'Cancer villagers' blame polluting industry
By Lu Feiran |
January 10, 2012, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A VILLAGE in East China's Jiangsu Province, surrounded by more than 80 plants processing heavy metals, has been dubbed "cancer village" after around 70 inhabitants were diagnosed with cancer in the past two or three years.
Villagers in Shibao said many of the cases have already proved fatal, Jiangsu Province's official website reported yesterday.
Shibao comes under the administration of Xinghua City, and environmental protection authorities there said they are investigating the claims.
One plant has been fined for polluting a river, said officials.
Li Genjiu, 61, who has lived in Shibao all his life, said in the past, two or three villagers would be diagnosed with cancer annually, but for recent years, the numbers have soared.
"Before, the most common types were stomach and esophagus cancer, but now the number of lung cancer patients has increased," Li added.
"Last year, 10 people died of cancer here - including seven with lung cancer."
Xiao Houfang, 72, is now fighting stomach cancer. His wife died of thyroid cancer several years ago.
"I'm old, and I'm not afraid of death, but I fear my disease will cause a great economic burden for my children," he said.
Villagers said before they made a link to pollution, many thought the cancer cluster was caused by bad "fengshui" - Chinese geomancy. Two of the village's three rivers had dried up and a dam was built in 2007, leading to claims the fengshui was damaged.
But Li said, deep down, villagers blame the metal processors. "The plants and workshops around us emit polluted gas and water," he said. "This is how people's health is affected."
Villagers said waste water from the plants went directly into the village river and corrosive fumes even rotted metal bars installed on windows.
The largest and closest plant to Shibao is steel processor Zhaotai. Villagers said Zhaotai discharged water containing more than 10 heavy metal elements into the river.
The Xinghua Environmental Protection Bureau said it fined the company 100,000 yuan (US$15,851) and ordered it to stop polluting.
But villagers said this would have little effect as new plants are set to go into operation.
"We can only persuade young people to escape from Shibao," said Li. "And as long as I live, I'll tell them to leave here."
Villagers in Shibao said many of the cases have already proved fatal, Jiangsu Province's official website reported yesterday.
Shibao comes under the administration of Xinghua City, and environmental protection authorities there said they are investigating the claims.
One plant has been fined for polluting a river, said officials.
Li Genjiu, 61, who has lived in Shibao all his life, said in the past, two or three villagers would be diagnosed with cancer annually, but for recent years, the numbers have soared.
"Before, the most common types were stomach and esophagus cancer, but now the number of lung cancer patients has increased," Li added.
"Last year, 10 people died of cancer here - including seven with lung cancer."
Xiao Houfang, 72, is now fighting stomach cancer. His wife died of thyroid cancer several years ago.
"I'm old, and I'm not afraid of death, but I fear my disease will cause a great economic burden for my children," he said.
Villagers said before they made a link to pollution, many thought the cancer cluster was caused by bad "fengshui" - Chinese geomancy. Two of the village's three rivers had dried up and a dam was built in 2007, leading to claims the fengshui was damaged.
But Li said, deep down, villagers blame the metal processors. "The plants and workshops around us emit polluted gas and water," he said. "This is how people's health is affected."
Villagers said waste water from the plants went directly into the village river and corrosive fumes even rotted metal bars installed on windows.
The largest and closest plant to Shibao is steel processor Zhaotai. Villagers said Zhaotai discharged water containing more than 10 heavy metal elements into the river.
The Xinghua Environmental Protection Bureau said it fined the company 100,000 yuan (US$15,851) and ordered it to stop polluting.
But villagers said this would have little effect as new plants are set to go into operation.
"We can only persuade young people to escape from Shibao," said Li. "And as long as I live, I'll tell them to leave here."
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