Officials suspect contaminated groundwater and polluted water from the Ujina drain are responsible for the alarming rise in cancer cases in the region.

Falendi, a village located between the Punhana and Pinangwan sub-divisions, came into focus last week when residents raised the issue during a public grievance meeting held as part of the district administration's overnight stay programme. Senior officers, including Nuh deputy commissioner Akhil Pilani, ordered a detailed health and environmental survey to determine the cause of the disease and assess the extent of its spread.

Kunwar Aditya Vikram, sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Punhana, said that the villagers informed officials about the growing number of cancer patients, including people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. "Preliminary findings suggest that carcinogenic elements in the Ujina drain may have contaminated the groundwater used for drinking and irrigation in Falendi and adjoining villages," Vikram said.

He said that the water supply in around ten to twelve villages across Nuh, Tauru, Ferozepur Jhirka and Punhana depends on the same drain, which eventually merges into the Yamuna.

Mohammad Asgar, Falendi's sarpanch, also blamed the drain for polluting local water sources. "In the last four years, we have seen an unusual surge in cancer cases-even among the youth. Many families have been forced to leave the village or spend huge sums for treatment in Gurugram, Faridabad, or Jaipur," said Asgar.

According to district officials, Falendi has a population of around 5,000, with at least five active cancer patients currently under treatment. The administration is compiling data to verify the exact number of cases and deaths reported over the past few years. "We have collected water samples from 10-12 affected villages. The actual extent of contamination and disease prevalence will be known once the survey is completed," said Akhil Pilani, deputy commissioner of Nuh.

Pilani added that health department teams will soon visit Falendi and neighbouring villages to conduct a comprehensive environmental and epidemiological study, analysing water, soil, air, lifestyle, and genetic factors contributing to the disease. "We are treating this as a serious public health concern. Our priority is to identify the cause and ensure that residents have access to clean and safe water," said Pilani.

Officials said the survey results are expected within a few weeks, after which necessary health and environmental interventions will be undertaken to prevent further cases.