Rise of cancer linked to polluted groundwater
28 Nov 2014 10:48 PM GMT
There have been reports of cancer cases along with other related diseases from nearly 40 villages in three blocks of the district. The worst is that as many as 115 people have been reported dead from one particular village, Gangnoli, in the past couple of years due to cancer while around 50 people have been identified suffering from the deadly disease in the village.
The other villages too have witnessed around a dozen deaths during this period and scores of patients have been identified. Although a Delhi based laboratory, recognised by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and other government bodies, has discovered high level of pollutant in the ground water and the matter has been raised before the National Green Tribunal (NGT). But there is little hope that the villagers will get rid of this problem.
According to recent reports, the Kali river has been found to be highly polluted and has presently been converted to a mere drain.
The three blocks — Chhaproli, Baraut and Binoli, located in the vicinity of the three rivers, have registered 100 to 200 patients suffering from cancer, hepatitis, bone deformity and other severe diseases.
The worst affected villages are Gangroli, Tikari, Sarira, Majra, Khadana, Nangal, Bhagwan Pur, Asarfabad, Thal, Sutji and others of Baraut block. Chhaproli block is not far below the chart with some 18-odd villages.Â
Though the release of untreated industrial waste has caused cancerous diseases to spread among people and has converted the region into a death-bed, the matter came to light about six months back when a retired scientist, Dr Chandraveer Singh, from Haryana Pollution Control Board went through the water samples in SIMA Labs and came up with these startling figures.
The report found 7,500 mg per litre suspended liquid as against permissible 200 mg per litre in the rivers. Availability of sulfide was also found to the limit of 285 per litre as against two mg with iron amounting to 38 mg per litre against just three mg per litre along with a high level of mercury, lead, manganese and other solid effluents.
Dr Md Yasin, a local resident of Asara village who works with the state health department, said: ‘As more than 80 percent population is forced to drink polluted water, diseases related to the eye, ears, stomach, neck and others have been developing among the villagers. Absence of adequate medical facilities in the locality and more so due to ignorance, these diseases are being transformed into major ones like cancer and now, the situation has become alarming. It is not only affecting the youth and the elderly, but crippling the childhood of an entire generation,’ said Yasin.
The other villages too have witnessed around a dozen deaths during this period and scores of patients have been identified. Although a Delhi based laboratory, recognised by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and other government bodies, has discovered high level of pollutant in the ground water and the matter has been raised before the National Green Tribunal (NGT). But there is little hope that the villagers will get rid of this problem.
According to recent reports, the Kali river has been found to be highly polluted and has presently been converted to a mere drain.
The three blocks — Chhaproli, Baraut and Binoli, located in the vicinity of the three rivers, have registered 100 to 200 patients suffering from cancer, hepatitis, bone deformity and other severe diseases.
The worst affected villages are Gangroli, Tikari, Sarira, Majra, Khadana, Nangal, Bhagwan Pur, Asarfabad, Thal, Sutji and others of Baraut block. Chhaproli block is not far below the chart with some 18-odd villages.Â
Though the release of untreated industrial waste has caused cancerous diseases to spread among people and has converted the region into a death-bed, the matter came to light about six months back when a retired scientist, Dr Chandraveer Singh, from Haryana Pollution Control Board went through the water samples in SIMA Labs and came up with these startling figures.
The report found 7,500 mg per litre suspended liquid as against permissible 200 mg per litre in the rivers. Availability of sulfide was also found to the limit of 285 per litre as against two mg with iron amounting to 38 mg per litre against just three mg per litre along with a high level of mercury, lead, manganese and other solid effluents.
Dr Md Yasin, a local resident of Asara village who works with the state health department, said: ‘As more than 80 percent population is forced to drink polluted water, diseases related to the eye, ears, stomach, neck and others have been developing among the villagers. Absence of adequate medical facilities in the locality and more so due to ignorance, these diseases are being transformed into major ones like cancer and now, the situation has become alarming. It is not only affecting the youth and the elderly, but crippling the childhood of an entire generation,’ said Yasin.
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