Sirsa MP demands urgent action on cancer cases linked to river pollution

During the ongoing Lok Sabha session, Sirsa MP Kumari Selja raised alarm over the rising cancer cases in Haryana, linking the issue to pollution in the Ghaggar. She urged the government to take immediate action to address the health and environmental crises in the region.

In response, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare shared alarming statistics from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), reporting a steady increase in cancer cases in Haryana — from 1,486 in 2019 to 1,678 in 2023. The ministry outlined steps taken to combat this trend, including cancer care facilities at government medical colleges in Hisar, Karnal, Nuh, Sonepat and Rohtak as well as advanced treatment centres like the National Cancer Institute in Jhajjar and the Atal Cancer Care Centre in Ambala.

The government acknowledged the link between Ghaggar pollution and cancer risk, citing a 2024 study that detected hazardous levels of lead, iron and aluminum in the river water. These substances far exceed permissible limits set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), posing serious health risks to communities living near the river. The CPCB, under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme, monitors water quality at 27 locations in Punjab and Haryana. In 2023, the Ghaggar was declared unfit for drinking and outdoor bathing.

To tackle pollution, the government has installed sewage treatment plants (STPs) under the National River Conservation Plan. Haryana has created a treatment capacity of 588 MLD, while Punjab has 28 STPs with a capacity of 291.7 MLD in the Ghaggar catchment area. However, Kumari Selja criticised these efforts, stating that "most STPs in the Ghaggar belt are either non-functional or inefficient." She demanded stricter monitoring and maintenance of these facilities to prevent untreated waste from contaminating the river further.

Selja also pressed for enhanced cancer treatment facilities in the Ghaggar belt, particularly in Sirsa and Fatehabad districts, which she described as "the worst affected regions." Referring to the Chief Minister’s announcement about establishing a cancer care unit at the new medical college in Sirsa, she expressed concern about the lack of a clear timeline for its completion. "The government needs to expedite these projects and ensure that cancer patients in these districts have access to timely and quality treatment," she said.

The ministry highlighted financial aid schemes like the Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), which offers health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh annually for hospitalisation and cancer treatment.

Calling for a fresh survey to provide updated data on cancer cases, Selja said, "The government is using outdated statistics that do not reflect the current reality of the Ghaggar belt. Accurate data is crucial to formulating effective policies and interventions."

As the health and environmental crises in the Ghaggar belt deepen, the urgency for government action continues to grow.