Alamatti dam row: Karnataka to seek PM Narendra Modi's intervention as Devendra Fadnavis objects move to increase reservoir's height

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday expressed concern over Maharashtra raising objection to increasing the height of the Alamatti dam despite the second Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal order approving it in 2013.

 

“On May 9, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has written a letter to our Chief Minister Siddaramaiah objecting to Karnataka increasing the height of Alamatti dam, citing flooding concerns in Sangli and Kolhapur districts. There is no scientific basis to this claim. Fadnavis has asked us to re-evaluate the plan (owing to fear of backwater pressure causing flooding). This letter is a shock to us as Maharashtra had never objected to this plan from the time the Tribunal passed its judgment in 2010. Maharashtra had even submitted an affidavit to the Tribunal seeking to increase the Alamatti dam height,” said Shivakumar, who is also the state's water resources minister, adding that Karnataka would seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention in the matter.

 

The deputy chief minister sought to draw the attention of Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti, V. Somanna, and called upon other Union ministers and MPs from Karnataka to safeguard Karnataka’s interests. “This project is our right accorded by the Krishna Tribunal. Our CM will reply to the letter by the Maharashtra CM. Alamatti project is needed for the state. We don’t want any friction with our neighbouring state. But, we are concerned over the project cost escalation due to the delay."

 

 

Stating that the Alamatti dam project had been pending for too long, Shivakumar said that the Centre was yet to issue the gazette notification related to increasing the dam height, though the Tribunal had given its final order in 2013.

 

Alamatti dam, also known as Lal Bahadur Shastri Dam, is a hydroelectric project on the Krishna river in Vijayapura district of north Karnataka. The Krishna water dispute between undivided Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra was resolved by the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal (KWDT 2), which permitted the dam height to be increased from 591 metres to 524 metres. This increase in height will enhance the dam capacity from the current 123tmc to 133tmc. The additional 100tmc can irrigate another six lakh hectares of land. 

 

The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal 2 gave its final verdict on November 29, 2013, allocating 907tmc to Karnataka, 666tmc to Maharashtra and 1,005tmc to undivided Andhra. However, the Centre’s gazette notification is still pending.

 

A meeting of water resources ministers of the Krishna Valley states, which was to be convened by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil in New Delhi on May 7, was postponed due to the India-Pakistan border tension.

 

Last month, Siddaramaiah had stated enhancing the dam height would help in completing the third phase of the Upper Krishna Project (UKP). “We need to acquire 1,33,867 acres of land for the project, including land that would be submerged and land for rehabilitation and building canals. Of this, 28,967 acres had been acquired so far,” informed the chief minister. “We would need Rs 1 lakh crore for land acquisition for the project,” said Shivakumar.

 

“Since the Krishna Tribunal 2 award has not been notified, we are unable to flow the waters into the Upper Krishna Project-3 canals which were built at a cost of Rs 1600 crore,” said Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister H.K. Patil. 

India