Water to Hassan: C'magaluru bandh total

Normal life disrupted in district; public transport including KSRTC buses off road

Life in the otherwise busy Chikkamagaluru town came to a standstill following the bandh call given by Nagarika Samiti on Saturday.

The Samiti had called for bandh in protest against the release of water from Yagachi reservoir in the district to Hemavathi reservoir in the neighbouring Hassan district.

The dawn-to-dusk bandh witnessed a good response, with traders voluntarily downing shutters, so also schools, colleges, film theatres, banks, hotels, bars and restaurants. Normalcy returned later in the evening.

People largely dependent on public transport were caught off-guard as both Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and private bus operators suspended their service. Petrol bunks functioned for a while, only to stop service from 10 am onwards, resulting in huge convenience for vehicle users.

The CMC office was force closed, followed by the branches of Vijaya Bank, State Bank of India, State Bank of Mysore and other banks.

Activists of Kannada organisations set used tyres on fire at the Azad Park Circle and also opposite the KSRTC bus stand on the Kadur-Mangaluru national highway, thus venting their anger against the decision to release water from the district reservoir.

The agitators also formed a human chain and performed ‘Urulu Seve’ to mark their protest.

Apart from BJP, other political parties like Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (CPI), Jayakarnataka, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (both Praveen Shetty and Narayan Gowda factions), Kannada Sene, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, auto drivers’ and owners’ association among other organisations had extended their support to bandh.