Big tech firms, including Google, ask employees to work from home today amid ‘Bengaluru Bandh’ 

The calls for protests and strikes over a longstanding river water sharing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have forced global firms including Walmart and Google to ask employees in Bengaluru to work from home on Tuesday.

Several tech firms ask employees to work from home amid Bengaluru Bandha

In Karnataka, farmers and activists have called for Bengaluru Bandh, demanding the state authorities refrain from releasing more water from the Cauvery River to Tamil Nadu.

According to media reports, several multinational firms such as Google, Walmart, IBM and Accenture have advised employees to work from home and avoid any non-essential commuting during Tuesday’s strike.

What’s the Cauvery River dispute?

This dispute over who gets access to the river water has been a source of friction between the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for over a century.

Deadly riots broke out in Bengaluru in 2016 after the top court ordered the release of some water to Tamil Nadu.

Bengaluru hosts over 35000 tech companies and some 79 tech parks – upmarket premises that house offices and entertainment areas catering to technology workers.

Several companies have asked employees to return to the office or adopted a hybrid working model after pandemic shutdowns.

Amid the Bengaluru Bandh, some private schools also shifted today’s classes online.