Bengaluru: The Karnataka state government has established a nine-member committee to investigate the contamination of the Kaveri River and propose solutions to address the issue. This decision follows a letter from MLC Dinesh Gooligowda highlighting the release of sewage, solid waste, industrial pollutants, and other contaminants into the river, which negatively impacts marine life and public health.

The Forest Department has tasked the newly formed committee of experts with examining methods to halt the environmental degradation caused by various pollutants, including industrial waste and sewage. The committee has been instructed to submit a comprehensive report within ten days. According to the order, the committee will be dissolved upon the submission of its report.

Commenting on the government's decision, MLC Dinesh Gooligowda expressed his appreciation, stating that it demonstrates the state government's commitment to protecting natural resources, farmers, and citizens. "It is commendable that the government has formed this committee to save River Kaveri, our lifeline. I would like to thank CM Siddaramaiah, DCM D K Shivakumar, Ministers M B Patil, and Eshwar Khandre for this initiative," he added.

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Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hit out at the BJP and the Election Commission over voter deletions during the SIR exercise and said her party will move a court again to resist the removal of electors from the rolls.

Her comments came after nearly 91 lakh voters' names were deleted from the electoral rolls following the completion of the Special Intensive Revision in the state.

“You will not be able to defeat the TMC by deleting names. We will move a court again to resist the exclusion of names," Banerjee said while attacking her principal challenger BJP over the roll revision exercise.

Banerjee had in February argued in the Supreme Court as she sought an intervention in the SIR process.

The EC figures, which pushed the total deletion to over 90.83 lakh names from the original voter base of 7.66 crore in October 2025, showed that the proportion of removal of electors now remains at over 11.85 per cent.

Criticising the poll panel over the SIR process, she also said, "We will fight legally to get the names included on the list as per the Constitution. If people cannot cast their votes, what is the need to frame the tribunal? And then you are saying that the list has been frozen. What is this? We will challenge it and try to understand it."

Addressing a poll rally at Arambagh in Hooghly district, the TMC supremo accused the saffron party of trying to manipulate the electoral rolls and offering money to woo voters.

Banerjee also charged the Election Commission with intimidating people over the phone.

“It (EC) is working at the behest of the BJP. It is calling people over the telephone to threaten and intimidate them,” she claimed.

Later, while speaking at a rally in Balagarh in the same district, Banerjee warned that voting for the BJP would effectively mean "giving up fish, meat, and speaking in Bengali".

“People are not allowed to eat eggs, fish, or meat in the BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra. The same will happen here if the BJP comes to power," Banerjee claimed.