Table of contentsIntroductionHealth risk factorsBenefits of the interventionConclusionIntroductionRegardless of locations, the cycle rickshaw has a tradition of being the most more popular for urban residents. These are ecological and non-polluting transport systems. In another way, rickshaw pullers are low-wage transport service providers who act as the backbone of the transport system. According to estimates by Porier (2009), around 8 million rickshaw pullers work in India. About 6 to 8 billion passengers travel by cycle rickshaws in India every year (Rajvanshi, 2000). Regardless of the circumstances, rickshaw pullers have to work daily to earn a living. The pedal rickshaw endangers the health of the rickshaw puller in several ways. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Manually pulling a rickshaw is one of the arduous and laborious tasks performed by human beings that require enormous stamina and lots of energy. Poor working and living conditions as well as the lack of basic amenities such as drinking water and healthy sanitation make them very vulnerable to health risks. Rickshaws are often prone to road accidents. Poor balance of rickshaws and heavy road traffic are the causes of accidents. Heavy road traffic also increases the risk of rickshaw pullers being exposed to the highest levels of air and noise pollution. Long working hours (on average 8–9 hours per day) and inadequate diet lead to long-term health problems among rickshaw pullers (Kumar et al., 2016). Common health problems among rickshaw pullers include back pain, fatigue, stress. , headaches, muscle pain, joint pain, heart problems and breathing problems. A survey conducted in Aligarh city revealed that rickshaw pullers mainly suffer from cough, cold, joint pain, back and chest pain, asthma, tuberculosis, gastroenteritis, diabetes , blood pressure and gallbladder stones (Khan et al., 2010). also become victims of various health problems due to adverse weather conditions and are also affected by different skin problems due to extremely hot and humid weather conditions. Irregular, inappropriate and unsanitary food intake leads to gastroenteric problems among rickshaw pullers. Most rickshaw pullers consume alcohol and are addicted to other drugs. Many of them are unaware of the harmful health effects caused by alcohol and drug consumption. There is always a risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS among rickshaw pullers. Social factors, including personal behavior, ignorance, poverty, and lack of basic health care facilities, greatly affect the health of rickshaw pullers (Rosato et al., 2008). Health Risk Factors Many problems are responsible for the poor health of manual rickshaw pullers. extractors. Rickshaw pullers often face heavy traffic jams, dust, air, noise pollution, unsanitary food consumption, direct sunlight, heavy rainfall, accidental injuries and bad behaviorpassengers. The long-term health problems of rickshaw pullers stem from the extreme physical stress they are subjected to on a daily basis (Begum and Sen, 2005). Air Pollution Air pollution levels cause serious health problems among rickshaw pullers who are exposed to ambient air pollutants in both countries. short and long term periods. Around 6,70,000 deaths per year have been estimated due to ambient air pollution in the world's most polluted Indian cities (Lim et al., 2013). Symptoms of airway problems, lung function disorders, infections, bronchitis and asthma are common. Air pollution loads are responsible for undesirable birth outcomes, such as immature birth and low newborn weight. Recent studies have also reported an increasing risk of diabetes and neurological disorders. These disorders are associated with air pollution (Yang et al., 2018). Noise pollution Rickshaw pullers are continuously exposed to noise pollution during their working hours, leading to ear problems. Common ear problems include hearing loss, deafness, infection, ear wax, and ear infections. Aage R. Moller also argued that deafness can result from continued exposure to noise. Poor Nutrition and Low Body Mass To carry more passengers and increase their income, rickshaw pullers often skip meals and work on an empty stomach. Irregular and insufficient food consumption does not meet their nutrient needs. Thus, they often suffer from gastrointestinal problems and have a low body mass index (BMI). Unsafe drinking water leads to diarrheal disorders among rickshaw pullers. A study conducted in Bangladesh to find out the health status of manual rickshaw pullers found that about 52% of the rickshaw pullers surveyed had a low body mass index (<18.5 kg/m2) and approximately 50% were identified as suffering from chronic level I energy deficiency (Ahmed and Islam, 1997). Extreme weather conditions Rickshaw pullers are exposed to adverse weather conditions such as extremely hot and humid conditions, heavy rains while working. They suffer from heatstroke, cold, cough and different dermatological problems like eczema, scabies, dermatitis, itching, rashes, fungal infections, etc. . Satapathy et al., 2007 also found musculoskeletal morbidity in 89 percent of rickshaw pullers who have been working for more than 5 years. Drug addiction. Most rickshaw pullers consume narcotics like opium, ganja (weed) and “Charas” marijuana. This triggers instant energy to undertake these physical activities. They ignore the deadly effects of drug use. Substance abuse is associated with a variety of health problems, including cardiovascular problems, lung disease, hepatitis (B and C), cancer, and mental illness. Most rickshaw pullers are also vulnerable to sexual interactions with sex workers and become victims of STIs and HIV (Kumar et al., 2016). The work of Kumar et al., 2016 also indicated that 73 percent of rickshaw pullers in Ranchi drink alcohol and 77 percent of them are unaware of the consequences of unprotected sex and diseases like HIV/AIDS/ STI. Laxmi et al., 2006 showed the occurrence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and reproductive tract infections (RTIs) among 10 to 15 percentrickshaw pullers. Psychological Problems Most of the rickshaw pullers are from the marginalized section of the society. The profession of rickshaw puller is also associated with social stigma, which leads to low dignity and therefore psychosocial stress. The psychological problems of rickshaw pullers include their insecurity, relationships with others, behavioral changes, depression, drug and alcohol addiction, etc. All these problems lead to long term diseases like headaches, diabetes, heart problems, hypertension. There are also risks of psychosomatic disorders among rickshaw pullers due to addiction. Other health problems Rickshaw pulling has direct health effects, such as varicose veins, hydrocele and lymphadenopathy, as well as increasing risks of tuberculosis infection and chest congestion. Injuries due to road accidents are another serious problem. They also face eye problems such as visual impairment. Benefits of intervention The Indian transport system is in a transition phase. In 2015, a Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill was approved, allowing the battery-powered electric rickshaw to become valid for commercial transportation in India. Recently, the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India has taken an important initiative i.e. NMEM-2020 (National Mission for Electric Mobility) to introduce electric vehicles and their manufacturing in the country. The NMEM plan focused on vehicle pollution, energy security and electronic vehicle manufacturing capabilities. The Indian government is also planning to transition traditional vehicles to electric transportation by 2030. There is a need to adopt electric mobility due to rapid reduction in fossil fuel consumption, increasing cost of energy, environmental impact of transport and concerns about health aspects. To adopt electric mobility, there are certain challenges including charging facilities, electric vehicle performance, maintenance costs and consumer acceptability. These challenges must be overcome through infrastructure development and increased user awareness. Various interventions need to be considered to adopt this energy-efficient and affordable electronic transportation system. Traditional rickshaws carry his legacy. However, the arduous work that manual rickshaw pullers have to endure has a long-term impact on their health. These are exposed to heavy traffic problems and pollution loads in urban areas which also worsen health. Traditional rickshaws covered the distance from one point to another, sometimes a journey of almost a kilometer with very little pay. The effort they have to put in to complete the services is nothing compared to the revenue they would ultimately earn. But they experience high professional stress. Among them, musculoskeletal disorders are very common. With advancements in technology, the next generation of rickshaw pullers are moving towards services that take less time, require less physical effort and offer better monetary benefits. In such circumstances, the electric rickshaw has the potential to become an effective alternative vehicle. The battery-powered two-seater electric rickshaw can reduce daily physical workloads and the tendency to trap health risks. This may be the means of transport..