Bihar Charts Ambitious Green Path: State Approves Climate Action Plan for 2030 & 2050
The Bihar government is rapidly taking commendable steps to deal with climate change. On the special initiative of Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar, instructions were given to prepare an action plan to increase the green cover in the state. The concerned department has specially prepared a plan regarding this. To realize this initiative of the Chief Minister, the concerned departments have started a comprehensive initiative on a wide scale.
Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Yojana is being operated at the level of Rural Development Department, under which emphasis is being laid on water conservation and increasing greenery. Apart from this, the government is preparing a strategy document called Climate Resilient and Low-Carbon Development Pathway. In this document, an outline of the work to be done by the year 2030 and 2050 has been prepared. So that Bihar can become carbon-free by the year 2070 without compromising on development works.
State level action plan approved
Bihar State Pollution Control Board and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) had entered into an agreement (MoU) in the year 2021. Under this, a study was done on climate change. After three years of various meetings, this action plan has been finalized, which will now be sent for approval of the state cabinet.
Big step towards wetland conservation
There are a total of 4 thousand 316 wetlands in Bihar, which are conserved and managed under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017. The main objective of the government is to ensure how many water bodies of the state can be marked as wetlands.
Ground Truth:
⦁ On the basis of maps prepared by ISRO, it was checked whether there is actually a wetland there or not. This work has been completed 100% in three months.
⦁ Demarcation: This work is being done under the supervision of the Supreme Court.
⦁ The state government has established the Bihar State Wetland Authority for the conservation of wetlands. Two wetlands were declared Ramsar sites in the year 2020 and 2024, while three more – Gogbil of Katihar, Gokul Reservoir of Buxar and Udaipur Lake of West Champaran have been proposed.
Other efforts for environmental protection
The Bihar government is encouraging the construction of water bodies under MNREGA. Also, the Agriculture Department is promoting coarse grains, drip irrigation and sprinkler technology to reduce water consumption. However, the underground water level is continuously going down and problems of arsenic and other pollution are increasing in many districts.
To solve this, the government is promoting agroforestry. Under this, Chief Minister Agricultural Forestry Scheme and Chief Minister Private Nursery Scheme are being run, so that more and more plants can be planted.
These efforts of the Bihar government to deal with climate change and conserve natural resources will strengthen the ecology and water security of the state in the coming years.
