MEERUT: Thirteen people have died in the past 15 days in Budhpur village, Baghpat, with locals blaming toxic waste discharged into a nearby drain for contaminating the groundwater and triggering a health crisis. The deaths, mostly from heart attacks, kidney failure and infections, have caused panic among villagers, who said no administrative action has been taken so far.Former village pradhan Surendra Pal Singh said the most recent death was that of a 70-year-old woman who died of a liver-related illness at a hospital in Meerut. He added that the drain carries chemical effluents from sugar mills and untreated sewage from nearby colonies. Singh said, “Sugar mills in the Baraut region discharge chemicals into nearby water bodies, harming aquatic life and contaminating the groundwater. Most villagers cannot afford water purifiers. This contaminated water poses serious health risks, damages crops and is fatal to livestock. It eventually flows into the Krishni river, a major tributary of the Hindon that runs through the district,” he said.Anil Kumar, a resident of nearby Chilora village in Meerut, said, “I lost my wife 15 years ago to blood cancer when she was just 35, and two uncles, aged 56 and 60, to lung cancer. The water from hand pumps and tube wells is contaminated due to untreated waste from sugar mills, paper mills and other factories.” The only solution, Kumar added, is to flush the system with clean water to dilute the toxins.Dr Vijay Kumar, medical superintendent of Baraut community health centre, said, “Nine deaths have been confirmed following a survey. All of them were chronic patients. After the issue came to light, we conducted a medical camp where over 100 villagers were screened. Only common illnesses were detected during the check-up.”Baghpat MP Rajkumar Sangwan said, “This is a serious issue. If mills are dumping untreated waste into water bodies, the Pollution Control Board and district administration must be held accountable. The issue may be linked to a small drain, but the lack of adequate healthcare facilities in Baghpat is also a major concern.”