Sonipat Residents Suffer From Cancer And Lethal Skin Infections Due To Industrial Waste

India has a very lax approach when it comes to protecting the nation from environmental degradation. Lack of awareness and stringent measures by the government has turned north India into a gas chamber.

Whether it is stubble burning that has made the capital¡¯s air hazardous or industrial waste that is spewing toxic chemicals into river bodies, Indians are suffering from chronic health ailments. Many hospitals had even installed a clean pair of lungs to display the lethal effects of Delhi¡¯s deteriorating air quality index.

Now, a new discovery has been made which indicates that people staying in various districts of Sonipat are suffering from deadly diseases like cancer for consuming polluted industrial water.

Photo: BCCL/Representative Image

Residents of Saboli, Nathupur, Kundli, Akbarpur Barota Safiabad and Sersa have been affected by industrial waste. According to ANI these areas house quite a few plastic, rubber and polyester factories of medium and large scale size. The industrial pollution that enters the nearby areas include toxic substances like dioxin, furan and benzene which cause reproductive and developmental problems in people living in that area.

The villagers are not only inhaling toxic air but are also drinking polluted water which is leading to skin infections. A 78-year-old resident of Saboli village, Mahendra Singh told the news agency, ¡°I was detected with throat cancer in August 2018. The source of our drinking water is getting severely affected due to industrial waste.¡± He went onto say that corruption was acting as an impediment to finding a solution.

Photo: BCCL/Representative Image

Another daily wage earner said that the situation wasn¡¯t this worse a decade ago. Now, the future generations are also getting affected. The people are left with no other option but to resort to water filters to make sure that they are drinking clean water.

However, villagers who cannot afford these filters have no other option but to drink polluted water.

Project Coordinator, Sustainability Vision Foundation Trust Vijay Kumar Saroha said that unplanned industrial developments had disrupted the life of villagers. Moreover, none of these industries follow waste disposal system.

Photo: BCCL/Representative Image

Locals also expressed other social concerns like they had problem finding suitable marriage partners for their children. The villagers claimed that once people hear of the life-threatening diseases, they would no longer be interested in the proposal.

Industries can have long-lasting effects on their surrounding areas. For instance, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy of 1984 which is also popularly called ¡°Corporate Crime¡± continue to have reproductive and developmental effects on the residents. Long-term health effects resulted in chronic conjunctivitis, scars on the cornea, respiratory problems like aggravation of TB and chronic bronchitis, impairment of memory and intellect among people living near the abandoned Union Carbide factory.