The bandh called in Dakshina Kannada to protest against the Yettinahole project on Monday was total in Mangalore and all the taluka headquarters.
Buses, auto rickshaws remained off the roads, and educational institutions were shut. The attendance in banks and Government offices was thin.
It is feared that Yettinahole project, aimed at drawing about 24 tmcft of water from the tributaries of the Nethravati River for the benefit of parched districts, will dry up the river, which is considered the lifeline of the district with Mangalore depending solely on it for drinking water.
The bandh was called to coincide with the foundation laying ceremony for the project in Chikballapur, the constituency of Union Petroleum and Environment Minister M. Veerappa Moily.
As CBSE class X students commenced on Monday, parents had to make their own arrangements to reach the children to the centres of examination. Some parents coming from Surathkal had to take a detour to avoid the crowd gathered near Surathkal bus stand. Police removed barricades installed by some groups at a few junctions to prevent movement of private.
At Panambur Kendriya Vidyalaya – a Centre for CBSE examination – parents stayed back after dropping their wards, in order to take them back home. Some schools made arrangements to bring the children in the buses belonging to the institution or private vehicles with a signboard saying “CBSE Exam Duty”.
Barring an isolated incident of a bus being pelted with stones at Navabharath Circle in the early hours, the situation was peaceful. Protesters burnt tyres at several important junctions including Pumpwell, Urwa Market, Nanthoor and Hampanakatta.
District Police Control room said the bandh was total all over the district and that there was no untoward incident anywhere.