September 29th 2023.
Karnataka is in the midst of a dispute between the state government and Tamil Nadu over water release quotas from the Cauvery River. In response to this disagreement, the Kannada Okkoota organization organized a strike on Friday, which received a good response in Bengaluru and other districts in Karnataka.
To prevent large gatherings, Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code was enforced in the cities and colleges and schools were closed for the day. However, in spite of this, many MRP outlets and liquor shops were seen open in various parts of the city. Videos circulated on social media showed some of the liquor shops with their shutters half closed, while others seemed fully open.
The protest was triggered by the recent demand from Tamil Nadu to release 10,000 cusecs of water over 15 days, while Karnataka proposed a lower figure of 8,000 cusecs for the same duration. As the Cauvery catchment area experienced reduced rainfall from June to August, especially in Karnataka's source Kodagu, the state government requested the Supreme Court to consider 2023 as a "distressed water year." Following this, a meeting was held and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee recommended the release of 3,000 cusecs from September 28th to October 15th.
The strike also had a major impact on the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, with 44 flights being cancelled. This included both arrivals and departures, with 22 flights being inbound to Bengaluru and the remaining 22 being outbound.
To show their support for the protest, several Kannada actors such as Dhruva Sarja, Darshan and Prem joined the strike, urging the people of Karnataka to come together to uphold their rights. With the situation still unresolved, it remains to be seen what the future holds for the state.
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