All steps taken to avoid hardship during bandh: Pudu govt

Puducherry, Sept 16: All necessary steps have been taken to ensure law and order and avoid any inconvenience to the public during the dawn-to-dusk bandh called by various Tamil outfits in the Union Territory tomorrow, the government said today.

"The government is keen that public do not face any inconvenience because of bandh and necessary steps have been evolved. All necessary steps have been taken to ensure that law and order does not face any setback," Puducherry Chief Secretary Manoj Parida told reporters here.

More than 30 Tamil fringe outfits have announced the 12-hour bandh in the Union Territory, condemning the violence against Tamils in Karnataka in the wake of Cauvery water row. Local unit of DMK today announced its support to the bandh while Puducherry Traders Federation said all business establishments will remain closed tomorrow.

Convenor of DMK S P Sivakumar said the party pledged support for the bandh in line with the decision taken by the party high command in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, where also a dawn-to-dusk shutdown is being observed tomorrow.

On Cauvery water for Karaikal, in the tail end of the river system, Parida said with Supreme Court ordering release of 12,000 cusecs by Karnataka, Puducherry should get 270 cusecs of water. He hoped that the water would be available in Karaikal in the next couple of days.

The Chief Secretary said he would participate again in the deliberations of the Cauvery Supervisory authority on Sept 19 and ensure the interests of Karaikal farmers were fully protected.

PTI