Patna: Bihar is forming the world’s longest human chain to promote prohibition which it implemented in April this year. So far, the world record for the longest human chain involving five million people remains with Bangladesh. It was formed on December 11, 2004 along 1050km (652.4-mile) route from Teknaf to Tentulia.
Authorities said the total length of the human chain will be 3,007km involving at least 20 million people. This will come up on the main routes of the state between 10am and 10.30am on January 21 next year and will be photographed/video-graphed through drone, low-flying helicopters and satellites.
The layout of the whole ambitious plan was spelt out by chief minister Nitish Kumar at a meeting of his party, Janata Dal-United (JD-U), held on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by top leaders of the party.
“The first step of the second phase (of the prohibition promotion campaign) will begin with a 3007-kilometre-long human chain on main routes of the state on January 21 in which 5.6 million people are expected to participate. If we add the chain to be formed on sub-routes, the human chain will be attended by nearly 20 million people,” the chief minister said.
Reports said the transportation on all listed routes would remain suspended between 9am to 11am on the scheduled date to ensure smooth forming of the world’s longest human chain.
Authorities said the government had already prepared the route chart of the human chain. While it will cover 1,821km in north Bihar, its total length in south Bihar will be 1,186km. The chains from north to south Bihar would join at the bridges over the Ganga river, including Mahatma Gandhi Setu, Vikramshila Setu and Rajendra Setu.
Bihar has set a new record by implementing a blanket ban on sale, manufacture, storage and consumption of alcohol but the chief minister doesn’t look satisfied and wants to spread the message of its benefits till the last man.
Kumar claims the total prohibition has brought a sort of social revolution in the state. “It has improved the economic condition of people by way of improved health, higher buying power due to saving while incidence of conflicts at home and crime has come down,” the chief minister told the media on Tuesday.
