Tomorrow is Karnataka bandh. This is how it will affect you

Tomorrow is Karnataka bandh. This is how it will affect you
Vijay Times

SCHOOLS, COLLEGES IT, BPO OFFICES PLANES, TAXIS HOSPITALS, TV BUSES, AUTOS POLICE, SECURITY MILK, VEGETABLES

Most schools and colleges have already declared a holiday in view of the bandh call.

The decision of those that haven’t will be known on Tuesday when education department officials meet in the City, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Basavaraj Horatti told VViij jaay y T Tiim meess . Bangalore University, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), and Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) too will make their decision known on Tuesday.

Several IT companies will down their shutters on Wednesday. Nonavailability of public transport and the sensitivity of the issue are being cited as the main reasons. Call centres and BPOs may however, function since the timing of the bandh will not clash with theirs, said a Wipro official.

All commercial establishments and industries have been requested to remain shut in support of the bandh, says R C Purohit of the Federation Chambers of Comerce.

KSRTC and BMTC will ply their buses tomorrow. However, if the situation warrants, services will be withdrawn, said Bhaskar Rao, director (security and vigilance), KSRTC. "Till the government orders us to do otherwise, KSRTC will operate its fleet," he clarified.

Autorickshaws will stay off the roads. Autorickshaw Union leaders Somashekar and Manju-nath said no autorickshaws would ply in the City tomorrow from 6 am to 6 pm.

There is every chance of disruption of flight services to and from Bangalore since the airport staff may not reach on time, say senior airport officials. However, there is no indication if early morning and late night flights will also be affected.

City taxis, like autos, will stay off the roads as the association has decided to support the bandh call. T Prabhakar, president, KCTA, however said that alternative arrangements would be made in case of any emergency.

All hospitals, pharmacies and medical stores will remain open. Ambulance and other emergency services will not be hit.

However, if you are planning to sit at home and watch TV, you may be disappointed.

Only Kannada and news channels will be operated. The Karnataka State Cable TV Operators Association president Patrick Raju said the channels of all other languages will be blocked during the bandh hours.

JDS says it fully supports the bandh to protest the injustice of the UPA government.

The Congress opposes it, denying any injustice.

The BJP as a party is not backing the call.

The courts are on vacation. SC had upheld a verdict of the Kerala HC which had declared calling of bandhs as illegal. It was held that any party calling for the bandh would have to bear the cost of any damage.

The police are still clueless on the scenario, since the government has not intimated them as yet. Additional Director General of Police Shankar Bidri said the department has not yet decided on the security arrangements as it has not received any intimation from the government. Based on the intimation, a decision on security deployment will be taken. He, however, said that the department may take up this issue probably by Tuesday.

Trucks and lorries will stay off the roads in Bangalore and most likely across the State.

But supply of milk, perishable goods such as vegetables and other commodities, and vehicles carrying medical equipment, hearse vans and fire brigade lorries will not be affected.

Venugopal, secretary of Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents Association, said the association will support the bandh.