📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Haard Shah
Health
54 Cancer Deaths Reported in Gujarat Villages, Residents Cite Factory Water Pollution
✍️ India Today
🗓 06 Sep 2026, 04:35 AM
👁 26
A total of 54 residents of several villages in Gujarat have died from cancer, with locals attributing the rise to water contamination from nearby factories.
A cluster of 54 cancer-related deaths has been recorded in a handful of villages across Gujarat, according to local reports. The fatalities span different age groups and have raised alarm among community members who fear a common environmental cause.
Villagers have pointed to the discharge of untreated effluents from nearby industrial units as the likely source of contamination. Residents say that the water drawn from wells and irrigation channels has a distinct chemical odor and has been linked to a rise in health problems over the past few years.
Local health officials have acknowledged the complaints and said a preliminary survey of water quality will be undertaken. The state pollution control board has been asked to inspect the factories for compliance with effluent standards, while the district medical officer has urged affected families to seek early screening.
The incident adds to growing concerns about industrial pollution in Gujarat, a state that hosts several chemical and textile plants. Advocacy groups have called for stricter monitoring and faster remedial action to prevent further health impacts.
Villagers have pointed to the discharge of untreated effluents from nearby industrial units as the likely source of contamination. Residents say that the water drawn from wells and irrigation channels has a distinct chemical odor and has been linked to a rise in health problems over the past few years.
Local health officials have acknowledged the complaints and said a preliminary survey of water quality will be undertaken. The state pollution control board has been asked to inspect the factories for compliance with effluent standards, while the district medical officer has urged affected families to seek early screening.
The incident adds to growing concerns about industrial pollution in Gujarat, a state that hosts several chemical and textile plants. Advocacy groups have called for stricter monitoring and faster remedial action to prevent further health impacts.