The Gulbarga bundh called by different organisations on Friday demanding regular drinking water supply in the City was total, and passed off peacefully. Moreover, the bundh was completely voluntary.
The bundh was held under the aegis of the Hyderabad-Karnataka Janapara Horata Samithi, while the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) had given a separate bundh call. All political parties, barring the Left parties and the ruling Janata Dal (Secular), and organisations had extended their support to the bundh. It was note worthy that the BJP, even being a partner in the coalition government in the State, had supported the bundh.

Processions
Processions were taken out by the residents of different areas in the City, who later gathered at Sardar Vallabhai Patel Chowk in the heart of the City. Later, they went in a procession to the deputy commissioner’s office and submitted a memorandum of their demands to the deputy commissioner.
Due to bundh, the whole City literally wore a deserted look, as no vehicles plied on the roads. The North-East Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC) had withdrawn its City and moffusil services. The central bus stand wore a deserted look as most of the long-distance buses were diverted through the ring-road on the outskirts of the City. Even the autos, tempos and maxi-cabs were off the roads today.
Due to the non-availability of transport in the City, it was a common sight for the people coming from outside places and walk to their destination carrying their luggage. There was a large crowd in the Central Bus Terminus as the commuters waited in vain for buses.
Right from the early morning, all shops, business establishments, cinema theatres, petrol bunks, petty shops, road-side eateries and colleges remained closed. Even the hotels did not open for the day, and the fruits and vegetables markets too were closed. However, only the banks and government offices functioned, but with thin attendance. Customers in the banks too were very few.

Charges
The different organisations charged that even though there was bulk availability of water to the Gulbarga City from the Bheema and Bennethora rivers, still due to gross mismanagement of drinking water supply system, the people in the City had been deprived of the drinking water.
They squarely blamed the district administration, Gulbarga Mahanagara Palike (GMP), Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board, and the elected representatives for this mismanagement. They charged that while the elected representatives were least bothered about it, the officials concerned were lethargic and possessed an indifferent attitude.
They said, due to the mishandling of the drinking water supply project, the new pipeline laid from the Bheema to the City was carrying only six MGD (million gallons of water per day) of water City, instead of 12 MGD for which it has the capacity. “The new line has been commissioned even without conducting the hydraulic pressure test,” they charged.
The protesters were also piqued over the issue of the KUWS&DB's decision to disband the old pipeline from the Bheema. They demanded that the old pipeline also be maintained, as it could be used in cases of emergencies. They also demanded that a new pipeline be laid from the Bennethora to the City towards the supply of bulk water, and the internal distribution system in the City be maintained properly.