Stop Karnataka from raising height of Almatti dam: Maharashtra to Centre

New Delhi, Aug 4 (PTI) Maharashtra government on Monday urged the intervention of the Centre to rein in Karnataka from raising the height of the Almatti dam on the Krishna River, contending that the backwaters of the river would cause flooding in Kolhapur and Sangli districts of the state.

In a memorandum to Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said the Karnataka government's proposal to raise the Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of the dam from the present 519.60 metres to 524.256 metres will have serious and irreversible consequences for the flood-prone districts of Sangli and Kolhapur, located in the Krishna River basin.

"Our state has consistently articulated its objections, citing environmental and human impact concerns, and has presented data to support our position," said the memorandum handed over by Vikhe-Patil to the Union minister.

"We seek your kind intervention to terminate the approval of the height raising of Almatti dam," he said.

Members of Parliament, Members of the Maharashtra Assembly and ministers of the state government were present in the meeting with Patil.

They said severe floods occurred in Sangli and Kolhapur districts during 2019 and 2021 due to extremely heavy rainfall and Almatti dam backwaters.

Vikhe-Patil said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has already written to the Centre expressing strong reservations regarding the proposed height increase of the dam. PTI SKU RHL