Bandh over Cauvery issue disrupts life across state

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Karnataka bandh called by 'Kannada Okkoota' to oppose the release of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu disrupted normal life in Bengaluru and other southern parts of the State on Friday.

Authorities had clamped prohibitory orders under section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code in Bengaluru Urban, Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajanagara, Ramanagara and Hassan districts, and declared holiday for schools and colleges there.

The state transport corporations cancelled many of their bus services, especially in the Cauvery basin districts of Mysuru, Mandya and Chamarajanagar, where the bandh had the most impact.

Most of the shops, business establishments and eateries in Cauvery basin districts such as Mandya in southern parts of the State downed their shutters.

Private vehicles were off the roads in those areas. The bandh evoked a mixed response in other regions of the State. Protestors set fire to a portrait of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin in the district headquarters town of Chitradurga.

The Kannada film industry joined the bandh with actors, producers, directors and technicians staging a sit-in demonstration here.

Actors Shivarajkumar, Darshan, 'Duniya' Vijay and Dhruva Sarja were among those who took part in the protest held near Sri Gururaja Kalyana Mantapa.

The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce also extended support to the day-long bandh. Theatres across the State have canceled the shows till evening, with the Karnataka Film Exhibitors Association backing the shut-down.

Most of the information technology companies and other firms in Bengaluru have asked their employees to work from home. Key market areas in Bengaluru such as Chickpet, Balepet and adjoining business areas here wore a deserted look.

The Auto Rickshaw Drivers Union and Ola Uber Drivers and Owners Associations too had extended their support to the bandh A group of people from pro-Kannada organisations gathered near the arrival gate of Kempegowda International Airport here to register their protest as part of the bandh and raised slogans.

Meanwhile, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar maintained that there was no need for a bandh over Cauvery row as his government was protecting the interests of the State. 

'Govt can be dismissed if no compliance'

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sounded a note of caution warning protesting farmers that the state government could be dismissed if they don’t comply with the orders for release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

He said Karnataka had less than half the amount of water required for its own needs.

 "We need 70 TMCFT water for irrigation to sustain the crops and about 30 TMCFT is required for drinking water and industries require 3 TMCFT of water. The state has a total requirement of 106 TMCFT. But we have only 50 TMC of water,” Siddaramaiah explained.