Surge in cancer cases: NGT orders groundwater test near Bandhwari landfill in Gurugram

Tribune News Service

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, January 14

The National Green Tribunal has ordered the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) and the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram to test groundwater of five villages in the vicinity of Bandhwari landfill.

Surge in cancer cases

Our region had no cancer history till this mountain of garbage came up here. Now, we have 20 cancer patients in our village and 10 in Gwal Pahari, all because of contaminated water. — Raja Ram, Former Sarpanch, Bandhwari

The directive has come after various reports highlighted the increasing number of cancer patients in villages near the landfill in Gurugram district.

According to the orders issued on January 9, the tribunal asked the Gurugram Municipal Commissioner to constitute a team, which will have representative of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board to test the quality of groundwater of Bandhwari, Baliawas, Balola, Gwal Pahari and Dera Mandi villages.

“If the groundwater is found to be contaminated, the officials should find out the nature of contamination and also check health condition of villagers. If necessary, appropriate healthcare facilities should be provided to individuals, who are suffering due to contaminated groundwater,” read the orders. The NGT asked the state authorities to carry out the tests within a month. They were further directed to organise medical check-up camps, diagnose any health conditions generated from contamination and bear the medical expenses.

A former sarpanch of Bandhwari, Raja Ram, who presented the case of medical crises in the village in the tribunal, claimed there were 20 cancer patients in his village.

“Our region had no cancer history till this mountain of garbage was built here. Now, we have 20 cancer patients in our village and 10 in Gwal Pahari, all because of contaminated water,” he said.

He alleged, “Over 50 buffalos have died so far, but nobody cares. The leachate flowing in ground is contaminating water and even the ROs don’t help.”

The NGT also asked the state authorities to be accountable for clearing legacy waste from Bandhwari that was to be removed in 2023 itself.

The tribunal further directed Vikas Gupta, Commissioner and Secretary, Urban Local Bodies Department, to file a personal affidavit with a clear timeline regarding various steps, which are necessary to be taken for clearing not only the entire legacy waste but also for processing fresh solid waste generated on a daily basis.

He was further directed to protect the environment against the damage caused due to the seepage of leachate.

Gupta had submitted before the NGT that he was personally monitoring the situation every day. He said that effective and positive results shall be shown within a time bound manner.

“The order has given us a long-awaited hope. The MC and the HSPCB has been submitting affidavits, claiming war-level efforts but it is zero on ground. The NGT has now held the in-charge of the Urban Local Bodies personally accountable for the issue. The villagers who have been suffering silently will now get their due attention,” said petitioner Vaishali Rana Chandra.

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#Cancer #Environment #Groundwater #Gurugram #National Green Tribunal NGT #Pollution