· A holiday was declared in the schools and colleges across the state. · Public transport also remained halted as the protest progressed.
Normal life was affected on Saturday in Karnataka due to the bandh called by the pro-Kannada and farmer organisations protesting the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal's interim order rejecting the state's petition for water.
Transport services were badly hit as several transport workers unions, autorickshaws and cab unions have extended support to the call.
Film theatres, hotels, restaurants and malls also remained shut in support of the bandh. Sensing the inconvenience that the bandh may cause to students, some private schools and colleges have declared a holiday.
Kannada film industry has also come in support of the bandh and film stars, directors and producers will be holding a protest march in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Appealing for peace, Home Minister G. Parameshwara has warned against any act that violates the law and causes damage to public or government property.
He said two companies of Rapid Action Force and an equal number of Border Security Force had been deployed at sensitive areas besides state Reserve Police and regular forces.
Three Additional Director General of Police ranking officials Bhaskar Rao, Raghavendra Auradkar and Kamal Panth have been deputed to sensitive areas to avoid any untoward incident, he added.
Stating that Superintendent of Police of all districts have been instructed to ensure that no untoward incident happens, he said Hubballi-Dharwad Belagavi, Gadag, Haveri as also Chikkaballapura and Kolar have been identified as sensitive.
Stating that prohibitory orders are in place in disturbed areas, he said several people had been arrested, and cases have been booked at various places in connection with the violence.
He said the Director General and Inspector General of Police had been asked to file a report on violence and lapses by police in preventing it.
Karnataka government, which has locked horns with neighbouring Goa on the larger issue of sharing Mahadayi River water between both the states, had petitioned the tribunal seeking the release of 7.56 tmcft of water for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project.
The tribunal which gave its interim order Wednesday after hearing arguments from both Karnataka and Goa had rejected state's plea citing various grounds including ecological damage that the project may cause.
The Kalasa-Banduri Nala (diversion) project, which will utilise 7.56 tmcft of water from the inter-state Mahadayi River, is being undertaken by Karnataka to improve drinking water supply in the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and the districts of Belagavi and Gadag.
It involves building barrages across Kalasa and Banduri, tributaries of Mahadayi River, to divert 7.56 TMC to Malaprabha River which supplies drinking water needs of the twin cities.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier said, after consulting legal experts and leaders of all political parties the further course of action would be decided.
Goa government had earlier rejected Karnataka's attempt for an out-of-court settlement of the dispute stating that the people of the state felt it was more prudent to settle the dispute through the tribunal.
