In Sirsa, Sant Nagar’s Olympian legacy marred by toxic water

Sant Nagar, a village in Sirsa district known for producing hockey legends like Olympians Didar Singh, Harpal Singh and Sardar Singh, is grappling with a water crisis. While its athletes bring glory to the nation, the village’s 7,800 residents battle for clean drinking water.

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For over a decade, villagers have relied on underground water, which they claim is toxic, leading to a surge in cancer cases. In the past two months alone, three members of a single family succumbed to cancer, including 65-year-old Gurtej Singh. His son, Hakam Singh, a farmer leader, blames the contaminated water. “My father is the third in our family to suffer this fate,” he says.

Hakam Singh, related to Olympian Sardar Singh, recalls a time when the village had clean water from the Bhakra Canal. “Political interference cut off the supply, forcing us to rely on this poisoned water. Now, cancer and other diseases are spreading like wildfire,” he laments. Hakam has even offered his land for a boosting station to restore the supply.

Around 15-20 villagers are battling cancer, including a 12-year-old boy receiving treatment at PGI, Chandigarh. Villagers attribute the contamination to pollution in the Ghaggar, which has tainted groundwater. “We’ve lost so many lives, and yet nothing changes,” says a local resident.

A project to supply Bhakra Canal water to the village was approved years ago and a treatment plant was built in neighbouring Dalip Nagar. However, it remains non-operational due to legal hurdles. “We need two boosting stations to bring water here. One is ready, but the second one is stuck because a villager filed a case over using land from the cremation ground,” explains Dal Singh, the sarpanch’s representative.

Meanwhile, the village relies on seven borewells that often fail, leaving residents without water. Former sarpanch Gurdeep Singh has criticised the planning flaws. “The administration spent nearly Rs 5 crore without securing land for the boosting station,” he says.

Even young hockey hopefuls like 19-year-olds Yuvraj and Navraj are forced to drink the unsafe water. “If we had clean water, it would help us perform better and stay healthy,” Yuvraj says.

Sirsa’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr MK Bhadu, has promised a survey to identify cancer patients. DC Shantanu Sharma has assured that water quality will be tested.