Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday announced that a human chain will be formed across the state on January 19 next year to give a message to improve the situation arising out of the climate change among others.
In addition to spreading awareness about climate change,the mammoth human chain programme will also be in support of the prohibition besides against social ills like practise of dowry and child marriage.
"We have taken a decision that a human chain will be formed once again across the state on January 19, 2020 in support of prohibition and against the practise of dowry, child marriage besides climate change.
"We will hold hands together for 45 minutes as part of the human chain programme," Kumar said.
He said this while embarking upon state-wide tour christened as "Jal-Jiwan-Hariyali" yatra with a view to creating awareness among people about environment and its impact on the life, an official release said.
Bihar for the first time had on January 21, 2017 formed the world's largest human chain with Kumar, political leaders, cutting across party lines, and citizens holding each other's hands to reaffirm commitment towards liquor ban.
The Nitish Kumar government imposed total prohibition in Bihar in 2016 banning sale, manufacture and consumption of alcohol, domestic as well Indian Made Foreign liquor.
Again on January 21, 2018, the state had formed a massive human chain to create awareness against social evils like child marriage and dowry, he added.
Kumar inaugurated and laid foundation stone of 841 schemes worth Rs 1032 crore during the "Jagrukta Sammelan" (awareness conference) under the environmental drive in order to create awareness about water conservation and afforestation which are essential to sustain life on the planet, an official release said.
Kumar's "Jal-Jiwan-Hariyali" yatra was named after his campaign launched a few months ago that was conceptualised following an all party meeting held in July this year when members of state legislature unanimously agreed to make efforts for combating climate change.
Addressing a public meeting at Champapur village under Bagaha-2 block of West Champaran district, Kumar said Director General of Police (DGP) will himself monitor the liquor ban for 30 minutes daily for five days a week in order to ensure meticulous implementation of prohibition in the state.
Kumar also inspected the renovation and beautification of pond in Champapur village and planted a sapling on the occasion.
Besides, the cm also visited the village and inspected public wells being renovated apart from several developmental schemes and projects.
Addressing a public meeting at Champapur village, Kumar said that "today, I began Jal-Jiwan-Hariyali yatra from West Champaran. I began all my yatras from West Champaran district. The yatra's objective is make people aware about the environment so that generations to come could get clean environment and potable water."
The government had convened a meeting of all members of both houses of state legislature on July 13, 2019 where it was unanimously decided to make efforts to combat climate change, besides the decision to launch "Jal-Jiwan-Hariyali" drive across the state was taken at the meet, Kumar said.
The drive, which was envisaged in the backdrop of climate change, will be undertaken across the state under which Rs 24,000 crore would be spent in the next three years to undertake various schemes and programmes to improve the climate change situation, the cm said.
Talking about the incidents of stubble burning in fields, he said farmers have now started burning their crop residue even in north Bihar after stubble burning cases were found in Rohtas, Kaimur, Patna and Nalanda.
This not only gives rise to pollution but also reduces the soil fertility which ultimately affects productivity, he said while exhorting people especially farmers not to burn crop residues in the field.
Prominent among those who addressed the function included state ministers Madan Sahni, Khurshid alias Feroz Ahmad, MP Baidyanath Prasad Mahto, legislator Bhagirathi Devi, Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar and DGP Gupteshwar Pandey.
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