PUNE: Two workers died of suffocation after inhaling noxious fumes while cleaning the sewage treatment plant (STP) at a housing society in Wakad on Saturday. Two others, another cleaner and a fireman who was involved in the rescue of the workers, also fell unconscious on inhaling the fumes. Both are currently recuperating in the critical care unit of a hospital.

At 11.30 am on Saturday, STP operator Ganesh Shelar (21) of Wakad and Praveen Jamdade (25) of Dhankawdi had entered the STP to clean it, without wearing any safety masks or protective clothing. Police said Shelar started feeling faint and fell unconscious inside the tank. Another worker Jamdade entered the tank to rescue Shelar. "The duo panicked as they started feeling suffocated and they unable to come out of the tank," said senior inspector Vishwajeet Khule of the Wakad police station.

At this point, a third worker, Kapil Baid, jumped into the tank to rescue the duo, but he too inhaled the noxious gas and fell unconscious. The Pimpri Chinchwad fire brigade that reached the spot removed the three men in an unconscious state from the tank. Fireman Hanumant Kale, who was involved in the rescue operation, also fell unconscious as he too inhaled the gas.

Senior inspector Khule said that Shelar worked as an operator for Deccan Water Treatment Plant , which had constructed the STP at Park Estate Housing Society at Kalephata in Wakad. Shelar's job was to use the filtered water from the STP for watering plants. However, Khule said that the police suspect that the company may have asked Shelar to clean the tank on Saturday.

The four men were rushed to a nearby private hospital, but doctors declared Shelar and Jamdade dead on arrival. The condition of Baid and Kale is reported to be stable.

The police have booked company officials Manoj Shetty and Dhananjay Kanstara under section 304 (a) (causing death due to negligence) read with 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, Khule added.

Kiran Gawade, fire officer of the civic body said that a seven-member team including firemen from Rahatani fire station had rushed to the spot when they received a call around noon. He added that their fireman Hanumant Kale too inhaled poisonous gas.

Vasant Kachi, deputy city engineer, Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporation said, "As per the development control rules of the corporation, big housing societies must take steps to deal with the sewage they generate. Setting up a sewage treatment plant dedicated to the society, is one such step. The builders have to construct the plant of their own, if the area of the plot (where the society is built) is more than 20,000 sq meters. Once the plant is built, it is the duty of the builder or society to maintain the STP."

Hospital officials said that the condition of the fireman and the third worker was stable. "A total of three people were brought to our hospital. Of them, two were brought dead. The third person complained of severe breathing problem. He is currently being treated at the critical care unit (CCU) of the hospital under the care of a chest physician," said Rekha Dubey, chief operating officer, of the Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital.

