Maharashtra, Karnataka to work together to solve border water crisis

At loggerheads over the Almatti dam and border row, the Maharashtra and Karnataka governments have agreed in-principle to exchange water for scarcity-hit areas along the border, Surendra P Gangan reports.

At loggerheads over the Almatti dam and border row, the Maharashtra and Karnataka governments have agreed in-principle to exchange water for scarcity-hit areas along the border.

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While the Maharashtra government has demanded 2 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water from the Indi Branch canal, the Karnataka government has asked for 8 TMC water from the Warna and Ujani dams.

The Solapur district in the state has been facing acute shortage of water. Against the daily requirement of 240 MLD, the supply from various resources is 135 MLD.

In a letter sent to the Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar ten days ago, state chief minister Prithviraj Chavan requested for water from Indi Branch canal of Narayanpur project to provide water to scarcity-hit areas on the bank of river Bhima in Solapur district. Chavan also proposed a meeting between water supply ministers from both the states.

In response to the two letters from Chavan, the Karnataka government has demanded the release of water from Warna reservoir in Kolhapur and Ujjain dam to Krishna River and Bhima River respectively. In his letter dated January 7, Basavaraj Bommai, water resources minister, Karnataka, said that this would help them tide over the water scarcity in border districts of Belgaum, Bijapur and Gulbarga.

Dhobale said that only 25% of the water released from the reservoir reach the beneficiaries for drinking purposes.