Mandya/Bangalore: Protests over release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu entered third day Tuesday in the river basin districts even as the Karnataka government said it would file a petition in Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Prime Minister to review the decision of the Cauvery River Authority headed by him on water release.
Vehicular traffic between Mysore-Bangalore remained disrupted following continued protests by farmers and pro-Kannada outfits in Mandya, Maddur, Gejjalagere and other areas.
A group of farmers forced their way into Cauvery water pumping station in Torekadanahalli near Malavalli in Mandya district, from where Bangalore gets Cauvery water,and switched off the pumps, police said, adding, they dispersed the protesters and restored its working.
At Malavalli, members of Rajya Raitha Sangha, a farmers' body, held a semi-nude protest. In Bangalore, pro-Kannada activists gheroed Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and were later arrested.
Farmers' bodies also held protest in the city and demanded the resignation of Shettar.
Shettar, speaking at the Gandhi Jayanthi function in the city, said the government is filing a petition before Supreme Court praying for a direction to the CRA to review its September 19 directive for releasing 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.
"We have to release water honouring the Supreme Court order. However, the government is committed to protecting the interest of farmers of the state", he declared.
Governor H R Bhardwaj advocated that an amicable settlement should be found to the Cauvery water sharing dispute. He said confrontational approach would not help solve the row.
Former prime minister H D Devegowda who yesterday met the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said the protest should be on peaceful lines and none should politicise the issue.
Complying with a directive of the Supreme Court to honour the CRA decision, Karnataka began releasing water from Krishna Raja Sagar and Kabini dams on Sunday to ensure flow of 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, October 02, 2012, 18:15