The Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal has awarded largest share of water from Almati Dam to Andhra Pradesh, allocating 1001 TMC followed by Karnataka and Maharashtra. The verdict running into 2000 pages has been given today on the water sharing dispute.Karnataka's share will be 911 TMC feet and Maharashtra will have to do with 666 TMC feet.Out of surplus river water, Karnataka gets 177 TMC feet followed by Maharashtra 81 TMC feet and Andhra Pradesh 190 TMC feet. Karnataka has also been allowed to raise the height f Almati Dam.Andhra Pradesh had been objecting to Karnataka's efforts to increase the height of the dam before the tribunal.The tribunal also asked all the three states not to divert water for any other purpose other than the purpose decided by the tribunal.Krishna River passes through Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra and the three states had been fighting over sharing of the water for 43 years.The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted on April 2, 2004 for adjudication of the dispute relating to sharing of waters of Krishna River and river valleys thereof. The three-member tribunal was headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Brijesh Kumar. The other members of the tribunal were retired Allahabad High Court judge Justice SP Srivastava and retired Kolkata High Court judge Justice D K Seth.Karnataka has described Tribunal order on water sharing as a “New Year gift” to the people of the state. Law Minister S Suresh Kumar told reporters in Bangalore that the award has fulfilled a major demand of the state to increase the height of the Alamatti Dam built across the river in Bijapur district to 524 metres from 519 metres.He said, Karnataka will react to the issue on surplus water allocation after studying the report. Suresh Kumar said the state will have no difficulty in honouring the tribunal order to release 8-10 tmc ft to Andhra Pradesh during June-July every year.