Faridkot village has growing number of cancer cases

Residents of Chandbaja Village in Punjabs Faridkot District are intrigued over the increase in cases of cancer during the last one year.

By Karan Kapoor

Chandbaja (Punjab), July 30 : Residents of Chandbaja Village in Punjab's Faridkot District are intrigued over the increase in cases of cancer during the last one year.

The village has witnessed the death of at least 11 people due to cancer in one year and twelve others are critically ill.

The non-availability of adequate cancer treatment facilities in Malwa region have forced these Punjab villagers to go to Bikaner in Rajasthan for treatment. This has placed a heavy financial burden on the villagers.

Gurpreet, one of the villagers, said: "In the last one year at least 8 to 10 patients have died in this village due to cancer. However, no one cares. We request the government and social organisations to come forward and help the cancer patients"

As till date no government medical team had ever visited the village, the reason and details about the cancer remains unknown.

The health officials of the Faridkot District have assured all possible help as soon as possible after a proper investigation into the prevailing medical problem in the area.

Rakesh Gupta, the civil surgeon in Faridkot, said: "Soon, I am going to visit the village with a team. We will see what kind of cancer is prevailing among the patients and how it can be cured." ccording to an assessment, intensive farming practices in vogue for the past four decades have led to an environmental crisis, which is perhaps the likely cause. in Punjab.

The cultivable land is sick, the environment has been heavily contaminated due to the use of chemical pesticides. Besides, the underground water table is plummeting at a disastrous pace.

ANI