Mysore/Mysuru: The State Government has formed an Expert Committee to study pollution level in river Cauvery, the lifeline of the State, which is getting contaminated with sewage water being let into the water body.

This follows a letter by MLC Dinesh Gooligowda to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Medium and Heavy Industries Minister M.B. Patil and Forest and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre.

The Expert Committee to be headed by Niranjan, Chief Environment Officer of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Bengaluru, also has on board, following officers as its Members: Superintending Engineers of Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL), Mysuru, Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWS&DB), Mysuru and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and Chairman, Department of Studies in Environment Science, University of Mysore; Professor at Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE), Mysuru, Dr. B. Manoj Kumar; Executive Engineer, Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB), Mysuru and Retired Senior Environment Officer, KSPCB, Mysuru, M.B. Prakash.

Senior Environment Officer of KSPCB, Mysuru, has also been appointed as Member-Coordinator of the Committee.

The panel has to submit the report within 10 days and the period of functioning of the Committee culminates on the day, the report is submitted, stated Under Secretary, Department of Forest, Environment and Ecology, U. Shanthalakshmi.