Bihar CM Nitish Kumar launches projects worth Rs 1,000 crore in three districts

DARBHANGA/MADHUBANI/PATNA: CM Nitish Kumar covered three districts on Thursday as part of the second phase of his Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali (JJH) campaign, during which he inaugurated projects and announced new ones worth Rs 1,051.71 crore.
Addressing a function held at Murtazapur village under Benipur block in Darbhanga, the CM expressed concern over depletion of groundwater, which has reached alarming levels in Darbhanga district and other areas of north Bihar, which he highlighted was the reason behind launching of his state-wide JJH campaign.
Recalling his college days, Nitish said, “Water level was satisfactory then and rainfall used to be 1200-1500 mm and monsoon,too, hit the state timely on June 15 every year.”
However, in the past 30 years, the annual rainfall has fallen to 1,027 mm, and in the past 13 years it has come down to around 90 mm. On July 13 this year, Nitish held a meeting with legislators and senior members of all political parties informing them of the prevailing situation.
The CM stressed the need to make all water bodies and ponds encroachment free, pointing out that public wells would also be renovated, with water absorbent system to be established in its proximity. Further, rain harvesting at all large government buildings in the state has been made mandatory, he added.The Mithila region requires a vigorous drive, as it was dotted with ponds.
Nitish also lamented that male residents were not using toilets made at their homes and defecated outside. He advised such people to start practicing the use of toilets, as open defecation free villages and areas would yield clean drinking water and also make the area disease free.
Noting that tree plantation drive was part of the JJH campaign, the CM said the separation of Jharkhand had left Bihar with only 9% green cover, but after the launch of the Hariyali mission in 2012, the coverage increased to 15% and the JJH drive would now take it to 17%.
The CM asked people to go for farming activities taking into account climate change and advised them to choose crops which would yield more. He said eight districts had been selected to cultivate crops suitable to the climate with support from various agriculture research institutions within the state and outside.
He also asked farmers to refrain from stubble burning, as it damages soil quality besides causing air pollution and also stressed the need for education of girls as it helped in population control through two-child norms.
Earlier, DGP Gupteshwar Pandey welcomed the CM in the presence of chief secretary Deepak Kumar. Two ministers Madan Sahni and Maheshwar Hazari also spoke on the occasion.
Samastipur: At Samastipur, the CM inaugurated Janglahi Pokhar as part of the JJH at Ramapur in Maheshpur Panchayat of the district. He also visited the stall erected by Jeevika didis and saw the zero tillage wheat cultivation. He saw the marigold flower and Kashmiri chilli cultivated through drip irrigation. Morwa MLA Vidyasagar Nishad, along with the JD(U) functionaries Ashvamedh Devi, Ram Balak Singh, Raj Kumar Ray and Harinarayan Choudhary, were also present.
Meanwhile, CPI(ML) members staged a demonstration to protest against the removal of people living on the ponds. The district administration said they would be provided an alternative place on another government-owned very soon.