Chief minister Nitish Kumar and (right) deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi at the event on Sunday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, June 5: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today expressed disappointment over the slow pace of the programmes under Green Revolution, which have been sidelined in the name of norms and guidelines.

Nitish directed deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi to start an internal assessment of all the forest department officials, which will be a major yardstick to assess their performance.

He made his intentions clear while attending a function at Rabindra Bhavan today on the occasion of World Environment Day.

Speaking on the failure of Mukhyamantri Chatra Vriksharopan Yojana, where schoolchildren are encouraged to increase plantation, Nitish said: “This scheme seems to have been forgotten and it is caught in red tape. No one is bothered to take care of the trees after plantation. The forest department officials should not just remember about planting trees on World Environment Day but they would also have to incorporate it on a regular basis.”

He added: “You (forest department officials) are just involved in regulatory work and neglecting other issues. Don’t just stick to regulations but strive to work on development work. Plantation in not about giving speeches on World Environment Day but it’s about planting as well as saving trees. Your credibility will be judged according to your performance.”

Pointing at Bashir Ahmed Khan, principal chief conservator of forest, Bihar, Nitish said: “I don’t mean that you stop the regulatory work. You can’t neglect it but there is an urgent need to save the environment. As a forest department official you should take the onus of saving trees. The Bihar government is ready to extend all kinds of help to the department. Plant more trees and if there is need for money, it’s my promise that the government will extend all kinds of financial help.”

As the forest department falls under deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, the chief minister said: “I would like to have an internal assessment of all the forest officials on how many plants are being planted in their area. This will be the most important yardstick to assess their performance. I will personally see into it.”

Expressing disappointment over less greenery in Patna, Nitish said: “Earlier, there used to be different kinds of trees on roadsides. But these days, it’s not visible. Patna has virtually turned into a concrete forest.”

On the occasion, Modi informed the gathering that 6,000 trees would be planted in every gram panchayat and the state government has targeted to plant 1 crore saplings on roadsides every year.