The government must acknowledge and understand that infrastructure development is a prerequisite and the very first step if we need to think of an all-electric vehicle future. Once the infrastructure for e-vehicles is developed it is bound to be a cakewalk for automobile companies to place and promote such vehicles which would eventually boost the economy, lower dependency on conventional fuels and, save the environment (Editorial, “Downbeat diesel”, April 29). cause for alarm. Apart from cutting down on diesel use, keeping the environment in mind, there needs to be a restrictive policy on the use of multiple vehicles per family, a cap on travel over a period, compulsory travel using mass transportation systems, and an accounting of the carbon footprint with an annual reward system in the taxation system.

The need to switch to cleaner fuels is gaining importance and the government needs to be pragmatic. One of the steps that could be implemented on a large scale is a switching over to ‘gashol’ (a combination of gasoline and ethanol). As India is an agriculture-based country, a number of crops and their residues can be used to enable bioethanol production. The use of biodiesel can also be promoted by transesterification of algal biomass.

These are just a few examples of moving towards greener fuel options.

Policymakers need to think even beyond the Bharat Stage VI emission standard. There must be a push towards alternate fuel vehicles especially those that use electric mobility. This requires affordable production of reliable and sturdy hybrid vehicles. Therefore, huge money infusion in the form of a subsidy and research and development in such technology is a necessity.

Upgrading to BS VI norms can be only a respite. Tackling increasing pollution needs to dealt with in a more holistic approach. Policymakers also need to realise that Euro emission standards will get more stringent in the future and India will still be way behind. This will have a negative impact on vehicle manufacturers as they will have to comply with different emission norms. Therefore, making the necessary changes in medical education cannot be an exception.