Key Points

The delegation met C.R. Paatil in Delhi and informed him that in the second phase of the Upper Krishna Project, the move to raise the height of the Almatti Dam from 519 meters to 524 meters is being unnecessarily opposed by the Maharashtra government, which is condemnable.

As per the order of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal, increasing the height of the Almatti dam is Karnataka’s right, they underlined.

After meeting the Union Minister, former Karnataka Chief Minister and MP Basavaraj Bommai addressed the media and said that following Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and a group of Maharashtra MPs meeting the Union Water Resources Minister to oppose the Almatti dam height increase, today (Thursday), a BJP delegation led by Pralhad Joshi met C.R. Paatil and Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti V. Somanna in Delhi.

They conveyed that Maharashtra’s objections to raising the dam’s height are baseless and motivated, he stated.

'The Krishna Tribunal 2' has approved raising the height of the Almatti Dam to 524 meters.

Prior to this, a joint survey by the Centre and three state governments was conducted, including a hydrological study, which concluded that raising the dam would not cause flooding.

Even during the 2005 floods, the Central Water Commission stated that there would be no flooding in Sangli and Kolhapur in Maharashtra due to the dam. Therefore, Maharashtra’s objection is unwarranted and seems to stem from ill intent, Bommai said.

"The tribunal’s order is equivalent to a Supreme Court decree, and increasing the height of the Almatti dam is our right. We have clearly communicated this to the Union Minister. The Gazette notification is pending before the Supreme Court, and the government will act in accordance with the court’s order. The Minister has assured us that nothing will be done outside the purview of the law," the former CM said.

Bommai urged the Karnataka government to use all its strength to ensure the Supreme Court takes up the matter for hearing at the earliest and to get the Gazette notification issued promptly.

Responding to a question about the Almatti dispute, Bommai said the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act exists.

Under Section 3, once a complaint is filed, the Central government forms a tribunal, which conducts hearings and issues an order, which then holds the same weight as a Supreme Court decree.

For example, in the Cauvery case, after about 10–12 years, the Supreme Court directed the issuance of a Gazette notification. The Constitution grants certain powers to the Supreme Court, and it exercises them accordingly, he added.

The delegation included BJP MPs Govind Karjol, P.C. Gaddigoudar, Ramesh Jigajinagi, and officials from the Union Jal Shakti Ministry.

- IANS