Gathering momentum,the Cauvery-related protests today spilled over to the city on a large-scale disrupting normal life even as the government braced itself for tomorrow's 'Karnataka bandh' called by Kannada outfits to protest the release of water to Tamil Nadu. The stir,hitherto confined to Mandya and other Cauvery basin districts,spread to the country's IT capital with Kannada protagonist organisations holding a spate of protests. Shops and business establishments in several areas downed shutters and the rallies held in different parts of the city virtually choked vehicular movement. Protests entered the sixth day in Cauvery basin areas,as a Central study team visited Krishna Raja Sagar and Kabini dams from where water is being released,and some parts of the river basin for assessing the water situation. Central Water Commission Official Jacob,who is part of the delegation,told reporters in Mysore the team would submit its findings to the Prime Minister by October seven. Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar said the state's counsel today mentioned before the Supreme Court on its plea seeking review of the September 19 Cauvery River Authority order,asking Karnataka to release 9000 cusecs till October 15. The court has agreed to hear the petition on October eight,he said,adding,the state has also filed an interim application seeking stay on the CRA order and praying for its modification. "I hope people of Karnataka will get justice." Several pontiffs,including Balagangadharanath Swamiji,Adichunchanagari Mutt of the Vokkaliga community,who form a big chunk of the population in the Cauvery basin districts,jumped into the stir taking part in the protests in the city. Influential Pejawar Mutt head Visweshatheertha Swamiji demanded that all ministers and MLAs resign in Karnataka and take a delegation to the Prime Minister. With several Kannada outfits calling for a statewide bandh tomorrow,security has been beefed up with 80,000 police and other personnel being deployed,Additional Director General of Police,Bipin Gopalakrishna said. Under Article 355,it is the duty of the Union Government to protect states against external aggression,internal disturbances and to ensure that the governance of the state is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. The court is hearing an application by Tamil Nadu to direct Karnataka to release 2 TMC of water. At the CRA meeting held on September 19,had failed to produce a solution as both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had rejected the Prime Minister's award of 9,000 cusecs of water to save standing crops in the delta region. Tamil Nadu subsequently moved the apex court for a directive to Karnataka. The CRA,headed by the Prime Minister,comprises of chief ministers of Karnataka,Tamil Nadu,Puducherry and Kerala. In its application,Tamil Nadu had said during the current irrigation year 2012-2013,though the south west monsoon is not vigorous in the Cauvery catchment of Karnataka,the state of Karnataka has received 21.9 TMCft of inflow in its four major reservoirs up to July 20. "But it has not shared the water with Tamil Nadu. Instead it started to build the storages in its 4 major reservoirs and letting water in the canals of Krishna Raja Sagar for irrigation with the result that the state of Tamil Nadu has been deprived of its due share of water as per the interim order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal," the application said. Speaking at Belgaum,Law Minister Suresh Kumar termed as "hasty" the decision taken by the Cauvery Regulatory Authority to release water to Tamil Nadu. The minister,here to inspect the ongoing preparations for the inauguration of "Suvarna Soudha" next week,flayed the Central government for "always meting out step-motherly treatment to Karnataka". He alleged that CRA had not studied ground realities like rainfall in the catchment area,level of water in the reservoir and future requirement of water. "Rains in Karnataka have almost come to an end while rains have now commenced in Tamil Nadu," Suresh Kumar said. He expressed hope that tomorrow's "Karnataka Bandh" would be peaceful,adding,all measures had been taken to prevent untoward incidents in the state.
