Karnataka today witnessed a total shutdown in most of the districts, especially in the cauvery basin districts following a bandh call given by various organisations protesting against the release of water in the Cauvery to Tamil Nadu following a Supreme Court direction on a plea by the neighbouring state. The government has to apprise the Supreme Court about the gravity of the situation in Karnataka. At many spots at the airports, people were lying down and waiting.
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Though chief minister Siddaramaiah said that the government will brook no violence by protesters, city police sources admitted the force is tired given the consecutive protests and festival duty deployment.
Opposition parties – the BJP and the JD (S) – have lent their support to the bandh along with auto-rickshaw and cab unions.
Government schools and colleges too will remain closed while government offices will remain open, even though attendance is likely to be thin in absence of public transport.
With Karnataka Cable Operators Association supporting the band, the Tamil channels will be off air.
The state capital Bangalore has declared a holiday on account of the bandh.
Similarly, factories, private offices, markets, shops, malls, hotels, eateries, pubs, bars, theatres and petrol bunks have remained closed in support of the shutdown.
Vehicular movement between Bengaluru and Mysuru was hit today as well as the highway was blocked at several places in Mandya district, the epicentre of the stir.
Extra forces have been deployed with two companies each from Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, one from Maharashtra and 10 companies of central forces, police said. The Samiti’s leaders stated that the Supreme Court order is an injustice to the farmers of the state.
ICommuters stranded at Kempegowda Bus Station during Karnataka wide strike called to protest against release of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu on Sept 9, 2016.
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The present live storage is 45% against the live storage of 104 TMCFT in the Krishnaraja Sagar, Harangi, Hemavathi and Kabini reservoirs, the government has said.
