Bengaluru Bandh Sees Partial Response, K'taka Dy CM Says 'Can't Comply' With Order On Cauvery. Top Points

The protesting groups demanded implementation of the Mekedatu reservoir project, a proposal touted by state Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar as a solution for the river water dispute.

Farmers stage a protest during a 'bandh' called by farmers and Kannada organisations in Bengaluru.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Local outfits on Tuesday called for a dawn-to-dusk bandh in Bengaluru against the release of Cauvery River water to Tamil Nadu from dams in Karnataka. The protesting groups demanded implementation of the Mekedatu reservoir project, a proposal touted by state Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar as a solution for the river water dispute.

Speaking on the Cauvery water dispute, Shivakumar said, "It is not possible. Even last year, they demanded 25,000 cusecs per day. We can't comply because we don't have enough water for it. We expected the court to understand and protect Karnataka's image, but further, it's just not feasible for us."

Tamil Nadu, however, said the Supreme Court verdict is binding, irrespective of protests and agitations in the Karnataka capital today and a proposed one on Friday.

Highlights From Bengaluru Bandh:

• 'Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samiti', an umbrella outfit of farmers’ associations and other organisations led by Kuruburu Shanthakumar, had given the call for today's shutdown, and it found the backing of opposition BJP and the JD(S). 
  
  
• Speaking on the protest and bandh called by the BJP over the Cauvery water dispute, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “Everyone has the right to protest and call for bandh in a democracy, but the court has restricted processions and bandh, and hence prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been invoked, aimed at ensuring that nobody takes the law into their own hands and that the public are not put to any difficulty."
  
  
• Siddaramaiah further accused the two opposition parties of politicising the Cauvery row and rejected allegations that his government has failed on the issue, and said his administration has never lagged behind in protecting the interests of the state, its people, and farmers.
  
  
• Shivakumar on Tuesday expressed satisfaction over the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) rejecting Tamil Nadu's request for 12,000 cusecs and recommending that Karnataka release 3,000 cusecs of water to the neighbouring state till October 15.
  
  
• Earlier in the day, Shanthakumar and other leaders of the Samiti were detained by the police at the Mysuru Bank circle, as they were trying to lead a protest march towards Town Hall. Apart from them, several activists of pro-Kannada organisations were also whisked away by the police at Town Hall, as they gathered there to stage a protest.
  
  
• The protestors, including Shanthakumar and others, later staged protests at Freedom Park, which is the only designated place for such demonstrations.
  
  
• Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy met protesters there and received a memorandum from them and said he will take it to the notice of the chief minister.
  
  
• The five-point memorandum includes demands that water is not released from Cauvery to Tamil Nadu, an election commission-like body be put together to assess things during distress years and implementation of the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project.
  
  
• In the wake of the bandh, educational institutions in the city were shut today. Most private companies and firms, including those in the IT sector, asked their employees to work from home. Most malls and cinema theatres remained shut, as were many shops and establishments.