Dakshina Kannada bandh passes off peacefully

: Barring minor incidents of violence, the Dakshina Kannada dawn-to-dusk bandh called by Netravathi Rakshana Samyutka Samiti against the Yettinahole river diversion project passed off peacefully today.
Shops and business establishments in the entiredistrict downed shutters in support of the bandh.
While publicvehicles remained off the roads, a few private vehicles wereseen plying.
The bandh evoked good response in the district inplaces like Bantwal, Sullia, Moodbidri, Puttur,Belthangady,Kukke Subrahmanya and Dharmasthala.
Police maintained a strict vigil in the district to avert any untoward incident.
The Samiti leaders spearheading the agitation said the project would lead to drying up of Nethravati river, which wasthe lifeline of DK district.

People and industries in the district are entirely dependent on the Nethravati waters, they said.
Samiti president Vijay Kumar Shetty thanked thepeople of Dakshina Kannada for the co-operation they gave for the voluntary bandh.
A KSRTC bus was damaged and a car burnt at Belthangady near here during the bandh by miscreants, policesaid.