Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday made an impassioned plea for environment conservation and called for urgent action against climate change, underscoring that the current flash floods in the state was a result of torrential downpour over a course of a few days amidst an overall deficient rainfall.
The Chief Minister made the remarks at a Van Mahotsav (afforestation festival) organized by the state department for environment, forestry and climate change.
Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who holds the environment, forestry and climate change portfolio, was present on the occasion with others.
The CM said that the government was embarking on an ambitious programme Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali that would seek to improve ground water table and green cover, thereby sustaining life.
Recalling his days as a college student in the 1970s, Kumar said the state used to receive an average annual rainfall of 1200-1500 mm. For the past 13 years, it has been as low as 900 mm. Last year it was even lower at 775 mm.
In 2017, we witnessed flash floods because of abnormally high rainfalls in Nepal over just a few days. Same has been the situation this year.
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All this has been a result of mindless felling of trees in the name of building construction and setting up of industrial units. We must try to achieve progress which sustains life and does not destroy it, he said.
We all have heard about this phenomenon called global warming. Countries across the globe take part in conferences related to this phenomenon, acknowledging its reality, even if America thinks otherwise, the Chief Minister said in an apparent dig at the Donald Trump administration which has adopted a controversial stance on the issue.
He expressed delight upon witnessing planting of trees at the Veterinary College ground here, the venue of the function, by school-going children and NCC cadets and relished a song they had recited before his speech.
What beautiful and profound message these lines convey
The children have given a message. The grown-ups
youths who are naturally concerned about earning a livelihood