HDMC meet put off due to bandh

Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) general body meeting, which was scheduled to be held on Wednesday, was postponed, due to the bandh.

When Mayor D K Chavan come to the meeting hall, he announced that the meeting was being postponed to December 30.

Police help

Police were not just on bundobust duty during the bandh, but they also did their bit to help the people who were stuck due to suspension of bus service.

Passengers coming to Hubballi, by long-route buses, had to alight at the bypass road on Gabbur Cross itself. In the absence of other transport service due for the protests, the police helped them to reach the City taking them in police vans and jeeps.

Nargund agitators visit Hubballi

Villagers from Nargund taluk in Gadag district, who had participated in the protest led by Raitha Sena Karnataka in Bengaluru, could not get bus to Nargund from Hubballi on Wednesday, due to the bandh.

Around 20 persons including women and children came from Bengaluru by train. "We are disappointed after we met State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa, who had promised to resolve the Mahadayi dispute," they said.

After they visited the Sub-urban Police Station, police helped them to reach the Siddharoodamutt by a vehicle, as they had heavy luggage. After having lunch there, they left for Nargund later, the police said.

Loss and profit

Most of the shops in market places remained closed during the bandh on Wednesday, while APMC at Amargol also had no transaction.

As a precautionary measure, the North-Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) had suspended its bus operations till evening. Due to this, the NWKRTC Hubballi division has incurred around Rs 65 lakh loss, NWKRTC officials said.

Karnatak Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) President V P Linganagoudar stated that around Rs 100 crore loss was incurred in total, due to the Wednesday's bandh, as all business establishments including industries and APMC were closed.

Meanwhile, vendors selling ice cream and juice made a brisk business, bringing their carts to Chennamma Circle, where protests were staged. Some autorickshaw drivers also charged heavy amount for passengers.