M'rashtra to challenge Tribunal decision

“The tribunal’s decision to allow Karnataka to raise the dam height is of profound concern... we will study the award in detail and will approach the Tribunal to make presentation within three months given to challenge the verdict,” Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan told a hurriedly called news conference at the secretariat.

Maharashtra had opposed tooth and nail Karnataka’s demand to raise the height from above 519.60 meters. It had in fact sought reduction in the height, on the grounds that raising the height would lead to flooding of Sangli, Kolhapur and Satar districts in Southern Maharashtra.

The Almatti dam is located in Bijapur district bordering Kolhapur and Sangli districts on the Krishna river, which originates in Maharashtra and flows through Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

The two districts had suffered massive damage during floods in 2006 which were attributed to Almatti dam. The Tribunal, headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar, however, upheld Karnataka’s demand, as Maharashtra reportedly failed to provide cogent and scientific evidence to prove that raising Almatti dam height would cause flooding in southern districts.

Chavan said all steps would be taken by the state government to ensure that no village, road or locality in Maharashtra’s southern districts was adversely affected by the Tribunal’s award.

Joint committee

For this purpose, he demanded that a joint management committee of Maharashtra, Karnataka and the Centre be set up to monitor the storage of water in Almatti dam, so that it does not cause flooding in south Maharashtra.

The Tribunal has, however, accepted Maharashtra’s argument that water should not be impounded in the very first two months of monsoon, but should be done step by step in later months which would reduce the threat of flooding to villages along the Krishna river basin. It has given three months time to the three states to move for a review or seek explanation of the award.

Chavan said the state government would analyse the Tribunal award in detail and only then would react to the decisions arrived at by it. He said the award contains pluses and minuses for the state.