In the midst of the controversy around the Cauvery water sharing agreement between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru today, on September 26, witnessed a strike. While the restaurants and private cabs remained functional, the majority of the employees in the tech-hub worked from home.
The strike was called by Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samiti, an umbrella outfit of farmers’ organisations. The Cauvery water dispute which dates back to more than 130 years has resurfaced because Karnataka is facing a deficit monsoon rainfall this year, and is not willing to share the river’s water with the downstream state.
In the wake of protests, the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee of the central government has reduced the quantity of water to be released for Tamil Nadu from 5,000 cusecs [1 cusec = 28.317 litres] to 3,000 cusecs per day. Despite this, the pro-Kannada outfits are planning to organise a statewide bandh on September 29.
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While the southwest monsoon season (June to September) draws to a close, rainfall data maintained by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows that the meteorological subdivision of the southern interior Karnataka has witnessed a rainfall deficit of minus 27 per cent between June 1 and September 26. Against a normal rainfall of 655.2 millimetres, the southern interior Karnataka has received a rainfall of 481.3 millimetres. The region is the origin of the revered Kaveri (Cauvery) river which is 805 kilometres long and flows from Karnataka into Tamil Nadu before joining the Bay of Bengal.
The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee under the Ministry of Jal Shakti was set up in 2018.
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The opposition parties in Karnataka such as the JD(S), BJP, and AAP along with a host of farmers’ organisations have extended support to the bandh.
Apart from the political parties, the bandh call was supported by the Sugarcane Grower’s Association, members of the Jai Karnataka organisation, a pro-Kannada outfit, private transport associations and other organisations.
It is reported that in several pockets of Bengaluru, the police took protesters in custody under Section 144 CrPC.
