Farmers begin relay hunger strike over Cauvery water release

A farmers' body spearheading the

stir against release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu began a

relay hunger strike here in protest against Karnataka's action

and warned that people would stop paying taxes if government

did not heed their demand to stop the flow by this evening."We have set a deadline to the government... if the water

release is not stopped by this evening, people will resort to

a civil disobedience movement by not paying taxes," Cauvery

Hitarakshana Samithi President G Madegowda told reporters.Karnataka has been releasing 9,000 cusecs since Sunday,

in compliance with a Supreme Court directive.Gowda, a former MP, said he has decided not to go on an

indefinite fast on a plea by former Prime Minister H D Deve

Gowda.Raitha Sangha (Farmers Association) leaders said they

would lay seige to Raj Bhavan today in Bangalore, demanding

intervention of Governor H R Bharadwaj on the Cauvery water

issue and to safeguard the state's interest.Meanwhile, opposition Congress leader in the assembly

Siddaramaiah commenced a padayatra from Mysore to Mandya to

express solidarity with the agitating farmers.Authorities at Krishna Raja Sagar reservoir stepped up

security in the wake of escalated protests when thousands of

farmers tried to lay siege to the dam and also the Kabini

reservoir yesterday, demanding closure of crest gates to stop

the flow.District authorities had deployed Rapid Action Force at

the KRS dam.Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar had urged farmers to

maintain peace and said the state would file a review petition

before the Supreme Court, praying for a review of the Cauvery

River Authority directive.The Karnataka government began releasing water after the

Supreme Court asked it to abide by the September 19 directive

of the Cauvery River Authority, headed by Prime Minister

Manmohan Singh till October 15.