Mah urge Centre against increasing Almatti height

Kolhapur, Jan 26: Maharashtra Parliamentary and Marketing Minister Harshwardhan Patil today said the State Government will urge the centre not to allow increase in the height of Almatti Dam in Karnataka for the safe-guard of the people of western Maharashtra's Kolhapur and Sangli districts.

Talking to reporters at the District Collectorate here, Mr Patil, who is also Kolhapur District Guardian Minister, said all necessary steps to press the Union Government detailing adverse effects of the Almatti Dam backwater would be made.

Maharashtra's opposition to increase the dam height would be brought to the notice of the Centre through state Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, he added.

Karnataka government has not properly implemented the norms of the Central Water Commission(CWC) and a committee appointed in this connection submitted its reports to the Union Government as well as the state government also carried study in this matter, Mr Patil pointed out.

During monsoon, the excess backwater of the dam had been creating serious problems in these two districts during the last two years which resulted in flooding many villages, damaging crops, houses and other properties, the minister said and pointed out that about 90 per cent losses had incurred due to the backwater.

UNI