Patna: Dr. Sunil Kumar, the newly appointed Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department of Bihar, held a review meeting with department officials today, outlining his vision for the department and emphasizing the need for enhanced eco-tourism and pollution control measures.
During the meeting, Dr. Kumar sought detailed information on the department’s strategies, ongoing schemes, and budget allocations. He stressed the importance of transforming forest areas into attractive tourist destinations, aiming to garner global appreciation for Bihar’s natural resources.
“The Environment and Forest Department should not be limited to forests only,” the minister said. “It should be made attractive according to the importance of tourism, so that people from all over the world appreciate our forest area.”
He also focused on climate change and global warming initiatives, acknowledging the global significance of these issues. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Mission Life” and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s “Jal Jeevan Hariyali Mission,” seeking detailed updates on their implementation and future plans.
Air pollution was another key concern, with Dr. Sunil discussing ongoing efforts and seeking suggestions from the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) to improve pollution control measures.
He proposed developing all forest areas, from the Rohtas hills to the Valmiki Tiger Reserve, into eco-tourism hotspots. He also emphasized the need for public awareness campaigns to promote environmentally friendly lifestyles.
“Every forest area from the hills of Rohtas to Valmiki Tiger Reserve should be developed as eco-tourism and public awareness programs should be run prominently to encourage people to adopt an environmentally friendly lifestyle,” he said.
Dr. Sunil announced plans to hold meetings with District Forest Officers (DFOs) in all districts in the coming days.
The meeting was attended by key officials, including Department Secretary Bandana Preyashi, PCCF (Hoff) Prabhat Kumar Gupta, Chairman, BSPCB, Dr. D K Shukla, and other senior officers.
