Cauvery water sparks bandh across Karnataka

Karnataka witnessed a different sort of crowd on roads today, September 9, as a state wide one day Bandh made regular commuters stay indoors.

The call for bandh was given by pro-Kannada groups protesting against the Supreme Court order of September 5, directing the state to release 15,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.

While shops of essential supplies like milk and medicines, as well as government offices will remain open, schools, colleges, software companies including Infosys and Wipro have declared holiday.

Public transport is badly impacted in the state. Bangalore Metro is not running, taxis and auto rickshaws are off the road. An auto rickshaw driver was reportedly beaten up for taking out his vehicle.

The worst affected area is the border district Mandya, where the protesting farmers vandalised a  PWD office. In some areas, protesters also attacked theatres playing Tamil films.

Karnataka which itself faced a rainfall deficit this year, is also facing water shortage problems.

“When we are being given only drinking water and not a drop for irrigation, why should farmers in Tamil Nadu be given water to grow their crops? This is patently unjust and the Karnataka government must file a review petition in Supreme Court against the decision,” Mandya MLA MH Ambareesh said.

The state is also involved in a water dispute with Goa and Maharashtra over the sharing of Mahadayi River.