Height of Almatti Dam should not be increased: Maharashtra CM writes to Centre

Mumbai: As the Karnataka government goes ahead with increasing the height of the Almatti Dam, the Maharashtra government has sought the Centre’s intervention to ask the neighbouring state not to allow the increase in the height of the dam.

The Almatti Dam on the Krishna River is located in the Bijapur district of North Karnataka.

The Krishna River in the Deccan Plateau, the third longest river after the Ganga and Godavari, originates from Mahabaleshwar in the Satara district in the Western Ghats region.

During a heavy monsoon, the western Maharashtra districts of Sangli and Kolhapur - which share borders with Karnataka - experience inundation and flooding, and increasing the height of the Almatti Dam could worsen the situation.

In a letter to the Union Minister of Jal Shakti, C R Paatil, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who heads the BJP-led Maha Yuti government, made a formal request.

Fadnavis said that increasing the Full Reservoir Level of the dam from 519.6 metres to 524.256 metres would have serious consequences for those living in the Krishna river basin.

“The decision to increase Almatti Dam’s height is a matter of grave concern for Maharashtra. If implemented, it would aggravate the recurring flood crisis in Sangli and Kolhapur districts and result in severe damage to lives, property and agricultural land,” Fadnavis stated in the letter.

Fadnavis pointed out that the backwaters of Almatti have already been affecting several villages in Maharashtra.

“Silt accumulation in the river and barrages has reduced the water-carrying capacity of the Krishna and its tributaries, slowing down the recession of floodwaters,” he said.

The Maharashtra government had asked the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, to conduct a detailed hydrodynamic and simulation study of the impact of the backwaters of Almatti, and the final report is awaited.

“It would not be appropriate to decide on increasing the dam’s height before receiving the related report… until this scientific study is completed, any decision to raise the dam’s height would be premature and potentially disastrous,” the Maharashtra CMO said.

Fadnavis has also requested the Karnataka government to reconsider this decision in the interest of the citizens along the Krishna River in both states.

Besides, Fadnavis also flagged concerns that retaining an additional six metres of water in the Almatti reservoir would lead to sustained high water levels in the river, increasing flood frequency and severity.

The letter comes ahead of the 4 August meeting of Centre and State officials, where state Water Resources (Godavari & Krishna Valley Development Corporation) Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil is expected to flag concerns.