The Hindu : Maharashtra releases water

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 22, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bijapur

Maharashtra releases water

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIJAPUR, MARCH 21. Karnataka and Maharashtra have decided to fill all eight barrages across the Bheema on the common border stretch at the north end of the Bijapur district to mitigate the drinking water problem.

The upper riparian State had agreed to fill five upstream barrages and the State would take care of the remaining. A decision on this had been taken at the recent official level meeting, sources told The Hindu.

As per the understanding, Maharashtra would fill Bhandarakavate, Umrani, Auj, Chinchpur, and Chanegaum barrages by releasing water from Ujani Dam. Karnataka would fill a temporary sand-bag barrage at Baragudi, and Hingani and Hilli barrages by releasing the Krishna water through Indi Branch Canal (IBC). The two governments were keen to see that there is no water scarcity at the river-belt villages in view of the general elections.

There have been occasions in the past when water scarcity in the Bheema command area had become an election issue, and the ruling parties had to pay a heavy price.

Meanwhile, reports received here said Maharashtra had started releasing water from the Ujani Dam, which was expected to reach the State border on Thursday or Friday. The State too had started releasing water from the Indi Branch Canal at the 133th km. escape gate of the canal. Schedules had been drawn up, as per which Hilli barrage would be filled first.

Water in this barrage was needed for supply to Akkalkot town of Maharashtra. Once this was filled, water would be impounded in Hingani barrage. Already some water had been stored in Baragudi sand-bag barrage, sources said. The Bheema Nadi Neeru Rakshana Raithavarga Samiti has urged the State Government to prevail upon Maharashtra to release enough water to fill all the barrages.

In a statement released here on Sunday, the president of the samiti, Panchappa Kalburgi, said the Government should be careful while dealing with Maharashtra, which, according to him, did not keep its promise in the past. Whenever water was released, Maharashtra showed eagerness to fill only Auj barrage, which was crucial to supply of water to Solapur. There were instances Maharashtra stopped water release soon after Auj barrage was filled. However, this time, the State should ensure that the upper riparian State did not repeat this.

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