Maha govt urges Centre to instruct K’taka not to increase height of Almatti dam

Mumbai, July 31 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has urged the Centre to instruct the Karnataka government not to increase the height of the Almatti dam, saying that if the height is increased, the area along the Krishna river, including Sangli and Kolhapur districts of Maharashtra, may be affected.

In a letter to the Union Water Resources Minister C.R. Paatil, the Chief Minister expressed the pain and suffering of the citizens of this area regarding the flood situation caused by the backwater of the Almatti Dam, siltation in the river, and the construction of dams.

“The Maharashtra government has entrusted the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, with the task of studying the flood situation arising from the backwater of the Almatti dam using simulation and hydronomics methods. This study will provide a comprehensive understanding of the flood situation. The report in this regard has not been received yet, so the decision to increase the height of the dam will not be wise,” said the Chief Minister.

He asserted that the Karnataka government's decision to increase the height of the Almatti reservoir from 519.6 meters to 524.256 meters is very worrying for the state. He also expressed fear that if such a height is increased, it will only add to the annual flood situation in Sangli and Kolhapur districts and thereby worsen the plight of the citizens.

“The water from the Almatti dam has increased the amount of silt accumulation in the Krishna River and its tributaries. This has affected the water-carrying capacity of the rivers. This has slowed down the rate of floodwater drainage. Apart from this, a large amount of silt has also started accumulating in the embankment. As a result of all this, flood situations have started arising in many parts of Maharashtra,” he said.

The Chief Minister has pointed out that the Karnataka government has decided to increase the reservoir level of Almatti Dam by six meters. Due to this, six meters of water will remain in the Krishna River continuously during this period. This will make the flood situation even more serious and frightening. This will affect thousands of citizens of Sangli and Kolhapur districts, as well as fertile farmland.

Fadnavis has therefore requested the Union Minister to instruct the Karnataka government to reconsider its decision to increase the height (full reservoir level) of the Almatti Dam as a measure to protect the lives, property and livelihood of the villages and citizens along the banks of the Krishna River in both states.

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