Bengaluru:The dawn-to-dusk Bengaluru bandh called to protest release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu had all parties showing a support for Farmer groups that had called for bandh hailed it as complete success and the government thanked people for the peaceful protest. However, normal life wasn’t exactly crippled as public transport remaining operational but without many passengers to travel.
Anticipating disruption in transport services, Many IT and other establishments, schools had declared a holiday. Most of IT firms switched to the work from home option with a few schools choosing to engage kids through web classes. BMTC,KSRTC buses and Metro services were available, but they reported poor occupancy. Auto rickshaws stayed off the roads though App based cabs and bike taxis were available. Private vehicles moved about on near empty roads. While many hotels downed their shutters, they yet operated for food delivery platforms.
As near total bandh observed in Bengaluru over Cauvery water sharing controversy, the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) recommended release of 3,000 cusecs of water to TN daily for 18 days from Sept 28 against the demand of TN of 12,500 cusecs daily. The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), which is expected to meet shortly, will take a call on the committee’s recommendation. Karnataka is expected to seek further reduction in the water to be shared with Tamil Nadu.
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said, he would consult the state’s legal team to decide on the next course of action. This has come as a minor relief to the state government, which is facing widespread protest in the Karnataka capital over release of Cauvery water to TN. Besides Bengaluru shutdown on Tuesday, another bandh this time across Karnataka is being planned for Friday. Siddaramaiah , while pointing out the supreme court had banned bandhs, he admitted that people also have the right to protest in a democracy. On call for state-wide bandh on Friday, siddaramaiah said government “ will not obstruct the protest. Meantime Siddaramaiah endorsed the demand of Former PM and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda to setup an independednt agency to study the dispute and make appropriate remondations. He said,” It is welcome step. We hope the newfound friendship between BJP and JD(S) will help the state”.
Taking a strong objection to police arresting people protesting the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, former CM and JDS(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy criticised the government and called the state Congress unit the ‘B’ team of the DMK government in Tamil Nadu.
South interior Karnataka, which hosts Cauvery basin districts and is looking at a 27% deficit in rainfall so far, is very unlikely to receive any relief from the southwest monsoon, which will withdraw by month end. The crisis is acute in Cauvery basin districts with deficit ballooning to a whopping 32% –or, the region hasn’t received a third of its quota of rainfall. Karnataka is reeling under an overall 19% deficit.
According IMD, THE Cauvery catchment area in Karnataka should have received 47.5cm of rainfall till date. It has received only 32.2 cm so far, creating a 32% deficit. Given that monsoon will officially draw to close over Karnataka in a week, the deficit over Cauvery catchment will continue. IMD also stated that southwest monsoon has nothing much to improve the bleak scenario. The only hope is the retreating monsoon. From the first to the second week of October, the Cauvery catchment may receive 8cm Rainfall, they added.
