Haryana Government Reports Steady Increase in Cancer Cases in Sirsa District
The Haryana government has officially acknowledged a concerning and steady rise in cancer cases within Sirsa district over the past decade. However, state authorities have simultaneously clarified that no scientific study has established a direct link between these increasing cancer incidences and pollution in the Ghaggar river or the region's groundwater.
Official Data Reveals Alarming Trends
According to detailed figures presented in the Haryana legislative assembly by State Health Minister Arti Singh Rao, a total of 970 cancer cases were reported in Sirsa district between 2016 and 2025. While the state does not maintain a comprehensive population-based cancer registry specifically for Sirsa, the available district-level reports indicate a noticeable and troubling upward trend in recent years.
The data reveals a particularly sharp spike occurred in 2023, with 162 reported cancer cases—more than double the figure recorded in 2016, which stood at 71 cases. This significant increase has raised public health concerns and prompted legislative inquiry.
Government Clarifies No Established Link to Pollution
Addressing growing concerns about a potential connection between the rising cancer incidence and pollution in the Ghaggar river, Minister Rao informed the legislative assembly that the state health department has not conducted any formal study establishing such a correlation.
"In the absence of population-based cancer registries, there is no district-wise authenticated data regarding cancer patients during the last 10 years in Sirsa district situated along and around the Ghaggar," the House was officially informed. "There is no study conducted by the health department, Haryana, that suggests a possible linkage between such cases and Ghaggar river or groundwater pollution."
Legislative Inquiry and Government Response
The minister made this critical statement during the Assembly's Budget session on Monday while responding to an unstarred question raised by Congress MLA Shishpal Keharwala, who represents the Kalanwali constituency within Sirsa district. Keharwala had specifically requested information about authenticated cancer data for areas along the Ghaggar over the past decade and inquired about any potential pollution linkage.
In a further clarification, the government confirmed that no investigation has been undertaken by the health department to test for hazardous heavy metals—such as arsenic, uranium, or lead—in the Ghaggar river water, despite longstanding public complaints.
Public Health Measures and Screening Efforts
In response to the escalating health concerns among local residents, the Haryana authorities have organized 61 health screening camps from 2022 to 2025 in villages located along the Ghaggar river in Sirsa district. During these extensive outreach efforts, a total of 2,639 individuals were medically examined, resulting in the detection of five confirmed cancer cases.
Background on Ghaggar River Contamination Concerns
For many years, residents living along the banks of the Ghaggar—a seasonal river flowing through Punjab and Haryana before dissipating in Rajasthan—have consistently complained about contaminated river water and groundwater being linked to various illnesses. The river has long faced serious allegations of industrial discharge and agricultural run-off pollution. Despite these persistent public allegations, the health department's current position maintains that no formal, causal link has been scientifically established between the cancer cases and pollution in the Ghaggar or the local groundwater sources.
Detailed Cancer Data for Sirsa District (2016-2025)
Reported Cancer Cases by Year:
- 2016: 71 cases
- 2017: 84 cases
- 2018: 60 cases
- 2019: 86 cases
- 2020: 58 cases
- 2021: 95 cases
- 2022: 116 cases
- 2023: 162 cases
- 2024: 123 cases
- 2025: 115 cases
The data underscores a volatile but overall increasing trajectory, with the 2023 figure representing a critical peak that has intensified scrutiny and public discourse on environmental health in the region.
