# Karnataka bandh: schools and banks open despite Cauvery protest 2026-08-13T03:27:21+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets A state-wide bandh called by Kannada organisations began at 6 am on August 13 to protest the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s order directing Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. Schools, banks, hospitals and pharmacies are open across the state, as the Karnataka Associated Management of Schools withdrew its earlier support for the shutdown. Public transport is running normally in Bengaluru, where police have deployed additional forces to maintain order. Chief minister D K Shivakumar said the government must protect the state’s farmers while also abiding by court orders. The Supreme Court has deferred the hearing to August 17. Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj said the bandh also aims to highlight the Kalasa-Banduri and Mekedatu projects. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com - hindustantimes.com - indiatvnews.com - indiatvnews.com - thehindu.com Tags: Bengaluru police, Cauvery water dispute, CWMA, Kannada organisations, Karnataka bandh, schools open Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/karnataka-bandh-schools-and-banks-open-security-tight/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/karnataka-bandh-schools-and-banks-open-security-tight/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.