THERE is something amiss with the government’s strident calls to increase the number of electric vehicles in our cities. The exploitation of nickel ore for use in the manufacture of car batteries, which it is claimed are environmentally friendly, has in fact led to environmental destruction in many places. One of these is North Weda, Central Halmahera, North Maluku.

Recently, the water in the Sagea River in North Weda Regency has become fi