Faulty Valve Behind Meerut Chlorine Leak, Area Monitored After Emergency Containment
Some people were taken ill after a chlorine gas leak from a sewage treatment plant in Meerut, officials said on Wednesday, as the incident prompted panic among residents living near the facility.
The leak occurred on Tuesday near Akanksha Ambience Colony in Pallavpuram Phase-2, prompting residents to rush outside their homes with children and elderly family members.
A fire tender and police team reached the spot after being alerted about the leak. Police used loudspeakers to issue precautionary instructions to residents. They were advised to cover their faces with masks or handkerchiefs and remain indoors.
Some people fell ill after being exposed to the gas and were admitted to hospital, officials said. They did not provide details about the number of people hospitalized or their condition.
Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Gangwar said the leak was caused by a faulty valve on a chlorine cylinder installed at the treatment plant.
Following the leak, teams from the municipal waterworks department and Dauraula Organic reached the site and inspected the plant. The teams took steps to stop the gas leak, Gangwar said.
The municipal commissioner said the situation was brought under control in some time. He added that officials were monitoring the area after the leak was stopped.
The incident also led some families to leave their homes temporarily. Amid the smell of the gas, some residents locked their houses and moved to safer places, returning only at night, officials said. Some others chose to stay at relatives' homes for the entire night.
Officials continued monitoring the area after the immediate situation was brought under control, Gangwar said, and teams remained involved in checking the affected treatment plant.
The cause of the leak was identified as a faulty valve on the chlorine cylinder installed at the sewage treatment plant, according to Gangwar. The officials did not give further details about the equipment at the site.