As Karnataka and Tamil Nadu tussle over Cauvery water, various trade unions and farmer groups have called for a bandh in Bengaluru on September 26 between 6 am to 6 pm. The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) along with Ola/Uber drivers and owners association has extended its support for the bandh.
The associations are demanding that Siddaramaiah-led state government does not to release water to Tamil Nadu. With several schools, colleges, shops, companies and transportation expected to remain shut on September 26, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (Karnataka SRTC) and Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will be affected.
What is the Cauvery dispute?
The ongoing Cauvery water-sharing dispute between the two south Indian states is a saga spanning over decades. On August 14, the Tamil Nadu government moved Supreme Court seeking immediate release of 7,200 cusecs of Cauvery water. On August 16, the Karnataka government asked its farmers located in the Cauvery belt regions to halt sowing activities as the state received a rainfall deficit of 14%.
Recently, the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) demanded the release of 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for another 15 days.
As both state governments (DMK in Tamil Nadu and Congress in Karnataka) are allies of the INDIA bloc, the Karnataka deputy chief minister and minister for irrigation DK Shivakumar directed the release of 10 TMC water.
Speaking to reporters he said, “It’s the duty of the government to help farmers on both sides of the border. I request Tamil Nadu to work with us. We don’t want their farmers in distress. TN also shouldn’t put our farmers in distress.”
This move did not go down well with the farmers of Srirangapatna, Mandya district who protested against the release and threatened to aggravate their agitation. On July 19 farmers from Mysuru and Madya districts blocked the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway.
