News: Telangana leaders oppose Karnataka’s reported plan to raise Almatti Dam height from 519 m to 524 m, warning acute water shortages for Telangana’s farmers.
About Almatti Dam
- The dam is a hydroelectric and irrigation facility on the Krishna river.
- Location and river: It is located in Vijayapura (Bijapur) district, North Karnataka.
- It is also known as the Lal Bahadur Shastri Dam.
- It was completed in July 2005.
- Objective: The dam targets an annual output 560 MU (GWh).
- It is a part of the Upper Krishna Project in north Karnataka.
- The project involves constructing two dams across the Krishna River—Almatti and Narayanpur—and a network of canals to irrigate drought-prone areas.
- Disputes
- States involved: All the four riparian states of Krishna River – Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
- Karnataka’s position: Karnataka decided to raise the height of the dam, claiming that it aligns with the 2013 Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II) Award (Bachawat COmmission).
- Telangana’s concerns: Telangana oppose Karnataka’s reported plan to raise the Almatti Dam height, warning that it will could face acute water scarcity.
- Maharashtra’s concerns: Maharashtra fears submergence and reduced downstream water for irrigation and drinking.
