PATNA: In a move to reduce carbon dioxide emission by cutting down the use of fuel-run vehicles, the state government is promoting the use of bicycles, particularly among youths.
A special drive, christened “Bihar Cycle Campaign”, has been launched by the department of sports and youth affairs in this regard. It entails organizing bicycle rallies for school and college-going students in each district and awarding winners, both from boys and girls’ categories, with attractive gifts. It would be followed by district-level competitions. Winners at this level would participate in a state-level competition where winners would get cycles in award apart from other gifts.
“The purpose is to promote the use of bicycles among youths, particularly among those who opt for motorbikes and feel shy of using bicycles,” sports and youth affairs department secretary Vivek Singh told TOI.
Incidentally, one hour of cycling in place of using fuel-run vehicles reduces carbon dioxide emission by about 250 gm. Cycling also helps people in keeping their body in good shape.
In a state like Bihar, which has a population of around 10 crore, it can be anybody’s guess how much carbon dioxide emission could be cut down even if one-tenth of the population shifts to bicycles for local movement.
“We can explore the possibility of carbon credit trading if a large number of people shift to cycling. Such a move would help reduce carbon dioxide emission in a big way,” the secretary said.
Singh said a request has also been made to the Patna divisional commissioner to explore the possibility of earmarking cycle tracks along the main roads in the city for the benefit of cyclists.
Plans are also afoot to set up a cycle club in Patna for promoting cycling. To begin with, 10 bicycles would be kept in this club and people would have the facility of “rent a bicycle” by producing genuine identity cards, Singh said.