Overview

• On May 9, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis wrote to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah warning that raising the Almatti Dam’s height could flood Sangli and Kolhapur districts.
• The 2013 Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal order allows Karnataka to raise the reservoir level from 519.6 to 524.256 metres, boosting storage by around 100 tmcft and expanding irrigation by up to 600,000 hectares.
• Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar said Karnataka will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil to demand a long-pending gazette notification needed to implement the height increase.
• Karnataka officials warn that continued delay in issuing the gazette notification has driven land acquisition costs to an estimated ₹1 lakh crore and stalled progress on the Upper Krishna Project phase III.
• Maharashtra’s sudden opposition marks a reversal from its earlier support, as it had previously submitted an affidavit to the tribunal backing the height increase.