Bandh brings life to a standstill in Karnataka

Life was thrown out of gear on Friday as Karnataka protested against the release of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu, on a Supreme Court directive, with a bandh on Friday.

Thousands of passengers were stranded at the airport in the absence of public transport, according to reports.

The day-long protest is being spearheaded by as many as 500 pro-Kannada organisations, which represent sections including farmers, traders and businesses, and has the tacit support of the state government. Security has been stepped up and additional forces have been deployed across the state.

Government offices will remain open, but public transport, including metro services, will not operate. Banks, shops, markets, malls, hotels, bars, pubs, eateries, restaurant, theatres and petrol pumps will also remain closed during the day, officials said.Essential supplies, including milk and medicines, have been exempted from the shutdown. Ambulances will be allowed to ferry patients to



hospitals.

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.

The border district of Mandya was the worst hit in Karnataka, where a PWD office was vandalised by farmers, schools shut and traffic off roads as farmers took to streets to protest the order. In several areas, theatres screening Tamil films became targets of angry farmers.

The farmers had threatened a bigger agitation after the order and called for a bandh on Friday. They had also announced intentions to block feeder canals to prevent water being given to Tamil Nadu.

However, bowing to the apex court’s order, the state began releasing 15,000 cusecs of water daily from early Wednesday from its reservoirs across the river basin for 10 days amid protests and demonstrations in the Mysuru region.