Public services paralysed n State-run buses remain off roads n Schools, colleges declare holiday, exams rescheduled
PTI
BENGALURU
The state wide bandh called by pro-Kannada outfits demanding Prime Minister’’s intervention inthe inter-state Mahadayi river water row with Goa disrupted normal life in most parts of Karnataka on Thursday.
Major impact of the dawn-to-dusk bandh was seen in northern districts, which are seeking water from the Mahadayi basin, while it crippled normal life in other parts also, as public services were paralysed.
State run buses remained off the roads. Auto rickshaws and cabs were available in Bengaluru but in fewer numbers.
However, in the evening the city limped back to normalcy with buses back on the road and shops and commercial establishments reopening.
“Namma Bengaluru is back to Normalcy...” Bengaluru city police said in a tweet.
Similar reports have come from different parts of the state, where bandh has been peaceful.
Police had made elaborate security arrangements across the state to ensure that no untoward incident occur.
Vatal Nagaraj, who heads ‘’Kannada Okoota’’, an umbrella organisation of Kannada bodies that led the protest march from town hall to Freedom Park in the city, warned protests infront of the Parliament if Prime Minister Narendra Modi doesn’t intervene in the matter.
“Bandh has got very good response. Prime Minister should intervene. Until his intervention, we will conduct protests at different stages. Finally we will also stage protest in front of Parliament in Delhi,” he said.
As a precautionary step, schools and colleges in most parts declared holiday. Several examinations were also rescheduled.
Earlier in the day, a group of protesters tried to disrupt rail services by entering the Bengaluru’s Sangolli Rayanna railway station but police stopped and detained them.
Protest was also staged in front of Manyata Embassy Business Park, a software technology park in the city, alleging that several IT companies inside were functioning as usual, evading the bandh call.
While the film industry and multiplexes had decided remain shut, as also shopping malls, hospitals and clinics functioned normally, with Indian Medical Association office bearers stating they will be extending moral support by wearing a black band.
Very few hotels, restaurants and eateries were opened in the city, and stray minor incidents of stone throwing were also reported with the bandh organisers targeting shops that refused to down shutters.
Opposition BJP has termed the bandh as “politically motivated” and alleged the ruling Congress’’ role, saying it was synchronised with dates when BJP national President Amit Shah was in Mysuru to address a party rally.
Similarly, a Bengaluru bandh has been called on February 4 also, when PM Narendra Modi is visiting the poll-bound state to take part in ‘’Nav Karnataka Parivartan Yatra’’ of the state unit in the city.
Addressing a rally in Mysuru, Shah said the “Parivatan Yatre” led by BJP state unit President B S Yeddyurappa has created fear among Congress men and that was why the state government was trying to stop rallies by supporting bandh using “non democratic” means.
Karnataka, which has locked horns with Goa on sharing Mahadayi River water, is seeking release of 7.56 tmcft water for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project.
The project is being undertaken to improve drinking water supply to the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and districts of Belagavi and Gadag.
Goa govt makes minor changes
to its Mhadei team
PANAJI: The Government of Goa has reconstituted it’s legal team arguing the State’s case before the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal with minor changes included in the legal team.
According to a government notification, Adv Atmaram N S Nadkarni will lead the team in his capacity as a senior advocate while Adv Dattaprasad Lawande, Advocate General of Goa and Pratap Venugopal, is the Advocate on record.
Other members of the reconstituted team include Advocates Salvador Santosh Rebello, Mayuri Chawla, Amogh Prabhudessai, Nikita Nadkarni, Rajesh Shivolkar, Gautam Sharma, Ashvek Gosavi, Ashish Kuncolienkar, Akshaya Joglekar, Aurobindo Gomes Pereira, Amir Jamadar, Shaish Mahambre and Nikhil Pai.
This will be the main Mhadei team which will decide, co-ordinate appearances, pleadings, evidence and the entire trial before the Tribunal.
All decisions by the Water Resources Department may be taken in consultation with this main team. The decisions as regards this team will be taken with prior concurrence of the Nadkarni, heading the team.
KTC suspends bus service
PANAJI: The Goa government-run Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited suspended its bus services to Karnataka owing to the bandh called in Karnataka over the Mhadei imbroglio.
“The services to Karnataka have been suspended for a day due to the strike called by them. The services will resume once the strike is called off,” KTCL’s managing director Deryk Natto said.
He said 23 buses which were regularly plying to Karnataka have been kept off roads till further orders.
However, the buses to Hyderabad, which have to pass through Karnataka, moved during the early hours before the bandh started, Natto said.
Yesterday, seven buses had moved to Hyderabad and those vehicles are parked safely at a depot there, he added.
The KTCL has been plying its buses, connecting Panaji to various places in Karnataka, like Belagavi, Hubli, Bagalkot, Bengaluru and others.
