Waiting for Cauvery verdict: Security tightened in Chennai; buses to Karnataka halted

Supreme Court verdict on Cauvery water dispute today: Tamil Nadu has deployed hundreds of police personnel across Chennai city and towns bordering Karnataka. Nearly all buses plying to Karnataka from the state have been halted or rerouted via Andhra.

Written by Arun Janardhanan

Chennai | Updated: February 16, 2018 10:35 AM IST

2 min read

A dried up Cauvery at Thiruvaiyaru in Tamil Nadu in March 2017. The Supreme Court is expected to pronounce its verdict in the Cauvery dispute case on Friday (Express Photo/Arun Janardhanan/File)

Waiting for the Supreme Court verdict on the century-old dispute on Cauvery river water sharing, Tamil Nadu has deployed hundreds of police personnel across Chennai city and towns bordering Karnataka. Top government sources said security has been tightened for all Karnataka establishments in the city.

Station in-charge at the Koyambedu bus terminus in Chennai said almost all buses plying to Karnataka have been halted or rerouted via Andhra. “Most of the services have been cancelled. All the interstate buses of the Karnataka Road Transport Corporation parked here are given police protection,” he said.

Follow LIVE UPDATES on the SC verdict in the Cauvery river water dispute here

A senior police officer said security has been tightened for all Karnataka establishments in Chennai, and Tamil nationalist groups and those who have resorted to violence in the past are being watched from last night. “The state intelligence is closely watching all Tamil nationalist groups. We are prepared to handle the law and order situation. All Karnataka-origin schools, mutts, banks and Udipi hotels in Chennai are given protection,” the officer said.

Explained | Cauvery verdict today: What is this dispute?

The verdict, which is expected after 10.30 am on Friday is going to be crucial for farmers, farmer coalitions and political parties in both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, a state going to polls soon. It was in September 2017, the apex court reserved the order on appeals filed by the three states, including Puducherry, against the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal final award in 2007.

The Cauvery river has over 44,000 sq km basin area in Tamil Nadu and 32,000 sq km area in Karnataka, with four crucial reservoirs — Krishna Sagar, Kabini, Harangi and Hemavati – in Karnataka. While Karnataka is often blamed for using Cauvery river to drain surplus water and refuse to share it with Tamil Nadu, farmers in Karnataka cry foul and say there is distress and drought situation in their state.

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