The ongoing protest over the sharing of Mahadayi river water and Kalasa Banduri Nala Project turned a little violent in Hubballi on Tuesday with protesting farmers forcing closure of shops around Kittur Chennamma Circle and also damaging furniture and articles in a few shops.
The incident happened even as representatives of several organisations and farmers had gathered at R.N. Shetty Kalyanmantap in Hubballi to deliberate on the next course of action.
The farmers from surrounding villages of Hubballi including Kusugal, Byahatti and those residing near Bankapur Chowkd came on bullock carts and tractors to block road at Kittur Chennamma Circle as part of the protest. In between, a few young members of the farming community started asking the shops at the junction to close down, leading to altercation with the shopkeepers and ultimately resulting in few others barging into the shops and damaging the articles.
However, the police intervention resulted in bringing the situation to normality.
The incident also resulted in the shops and commercial establishments remaining closed from afternoon till evening. The old KSRTC Bus Station near the junction was also closed. The police had a tough time streamlining the vehicular movement that was diverted to alternate routes.
In Dharwad, members of the Dharwad District Contractor’s Association staged a protest demanding early implementation of the Kalasa Banduri canal project in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office and submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
While, the people in Goa are not using this water for irrigation or for drinking purpose, the people in Saundatti, Navalgund, Nargund and Ron were heavily dependent on Malaprabha for their drinking and agriculture use, they said in the memorandum. Meanwhile in Dharwad district, Maxicab Drivers and Owners Association has decided to stage protest here on Wednesday over Kalasa-Banduri issue.
Footwear shops
In support of the farmers’ agitation, Karnataka Rajya Samagar (Chammar) Haralayya Sangha has decided to close down footwear retail and wholesale shops in Hubballi-Dharwad on Wednesday.
