Karnataka Bandh: Schools, colleges to stay shut tomorrow, BMTC and KSRTC to operate

In view of the Karnataka bandh called by various organisations against the "Centre's apathy" towards the Mahadayi River water dispute, a holiday has been declared for all the schools and colleges in Ballari district on Thursday.

"Schools and colleges in Ballari district of Karnataka will remain closed tomorrow in the light of the state-wide bandh called by the pro-Kannada organisations and farmers' welfare associations", Deputy Commissioner Ramprasath Manohar said.

The protesting groups called for the bandh seeking the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the long-standing Mahadayi River water dispute between Goa and Karnataka.

Pro-Kannada activists Vatal Nagaraj and Praveen Shetty on Wednesday told the press that there will be no transport services tomorrow and other services will be shut down as well.

"We will stop everything. Bus, train, flight all services will be stopped. We will stop all services tomorrow," Shetty said at the press conference.

However, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) have decided to operate buses as usual.

Karnataka and neighbouring Goa have conflicting interests on the issue of sharing Mahadayi River water. While the river originates in Karnataka, a major part of it flows in Goa.

Karnataka plans to divert waters from the river to Malaprabha basin in the state.

The pro-Kannada organisations and organisations of farming communities had earlier also called for bandh over the dispute.