As rain continues, Maharashtra & Karnataka keep eye on border flood situation

Mumbai, July 26 (IANS) With intermittent heavy rain continuing to lash the Sahyadri ranges leading to floods and dam water release, the Maharashtra and Karnataka governments are in touch and monitoring the situation closely.Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also handles the Water Resources department, said the state is in constant touch with Karnataka over the unfolding developments, which have created tricky situations in the past.“The Government of Maharashtra is in constant touch with the Government of Karnataka. Constant communication is being maintained with the Additional Secretary of Karnataka and the Chief Engineer of the Almatti Dam. A maintained water level (FRL) of 517.5 meters has been asked and accepted by the Government of Karnataka,” Fadnavis said in a social media post.The Dy CM said that due to heavy rain in the state, water has to be released from some dams and he was in regular contact with the Irrigation Department which has been asked to remain in constant touch with the local administration.On Thursday, 35,300 cusecs of water was discharged from the Khadakwasla Dam, now it is discharging 40,000 cusecs, and a further decision will be taken after the rain status.Similarly, the Koyna Dam discharge was 20,000 cusecs which went up to 30,000 cusecs at 3 a.m. and is expected to touch 40,000 cusecs later.As in the past, the huge water discharges from the state could create a worrisome situation in both Maharashtra and Karnataka — as was experienced during the devastating floods of 2019 that led to a political spat between the two neighbours.Later, the then Bharatiya Janata Party government formed an Expert Study Committee (ESC) which submitted its voluminous report to the next Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regime.Curiously, the ESC had given a ‘clean chit’ to Karnataka over the (2019) floods imbroglio, and simultaneously appeared to point fingers at the Shiv Sena (UBT)-Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (SP) alliance led by ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray.Meanwhile, CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CMs Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar held a late-night meeting to discuss the rain and flood situation in the state which claimed at least 15 lives on Thursday.–IANSqn/dpb