Telangana Ministers Direct Officials to Act in Mission Mode Against Potential El Nino Impact
Telangana's Agriculture Minister, Tummala Nageswara Rao, has directed government officials to operate in mission mode to address the potential effects of a rainfall deficit linked to the El Nino weather pattern. The instruction came during a review meeting on contingency plans held in Karimnagar on Sunday.
The meeting, which focused on the erstwhile Karimnagar district, was attended by Ministers D. Sridhar Babu, Ponnam Prabhakar, and Adluri Laxman Kumar, as well as district collectors from Karimnagar, Rajanna Sircilla, Peddapalli, and Jagtial. Officials reviewed rainfall trends and district-specific preparedness measures.
Minister Rao emphasised the timely implementation of contingency measures, promotion of drought-tolerant and alternative crops, water conservation efforts, and farmer awareness programmes to safeguard livelihoods. He called for coordinated action among the Agriculture, Irrigation, Ground Water, and allied departments, alongside awareness campaigns conducted through Gram Sabhas and Rythu Vedikas involving all stakeholders.
Minister Sridhar Babu stated that the state government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to tackle the expected rainfall deficit and directed officials to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply. Minister Prabhakar urged the central government to provide special assistance to Telangana and suggested creating farm ponds as a mass rainwater harvesting initiative. Minister Laxman Kumar called for united efforts similar to the response during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The meeting also discussed immediate and long-term measures, including encouraging farmers to shift from paddy cultivation to oil palm and other drought-resistant crops. Korutla MLA Dr. K. Sanjay requested immediate release of water from the Kannepalli pumphouse into canals to address water woes in Jagtial district. Karimnagar Mayor K. Srinivas urged the government to release 2 tmc (thousand million cubic feet) of water from the Yellampalli reservoir to fill the Lower Manair Dam and prevent a drinking water shortage.
Senior officials, including Special Chief Secretary Benhur Mahesh Dutt Ekka and Secretary of Agriculture & Co-operation K. Surendra Mohan, were present at the meeting.
