Almatti Dam Row: Karnataka Defends Height Increase Amid Maharashtra Objection
Tensions have resurfaced between Karnataka and Maharashtra over the proposed increase in the height of the Almatti Dam from 519 meters to 524 meters. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has confirmed that the state will escalate the issue to the Prime Minister and the Union Jal Shakti Minister, firmly backing the move as a rightful entitlement granted by the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal in 2010.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde recently raised objections, expressing concern that raising the dam’s height could lead to widespread flooding in low-lying districts like Sangli and Kolhapur. He urged the Union government to re-evaluate the proposal, stressing the potential environmental and human cost.
Karnataka, however, has pushed back strongly. Shivakumar criticized Maharashtra’s sudden opposition, pointing out that the neighbouring state had previously submitted affidavits supporting Karnataka’s position during the tribunal hearings. “They were part of the agreement. Now they are going back on their word,” he remarked, expressing disappointment at what he termed a politically motivated shift in stance.
He also drew attention to the long delay in executing the project, which he said had led to an exponential increase in costs. Originally estimated at a fraction of its current projection, the project may now require nearly ₹1 lakh crore for land acquisition alone due to escalated land prices over the past decade.
Karnataka argues that the additional water storage capacity is essential to meet the growing agricultural and drinking water demands in the northern districts of the state. The state government maintains that the increase in dam height was legally cleared and scientifically reviewed by the tribunal, which also laid down flood control mechanisms to protect downstream regions.
With both states firmly entrenched in their positions, the matter is likely to emerge as a contentious inter-state water dispute unless addressed swiftly at the central level. Karnataka plans to formally request intervention from the Prime Minister to ensure timely execution, positioning the dam as vital infrastructure for the state’s drought-prone regions.
