BRS questions Congress silence over Karnataka’s resolution to raise Almatti dam height

The Congress-led Karnataka government argues the project will bring huge benefits, saying 12 to 13 lakh acres will come under irrigation. It promises water for agriculture, improved yields, and better livelihoods.

Published Sep 19, 2025 | 5:08 PMUpdated Sep 19, 2025 | 5:08 PM

BRS questions Congress silence over Karnataka’s resolution to raise Almatti dam height

Synopsis: The Opposition BRS in Telangana has questioned the ruling Congress government’s silence over the Karnataka Cabinet’s recent resolution to raise the height of the Almatti dam to its maximum capacity. The BRS warned that such a move would endanger Telangana’s water share of the Krishna river as the lower riparian state. The Revanth Reddy government has yet to issue any response, even as Karnataka has initiated land acquisition and announced compensation to move ahead with the proposal.

The Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) has put the Congress government in Telangana on the spot, questioning why it has remained silent after the Karnataka cabinet passed a resolution on Tuesday, 26 September to raise the height of the Almatti dam from 519 metres to 524 metres.

The Telangana government is yet to respond. The BRS warned that if Karnataka goes ahead, Telangana’s interests would be compromised.

“The water that is flowing in the river is because Almatti’s height is restricted to 519 metres. If Karnataka raises the height, there will be very little water left in the river for Telangana, the lower riparian state,” the party said.

The Almatti dam, a hydroelectric project on the Krishna in north Karnataka, was originally designed with a Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 524.256 metres. But after a Supreme Court intervention, the dam’s height was limited to 519.6 metres, restricting Karnataka’s usage to 173 TMC of water.

Even so, Karnataka installed radial gates that allow storage at 524.256 metres, though it has operated the dam at the lower FRL of 519.6 metres.

Also Read: Spending more time in queues than in fields: Telangana farmers’ desperation to secure urea

A long-standing issue

When the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II) examined Karnataka’s proposal more than 15 years ago, Maharashtra and the then undivided Andhra Pradesh opposed the move.

Maharashtra argued that raising the level would cause submergence in its territory. Andhra Pradesh contended that its lower riparian areas would be deprived of dependable flows.

The tribunal reviewed the objections, examined survey data on sedimentation in the Almatti dam and Hippargi barrage, and rejected the concerns. In its 2010 report under Section 5(2) of the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, the tribunal allowed Almatti to be operated at 524.256 metres.

However, the final KWDT-II report under Section 5(3) of the Act has not been published, as the Supreme Court issued a stay. The issue has remained unresolved, and no Krishna basin state has since raised fresh objections with the Centre.

The BRS is now flagging this unresolved status. The party has questioned Karnataka’s “audacity” in passing the cabinet resolution to take up the Upper Krishna Project-III, which requires Almatti to operate at the higher FRL.

For this, Karnataka needs to acquire 75,000 acres, which will be submerged if the project is implemented at the higher level.

The Congress-led Karnataka government argues the project will bring huge benefits, saying 12 to 13 lakh acres will come under irrigation. It promises water for agriculture, improved yields, and better livelihoods.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called the decision “historic.” He pointed out that earlier governments had proposed ₹20 to 25 lakh per acre but never implemented it. He also urged the Centre to take immediate steps to publish the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal’s KWDT-II award.

The cabinet has cleared large compensation packages. Farmers losing irrigated land will get ₹40 lakh per acre, while those losing dry land will receive ₹30 lakh per acre.

Of the 75,000 acres, about 51,000 acres are needed for canals. Karnataka says it has already acquired 34,631 acres, with the rest to be completed within the next three financial years.

The state has tasked elected representatives with securing consent awards to speed up land acquisition and address any problems that may arise.

Also Read: As talks fail, Telangana private hospitals to suspend Aarogyasri services over pending dues

Siddaramiah terms it ‘historic’, BRS warns of ‘grave risks’

The BRS has described Karnataka’s project as a death knell for Telangana. Former BRS MP B Vinod Kumar warned that the state would suffer serious losses if its government remained passive.

He argued that once Karnataka spends ₹80,000 crore on land acquisition, it could claim that operating Almatti at 524.256 metres was justified. Courts, he cautioned, might also show leniency because of the massive public investment already made.

Vinod Kumar described Karnataka’s move as “dangerous” for Telangana. He asked why Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was staying silent, recalling that Reddy had once declared he would not forego even a drop of Telangana’s water.

“Were those words mere anodyne statements?” he asked.

He also pointed out that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had already reacted, saying he would not allow Almatti’s height to be raised. Fadnavis warned that two districts in Maharashtra would face submergence if the FRL is raised.

But Chief Minister Revanth has not responded so far. Vinod Kumar said such silence could be seen as consent to Karnataka’s plan. He demanded: “Telangana should file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court. The Brijesh Kumar Tribunal’s award was still under a stay.”

The issue has surfaced at a politically sensitive moment. Local body elections in Telangana are due later this year, possibly in December or January. For Congress, the polls are crucial to consolidate its base in rural areas. For BRS, they are a chance to revive its lost strength in villages along the Krishna.

If Karnataka is allowed to push ahead with the Upper Krishna Project-III, rural Telangana could feel betrayed. Districts that depend on Krishna waters are already wary. Water, as repeated voter surveys show, remains the top concern for rural households.

The BRS is seizing on the issue to attack Congress. By portraying the ruling party as weak in defending Telangana’s water rights, it hopes to shift rural sentiment in its favour. Strong performance in these polls could help BRS prepare for a larger comeback in state politics.

(Edited by Dese Gowda)

Follow us