion by March 1, 2024It is part of a larger scheme that includes a 2.15-km pre-treatment rising main, a 350-metre treated-water rising main, a 3.73-km treated-water gravity main, one balancing reservoir, three elevated storage tanks, and 72.72 km of distribution network
