Ramesh Babu, Arathi Krishna, K. Shivakumar, Jakkappanavar nominated to Karnataka Legislative Council
Bengaluru: The state government has issued an order nominating four members to the vacant positions in the Karnataka Legislative Council.
The nominees include KPCC Communication and Media Cell president Ramesh Babu, NRI Forum vice-president Dr. Arathi Krishna, senior journalist Dr. K. Shivakumar, and Dalit leader F.H. Jakkappanavar.
The vacancies arose following the completion of terms of Congress leaders U.B. Venkatesh and Prakash K. Rathod in October 2024, and JD(S) leader K.A. Tippeswamy in January 2025. Additionally, C.P. Yogeshwar resigned to contest the Channapatna bypoll, leaving another seat vacant.
Ramesh Babu, a former JD(S) MLC who later rebelled against the party’s leadership and joined the Congress, currently serves as a party spokesperson.
Dr. Arathi Krishna, daughter of senior Congress leader and former minister Begane Ramayya, has long been associated with the party. She served as the first chairperson of the KPCC NRI Cell and worked in the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C. as a community development officer. She also served as an advisor at the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs’ India Development Foundation. Through her NGO, Krishna Foundation, she has worked to improve education in rural Karnataka. She holds a Master’s in Political Science from Mysore University and a Master’s in International Commerce and Public Policy from George Mason University, Washington. She has also been awarded an honorary doctorate by Kuvempu University.
Dr. K. Shivakumar, originally from Bangarpet in Kolar district, is the son of Krishnappa and Eramma. Currently the Resident Editor of The New Indian Express, he began his journalism career with Andolana daily before joining The Indian Express. He holds a Ph.D. and has had a distinguished career in journalism.
F.H. Jakkappanavar, a prominent Dalit leader, has been nominated to the Council as well. He is a trade union president and has previously served as the state president of the Congress Dalit Cell.
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Illegal sand mining has created environmental crisis in National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary: SC
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday said rampant illegal riverbed sand mining has created an "environmental crisis" and wreaked "havoc" in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary, causing a grave risk to the gharial (long-snouted crocodile) preservation project.
Slamming the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh for their utter failure in dealing with the issue, the apex court directed them to install high-resolution Wi-Fi-enabled CCTV cameras along all routes frequently used for illegal sand mining in the area.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta directed that live feed of such surveillance cameras shall be placed under the direct control, supervision and operational oversight of the superintendent of police or the senior superintendent of police of the concerned district and the divisional forest officer.
It said these officers shall ensure continuous and effective monitoring of the CCTV feeds by designating appropriate officers.
"It can't be gainsaid that the issues involved are of great concern in as much as the rampant illegal mining activities in the river bed have created an environmental crisis and havoc in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary causing a grave risk to the very project of gharial preservation of which the state governments themselves were proponents and were under an obligation to foster and promote," Justice Mehta said while pronouncing the order.
The bench directed the authorities in these three states to initiate prompt and necessary action under law if any instance of illegal mining or allied activities comes to light.
It said the authorities shall ensure seizure of vehicles or machinery found involved in illegal sand mining and also initiate prosecution of persons involved in it.
The bench, which passed several other directions, posted the matter for hearing on May 11.
The top court passed the order in a suo motu case titled 'In Re: Illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threat to endangered aquatic wildlife'.
The National Chambal Sanctuary, also called the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, is a 5,400-sq km tri-state protected area.
Besides the endangered gharial, it is home to the red-crowned roof turtle and the endangered Ganges river Dolphin.
Located on the Chambal river near the tripoint of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the sanctuary was first declared a protected area in Madhya Pradesh in 1978 and now constitutes a long and narrow eco-reserve co-administered by the three states.
On March 13, the top court took suo motu cognisance of news reports about rampant illegal sand mining on the banks of the Chambal river.
