The Hindu : National : Karnataka releases water from Alamatti

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 05, 2005

National

National

Karnataka releases water from Alamatti

Special Correspondent

Discharge stabilises flood situation in southern Maharashtra; death toll in State 1,019

MUMBAI: The flood situation in southern Maharashtra stabilised on Thursday as Karnataka released 4.25 lakh cusecs of water from its Alamatti dam and the rain's intensity declined.

As a result, Maharashtra could release 65,000 cusecs more from the Koyana dam in addition to Wednesday's release of one-lakh cusecs. The release of water from the Alamatti dam eliminated the risk of backwater effect on the already flooded Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara districts of Maharashtra.

Maharashtra had charged that Karnataka was not meeting its obligation of releasing water from the Alamatti dam endangering further its inundated southern districts. The State had sought the intervention of the Prime Minister. Karnataka refrained from making any comment but released the water.

"We do hope that Karnataka would release 1.75 lakh cusecs more since we had demanded release of 6 lakh cusecs," said a state irrigation department officer. "There could have been further release since 4.25 lakh cusecs is the morning figure."

The forecast of continuation of the spell of subdued rainfall in the next 48 hours and isolated heavy downpour in the coastal region has worried officials since most of the reservoirs in the western and southern parts of the State are filled to 80 to 100 per cent of their capacities.

The toll in the State over a weeklong downpour and deluge rose to 1,019. The toll was based on the body count and it could rise as over a hundred were missing, a state spokesman said.

Besides, all bodies have not been found. In Jui village of Raigad district where 98 persons were buried in a landslip, only 45 bodies had been extricated so far. In Dasgaon, 34 bodies were taken out but ten more were still buried and in Kondvite where 24 bodies were found, some more were still under the debris. According to the Civil Supplies Minister, Sunil Tatkare, who is in charge of Raigad district, the work of debris removal was hampered by continuous rain.

The State has so far succeeded in guarding against the breakout of any epidemic. Around 680 medical teams armed with drugs and oral rehydration solution, chlorine tablets and health guidance leaflets, had fanned out to 11,045 villages, said Public Health Secretary Satbeer Singh.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National