The violence in the Cauvery water dispute claimed its second life today, as an uneasy calm hung over worst-hit Bengaluru amid sporadic protests in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu marked by targeted attacks.
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One protester was killed overnight after police fired on a mob which was trying to torch a police vehicle, T.R. Suresh, deputy police commissioner for the city’s north, said. Another died in hospital following injuries sustained from a fall while fleeing police during Monday’s clashes.
September 14: In a bid to stop the violence in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the Cauvery water dispute, a Kanyakumari-based activist today moved the Supreme Court seeking direction to the two states to act against those who had indulged in protests.
“The PM said that violence can not provide solution to any problem and in a democracy, solutions are found through restraint and mutual dialogue. In a democracy, solutions are found through restraint and mutual dialogue”, Modi said.
The latest flare-up occurred after the Supreme Court modified its order on Monday asking Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu till September 20.
Rejecting Karnataka’s plea seeking placing in abeyance for its earlier order, the court asked the executives to ensure compliance. However, Karnataka refused to comply.
India suffers severe water shortages that cause frequent tensions between states and the row over the Cauvery River stretches back decades.
“Cauvery belongs to Karnataka”, the crowd shouted. Schools in Bengaluru have been closed, those in Tamil Nadu have cancelled excursions to Karnataka.
According to Assocham, widespread loss would accrue to IT and ITeS facilities due to poor attendance for the last few days and the inter-state tourism particularly involving pilgrims and domestic travellers has been affected.
Farmers in India are largely dependent on monsoon rains and rivers to irrigate their crops.
Farmers also struggle to meet their farming needs.
Even as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa drew attention to her Karnataka counterpart to the damage to TN-registered vehicles in Karnataka on Monday and Tuesday, owners of the omni buses in TN demanded a compensation of Rs 75 crores for damages.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court said citizens “cannot become a law unto themselves”. Protesters set some trucks on fire in rural areas of the state yesterday.
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Bangalore is home to several top Indian IT and multinational companies such as Infosys Ltd., Wipro Ltd and Samsung Electronics.
