Chennai, Aug 10 (IANS) Vehicles from Tamil Nadu, including state government buses, face possible disruption at the Karnataka border on Monday as Kannada organisations plan to block their entry at Attibele as part of an escalating protest over the Cauvery water dispute.
The Kannada Federation has announced a demonstration at Attibele on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, demanding that Karnataka stop releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
Protesters have threatened to prevent all vehicles arriving from Tamil Nadu from entering Karnataka during the agitation. The proposed blockade has triggered concerns over interstate transport through Attibele, one of the busiest road links between Tamil Nadu and Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Police personnel have reportedly been deployed along the border to prevent any untoward incident and maintain law and order.
Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj, who is spearheading the agitation, said the protest would press two major demands — an immediate halt to Cauvery water releases to Tamil Nadu and construction of the proposed Mekedatu reservoir across the river.
The agitation comes amid claims that Karnataka has not received the expected rainfall during this year’s southwest monsoon, affecting water availability in reservoirs in the Cauvery basin.
Farmers and Kannada organisations have argued that water should not be released to Tamil Nadu when Karnataka’s own agricultural requirements are under pressure. The Kabini reservoir in Mysuru district, however, is currently full, with surplus water being discharged.
The Cauvery water-sharing issue has nevertheless continued to trigger demonstrations by farmers and Kannada organisations across Karnataka.
The Kannada Federation has also called for a complete Karnataka bandh on August 13 to intensify pressure on the state government over the Cauvery and Mekedatu issues. The Karnataka government has appealed to the organisations to withdraw the bandh.
Nagaraj, however, has maintained that the statewide shutdown will go ahead as planned.
Attention is now focused on Attibele, where the planned blockade could affect Tamil Nadu government buses, private buses, cars and commercial vehicles travelling towards Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka.
Authorities are closely monitoring the border situation, with uncertainty remaining over whether vehicles from Tamil Nadu will be able to cross Attibele without disruption on Monday.
With the statewide bandh scheduled for August 13, further disruption to interstate transport remains a concern as the Cauvery dispute once again fuels tensions along the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.
–IANS
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