Vijayapura: For farmers in North Karnataka, the dream of raising the height of the Almatti Dam has been a decades-old aspiration. They see it as a lifeline for agriculture in a region constantly grappling with drought. However, just as the demand began to gather momentum again, fresh opposition from neighbouring Maharashtra has added a new political twist to this long-standing issue.The Karnataka government has been pushing to increase the height of the Lal Bahadur Shastri (Almatti) Dam from 519.6 metres to 524.256 metres. Maharashtra has objected to this move, and only two days ago, Maharashtra Chief Minister wrote to the Center expressing strong reservations. Karnataka, on the other hand, insists it is ready to move ahead with the plan but needs the Centre to issue a Gazette notification—a formality pending for years—that would clear the way for the height increase. Currently, Almatti has a gross storage capacity of 123.08 TMC at 519.6 metres. Increasing the height will allow an additional 130 TMC of water storage. Call for Gazette Notification Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has repeatedly pressed this demand with the Union Government. During his visit to Almatti last year to offer Gangapooja, he urged that the Gazette notification on the final award of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II) be issued immediately, without which the project cannot progress. “The tribunal has already allowed Karnataka to raise the height. Only the notification remains,” Siddaramaiah said. He also recalled his meetings, along with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Ministers, pressing for the same. Farmers Renew Pressure For the farming community of North Karnataka, the issue is more than just a technical decision; it is about survival. Farmers’ groups have staged protests, submitted memoranda, and argue that the delay is caused by lack of political will. “The dam structure is already built up to 524.256 metres; all that is needed is to increase the height of the gates. The Centre must publish the Gazette. Unless that is done, the height cannot be raised,” says Aravind Kulkarni of Akhanda Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha. Kulkarni also stressed for declaring the project a National Project, which would ensure funding from the Centre. On Maharashtra’s objection, Kulkarni referred to a 2022 report submitted by the state’s own retired Principal Secretary Nandakumar Vadnere. “That study clearly said that Sangli floods are not because of Almatti,” he added. Kulkarni has also appealed to the Centre to convene a meeting of all four riparian states—Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra—to arrive at a final solution. “People of the region gave land with a promise of irrigation, but the promise remains unfulfilled. The level must be increased so that our fields get water,” he said. Maharashtra’s Objection Maharashtra’s main objection is that raising the dam’s height could worsen flooding in Sangli, Satara and Kolhapur districts during heavy rains. However, Karnataka leaders say the evidence does not support this claim. Politicians of Karnataka React Two leaders who had served as water resources minister have strongly objected to Maharashtra’s stand. MB Patil, Minister for Large and Medium Industries, dismissed Maharashtra’s stance, arguing that the 2019 floods in Sangli and other districts had nothing to do with Almatti. He had served as Water Resources Minister from 2013-18. Patil cited a report prepared by a 10-member expert committee set up by the Maharashtra government, headed by Vadnere. “The committee’s findings clearly state that floods were due to simultaneous release of water from Koyna, Rajapur and other dams, coupled with encroachments on riverbanks, not due to backwaters from Almatti or Hipparagi,” Patil said. According to him, the backwaters of Almatti and Hipparagi lie entirely within Karnataka and do not submerge land in Maharashtra. “For years, Maharashtra did not object to raising the height. Why object now?” Patil asked. The report, he added, even noted poor management in Maharashtra. “Massive discharge from Maharashtra’s own reservoirs in August 2019 caused floods. This has been clearly recorded,” Patil emphasised. Former Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai, who served as Water Resources Minister (2008-13), also called Maharashtra’s objection “illogical and inappropriate”. “Floods in Sangli happened even before the construction of Almatti. In 2005, a major flood prompted the Central Water Commission to study the matter. The commission confirmed there was no connection between the floods and Almatti,” Bommai said. He added, “The Tribunal has already allowed the increase. Maharashtra’s current objections are baseless.” Almatti Dam and UKP Known as the Lal Bahadur Shastri Dam, Almatti is located in Vijayapura district and is part of the Upper Krishna Project (UKP). The project involves constructing two dams across the Krishna River—Almatti and Narayanpur—and a network of canals to irrigate drought-prone areas. Stage I of the project aims to utilise 119 TMC of water to irrigate 4.25 lakh hectares, while Stage II will use 54 TMC for 1.97 lakh hectares. Together, 6.08 lakh hectares of farmland in Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Koppal, Raichur, Ballari, Kalaburagi and Yadgir districts will benefit. Krishna Water Dispute The Krishna river water-sharing dispute has a long history involving Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and, since 2014, Telangana. The first Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT-I) in the 1970s allocated 2,130 TMC of water: Karnataka: 734 TMC Maharashtra: 585 TMC Andhra Pradesh: 811 TMC These were en bloc allocations, giving Karnataka and Maharashtra the freedom to use their shares. Andhra Pradesh could use any surplus but without permanent rights. The second tribunal (KWDT-II), formed in 2004, re-examined the issue and in 2010 permitted Karnataka to raise the Almatti dam to 524.256 metres. The final allocation increased the basin’s total utilisation to 2,578 TMC, distributed as: Karnataka: 907 TMC Maharashtra: 666 TMC Andhra Pradesh: 1,005 TMC Cost and Benefits The cost of raising the dam’s height, including rehabilitation and land acquisition, was initially estimated at Rs 51,148 crore but is now expected to cross Rs 80,000 crore. Karnataka plans to invest around Rs 1 lakh crore over five years, at Rs 20,000 crore per year. If implemented, the project will provide irrigation to an additional 5.94 lakh hectares (14.68 lakh acres) in drought-prone districts. Impact on Villages An estimated 20 villages in Bagalkot and Vijayapura districts will be affected by the higher water level, requiring rehabilitation and resettlement.
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