What Did Maha CM Object to About the Almatti Dam Height?

Bengaluru, June 2 (NationPress) Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, who oversees the Water Resources portfolio, has urged Union Ministers and Members of Parliament from the state to unite in order to safeguard the state's interests. This call comes in response to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' recent objection regarding the elevation of the Almatti Dam.

While addressing the press in Bengaluru on Monday, Deputy CM Shivakumar announced plans to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union Ministers to advocate for the matter.

“The Krishna Tribunal's decision mandates that we enhance the Almatti Dam's height to 524 metres to fully utilize our state's water allocation. It is astonishing that the Maharashtra Chief Minister, who was silent during the tribunal's ruling, has now unexpectedly reached out to Karnataka's Chief Minister to voice his objections,” remarked Dy CM Shivakumar.

He continued, “In light of this, I earnestly call upon all MPs and Union Ministers to aid in advancing this project and in protecting the welfare of our state and its farmers.”

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis sent a letter to Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on May 9, expressing concerns that raising the dam's height could lead to flooding in Maharashtra's Sangli and Kolhapur districts and requested a review of the decision.

“This correspondence from the Maharashtra CM has taken us by surprise. Until now, Maharashtra had never contested this project. They did not challenge the 2010 ruling and even provided an affidavit supporting its progression. This sudden objection is puzzling,” he added.

“This project is a right bestowed upon us by the tribunal. Our Chief Minister will also respond with a letter in the coming days. I earnestly ask all MPs and Union Ministers from our state to collaborate with us on this critical issue,” reiterated Shivakumar.

“V. Somanna, a member of the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, is aware that the Almatti project serves our state's interests. We have no desire for disputes with neighboring states. The delays in this project are inflating costs excessively. We require Rs 1 lakh crore for land acquisition. This project is vital for us to access our water share,” emphasized Shivakumar.

“If Maharashtra experiences floods, they should address it internally. It's imperative that we convene with Union Ministers and the Prime Minister to advocate for this matter. We must present a unified front. We have been awaiting the Gazette notification for this project since 2013. How much longer must we wait?” he queried.

“Our government is prepared to respond whenever called upon to defend our farmers' interests. We will share the Maharashtra CM's letter and our CM's reply with all MPs. The Chief Minister and I had previously met with Union Ministers regarding the project to elevate the Almatti Dam to 524 metres, in line with the tribunal's ruling. We had urged them to organize a meeting and issue a notification,” he stated.

“The Union Ministers acknowledged our request and set a date for the meeting. However, just as I was about to depart for the meeting, I received a message that it had been postponed. I speculated that this might be due to a wartime environment,” he noted.

When questioned about potential political motives behind the Maharashtra CM's letter, Shivakumar replied, “I will refrain from commenting on the political implications of this matter. My focus is solely on our state's interests. For us, the critical issue is the advancement of the project to secure our rightful water allocation. I will not politicize this situation. I urge all parties involved, including those from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, to take their water share and allow us to claim our rightful share.”

Upon being asked what scientific basis existed for their objections, he stated, “None. The tribunal's ruling was rendered only after discussing their objections. Now, all that remains is the Central Government's notification.”

The Lal Bahadur Shastri Dam, commonly referred to as the Almatti Dam, is a hydroelectric project situated on the Krishna River in the Vijayapura district of northern Karnataka. The Supreme Court of India initially restricted the Almatti dam's full reservoir level.

The conflict over the Krishna River among Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra was resolved by the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal, which sanctioned the dam's elevation to 524 metres. This adjustment would enable the dam to hold nearly 200 TMC. Currently, the dam stands at a height of 519.26 metres.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has declared that his administration is dedicated to raising the height of the Almatti dam from its current 519.6 metres to 524.26 metres, which is essential for completing the third phase of the Upper Krishna Project (UKP).

CM Siddaramaiah also mentioned the necessity to acquire 1,33,867 acres of land for the project, including land that will be submerged, as well as land for rehabilitation and canal construction. To date, 28,967 acres have been secured, he noted.