DKS fumes at Maha over Koyna water

Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday accused the Maharashtra government of indulging in politics over Karnataka’s request for water from the Koyna reservoir there.

“Maharastra wants Karnataka to release equal amount of water from Almatti reservoir and sign an MoU. All these years the neighbouring state sold water from Koyna to Karnataka. Now it is holding us at gun point,” Shivakumar said.

Karnataka has urged Maharashtra to release 2 tmcft water from Koyna reservoir to provide drinking water in drought-hit Belagavi and Bagalkot districts.

People in these two districts are facing acute drinking water problem due to severe drought. Farmers in Athani taluk had staged protests, demanding water for the past two weeks.

Sources in the Water Resources department said Maharashtra has demanded that Karnataka, in turn, should release 2 tmcft of water from Almatti reservoir to supply water to people in Solapur district (in Maharashtra). The neighbouring state has categorically said that it will not release Koyna water until Karnataka signs the MoU, sources said.

Shivakumar said the Karnataka government has to form a committee of experts to draft the MoU. “The state government will do anything for getting water. We are ready to make any sacrifice,” he added.