Karnataka's Cauvery Bandh Cracks: Schools To Stay Open, KAMS Backs Out

A statewide bandh has been called in Karnataka on August 13 amid protests over the Cauvery water dispute and demands concerning the Mekedatu, Mahadayi and Kalasa-Banduri projects. Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj has said the bandh will go ahead as planned, despite differences among some pro-Kannada organisations.

At the same time, the Karnataka Associated Managements of Schools (KAMS) has withdrawn its earlier support for a school closure, saying academic activities should continue.

Karnataka Bandh

Pro-Kannada organisations announced the bandh on July 31 after a meeting held under Nagaraj’s leadership in Bengaluru. The protest is focused on Karnataka’s long-running inter-state water disputes, including the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

Activists are also demanding that the state protect its water interests and speed up implementation of the Mekedatu, Mahadayi and Kalasa-Banduri projects.

The bandh call followed a decision by the Cauvery Water Management Authority to uphold an earlier order of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee directing Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

Karnataka had initially said it was unable to release the water because of poor storage in its reservoirs. It later began releasing Cauvery water after heavy rainfall in the state’s catchment areas.

What Has Vatal Nagaraj Said?

Nagaraj said on Monday that the bandh would go ahead despite reports of differences among Kannada organisations over the proposed shutdown.

He claimed that more than 2,000 organisations, along with students, had backed the protest.

“From Belagavi to Chamarajanagara and from Mangaluru to Kolar over 2,000 organisations have supported the bandh in the interest of the state. Students have also extended support,” he said.

Nagaraj also said there was no division among Kannada organisations and activists over the bandh.

He urged various sections of society to support the protest and has also appealed to hotel owners in Bengaluru and Mysuru to keep their establishments closed.

The Mekedatu Project

Nagaraj and other Kannada activists have also been protesting Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the Mekedatu project.

Mekedatu is a multipurpose project proposed by Karnataka involving a balancing reservoir near Kanakapura in Bengaluru South district. The project is intended for drinking water and power generation.

Tamil Nadu has opposed the project over concerns about water availability.

During a protest near the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border at Attibele, Nagaraj warned of a future drinking water shortage in Bengaluru if the project was not implemented.

Police detained Nagaraj and other activists when they attempted to block the highway.

What Will Schools Do?

Private schools across Karnataka are expected to remain open on August 13 after the Karnataka Associated Managements of Schools (KAMS) withdrew its earlier call for closure over the Cauvery water dispute.

The association said it would extend only “moral support” to the bandh and would not suspend academic activities, citing disruption to studies and an acute shortage of teachers in government-aided schools.

However, individual school managements will take the final decision on declaring a holiday, based on local conditions, safety and other practical considerations.

KAMS has advised school managements, teaching and non-teaching staff to wear black ribbons or black strips as a symbolic gesture, without affecting regular classes.

It has also suggested that schools use the day to create awareness about the Cauvery dispute through discussions on its history, water scarcity, court decisions, constitutional processes and water conservation.

KAMS secretary D Shashi Kumar said students could express their views through posters or letters seeking fair water distribution.

Are All Kannada Organisations Supporting The Bandh?

While Nagaraj has maintained that the bandh has broad support, some pro-Kannada organisations and activists are reported to have reservations about holding it in the present situation.

The Bangalore Hotels Association said it would extend moral support but later appealed to the organisations to withdraw the bandh call. It cited rainfall in Karnataka, an all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and court guidelines concerning bandhs.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Kannada Organisations has called a stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday, August 12, to discuss arrangements for the proposed statewide protest.

For now, Nagaraj has said the August 13 bandh will proceed, even as some organisations consider their next course of action.