The Hindu Business Line : Cauvery verdict: No impact on business in Bangalore

Advertisement

Bangalore Feb. 5 It was business as usual for a large section of IT & BPO firms in Bangalore on Monday, although some of them closed shutters a couple of hours earlier than normal work timings allowing their employees to go home after the Cauvery Tribunal announced its verdict.

Even as the verdict came tension gripped the city, albeit no violence was reported till late in the evening.

However, as a precaution, several educational institutions had declared a holiday while several officer goers returned home earlier apprehending trouble.

Many of the IT firms shut down their operations closer towards the end of the day, fearing violence post-verdict, but there was hardly any business impact, industry sources said. The technology capital largely remained peaceful, as the Government had made adequate arrangements to take care of the law and order situation.

"It is business as usual and there was no impact," said a spokesperson at Infosys Technologies, which had a normal working day. But, Wipro Ltd closed about an hour earlier than its normal work timings.

BPO firms such as 24/7 Customer seemed to have taken adequate precautions to see that their operations were not interrupted.

Many of the buildings that housed IT firms were seen sporting the Karnataka flag.

`Shocking' says Opposition

Meanwhile, the Opposition leaders termed the final verdict by the Cauvery Tribunal as ``shocking'' and said it rendered grave injustice to the State and demanded that the JDS-BJP coalition Government file a review petition before the adjudicating body.

The former Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Siddaramaiah (Cong), said the verdict ``is a historic injustice to Karnataka'' and ``it is an unfair decision as far as Karnataka is concerned.''

``Karnataka never expected this magnitude of injustice,'' Mr Siddaramaiah, who hails from Mysore district, said and demanded that the Government file a review petition.

A black flag demonstration was staged in the Assembly by Vatal Nagaraj (Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha).

Responding to the members' views, the Home Minister, Mr M.P. Prakash, assured in the Assembly that the Government would protect the State's interest.

Review petition

Karnataka would file a review petition before the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal seeking review of its verdict on water sharing, the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr B.S. Yediyurappa, told the State Legislative Assembly.

The Chief Minister said he would give the Government's reaction after discussing the issue at an all-party meeting to be held later this evening.

More Stories on : Water | Politics | Karnataka

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page