Fadnavis Sounds Flood Alarm Over Karnataka’s Almatti Dam Plan
"This will greatly help in protecting the livelihood and safety of the people of Sangli and Kolhapur”: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis
MANGALURU: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has raised serious concern over a Karnataka government proposal to raise the height of the Almatti dam to 524.256 metres from the current 519.6 metres. The height of the dam has been a contentious issue with Maharashtra with regard to submergence and with the Telugu states with regard to river water flow.
Fadnavis told the Centre that raising the height of the dam would worsen flood risks in Sangli and Kolhapur districts. In a letter, he sought the immediate intervention of Union jal shakti minister C.R. Patil to instruct the Karnataka government to reconsider the plan of raising the FRL (full reservoir level) of the Almatti dam. “This will greatly help in protecting the livelihood and safety of the people of Sangli and Kolhapur,” the letter stated.
Fadnavis said that raising the water level at Almatti would result in up to six metres of standing water at the Maharashtra border, where the riverbed level is 518 metres, worsening the already fragile flood situation in the state’s western districts.
He also raised environmental and structural concerns related to the dam’s impact on the Krishna River system, citing increased siltation and reduced floodwater recession as key issues.
Karnataka dismissed the claim that Maharashtra would be affected with the raising of the height of the Alamatti dam. Minister M.B. Patil termed Maharashtra's objection as “politically motivated”.
“Sangli and surrounding regions in Maharashtra witnessed severe floods in 1964, 1976, 1994 and 1997, before the construction of the Alamatti dam. As early as in 2000, the Supreme Court had ruled that Karnataka was entitled to raise the height of the dam to 524.256 metres,” Patil said. He pointed out that Maharashtra had raised the matter again in 2005 before the Krishna Water Tribunal (KWDT), which also rejected the claim.
“The Tribunal, in its detailed reports of 2010 and 2013, clearly stated that the Alamatti dam was not responsible for floods in Sangli and Kolhapur.. no state has challenged the verdict of the second KWDT constituted to examine such matters,” he said in a statement.
He said that the erstwhile unified Andhra Pradesh had once opposed the raising of the Alamatti dam's height, claiming it would affect its share of water and that too was dismissed.
He said he would document to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar who handles the water resources portfolio. “Our state will give a befitting reply to Maharashtra's objections,” he added.
Karnataka minister G. Parameshwara told reporters that increasing the height of the Alamatti dam would help Karnataka store its share of water.
