Paramilitary forces arrive in K'taka

Bangalore, Feb 6 (UNI) Twelve platoons of paramilitary forces today arrived in Karnataka to assist the State Police in maintaining law and order in view of the tense situation prevailing in the Cauvery basin districts following the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal pronouncing the final award on sharing the river waters yesterday.

Karnataka Inspector General and Director General of Police K R Srinivasan told UNI that special security arrangements have been made in Bangalore Rural, Bangalore Urban, Mandya, Tumkur, Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts as a precautionary measure. Paramilitary forces have been requisitioned only as a stand-by in view of the prevailing situation, he clarified.

He said a total bandh was observed in Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Kollegal, Pandavapura, Srirangapatna and KR Pet, but no untoward incident was reported. ''The situation is by and large peaceful in the State, barring stray incidents of road blockade on the Bangalore-Mysore State Highway and burning of effigies of CWDT members.'' Educational institutions remained closed in the Cauvery basin districts as a precautionary measure. The Bangalore-Mysore State Highway wore a deserted look, with State Transport Corporation authorities suspending bus service and farmers agitating against the Tribunal verdict. Bus services to neighbouring Tamil Nadu have also been suspended, but buses were plying till the border.

In Bangalore, no untoward incident was reported since last night.

Meanwhile, the Cauvery Hitarakshna Horata Samithi, which met in Mandya, passed a resolution to challenge the Tribunal award in the Supreme Court. It also decided to fight for justice in a peaceful manner.

Samithi President G Made Gowda, addressing a farmers rally, urged the State Government not to accept the Tribunal award. The Samithi leaders would attend the all-party meeting, convened by the Chief Minister in Bangalore tomorrow.

The Tamil speaking residents of Mandya, extending support to the struggle, joined the farmers agitation.

In Mysore, the agitators staged a dharna, demanding immediate withdrawal of the Tribunal award.

The Youth Congress would hold a protest meeting in the city tomorrow.

UNI