Key Points

In a letter to the Union Minister, CM Fadnavis stated that Karnataka's proposed plan of raising the height of Almatti dam to the Reduced Level (RL) 524.256 meters is a matter of concern for Maharashtra.

He wrote, "I would like to bring your kind attention to Karnataka's proposed plan of raising the height of Almatti dam to RL 524.256, which is a matter of concern for Maharashtra....I sincerely request you to instruct the Government of Karnataka to reconsider the plan of raising the FRL of Almatti Dam."

The Chief Minister asked Union Minister Patil to intervene to ensure the safety of the people living in Sangli and Kolhapur, who are likely to be affected by the Karnataka government's move.

"This will greatly help in protecting the livelihood and safety of the people of Sangli and Kolhapur Districts. Your intervention in this matter would bring immense relief to the affected regions. It will be in the best interest of the communities dependent on the Krishna River system in both States," Fadnavis wrote.

Highlighting the key issues, he added that the siltation caused by the dam delays the recession of floodwaters.

"Siltation Issues: The impounding of Almatti Dam has led to extensive siltation upstream in the Krishna River and its tributaries. This has adversely affected the river system's carrying capacity, causing delays in the recession of floodwaters in Sangli and Kolhapur," the Chief Minister wrote.

Mentioning the issue of insufficient waterways, he added, "The construction of barrages upstream of Almatti Dam with inadequate waterways has compounded siltation and inundation problems. This situation has further deteriorated the flood scenario in Maharashtra territory."

Fadnavis stated that Karnataka's move to raise the height of the dam will worsen the flood conditions in Sangli and Kolhapur.

"Impact of Raising FRL to RL 524.256 m: With the river bed level at the Maharashtra border being RL 518.00 m, raising the FRL of Almatti dam will result in 6 m of standing pool water in the Krishna River. This will severely worsen the flood conditions in Sangli and Kolhapur districts, affecting thousands of residents and agricultural lands," he wrote.

According to the Karnataka government, the Almatti Dam is a hydroelectric project on the Krishna River in North Karnataka, India, which was completed in July 2005. The target annual electric output of the dam is 560 MU (or GWh). The dam serves as the main reservoir of the Upper Krishna Irrigation Project.

- ANI