The bandh called by Kannada organisations had limited impact in Belagavi. School holiday was declared in only four of the 11 taluks. Schools, colleges, offices and shops were open in Belagavi city. Buses were running in the morning, though activists stopped them for a few hours.
NWKRTC stopped bus services to the riparian States Goa and Maharashtra and Dharwad and Gadag, that are potential beneficiaries of the Mahadayi river project, as a precautionary measure. City buses stopped plying after around 10.30 a.m. But services resumed by afternoon.
The federation of Kannada organisations did not support the bandh, saying that it would inconvenience the public. “We support the Mahadayi project, but we will not support the bandh,” Ashok Chandaragi, convener, said.
Activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Jaya Karnataka Sanghatane and others held protests at the Rani Channamma Circle. The police allowed them to hold a rasta roko at Channamma Circle for a few minutes.
Karnataka Rakshana Vedike members, who tried to stop a train, were arrested outside the railway station. Private vehicles were not stopped by activists. The police arrested around 30 activists of the Karnataka Nava Nirman Sene who tried to stop trucks carrying milk and vegetables to Goa in the early hours of Thursday.
The police had cordoned off areas like Kankumbi.
