The bandh over the Mahadayi river water sharing issue, on Wednesday, was total and peaceful in most parts of the northern districts of Dharwad, Gadag, Bagalkot and Belagavi.
Normal life was paralysed in most parts of these districts as business establishments, schools and colleges remained closed and buses and other vehicles stayed off the roads. Protesters burnt tyres to block roads at several places.
Hubballi city witnessed large-scale protests. Members of the farmers’ and Kannada organisations took out a protest rally from Durgadabail to Rani Chennamma Circle. They burnt the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa.
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They also tried to block the toll gate at Gabbur, cordon off the LIC office and enter the railway station. But the police prevented them. Veteran journalist Patil Puttappa and JD(S) MLC Basavaraj Horatti joined the protesters.
At Dharwad protesters held a public meeting at Jubilee Circle and later conducted a rasta roko. A massive protest was held on Goa road near Kelgeri. The Dharwad Bar Association too stayed away from the courts. At Gadag, situation remained tense in Nargund as farmer’s resorted to sloganeering and burnt tyres.
Though only two taluks, Hungund and Badami of the district, comes under Mahadayi project in Bagalkot district, bandh was observed in the entire district. Agitators at several places blocked the highway and roads by burning tyres.
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In contrast, in Belagavi, offices and shops remained closed only in Bailhongal, Ramdurg and Savadatti taluks, which are expected to benefit from the Mahadayi river diversion project. Life was nearly normal in other taluks and in Belagavi city. Farmers blocked the Belagavi-Bagalkot highway by strationing bullock carts on the road near Chachadi in Savadatti taluk.
Activists stopped some buses from Belagavi to Goa and Kolhapur and city buses. NWKRTC officials said the buses would resume operations by evening.