Mysore/Mysuru: The protests against the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) order asking Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily to Tamil Nadu, with the Supreme Court also refusing to interfere with CWMA order, has intensified across the city.

Various farmer groups, Kannada organisations and several other associations staged protests and demonstrations at different venues across the city this morning.

Veteran litterateur Dr. C.P. Krishnakumar (CPK) was one among the leading personalities of the city, who took part in the protest organised under the aegis of Kannada Chaluvaligarara Sangha in front of Command Area Development Authority (CADA – Cauvery) Office on Sayyaji Rao Road.

The protestors held empty coconut shells (Tengina Chippu) to register their protest against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu even as Karnataka is facing an unprecedented drought. Strongly condemning the water release, they urged the State Government to immediately stop water release. Maintaining that Cauvery is the lifeline of crores of people, they warned of taking the protest forward if the State Government does not stop the release.

Sangha President M. Shivashankar, noted writers Dr. Latha Rajashekar, Prof. K.S. Bhagawan and N. Girigowda, Vokkaligara Sangha Director C.G. Gangadhar and others took part in the protest.

Farmers gherao District Minister

Even before the commencement of Janatha Darshan at Zilla Panchayat (ZP) Office this morning, farmers, under the banner of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS), who had come to take part in the protest against the release of Cauvery water to TN, gheraoed District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa soon after he arrived at the ZP Office Gate about one hour behind schedule to chair the monthly Janatha Darshan.

The protesting farmers later gave a representation (Hakkottaya Patra) to Minister Dr. Mahadevappa asking the Government to immediately stop release of water to Tamil Nadu and thus come to the rescue of farmers of Cauvery basin districts in Karnataka, who are reeling under drought.

KRRS office-bearers Badagalapura Nagendra, Hosakote Basavaraj, Prasanna N. Gowda, P. Marankaiah and others were present.

The Police had made elaborate security arrangements at the entrance and around the Zilla Panchayat (ZP) office in anticipation of farmers protest over Cauvery issue.

Cauvery Action Committee seeks permission to stage indefinite protest: Members of the Cauvery Action Committee (Cauvery Kriya Samithi), which had planned to stage an indefinite protest at K.R. Circle from today, met City Police Commissioner B. Ramesh as Police permission was denied to stage the protest at K.R. Circle and requested him to provide an alternate place.

The Committee Members requested the City Police Commissioner to give them permission to stage indefinite protest either at K.R. Circle or in front of Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple at the North Gate of Mysore Palace or near Chikka Gadiyara (Dufferin Clock Tower) near Devaraja Market.

The Police Commissioner told them that he will inspect these places and convey his decision by evening and the Committee Members announced that they will commence the protest from tomorrow after they receive communication from the City Police Commissioner.

Prior to this, the Members garlanded the statue of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar at K.R. Circle.

MLC C.N. Manjegowda, former Mayor R. Lingappa, pro-Kannada activist Mugur Nanjundaswamy, Cauvery Action Committee President Jayaprakash, Vice-President Mellahalli Mahadevaswamy, M.J. Suresh Gowda, General Secretary M. Mohankumar Gowda, leaders Siddalingappa, Balakrishna and others were present.