Growing the peak of the Almatti dam, constructed throughout the Krishna River within the Bagalkot district, has turn out to be the topic of a flashpoint between Karnataka and its northern neighbour, Maharashtra, after the latter raised objections over the mission for the primary time.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Water Assets Minister D Ok Shivakumar on Monday stated the opposition to the mission was “surprising” and the state authorities would strategy Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil concerning the problem.
As per the Krishna Tribunal order, Karnataka can improve the peak of the Alamatti dam from the prevailing 519.6 to 524.256 metre. “Maharashtra, which was quiet when the order was pronounced, has abruptly written a letter to our CM objecting to it,” he stated. Within the letter, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has expressed his opposition to the mission, saying that rising the peak would trigger flooding within the upstream areas of Sangli and Kolhapur districts in Maharashtra.
The ultimate verdict of the Krishna Tribunal in 2013 allowed Karnataka to make use of 173 TMC of water, aside from allocations to Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Nevertheless, a gazette notification concerning the identical is but to be issued.
On Could 5 this yr, Union Minister Patil had cancelled an appointment with Shivakumar – who was in Delhi to press for the notification – on the final minute. “Days later, on Could 9, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah acquired the letter from Fadnavis,” the Karnataka Deputy CM stated.
“The Maharashtra authorities had even submitted an affidavit to the Tribunal in search of a rise in Almatti peak, however is opposing it unexpectedly, now,” Shivakumar informed a information convention.
Delaying the gazette notification, he stated, would have an opposed impact on Karnataka on account of price escalation. In line with the minister, the land acquisition price for the mission alone would price the exchequer Rs 1 lakh crore.
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Requested whether or not the Maharashtra CM’s letter was politically motivated, Shivakumar declined to remark, saying that he would solely converse for Karnataka’s pursuits. “There is no such thing as a scientific foundation for the letter (by Fadnavis). Growing the Alamatti dam is our proper,” he stated.
Almatti is among the many largest dams within the state, offering irrigation to riparian districts similar to Belagavi, Bagalkot, Vijayapura and Raichur, amongst others, within the northern a part of Karnataka.