CM Revanth Reddy urges Telangana farmers to defer one crop amid El Niño concerns
Hyderabad, Oct. 15 (TNT): Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday night appealed to farmers to defer one crop during the coming farming season, citing concerns over water availability amid the prevailing El Niño conditions and urging people to conserve water and electricity.
Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat after a review meeting with ministers and officials on the El Niño situation and the state’s preparedness, the Chief Minister said the next nine to ten months could be difficult for the State and that conserving water was essential to ensure drinking water supplies.
Describing the situation as an unprecedented crisis, Reddy compared it to the COVID-19 pandemic and called for collective action beyond political differences.
He said the impact of El Niño, coupled with rising temperatures and increased electricity demand, had placed considerable pressure on the State’s water and power resources.
The Chief Minister said farmers had earlier responded to the government’s appeal to avoid paddy cultivation on some land, with farmers refraining from planting paddy on more than 13 lakh acres.
However, paddy had been cultivated on about 53 lakh acres by other farmers, he said, adding that paddy was a water-intensive crop and the prevailing water situation was not conducive to its cultivation over the next eight to ten months.
Reddy said reservoirs in the Krishna basin had 72 per cent less water than at the same time last year, while the Godavari basin had 42 per cent less.
Against the usual storage of around 462 TMC across reservoirs at this time of the year, the State currently had only about 200 TMC, he said.
No reservoir had sufficient water to meet both drinking water and agricultural requirements, he added.
On the power situation, the Chief Minister said electricity demand in October, which was generally around 15,000 MW, had crossed 20,000 MW, marking an increase of nearly 33 per cent over the usual level.
He commended Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and the electricity department officials for managing power supply through planning, while noting that several States, including Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Kerala, were also facing power shortages.
Reddy urged farmers to consider the broader impact of water-intensive cultivation during the shortage, warning that sowing under such conditions could lead to substantial losses and further affect drinking water availability.
He said agricultural labourers affected by the decision would be supported through VB-G RAM G, with a focus on irrigation and nala works to improve preparedness for future rainfall-related challenges.
Calling on people in towns and cities to conserve water, the Chief Minister said the government would promote the message, “Save Water, Save Power”, until the rains returned in July 2027.
To coordinate information on El Niño and counter misinformation, Reddy appointed former Chief Secretary and current government adviser K. Ramakrishna Rao as the nodal officer for information related to the situation.
He also announced plans for a special group of ministers and an all-party meeting after Dasara under the Deputy Chief Minister’s leadership.
The government would establish a war room to monitor and optimise water supply, and toll-free numbers would be announced for public enquiries, he said.
Ministers had been instructed to communicate directly with people about the steps being taken.
Reddy appealed to political parties, the media and the public to work together to address the situation, stressing that farmers had repeatedly supported the country during times of crisis and were now being asked to help safeguard drinking water supplies.
TNT TS
