Bangalore corporators join Cauvery stir

More than 100 Corporators of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) reached here in buses under the leadership of Mayor Venkatesha Murthy and participated in the stir which entered the second week opposing release of Cauvery water and also the recent directive of Cauvery River Authority to the state.

Murthy urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also the Chairman of the CRA, to withdraw his order directing release of 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu till October 15.

In view of the acute shortage of water and difficulty faced in meeting the drinking water needs of people in Cauvery basin districts, particularly in Bangalore, water cannot be released to the neighbouring state, he said.

President of the Cauvery Hitarakshana Samithi G Madegowda wanted the state government to file a petition before the Supreme Court challenging the CRA decision.

Meanwhile the Karnataka Bandh call given by various Kannada protagonist organisations on October 6 got support from the Kannada Film Chambers.

Chamber President Chandrasekhar said the film industry would shut its activities and support the bandh.

Parts of Mandya district, hotbed of agitations over Cauvery, continued to witness protests and an effigy of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was burnt here.