Godhani Chlorine Leak Prompts Safety Review at Nagpur Water Treatment Plant

Nagpur: A chlorine gas leak at the Godhani Water Treatment Plant has prompted a detailed safety review after an inspection identified gaps in chemical-handling and emergency-response arrangements. The incident occurred during the early hours of 24 August and involved leakage from a 900-kg reserve chlorine cylinder stored at the facility.

A district-level inspection reportedly found that caustic soda, commonly used for emergency chlorine neutralisation, was not available near the chlorination unit. The team also identified limitations in breathing apparatus, oxygen-cylinder availability and mechanised equipment for handling large chlorine containers. These observations are part of an ongoing technical review and should not be treated as final findings on responsibility or regulatory non-compliance.

The leak affected nearby residential areas and resulted in multiple people seeking hospital treatment for symptoms including breathing difficulty, coughing and eye irritation. Health teams subsequently carried out door-to-door monitoring, while air-quality measurements were undertaken in the affected locality. Officials later reported that atmospheric chlorine levels had returned to safe conditions.

A technical committee comprising representatives from relevant environmental, engineering, fire-safety and disaster-response agencies has been tasked with examining the incident. Areas under review include the condition and storage of the chlorine cylinder, operational procedures, emergency preparedness and whether technical, human or administrative factors contributed to the leak.

The incident highlights the importance of robust chemical-safety systems at drinking-water treatment facilities. Chlorination remains widely used for disinfection, but installations handling bulk chlorine require appropriate containment, leak detection, neutralisation systems, trained operators, personal protective equipment and clearly defined emergency-response procedures

For water utilities, the Godhani incident reinforces the need for regular safety audits covering chlorine storage, handling equipment, ventilation, gas detection, emergency neutralisation and operator training. The final conclusions regarding the cause of the leak and any corrective action should be based on the technical committee’s findings.