The Karnataka government on Tuesday chose to comply with the Supreme Court order to release 15,000 cusecs of water for 10 days to neighbouring state Tamil Nadu.
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Karnataka Cable Operators Association has made a decision to express its support for the bandh and the pro-Karnataka stance by refusing to air any Tamil TV channels.
Buses to and from Tamil Nadu across the border also did not ply during the day.
The dispute over the sharing of Cauvery water between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu took a violent turn on Tuesday. “They should cooperate with the state government”, Jaychandra told ANI. While some private companies had declared holiday, others had provided “work from home” option to employees. “We will try to impress upon the court to modify its order and reduce the water to be released to TN, considering the distress and severity of water shortage in the state”.
Venting their anger, protesters burnt effigy of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa at several places.
For days, the busy highway between the state capital of Bengaluu and Mysuru has been virtually unusable with demonstrators playing volleyball matches and holding huge cookouts in the middle of the four-lane freeway. Chief minister Siddaramiah has appealed for peace and said no damage should be caused to public property during the bandh. His group burnt effigies in Bengaluru, while protesters, including lawyers, took to the streets in Mandya, where a bandh was declared. The CM is hopeful that if Karnataka complies with the apex court order now, it would help the state’s case when its main petition comes up for hearing on October 18.
The perennial water war between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka escalated on Tuesday after the Supreme Court ordered Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water from the Cauvery river to Tamil Nadu, sparking off equal and opposite protests in the two states.
He demanded that chief minister Jayalalithaa lead an all party delegation to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “How can the state government release our water to grow crops in the neighbouring state when we don’t have enough of it for drinking this year”, said Vedike activist Pravin Shetty.
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“With the southwest monsoon retreating and prospects of more rains in the catchment areas of the reservoirs being bleak, the quantum of water (33.2 tmcft) will be barely sufficient for drinking water supply to Bengaluru, Mandya and Mysuru and very little for irrigation of agricultural fields”, admitted Siddaramaiah. Some 14,000 security personnel were deployed here, bolstered by Karnataka State Reserve Police, City Armed Reserve and Rapid Action Force.
