Karnataka Bandh on Thursday Over Mahadayi River Row: Private Schools May be Shut in Bengaluru, Normal Life to be Hit
Private schools have been advised to remain closed on Thursday on account of the protest. However, a final decision may be taken on Wednesday.
Bengaluru, January 24: Various Kannada outfits in Karnataka have called for a statewide bandh on Thursday as their demands related to Mahadayi river sharing row remained unaddressed by the Central and the State government. It is since the early '90s that the states of Karnataka and Goa have been locked in a dispute over the sharing of Mahadayi river. Private schools have been advised to remain closed on Thursday on account of the protest. A decision on whether government schools will be open may be taken on Wednesday i.e. January 24. However, Deputy Commissioner Ramprasath Manohar on Wednesday evening declared that schools and colleges in Ballari district to remain closed tomorrow in the light of Karnataka bandh.
Private bus operators in the state may run their buses as long as there are no attacks on them. An umbrella group representing pro-Kannada and farmer outfits, the Kannada Chalavi Vatal Pakhsha (KCVP) has called a statewide bandh on Thursday. There have been reports that the group has also called a bandh in Bengaluru on February 4 which coincides with Prime Minister Narendra Modi rally address in the city.
The band in the state will also coincide with a statewide dharna called by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Staff and Workers Federation. The KSRTC has been demanding implementation of an Industrial Tribunal award of 29 August 2017, as well as an extension of the 12.5 % wage hike announced in 2016 to all officers and supervisory staff.
As per reports, employees of government transport corporations will stage a dharna but services will not be affected. Meanwhile, several firms and IT companies in the IT hub have asked their employees to work from home or to take the day off. The statewide bandh is not believed to affect cab services in Bengaluru. Taking about the metro in the state, Namma Metro is expected to function normally. Officials informed that the metro service will be stopped only if there is a threat to the stations and passengers.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 24, 2018 11:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).