Thu Dec 18 14:48:29 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

Karnataka Minister Warns of River Pollution Crisis, Announces Action Plan

Belagavi, Karnataka – December 18, 2025 – Karnataka’s Minister for Forests and Ecology, Eshwar Khandre, issued a stark warning today regarding the state of the region’s rivers. Speaking in Belagavi, Minister Khandre revealed that untreated domestic wastewater from residential areas in municipalities and villages is directly polluting 12 rivers across the state. This pollution is leading to the death of marine life and negatively impacting the lives of residents in 30 urban and rural areas.

The Minister was responding to a question in the Assembly from member Darshan Puttannaiah. He stated that a time-bound action plan is being developed to address the issue and revive the affected rivers. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) is actively working to enforce the Water Pollution (Control and Prevention) Act of 1974, issuing permits and consent letters to ensure industries treat and reuse their wastewater.

While some urban local bodies (ULBs) have established solid waste management units and sewage treatment plants, the state still faces a deficit of 203 million liters per day in water purification capacity. Nineteen ULBs are currently working on the construction of new sewage treatment plants.

The KSPCB is also advocating for the adoption of Wetland Treatment Systems to treat sewage entering rivers through drains. In a move to hold responsible parties accountable, the Board has filed criminal complaints against officials in 11 towns and issued notices to officers in 12 others. The government aims to effectively combat this pollution and revitalise the regions waterways.

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