Bihar awaits new action plan on climate change

The state government may have allocated huge amount for ‘Jal Jivan Haryali’ scheme, however, it is going too slow to frame a comprehensive action plan to deal with the issues of climate change and its devastating impact on natural resources

The state government may have allocated huge amount for ‘Jal Jivan Haryali’ scheme, however, it is going too slow to frame a comprehensive action plan to deal with the issues of climate change and its devastating impact on natural resources.

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Chief minister (CM) Nitish Kumar, during the conclave of eastern zone states on climate change, had in 2018 termed the issue crucial for Bihar particularly in view of continued decline in rains and asked the department of forest and environment to get a climate action plan in place so that emission of greenhouse gases could be curtailed significantly. He had also favoured setting up of a fully equipped climate change cell in the department.

Although a separate cell to deal with climate change issues was set up within the forest and environment department in 2019, its technical wing (a unit of the cell that comprises technical staff, analysts and researchers) is yet to be constituted for want of recruitment of suitable candidates. Climate cell wing head Santosh Tiwari said that recruitment process was hampered due to outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.

The DFID had submitted the draft action plan by 2019-end to the state government, suggesting various strategies, including plans to strengthen agricultural value chain to ensure handsome return to farmers of their produce, de-siltation strategy of Kosi to enhance water retention capacity, development of agriculture-based industries, productive use of rivers’ silt, promotion of bamboo farming, etc, to help people tide over the climate challenges. But the same was not approved by the government and was later withdrawn.

Principal secretary of the department of forest, environment and climate change Dipak Kumar Singh said the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) had been tasked to prepare the action plan on climate change. “We hope to get the action plan by the year-end,” said Singh. The proposed plan aims to make Bihar carbon neutral state by 2040,” said an official.

Climate expert Abhishek Pratap said the state government lacked institutional framework to implement the action plan and empower its machinery to act diligently. “Framing of policies or plans will not help until followed up with action.”

“The state might not be grappling with climate crisis had it been woken to the issues of conservation of environment earlier,” said Pratap.

BOX

Progress so far

DFID submitted draft action plan on climate change to state government in 2019

State forest and climate change department set up special wing on climate change in 2019

Bihar govt signed pact with UNEP for climate resilience and carbon check strategy in 2021

Proposed action plan, being framed by UNEP, will aim to make Bihar carbon neutral by 2040.

Kosi de-silting, strengthening of agri value chain, proposed by earlier plan, remain non-starter