Chlorine gas leaks at Indian treatment plants

In late August 2026, a major chemical emergency occurred at the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran water treatment plant in Nagpur, India. A leak from a 900-kg chlorine gas cylinder released toxic fumes into residential areas, resulting in at least 56 hospitalizations, including several patients in intensive care. Emergency responders neutralized the leak by submerging the cylinder in a mixture of water and caustic soda, and authorities established an exclusion zone to investigate the cause.

In mid-September 2026, a similar incident took place at a sewage treatment plant in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. On a Tuesday evening, a leak near Akanksha Ambience Colony in the Pallavpuram Phase-2 area caused widespread panic, forcing residents to flee with children and elderly family members. Between 8 and 15 people, including local councilor Vikrant Dhaka, were hospitalized for respiratory distress and eye irritation at facilities such as SDS Hospital and Future Plus Hospital.

Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Gangwar stated the leak was caused by a faulty valve on a chlorine cylinder, though some reports suggested a missing washer in a tunnel pipe might be the technical cause. Fire tenders and municipal waterworks teams brought the situation under control, while local police used loudspeakers to advise residents to stay indoors and cover their faces with masks or cloth to mitigate exposure.