Greenpeace has released its findings of an epidemiological health study entitled, "State of Community health at Medak district," that revealed abnormally high rates of pollution related illnesses like cancer, heart diseases, asthma and bronchitis caused by the release of a multitude of toxins into the environment by industries of Medak district, Andhra Pradesh.
The survey illustrates that there was an overwhelming increase in most types of systemic diseases across the study group as compared to the control group. Clinically confirmed cancer is 11 times higher in the study group. Diseases of the respiratory system affect one in every 20 people. The prevalence of heart diseases is 16 times higher in the study group. Key systems such as nervous, digestive and circulatory have been damaged and congenital malformations amongst others are rampant simply because the community has been exposed to many chemical poisons for over two decades now.
"The study started on the premise of finding evidence of people affected by pollution," Bidhan Chandra Singh, Toxics campaigner, Greenpeace India said adding, "But the results are far more shocking than we had expected. "The study was undertaken to estimate the impact of pollution on the health of the community at Medak. An open-ended exploratory questionnaire was administered to document the health related information of the study group. These results were then compared to the results of a control group - people belonging to similar demographic groups but less exposed to pollution.
An advisory board comprising a team of medical experts was involved in the design of the study and in resolving issues like scientific biases, sampling sizes, study ethics, selection of study and control groups and statistical analysis. This comparative study conducted in nine study villages and four control villages, examined and documented the impacts of pollution on the health of 10, 874 individuals.
"Polluting industries are able to operate in relative freedom, given the insidious nature of the problem. We want the government to act now in the interest of public health and the environment. It is incumbent upon the state to undertake further comprehensive investigation and push the industry to shift to clean production to retard and reverse the ongoing environmental and human catastrophe. How much more must the hapless communities endure before the profit- seekers are punished," said Bidhan Chandra Singh.
Greenpeace has appealed to the AP Government that the state and industries must provide immediate health assistance to the communities at Medak, and also undertake long-term medical rehabilitation of affected persons. The government must declare a state of chemical crisis in the area with immediate effect. The industries should ensure Zero discharge of toxic effluents into the water bodies with immediate effect. Comprehensive information should be made available to the local medical professionals and the community at Medak about the health effects of the chemicals used in industrial products and processes and in the wastes generated by the industry.
The study was carried out in Bonthapally, Chitkul, Digwal, Gaddapotharam, Kazhipally, Kistareddypet, Pashamailaram, Pocharam and Sultanpur from Patancheru, Jinnaram and Kohir Mandals. The villages of the control groups were Musapet, Ramojipally, Uthloor and Veerojipally of the Shankarampet Mandal.