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Bangalore, Feb 20 (IANS) Protests erupted in Karnataka and railway offices in Bangalore and Mysore were attacked Wednesday by activists protesting the gazette notification of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's (CWDT) final award. Window panes and furniture were damaged at the two places by members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Karnataka protection forum), a police spokesperson told reporters in Bangalore. The Vedike members tried to stop trains at Mysore, about 130 km from Bangalore. Kannada activists also blocked roads in Mandya, 80 km from Bangalore, and the hotbed of Cauvery agitation. Demonstrations were held in Hubli in north Karnataka, Davangere in the central part and a few other places. The notification was issued by the central government Wednesday though Karnataka had opposed the award given by the tribunal five years ago. Karnataka has challenged the award in the Supreme Court on the ground that it has done injustice to the state's water needs. The state had sought 465 tmc ft (thousand million cubic feet) of water, but the tribunal has given has given only 270 tmc ft. The tribunal has awarded Tamil Nadu 419 tmc ft as against its demand for 562 tmc ft while Kerala gets 30 tmc ft and Puducherry seven tmc ft. The central government move followed a Feb 4 directive by the Supreme Court that the final award must be notified by Feb 20.
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