Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday warned that drought conditions in Telangana could continue for the next 8 to 10 months, citing the impact of El Niño. He cautioned that the prolonged dry spell could intensify water scarcity across the state.
Telangana Drought Warning Raises Concerns for Farmers
Ruling out the availability of water for irrigation, he appealed to farmers to cultivate only rainfed crops and vegetables in view of the depletion of all water resources.
Speaking at a meeting with Congress leaders, MLAs, MPS and MLCs, the Chief Minister said that out of 30 lakh agriculture pump sets, 15 lakh have already dried up and even a single drop of water would not be available in the coming days.
He revealed that water storage in the projects has been reduced to less than 20 per cent of their capacity. The available water is more than 200 TMC, with some of the projects reaching the dead storage levels.
Drinking Water Supply Becomes a Major Concern
Emphasising that special attention should be paid to the provision of drinking water, the Chief Minister instructed the Cabinet sub-committee, along with officials at all levels, to ensure continuous monitoring of the supply of drinking water. A toll-free number would be provided to address the grievances.
Telangana Government Plans Rural Employment Scheme
The Chief Minister announced that a special scheme will be introduced after Sankranti for four months, until May, to provide daily employment to the workers. In addition to funds received from the Central government, the state government will also spend a significant amount on this scheme. This initiative should be utilised to restore access paths to agricultural fields, as well as canals, ponds, and small water bodies.
“We must provide work for every individual and ensure that everyone has food to eat. This scheme must be meticulously designed and implemented,” he said.
Revanth Reddy said ‘Kalajathas’ (cultural troupes) should be organised to motivate the farmers. A help desk should be set up at Congress state headquarters Gandhi Bhavan under the leadership of MP Chamala Kiran.
He maintained that the government has the responsibility of disclosing the ground reality to ensure no one suffers during the crisis. The leaders should also take up a campaign to educate the farmers about the drought conditions through Rythu Vedikas. To give relief to the cattle, special centres would be established in villages to provide fodder and drinking water.
El Niño Impact and Rising Heat Add to Water Crisis
The Chief Minister said that the government was already alerting all sections of the people about the prevailing conditions. He noted that many countries across the world were also facing drought. The intense heat and water scarcity were leading to a sharp increase in electricity consumption. In some parts of Maharashtra, drinking water is now being rationed and regulations have been introduced to reduce water consumption by 20 percent by each person.
The CM warned that the scarcity of drinking water will prove to be an even greater challenge than the shortage of water for irrigation. A situation may arise where people will be unable to even step out of their homes.
“We cannot tackle this drought without alerting the public and making them partners in our efforts”, he said.
Revanth Reddy Hits Back at BRS Over Drought Allegations
The Chief Minister slammed the BRS leaders for criticising the state government in dealing with the drought conditions amidst the El Nino weather conditions. The Chief Minister took strong exception to the BRS allegations that the drought was caused by the Congress party and not El Nino. Such statements are made with political malice.
He stated that the impact of El Nino is being felt across 100 countries worldwide, as well as in Indian states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
Read More:
Telangana’s cropped area drops by 23 pc under El Nino impact
Telangana El Niño Crisis Alert as Revanth Reddy Warns of Water Shortage and Power Demand Surge
