Mumbai, Mar 11 (PTI) Maharashtra Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Tuesday said that the state government will file an intervention petition in the Supreme Court against Karnataka's proposal to raise the height of the Almatti dam.
The state minister for water resources, overseeing the Godavari and Krishna Valley Development Corporations, was responding to a question by NCP (SP) member Arun Lad during a calling attention session of the state legislative council.
Lad asked if the state government had raised objections against Karnataka's plans to increase the dam's height.
Almatti Dam, officially known as Lal Bahadur Shastri Dam, is a hydroelectric project on the Krishna River in north Karnataka. The dam's proximity to Maharashtra's border has been linked to recurrent flooding in Kolhapur and Sangli districts.
Vikhe Patil said, "The state government has consistently opposed Karnataka's plans to elevate Almatti dam. We will soon submit an intervention petition in the Supreme Court to ensure that our state's concerns are considered before permission is granted for the height increase."
He said the state government has requested a report from the National Institute of Hydrology in Roorkee, which will provide an unbiased assessment of the potential impacts stemming from the proposed elevation of the dam.
Almatti Dam has been a contentious issue between Maharashtra and Karnataka. In 2008, the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal's ruling allowed Karnataka to raise the dam's height to 524.26 metres despite objections from neighbouring states, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
The tribunal's decision was based on assessments that indicated significant benefits for irrigation in Karnataka, but it also raised concerns about flooding and land acquisition for affected villages.
