: Bihar on Saturday witnessed the ‘longest human chain ever made’ to support the prohibition enforced in the State since April last year. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who, along with other leaders participated in the 45-minute-long chain, termed it “historic and unprecedented,” but some school students in various parts of the State were reported to have fallen unconscious after standing in the queue for long.
“Over three crore people participated in the human chain across the State to affirm their commitment to the prohibition. The human chain has been historic and unprecedented,” Mr. Kumar told journalists. Earlier, Mr. Kumar reached Patna’s Gandhi Maidan and joined hands with ruling alliance partners like Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and other leaders. Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Lok Janshakti Party also participated in the chain.
The State government had called for the formation of human chain, said to be the world’s longest, to create awareness of prohibition and alcohol addiction. Over three crore people participated in the chain, stretching 11,400 km in all the 38 districts of the State, said government officials.
Three Indian Space Research Organisation satellites and 38 drones and helicopters were deployed to document it.
“It was the longest human chain organised for a social cause,” added Mr. Kumar. Earlier, the longest chains were formed in Bangladesh and Nepal, but they were about 1,000 km-1,100 km long, he said.
For the past month, government officials, including District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police, worked long and hard for the success of the event.
Teams from the Limca Book of Records and other agencies were at hand to document the chain. The government had made elaborate arrangements for security and emergency services. However, reports of girls falling unconscious after standing for too long came from Aurangabad, Gopalgunj, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur and Supaul.
