Cauvery agitation enters 17th day

Mysore, Feb 21 (UNI) Protests against the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal continued unabated in the Cauvery basin districts of Mandya, Mysore and Chamarajanagar for the 17th day today.

In Mandya district, protest marches continued at various villages with more than 20 organisations taking out processions. In Maddur and Srirangapatna, the agitators resorted to road blockades.

Pro-Kannada organisations indulged in mock hanging of effigies of Tribunal Judges at Sajya circle in Mandya. The Cauvery Hitarakshana Samithi continued its relay hunger strike.

In Mysore, the protest further intensified with thousands of students of various colleges and schools boycotting classes and taking out processions.

The students, from first standard up to degree level, also raised slogans against the verdict. K R Circle witnessed a chain of protests for more than four hours.

The students expressed discontent over the delay in the State Government taking a firm stand on the issue and urged the Centre to formulate a National Water Policy to resolve water disputes.

In Chamarajanagara, Kannada organisations, milk producers, cable operators and others participated in the stir. They also burnt the effigy of the Tribunal at various places in the town.

No untoward incident was reported from any part of the three districts, police said.

UNI