| Check dams in Maharashtra affecting inflow of water to state |
| Almatti reservoir almost dry, farmers apprehensive |
| Ganesh Chandanashiva, Bijapur,DH News Service: |
The biggest reservoir in the State, Almatti is witnessing water shortage this year putting the farmers in a quandary.
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 The reservoir has the capacity to store 123 tmc water. Every year water level was maintained up to 519.6 mts. Compared to last year, the reservoir has a shortage of 17 tmc of water. As on Wednesday (June 24), the water level in the reservoir was put at 507.75 mts. The inflow was 1,300 cusecs and the live storage was 2.89 tmc. But last year during this time, the water level was 511.42 mts. The inflow was 4,900 cusecs and the live storage was 19.8 tmc.
During this monsoon, the reservoir has received water only upto 1 mt. It is said that due to lack of rains in Krishna river basin, the inflow to the reservoir is also affected. The Krishna beginning from Mahabaleshwara in Maharashtra flows towards east passing through Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh up to a stretch of 870 kilometre and joins the sea. At Mahabaleshwara in Maharashtra, every year the percentage of rainfall from the beginning of the monsoon itself was high but this year the rainfall was said to be less in that region also.
Lifeline
The Krishna is the lifeline of the farmers of North Karnataka. The farmers of Bijapur, Bagalkot, Gulbarga, Bidar and Raichur districts are dependent on Almatti and Narayanpur reservoir. Both the reservoirs facilitate the farmers cultivating in 6.50 lakh hectare land.
Narayanpur reservoir will receive water only if Almatti gets water. As these reservoirs have gone dry, the farmers are apprehensive about their crops. There were no efforts to create awareness among the farmers to take up some alternative crops at least this season.
Power problem
Six power generation units are not functional in Almatti dam due to shortage of water.
This had added further to the power problem of the State.
It is also said that as a number of check dams and reservoirs have been constructed across river Krishna in Maharashtra region, the inflow of water to Almatti reservoir was severely affected. Most of those dams constructed in Maharashtra were also unauthorised and only after they receive enough quantity of water, the excess water was being released into the river.
Sources here said that sometimes, if the Western Ghat area in Maharashtra receives good rainfall, the reservoirs in Maharashtra overflow and they open crest gates all of a sudden causing flood in the lower parts of the river. Maharashtra appears to be contributing its part for both the dry spell and floods in the State.
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