Bengaluru came to a standstill on Tuesday as farmer organizations, various Kannada groups, and opposition parties enforced a city-wide ‘bandh’ (shutdown) to express their discontent over the release of Cauvery river water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu. The ‘Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samiti,’ a coalition of farmer associations led by farmer leader Kuruburu Shanthakumar, announced the shutdown to last from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Furthermore, a broader statewide bandh is planned for Friday.
The contentious Cauvery river water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, an issue that has spanned decades, recently resurfaced after an order from the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) directed Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for a duration of 15 days. Karnataka’s stance on the matter is rooted in their claim of inadequate rainfall in the Cauvery catchment area, which includes regions in Kerala. This perceived scarcity has left their reservoirs with insufficient water levels, making it impossible to comply with the CWMA’s directive.
Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister, Shivakumar, who oversees the water resources portfolio, explained that they currently possess only one-third of the required water to meet the prescribed release. The situation escalated after the Supreme Court’s recent refusal to intervene in the CWMA’s order, stating that the apex court was “not inclined to entertain” Tamil Nadu’s plea.
As a result of the city-wide shutdown, all shops, street vendors, commercial establishments, and theatres remained closed for the day. Services provided by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), as well as private cab services such as Ola and Uber, were disrupted.
However, emergency services, including ambulances, pharmaceutical transport, and essential goods carriers, continued to operate without hindrance. Hospitals, pharmacies, and restaurants maintained their regular operations.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) continued its metro services throughout the city as usual.
