Most areas in Belagavi district remained untouched by the bandh called by farmers organisations seeking speedy implementation of the Mahadayi river project.
Offices and shops remained closed in Bailhongal, Ramdurg and Saundatti taluks. Deputy Commissioner S. Ziyuallah had announced a holiday for schools and colleges in these taluks. These are the taluks expected to benefit from the Mahadayi river diversion project.
Life was normal in other taluks and Belagavi city. Vehicles moved around, schools and colleges remained open and offices and shops stuck to the normal routine.
However, activists stopped even private vehicles from plying in Bailhongal. The main road and market looked deserted. Farmers took out a protest rally from Moorusavir Mutt in Bailhongal to the Tahsildar office, shouting slogans against the Union government. Some threw stones at the KVG Bank in Bailhongal and broke the windowpanes.
In Saundatti taluk, activists blocked vehicles by placing stones on roads. Farmers blocked the Belagavi-Bagalkot highway with bullock carts, near Chachadi. The police cleared the road after an hour. Farmers associations took out protest rallies in Saudatti and Munavalli towns. In Munavalli, protesters placed thorns on roads to stop vehicles. Farmers in Munavalli shouted slogans against the Union government.
In Ramdurg, farmers burnt effigies of the Union government and shouted slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. School and college students took part in the dharna in Ramdurg. Farmers also blocked the road near Itagi Cross.
There was no bandh in Athani but farmers organisations submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister through the Tahsildar office seeking early resolution to the dispute.
In Hire Bagewadi, farmers organised a rasta roko at Basaveshwar Circle. Farmers also blocked the road in Chikkodi and submitted a memorandum to the government.
In Kittur , activists stopped private goods vehicles and buses from operating. But there was no impact of the bandh in Gokak.
All buses between Karnataka and Goa were stopped, leaving passengers stranded. Divisional Controller Ganesh Pawar said that buses from Belagavi to Hubballi and Dharwad did not operate. However, buses operated between taluks, but with caution.
Kannada organisations burnt tyres in Belagavi to protest against the Union government for not resolving the issue. Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Mahadayi Horata Samiti formed a human chain at the Channamma Circle and shouted slogans against the Union government and the State governments in Karnataka and Goa.
Farmers took out a rally from Channamma Circle to the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Some shop owners closed their shops in some areas in the old city fearing trouble. But no untoward incidents were reported.
