State of the soil

Geologists say traces of radioactive elements in south-west Punjab8217;s soil could explain rising cancer incidence in this cotton belt

IT8217;S all in the soil, say geologists in Punjab. The granite-rich, high radon concentrated soil in the south-west districts could explain rising cancer incidence in the state, say experts.

The rising number of cancer deaths in Bathinda and Mansa districts8212;more than 100 people have died in the past one year8212;have confounded both people and government. The Directorate of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, says 9,000 people are affected by cancer, which in fact, has become the fourth largest killer in the state8212;the incidence rate of cancer is 3.8 per cent.

Having studied water samples from Bathinda to Amritsar and also the adjacent areas of Haryana, geologists say the high granite content in the soil leads to high concentration of radioactive substances including uranium and thorium in the sub-soil of this cotton belt of Punjab.

The underground water taken out from this subsoil is brackish and fluoride rich, the consumption of which is believed to be one of the causes of cancer. What has made matters worse is the near absence of canal water supply in these areas which are heavily dependent on underground water.

8216;8216;We have collected water samples in these districts and have found that there is an increase in the radon concentration presence of radioactive elements like uranium and thorium in water samples from Amritsar to Bathinda. The concentration of radon increases further while moving towards Haryana,8217;8217; says Prof Naresh Kochhar of the Department of Geology at Panjab University, Chandigarh. Kochar along with Dr G S Gill, Dr Veena Dadwal and Dr Naresh Tuli compiled the UGC8217;s report titled Radon and Chemical Quality of Groundwater in Parts of South-west Punjab and have submitted it to the Punjab State Council of Science and Technology.

The source of all these water samples, interestingly, is either tubewells or handpumps and all the 23 samples have shown high concentration of radon. Geologists say that the reason of the presence of radon in groundwater can8217;t be attributed to just the high use of pesticides in Punjab. The composition of the soil in this belt, they point out, contributes to it as well.

Comparing the soil composition with the other parts of the Punjab, Gill adds, 8216;8216;The sub-soil in the areas lying near the Shivaliks foothills does not have granite but is composed of sandstone and clay. This can be the reason why cancer is not so prevalent in other parts of Punjab as it is in south-west districts.8217;8217;

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An earlier study by the PGI8217;s Community Medicine Department and the Punjab State Pollution Control Board, had however, blamed all on the indiscriminate use of pesticides in the cotton belt. After a high number of deaths were recorded in Bathinda, blood samples were taken from 36 villages of the district. According to the study, traces of pesticides were found in all samples.

With serious questions now being raised on the quality of underground water available in the state, agro-economist and former vice-chancellor of Punjabi University, Patiala, Prof S S Johl, says, 8216;8216;Various studies have pointed out that underground water in not suitable for consumption, especially in the Malwa belt. In such circumstances, every house should have access to canal water. But unfortunately, Punjab faces a severe shortage of canal water.8217;8217;