Greenpiece: Key steps that can help promote green travel

Indian states can lead this transformation. Many have begun procuring electric buses.

Electric and hydrogen cars are widely written about today. But who can afford an electric car? Someone with minimum ten lakh rupees plus and easy access to a charging point: a rich person. The rest still use what they can afford. To make a real shift, we need safe, affordable, reliable public transport run on clean technology. The question is what is clean?

FILE PHOTO: An electric car is seen plugged in at a charging point for electric vehicles. (REUTERS)

Let’s start with electric. We need a robust system to handle the spent batteries. India has a terrible record so far. Not only have manufacturers of lead-acid batteries evaded their responsibility for years, so have other battery and cell manufacturers. What we need is not just a law, but deep disincentives to violate it and public transparency in implementing it. Hydrogen critics have red-flagged the issue of flammability and electric shocks. Both can be addressed by refined tech.

But, a study by Logan et al from the UK says hydrogen buses at full capacity result in 1.8 times less emissions per person than a car. Yet, it says, electric buses produce less emissions than hydrogen. Luckily, Indian states are veering towards electric buses. What more can they do?

That apart, charging any bus or car requires electricity, mostly polluting. That needs to be urgently addressed. We need the cycle to be green, not only the road emissions.

Indian states can lead this transformation. Many have begun procuring electric buses. Now, lets procure green energy and expand charging stations with national standards, so we can genuinely travel green.

(The writer is Founder and Director Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group)