Vijayawada: YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday accused Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of failing to protect Andhra Pradesh’s interests as Karnataka moves to raise the height of the Almatti Dam.

Jagan said in a statement that the Karnataka Cabinet’s approval to increase the dam height from 519 metre to 524.256 metre — raising its storage capacity from 129.72 tmf ft to 279.72 tmc ft —poses a serious threat to Andhra Pradesh’s irrigation and drinking water needs. “Large areas could turn into deserts if immediate action is not taken,” he warned, pointing out that Karnataka plans to spend Rs 70,000 crore on the project over the next three years.

Recalling past events, Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that Andhra Pradesh had suffered similarly during Naidu’s previous tenure. In 1995, Karnataka raised the Almatti Dam and completed spillways and gates, but Naidu, despite his political clout at the Centre through TDP MPs, failed to act.

He also criticised the state’s ‘weak’ arguments before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT-2), saying the use of 75 per cent water availability as a standard could lead to irreparable losses. He urged Naidu to leverage TDP MPs’ strength to pressure the Centre and block Karnataka’s proposal.

Warning of dire consequences, Jagan said history would remember Naidu as a CM who ignored state interests if he failed to act. He added that the YSRCP government had already filed a petition in October 2023 to safeguard Andhra Pradesh’s rights and sought strong follow-up from the current regime.