Telangana steps up drought preparedness

358 mandals were facing drought-related concerns, of which 315 had met the prescribed drought assessment criteria, while another 43 were at risk of crop losses

metro india news I hyderabad

Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has called for comprehensive and coordinated drought preparedness measures at the state and district levels, stressing the need for advance planning, adequate financial resources for district collectors and close coordination among all departments concerned to tackle the emerging situation.

Addressing the first meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted to review drought and El Niño conditions in Telangana and recommend mitigation measures at the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat on Friday, the Minister called for a proactive approach to safeguard drinking water supplies, meet irrigation requirements, protect crops and ensure timely relief to people in vulnerable areas.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka chaired the meeting, which was attended by Ministers Thummala Nageswara Rao, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Seethakka and Vakiti Srihari, along with Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju. The participants stressed the need for a swift, coordinated and state-wide response to the emerging drought situation.

Emphasising the importance of preparedness rather than a reactive response, Uttam Kumar Reddy said district collectors and departmental officials should work in close coordination to anticipate local challenges and take timely preventive measures. He called for district-specific action plans identifying vulnerable areas, assessing likely shortages and outlining clear measures to address contingencies.

The Minister stressed that adequate funds should be placed at the disposal of district collectors to enable them to respond immediately to emerging contingencies without delays arising from procedural requirements. He also called for effective coordination among the Irrigation, Rural Water Supply, Agriculture and other departments, as well as local administration, to ensure that essential services remain uninterrupted and relief reaches affected communities promptly.

The meeting reviewed the prevailing rainfall deficit, reservoir storage, irrigation water availability, groundwater levels, agricultural conditions and the preparedness of various departments to mitigate the impact of drought. The need for coordinated monitoring of drinking water availability and irrigation requirements at the district level was also discussed.

The meeting was informed that 358 mandals were facing drought-related concerns, of which 315 had met the prescribed drought assessment criteria, while another 43 were at risk of crop losses. The sub-committee discussed the need to assess the situation in these additional mandals and document the supporting evidence in a memorandum to the Centre, seeking assistance under applicable schemes.

The assessment presented at the meeting indicated that Telangana had recorded a cumulative rainfall deficit of around 24 per cent, while irrigation reservoir storage remained substantially below normal and groundwater stress had been reported in several mandals.

The Cabinet Sub-Committee discussed the need for comprehensive action plans, effective interdepartmental coordination and timely mobilisation of resources to minimise the impact of drought and El Niño conditions on agriculture, drinking water supplies and rural livelihoods.