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Cancer and birth deformities toll, due to uranium radiation in Punjab groundwater

The effect of all this can be seen in the growing number of patients in the Malwa belt with cancer and other diseases and children being born with abnormalities. In fact, a train that connects Bathinda with Bikaner in neighbouring Rajasthan is known as the ‘Cancer Express’ as it ferries a large number of cancer patients from Punjab to Bikaner for treatment at a cancer hospital.

Groundwater contaminated, Punjab battles uranium curse Times of IndiaI  Jul 13, 2012,   CHANDIGARH, The high incidence of cancer and other diseases in Punjab’s Malwa belt has been highlighted over the last decade. Now, union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh  has confirmed the presence of uranium and other heavy metals in groundwater in the state, particularly the Malwa region, and serious efforts are afoot to control the damage.

The worst affected is southwest Punjab’s fertile Malwa belt – the area
south of the river Sutlej – comprising the districts of Mansa,
Bathinda, Moga, Faridkot, Barnala, Sangrur and some parts of
Ludhiana…….
“The level of uranium in the ground water is 50 percent over the WHO
norms. The source of this is not yet known. Punjab is the only state
to have uranium in its water,” Ramesh said here.

Of the 2,462 samples of water collected from tubewells across Punjab,
1,140 samples had tested positive for the presence of uranium and
arsenic.

The effect of all this can be seen in the growing number of patients in the Malwa belt with cancer and other diseases and children being born with abnormalities. In fact, a train that connects Bathinda with Bikaner in neighbouring Rajasthan is known as the ‘Cancer Express’ as
it ferries a large number of cancer patients from Punjab to Bikaner for treatment at a cancer hospital….. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-13/india/32662654_1_punjab-s-malwa-water-uranium-uranium-contamination

July 16, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, India, Reference, water