Chief Minister Raman Singh on Friday led a massive Cycle Rally of about 10,000 citizens on the occasion of World Earth Day in the city.
He cycled along with the enthusiastic citizens after inaugurating the mega 'Cycle Rally' at the Telibandha Talab (Marine Drive) here.
Notably, the event is a record of sorts in itself considering the number of citizens who participated in the rally today, officials informed. The rally culminated on the premises of Rajkumar College.
In a brief inaugural speech the Chief Minister said our Mother Earth is beautiful and in order to save it, the people should protect water, air, sky and forests. It is a challenge to all the inheritors of planet earth.
As long as there is water, there are forests, and if there are forests Mother Earth is safe and secure, he said.
Singh called upon the citizens to take a pledge to conserve water to protect Earth on World Earth Day.
The Chief Minister said with the co-operation of people the State Government is making efforts towards preserving groundwater and surface water in various forms. Singh said 'Simhast Mahakumbh' began at famous religious place Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh on Friday with a 'Shaahi Snaan'. The Cycle Rally on the occasion of World Earth Day is also a Mahakumbh in Raipur, Singh said.
He hailed the participation of various institutions, students and citizens in the historic Cycle Rally. Raipur MP Ramesh Bais presided over the inaugural Rally ceremony. Environment Minister Rajesh Munat, MlA Srichand Sundrani, MlA Satyanarayan Sharma, Raipur Municipal Corporation Mayor Pramod Dubey, large number of Corporators , local citizens, students of various colleges and schools and representatives of various organizations participated in the huge rally.
Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand, Additional Chief Secretary Ajay Singh, Chief Minister's Principal Secretary Aman Kumar Singh, Tourism, Cultural and Public Relations Department Secretary Santosh Misra, Director of Public Relations Department Rajesh Sukumar Toppo, Raipur District Collector O. P. Choudhary and a number of senior officers took part in the Cycle Rally.