Manipal/Udupi: The state wide bandh called by various Kannada organisations, under the banner of ‘Kannada Okkuta’ did not create any impact in regions of Udupi, Manipal and Dakshin Kannada on April 18.
The strike was called to pressurise the Government for implementing the Mekedatu Drinking Water Project, among other demands. No demonstration of the bandh was called in this region. Schools, colleges, petrol pumps, offices and hospitals ran like any other working day. Public transport operated as usual. Udupi’s express and city services, which are controlled by private operators, also functioned the entire day.
Annayya Kulai, from the district unit of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, said on a social networking website that they backed out from this bandh due to the lack of support from the southern districts against a project to divert the Netravathi River.
Nityananda Volakadu, General Secretary of Udupi Zilla Nagarika Samiti said that since the Politicians and people of old Mysuru did not support the issue raised by Southern Karnataka on the Netravathi diversion, they saw no reaction over the bandh.
Senior congress leader, B Janardhana Poojary, rebuked residents of the region for not supporting the strike. He told the media that they should have kept their narrow mind set aside and supported it.