Why is Sharan on a hunger strike?

On Tuesday, Kannada actor Sharan partook in a day-long hunger strike in the Kalasa Banduri agitation, to draw attention to the drinking water issue in the drought-hit areas of Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi, Bagalkote and Gadag. “The fight is for a basic necessity of life — drinking water. People in drought-hit areas are receiving water supply once in, say, 20-30 days.How are they supposed to survive? The issue is that this drought is not even due to natural causes. There is water, but the tussle between Karnataka and Goa is depriving these people of drinking water. To understand the gravity of the issue, we have to compare the population of Goa, which is approximately 14-15 lakh, to that of just Hubballi, which has as many people. There are three other districts that have no water,” says Sharan. The protests, though, should not just be limited to the affected areas, adds the actor. “This is not just a North Karnataka problem. The whole state has to take cognizance of it and join in the efforts to create awareness. Little drops of water make the mighty ocean. I am just trying to be one drop. We need more such drops to find a solution to this issue, which, in this case, is actually available,” he adds.