K'taka increases Almatti discharge

Bengaluru: With various rivers in western Maharashtra in spate due to heavy rains, the Karnataka government has on Sunday increased the water discharge from the Almatti Dam on request of its Maharashtra counterpart.

Rise in levels of rivers coupled with inflow of water from the dam is believed to be the cause of the last month’s devastating floods in Kolhapur and Sangli districts.

On the request of the state government, the Karnataka government has increased the discharge from the dam from 1,70,000 cusec (cubic foot per second) to 2,20,000 cusecs, according to an official from the office of Maharashtra Chief Minister.

Almatti dam is a hydroelectric project on the Krishna river located on the border of Bijapur and Bagalkot districts in north Karnataka, around 200 kms from Sangli and Kolhapur.

Kolhapur and Satara districts have been receiving heavy rainfall over the last three-four days, leading to dams such as Koyna, Radhanagari and others in the Krishna basin discharging water into rivers on which they are built.

To accommodate the increased inflow and to ensure that these rivers don’t breach their banks, the Maharashtra government on Sunday asked the neighbouring state to release water from Almatti dam, the CMO official said.

Meanwhile, around 500 families and cattle have been shifted from Shirol and Karveer talukas of Kolhapur district due to rise in water levels of various tributaries on Sunday.

At least 60 people died last month under the Pune division, comprising Sangli, Pune, Kolhapur, Satara and Solapur districts, in the flood and rain-related incidents.

The unprecedented floods and inundation had necessitated massive rescue operations from various agencies, including the Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).