The farmers of Mandya district in Karnataka are observing a total bandh on Tuesday against the Supreme Court directing the state to release 15000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for the next ten days.
The busy Bengaluru-Mysore highway has been blocked since morning. The police have made elaborate security arrangements across Cauvery basin districts including Bengaluru.
According to the government, all dams in Cauvery basin have just 50 tmc feet of water due to failure of monsoon. Including Bengaluru, the region needs 40 tmc feet of water for drinking purpose because of which the state is opposing releasing water to Tamil Nadu.
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, whose government has been expressing its inability to release water to Tamil Nadu citing poor storage, would hold a meeting with floor leaders of all parties in the state legislature, MPs and district-in charge ministers on Tuesday to take stock of the situation.
Veteran farmers leader and former MP G Made Gowda said, "we don't have water even for drinking purpose. The SC says release water to TN to protect crops. This is illogical and inhuman. People are really angry".
Gowda also urged the government to file a review petition in the apex court. He said he had spoken to state Water Resources Minister MB Patil over phone and urged him to safeguard the interest of Karnataka farmers.
Protests against Cauvery water distribution (Picture courtesy: Imran Khan)
The farmers' leader also warned the government that it would face a strong agitation if water was released to Tamil Nadu.
Protests broke out on Monday in other parts of the state including Chamrajnagar, Mysuru and Hubballi with farmers and pro-Kannada activists demonstrating against the Supreme Court order and urging the Siddaramaiah government to protect interests of Karnataka farmers and not release water to Tamil Nadu.
Police said effigies and posters of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa were burnt in some places in these districts.
Protests against Cauvery water distribution (Picture courtesy: Imran Khan)
A group of farmers tried to enter the KRS Reservoir in Mysuru protesting the court direction, but police prevented them. 'Karnataka Okkuta', led by Vatal Nagaraj, called for a 'Karnataka bandh' on September 9.
"There is no water in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya and Chamrajnagar, and that is the truth. We have called for Karnataka Bandh on September 9 to protest against the injustice meted out to farmers here," Nagaraj said.
Passing orders on a petition by Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court noted that damage would be caused to samba crops in the neighbouring state and directed Karnataka to release water.
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