Majra village lives in cancer fear

Gurminder Singh Grewal

Khanna, May 25

Around 10 cancer deaths in the past about three years and as many persons fighting the deadly disease has caused fear in Majra village near Khanna. Villagers have cited an old village pond as reason for rising cancer cases in the village. They say its water is polluted which further pollutes groundwater.

Gurpreet Singh Bhagat and Daljit Singh, both residents of the village, said water in an old village pond was polluted which got mixed with underground water. They said though sewerage had been laid and clean water is being supplied to the village, the effect of polluted water was still causing health problems in villagers.

The villagers said Mukhtiar Singh, Naib Singh, Raj Rani, Rani, Resham Kaur, Malkit Kaur, Kulwinder Kaur, Shinder Kaur, Sonu and Jaspal Singh, all residents of the village, had lost their lives to cancer in the past about three years. Around 12 residents of the village are fighting the deadly disease, he added.

The villagers have demanded immediate cleaning of the village pond to save precious lives.

The villagers said apart from cancer, this polluted water is also causing liver and gastro ailments. They said they would be forced to protest if the cleaning of the village pong was not done without delay. They have demanded medical and financial help for the affected villagers.

When SDM of Khanna Shokat Ahemd Parrey was contacted in this regard, he said he was not aware of the problem. He, however, said he would take up the matter with the BDPO Khanna and the village pond would be cleaned under the MGNREG scheme as soon as possible.