Kannada activists and others staging a demonstration at Sri Jayachamarajendra Circle (Hardinge Circle) in Mysuru, as a part of Karnataka Bandh in protest against the directive to release Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu, August 13, 2026.
| Photo Credit: M A Sriram
1. Karnataka bandh evokes lukewarm response in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi
The Karnataka bandh called by Kannada organisations on August 13 over the Cauvery water issue received a lukewarm response in Bengaluru and several parts of the State, with normal life largely unaffected. The bandh was scheduled from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., but public transport and commercial activity continued as usual in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Belagavi.
BMTC and KSRTC buses operated normally, while private buses, autorickshaws and cabs remained on the roads. Auto and cab unions had extended only moral support to the bandh and did not withdraw their services. Shops, hotels, restaurants and other commercial establishments remained open, while schools and offices functioned as usual.
Essential services, including hospitals, pharmacies, grocery stores and banks, also continued without disruption. Airport services in Bengaluru were reported to be operating normally, with no major impact on passengers. Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj, who had called for the bandh, was detained by the police in the morning before he could begin a rally from Town Hall towards Majestic.
2. Cockroaches found in restaurant of hostel for legislators in Bengaluru
The Karnataka Health Department Food Safety Division team, as part of the inspection drive of eateries and other establishments in Bengaluru on August 12, visited the canteen at the department’s headquarters, where it seized expired food items and flagged hygiene violations. Officials inspected hotels and other food business establishments located in the premises of Vidhana Soudha, Legislators’ Home and the MS Building in Bengaluru.
According to officials, expired food products, such as idli rava and coconut powder, were found in the kitchen of the Arogya Soudha canteen on Magadi Road. Food products were not stored in accordance with FSSAI guidelines. Pest control measures had not been carried out, leaving the premises in an unhygienic condition, officials said. They also inspected a restaurant run by a private operator inside Legislators’ House, and among other things, cockroaches were found in the kitchen, they claimed.
3. Karnataka launches Tathyakosh.in, a public good data discovery platform
Government of Karnataka’s Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence launched Tathyakosh.in, a unified public good data discovery platform, on August 12. Unveiling Tathyakosh.in at Vikas Soudha, Minister Priyank Kharge said, “India’s AI ambitions will depend not only on talent and computing power, but also on our ability to find and use the vast amount of data that already exists across our institutions. Tathyakosh addresses a fundamental gap by making this data discoverable, structured and easier to use.”
According to the Minister, by building it as an open, non-commercial Digital Public Good, government was creating an important piece of infrastructure for researchers, startups, developers and policymakers to build with Indian data. While the country generates enormous volumes of public data, finding the right dataset, understanding its quality, and determining whether it can actually be used often requires navigating multiple disconnected platforms, Mr. Kharge elaborated.
Published – August 13, 2026 07:04 pm IST
