Bengaluru : Karnataka witnessed the third shutdown in a month as normal life was hit, especially in the IT city and North Karnataka, following a 12-hour statewide bandh called by several pro-Kannada outfits demanding the implementation of Kalasa-Banduri canal project, over which state government has locked horns with neighbouring Goa.
Buses and even private cars from Goa were not allowed to enter the state for fear of violence.
Buses, autos and taxis went off the roads till 5 pm in Benguluru and North Karnataka, affecting many offices. Schools had declared a holiday in advance.
Coastal Karnataka refused to join the bandh, but the shutdown was total in the north Karnataka region comprising Belagavi, Hubbali, Dharwad and Gadag.
The Kalasa-Banduri Nala (diversion) project, which will utilise 7.56 tmcft of water from the inter-state Mahadayi river, is being undertaken by Karnataka to improve drinking water supply to the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and the districts of Belagavi and Gadag.
It involves building barrages across Kalasa and Banduri, tributaries of Mahadayi river, to divert 7.56 TMC to Malaprabha river which supplies drinking water needs of the twin cities. Though the project was taken up during the chief ministership of S M Krishna, Goa objected to the project citing ecological reasons.
