The Prescription For Pavana

17th February 2026

"It's Thursday today. And it's the fourth case of 3rd-stage lung cancer referred to us. Is the AQI that bad?" asked the Oncologist, head of Ruby Hall Pune - Dr. Vikram Sarode, to his assistant, Mayank. He smiled as he signed the prescription. He was engrossed in writing the following line of treatment as advised by the doctor.
After the regular rounds were done, Dr. Vikram invited Mayank to his cabin for lunch. Mayank agreed, subconsciously as he was typing something on his phone. Dr. Vikram noticed the same and hence asked in a mischievous tone, "If you have another plan, then please continue." The young intern blushed and replied, "I can't miss a chance to have lunch with you, Sir. I was willing to connect with you personally to discuss something. I think this will be the right time."
"So if you have reported your lunch plan with me, now get your tiffin, I will see you in my cabin in the next 5 minutes", ordered the senior. "Sure, Sir", responded the junior.
After exchanging some alu wadi, koshimbir, and parathas , the two gentlemen proceeded for a glass of masala chaas from their hospital canteen. They cheered the tall chaas glasses amicably as if they were beer mugs! Mayank started narrating his side of the story.
"Sir, the last patient we checked, I know him. He is from Pavana. My friend, Surbhi, runs an NGO named RayHope Foundation for cancer patients. Recently, after getting back-to-back cases from Pavana, she took the matter into her hands and started investigating. Many industries in Pune dump their waste in the Pavana. Of late, the quantity and frequency of dumps being sent there have increased considerably. Whenever she reports to me about cancer patients, I see to it they are treated by you, after all, you are the best we have."
Dr. Vikram nodded in acknowledgement.
Mayank continued with a smile, "But Sir, it does not end here. In addition to cancer, we have noticed that there are many other health issues in the residents nearby. Patients with cases of neurological symptoms like headaches, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and neurotoxic damage appear frequently. Birth defects, immune disorders, and kidney/liver dysfunction have also been observed."
"Aren't the residents taking any action? Why are they allowing their neighborhood to be a dump yard? I went to Pavana in 2013. Such a serene and scenic place it is. I can't imagine it being turned into a dump yard!", interrupted Dr. Vikram. Mayank raised his shoulder in acceptance. He collected the empty glass from the doctor and deposited it in the glass washing section. As they walked towards Dr. Vikram's cabin again, he asked, "What are the local authorities doing?"
"Sir, the Sarpanch's son is at a higher post in one of the manufacturing plants," replied Mayank in a faded tone.
"Oh! I see," uttered Dr. Vikram, "Is there anything we can do?"



"I want to do, Sir, but I don't have any idea what should be done? I just can't tolerate this. Every weekend, I go to assist Surbhi, and I feel like cursing the luxurious life we have. Living in these striking contrasts leaves me frustrated. Tell me, Sir, what can we do?" asked Mayank with the energy of a live wire.
"For now, calm down. See, villagers facing industrial waste dumping can take collective action despite corruption. The first step should be unity, and the second one should be documentation. Escalating to local authorities won't be of any use here; higher authorities or courts would be useful. Further contact NGOs like Greenpeace India or seek legal aid from People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). Media coverage amplifies voices, pressuring officials. Demand remediation funds from companies via trusts. This has worked in the past and should work well now, too."
Mayank was mentally making notes of everything his Sir said.
"As our long-term goal, we can pursue Right to Information (RTI) for company consents and push for environmental impact assessments. Community monitoring via apps or local watches prevents future dumping. Once that stops or reduces, villagers will be at ease."
"I now have a proper plan and direction to work on. Thank you for all your help, Sir. I will discuss things with Surbhi in the evening and then keep bugging you if I have any doubts. Also, can you help me with a trusted lawyer for the long-term goals?"
Dr. Vikram patted Mayank's back in encouragement and handed him a business card. "Here. My brother is a lawyer. He has dealt with cases like these earlier. He will help you; tell him I have referred."
"I can't thank you enough, Sir. After today's patient, I was so baffled. But thanks to you for hearing me out and guiding me the right way. Power and money are such disastrous tools, I tell you..."
"More than that, if the villagers had been educated, they could not be manipulated easily. So your next mission should be creating awareness..." Dr. Vikram interrupted.
"Roger that, Sir. I will get the plan ready by tomorrow. Thanks once again."
"Pleasure is mine, young man. I am glad I could be the medium. All the best to you."
When big companies plan their strategies to increase sales and profits, I wish they had a plan in place to dump their waste in a way that does not create problems for others. India is a land of villages, and villages are not dumpyards. If this continues, the rich will keep getting richer, and the poor will die of unnamed diseases.
Note: Although the places mentioned in this post are real, the whole story and character names are fictional.

This post is a part of 'Echoes of Equality Blog Hop' hosted by Sukaina Majeed and Manali Desai under #EveryConversation Matters blog hop series