On the occasion of Rakshabandhan, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today tied a rakhi to a treeat Eco Park here to create awareness about environment amongpeople. Kumar, who had launched Hariyali Mission in 2011 toincrease green coverage, said that the launch of the mission,Bihar had set a target to increase its green cover to 17 percent from 9 per cent at that time. “Two years ago reports said Bihar had increased its green cover to 13 per cent and I hope we must have either achiev edit or are near the target by now,” he claimed.
Kumar said his government has taken the task ofincreasing green cover in the state very seriously and as apart of this, JD(U), of which he is the president, has made it mandatory for anyone wanting to join the party to plant asapling and photograph the same.
State cooperative minister Alok Mehta, deputy leader inThe assembly Shyam Rajak and Principal Secretary to Forest andEnvironment department Vivek Kumar Singh were present at theprogramme. Earlier in the day, Kumar visited his sisters who tied rakhis on his wrist. RJD supremo Lalu Prasad too tied a rakhi to a tree on the occasion of Rakshabandhan. He was photographed tying rakhi toa tree at the 10 Circular road residence of his wife RabriDevi to promote the cause of environment.