Almatti dam height row: Andhra CM objects to Karnataka’s plan, complains to Centre

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has raised objections to Karnataka’s move to increase the height of the Almatti dam, filing a complaint with the Centre soon after receiving a request from Union Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy regarding drinking water supply to Karnataka’s plains districts.

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On February 10, Kumaraswamy, along with Kolar MP M Mallesh Babu, met Naidu and urged him to consider releasing surplus Krishna river water to drought-hit districts in Karnataka. However, shortly after this meeting, Naidu wrote to Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil opposing the proposed increase in the height of the Almatti dam in Karnataka.

Naidu argued that raising the dam’s height would reduce water availability to downstream areas in Andhra Pradesh. His complaint has triggered strong reactions in Karnataka.

Background: Tribunal verdict and pending notification

The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal, headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar, had in 2010 permitted Karnataka to increase the height of the Almatti dam from 519.6 metres to 524.256 metres — an increase of nearly five metres — after hearing arguments from Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

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However, the Centre has yet to issue the final gazette notification implementing the tribunal’s verdict. Naidu’s renewed opposition has now brought the long-standing inter-state river dispute back into focus.

Maharashtra’s earlier objection

In August 2025, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had also written to the Union Jal Shakti Minister opposing the dam height increase. He warned that raising the dam could lead to flooding in border districts such as Sangli and Kolhapur.

With both Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra raising concerns, political anxiety has grown in Karnataka over the future of the project.

Kumaraswamy’s appeal for drinking water

Kumaraswamy recently promised in Chintamani that he would take steps to secure drinking water for Karnataka’s drought-prone plains districts from the Krishna river.

During his February 10 meeting with Naidu, Kumaraswamy requested that surplus floodwaters — which often flow unused into the sea — be diverted under the Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) project to supply drinking water to Kolar, Chikkaballapur, and Bengaluru Rural districts.

He urged that the request be examined on humanitarian grounds.

Water crisis in border districts

Kolar, Chikkaballapur, and Bengaluru Rural border Andhra Pradesh. Rivers such as the Palar and Pennar originate in Karnataka’s Nandi Hills but flow into Andhra Pradesh. Despite this, the delta regions in Karnataka have faced severe drinking water shortages for decades. Groundwater levels in these areas have drastically declined.

Kumaraswamy highlighted these concerns and sought cooperation from Andhra Pradesh.

Responding positively, Naidu acknowledged the water scarcity in the three districts and assured that officials would examine the proposal.

Why Kumaraswamy made the request

Karnataka has been implementing the Yettinahole project to provide drinking water to the plains districts. However, the project has faced significant cost escalation and delays. The state government has admitted that the assured water availability at the project source remains uncertain.

A study by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) also reportedly questioned whether sufficient water would be available under Yettinahole as originally projected. With delays mounting and costs rising, opposition parties have criticised the project’s feasibility.

Against this backdrop, Kumaraswamy has sought an alternative solution by requesting the release of Krishna river floodwaters to Chikkaballapur, Kolar, and Bengaluru Rural districts.

(This article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka)