The shift in consumers' inclination towards diesel run cars from petrol cars poses health hazards to the owners even though it may have eased the monthly budget. In terms of toxicity levels, diesel comes in the line of asbestos, arsenic, mustard gas, alcohol and tobacco.
Concerns have been raised by health experts regarding the increase in usage of diesel and they have advised against the direct exposure to diesel fumes. According to Dr. Manish Siddha, "Diesel fumes cause cancer due to which people in western world have started reducing the use of diesel vehicles in their countries. Lately, Indians are extensively switching to diesel mode for cost-cutting, which is risky."
Superintendent, Cancer Hospital, Dr. Fakhruddin, said, "Diesel is carcinogenic (cause of cancer) to those who are exposed to its fumes for a very long time. Oblivious to the health hazards, large number of people have started buying diesel cars."
The magnitude of the risk posed by diesel can be measured by the fact that the sales of diesel cars have multiplied several times over the last few years. As per Aditya Kasliwal, a dealer, over the last year the sales of diesel run cars have reached 50 per cent from 20-25 per cent, a twofold growth.
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is a branch of World Health Organization (WHO), revealed that cancer is one of the most probable outcomes of prolonged exposure to diesel exhausts. It can particularly lead to lung cancer in humans, together with an increased risk of bladder cancer. Diesel has been reclassified by IARC and has been regrouped to the Group 1 list of substances can be definitely associated with cancer. It was earlier placed under the Group 2A list of probable carcinogens. This means that diesel is now a carcinogen and not just a probable cause of cancer.
