Cauvery Nadi Swachhata Andolana Samithi members have urged Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to take special steps and release grants for the conservation of River Cauvery.

The Samithi’s members met the chief minister at Minister Court Hotel in Koppa recently and submitted a memorandum in this regard.

They said that the government should initiate steps for the preservation of River Cauvery which is the lifeline of Kodagu district. A separate law should be brought into effect for the protection of rivers in the state, they urged him. 

The Samithi activists alleged that industry effluents and other waste are being directly released into the river. Also, the river banks have been encroached upon at many places. The government should take measures to clear the encroachments and should prevent the affluents from getting released to the rivers by enforcing regulations, they said. 

They said stern action should be taken against defaulters. Packaged drinking water should be banned in the district. Drinking water should be provided from Cauvery river at various tourist centres in the district, they said. 

The chief minister assured the activists of doing the needful.

The Samithi members complimented the chief minister for announcing new taluks (Ponnampet and Kushalnagar) and felicitated him.

District In-charge Minister Sa Ra Mahesh said that various programmes will be implemented in Kodagu and neighbouring districts to boost tourism activities.

JD(S) leaders H R Vasanth, H J Santhosh, Swacchata Andolana Samiti state convener M N Chandramohan, members D R Somashekhar, K R Shivanandan and Mandepanda Bose Monnappa were present.