Karnataka for rise in Almatti height

The Karnataka government made a strong case of increasing the height of the Almatti dam on Monday and pointed out that the dam’s water-holding capacity had been reduced due to silt formation.

Replying to objections raised by Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, Karnataka explained that it had constructed the dam within the guidelines given by the Bachawat Tribunal.

Presenting its views before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal in New Delhi, Karnataka pointed that the state had been given permission from concerned authorities in 1970. It showed the approved design of the dam and clarified that the same had been presented in the Supreme Court.

The state said that the 1970 design, prepared for 524.256 metres, had been agreed upon by the then governments of AP and Maharashtra. Denying the charges made by AP that it had increased the height of the dam after the Supreme Court judgment, Karnataka made it clear that it had not violated any rules laid down by the earlier Tribunal and the Supreme Court.

Karnataka also requested the Tribunal to set up a supervising authority on river Krishna as inter-state disputes were on the rise.

It argued that distribution of water among the three riparian states should be monitored by the authority. It also requested for re-sharing of surplus water among the three states in such a way that more drought-prone areas would get higher quantity.

Karnataka argued that most of its areas down the Almatti were drought-prone and needed higher water allocation to sustain cultivation. AP will present its reply on the objections raised by other states on Tuesday and Wednesday. With that the final hearings of the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal will conclude and a judgment will be pronounced in August or September. Meanwhile, the Tribunal is also waiting for the Centre’s permission to extend the term till September.