Indian State CM makes planting tree mandatory for joining/renewing party membership

[Saddle Bronc 124]

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/want-to-join-nitishs-party-turn-a-new-leaf-literally/897139/0

Want to join Nitish’s party? Turn a new leaf, literally

2012/01/08 00:45 New Delhi:

Nitish Kumar waters a sapling at Vaishali in Bihar. Prashant Ravi

The Harit Bihar Abhiyan, which makes it mandatory for all JD(U) members to plant a sapling, also requires them to send in photographic proof of the act — by post or email.

The story goes that on a visit to village Dharhara in Bhagalpur, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was so impressed when he heard that villagers plant a fruit-bearing tree to celebrate the birth of every girl child that he renewed his own party membership by planting a sapling at his ancestral village of Kalyan Bigha.

This gesture touched off his party’s campaign in August 2011 which links its bi-annual membership drive to tree plantation. Its aim: to enrol 50 lakh members — or to plant at least 50 lakh trees — between 2011-2013.

“So far, parties in power work to maintain their position and opposition parties to prepare for power”, said Vasishth Narain Singh, president of the Bihar JD(U), who travelled on the Harit Bihar Abhiyan Rath flagged off by Nitish in September. The JD(U) campaign is a departure from the prevailing political culture, he said. There’s a larger reason too: “After the division of the state, Bihar was left with a forest cover of less than seven per cent. It should be at least 20 per cent.”

The numbers will begin to come in only by January 15 when one chapter of the membership drive comes to a close but the campaign has already spawned a slogan — “Pehle vriksh, tab sadasya”. And two committees. A three-member technical committee was constituted to supervise the documentation. A larger core committee, with the chief minister as member and party president as chairman, will oversee the entire campaign.

Said Harvard graduate Ghanshyam Tiwari, who is on the three-member technical committee: “The photograph (of the member planting the sapling) is meant to ensure that the campaign does not remain lip service. Party officials should be able to go to a particular village subsequently and verify that a tree has really been planted on private land. And that it hasn’t dried up”.

Extremely impressive given that Bihar is one of (if not THE) country's worst States in almost all regards.

Edited January 8, 2012 by Saddle Bronc

[catknit 144]

Hmmm, is his family in the tree growing/nursery business?

In all honesty it is a great idea.

And to those not familiar with the desi number system - 50 lakh = 5 million [1 lakh = 100,000].