Chandigarh, March 13: A significant rise in cancer mortality has been reported across North India, with Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh all witnessing increased fatalities in 2025. Data submitted to Parliament by the Health Ministry showed that Punjab leads the regional toll with 24,886 annual deaths, averaging roughly 68 every 24 hours.
The ministry affirmed that the number of cancer cases in Punjab has grown from 39,251 in 2021 to 43,196 in 2025. Haryana reported a similar trajectory, where cases rose from 30,015 to 33,395 during the same four-year window, resulting in 50 deaths daily. Himachal Pradesh saw 9,761 cases and 5,382 deaths in 2025, while Chandigarh recorded a consistent rise in incidence to 1,183 cases.
Nationwide, mortality reached 868,588 estimated cases last year. Uttar Pradesh remains the most affected state, recording 125,184 deaths from over 2.26 lakh cases. Other high-burden states include Bihar, West Bengal, and Maharashtra, which follow Uttar Pradesh in national mortality rankings.
Regarding the causes of the spike, Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav noted that the Indian Council of Medical Research has tracked the impact of environmental pollutants.
“The review provides a critical analysis of the current evidence, summarising the association of water contamination, including industrial waste, pesticides and heavy metals, with rectal and colorectal cancer,” the Minister stated. He also declared that the presence of pharmaceuticals and pesticides in water sources is a major worry for health officials.
Statistics maintained by the ministry show that the national incidence of cancer has increased from 14.26 lakh in 2021 to 15.69 lakh in 2025. In Punjab specifically, the mortality figure has climbed annually from 22,786 in 2021 to nearly 25,000 in the most recent calendar year.
