Cauvery Water Dispute: TN Farmers Block Karnataka Bus In Trichy, Burn Effigy Of CM Siddaramaiah

Tamil Nadu farmers blocked Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses in Tiruchirappalli central bus stand and staged a protest against the Cauvery water sharing issue on Friday. The protests came at a time Karnataka farmers’ organisations successfully held a bandh in the state. Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) members also staged a protest in Trichy regarding the same issue on Saturday.

According to ANI, “Farmers block Karnataka transport bus in Tiruchirappalli central bus stand over the Cauvery water issue.”

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Farmers block Karnataka transport bus in Tiruchirappalli central bus stand over the Cauvery water issue. pic.twitter.com/kBDoBq4vJz

— ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2023

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In Karur, Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) members staged a protest against the Cauvery row on Saturday. The NTK workers burned the effigy of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah in the Delta district. 

Last week, Tamil Nadu farmers staged a protest across the state demanding Karnataka to release more water from river Cauvery. Delta Farmers Association members hit themselves with whips to express their pain due to the drying up of farmlands due to lack of Cauvery water. 

Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Federation president PR Pandian tried to block CM Stalin’s convoy in Chennai, as reported by India Today. 

Karnataka Bandh Over Cauvery Row

Normal life was thrown out of gear in Karnataka due to the bandh called by ‘Kannada Okkoota’, an umbrella organisation of Kannada and farmers’ outfits. 

On Friday, most shops, eateries and business establishments downed their shutters and only essential services like hospital and chemist shops functioned in parts of the state. Many schools and colleges in Bengaluru and other districts remained closed due to the bandh.

Meanwhile, the Cauvery authority ordered the release of 3,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu till October 15. While Karnataka officials said that they were not in a position to release water to Tamil Nadu, the lower riparian state demanded CWMA to release 12,500 cusecs of water for the next 15 days to save the standing crops.