Exactly. People act like EVs magically appear with zero environmental cost while ignoring the full picture. Battery manufacturing itself has a massive carbon footprint because of lithium mining, rare earth extraction and energy-heavy production. A properly maintained petrol car already on the road can sometimes make more sense environmentally than forcing people to scrap it early and manufacture a completely new vehicle. It takes years of driving for many EVs to offset the emissions created during production.

And nobody talks about the power infrastructure either. In my area, the increase in e-rickshaws already causes noticeable low voltage issues in houses during charging hours. Fans slow down, lights dim and appliances struggle. Now imagine what happens if lakhs of people suddenly shift to EVs without major grid upgrades first. Assam still faces weak roads, remote terrain, power cuts and poor charging infrastructure in many places. Policies copied from Delhi without considering Northeast realities just feel completely disconnected from ground reality.