El Niño: Telangana Will Roll Out Comprehensive Groundwater Action Plan, Says Uttam
The initiative will focus on scientific assessment of groundwater availability, strengthening recharge measures while guiding farmers towards water-efficient cropping patterns ahead of the ensuing Rabi season.
Hyderabad:Irrigation and civil supplies minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the state government was preparing for a coordinated state-wide action plan to boost groundwater recharge, regulate extraction and ensure sustainable management of available water resources against the backdrop of the El Nino weather system.
The initiative will focus on scientific assessment of groundwater availability, strengthening recharge measures while guiding farmers towards water-efficient cropping patterns ahead of the ensuing Rabi season.
Reviewing the groundwater situation with senior officials and experts along with minister Vakiti Srihari, Uttam Kumar Reddy said a comprehensive paper would be prepared on the groundwater situation facilitating further discussions with officials to formulate a coordinated action plan.
An expert from the CSIR-Northeast Institute of Science and Technology, Prof. Virendra Tiwari, adjunct professor at IIT Hyderabad, joined the review virtually, and suggested an immediate assessment of precipitation against groundwater storage using the Groundwater Estimation Committee (GEC) model. He said a preliminary assessment could be completed within a few days.
Pointing out that more than 94 per cent of water utilisation in Telangana was accounted for by irrigation, while domestic and other uses constituted only about 1.8 per cent, Prof. Tiwari stressed the need to quantify groundwater availability and requirements at the watershed level.
He recommended mapping water availability against irrigation requirements in every watershed and using the findings to guide farmers on suitable crops. While paddy cultivation might remain feasible in areas with adequate water storage, farmers in water-stressed regions should be encouraged to consider alternatives such as maize and millets, with the government explaining their potential economic returns.
Prof. Tiwari proposed constituting a small task force reporting directly to the state leadership, with meetings at weekly, 10-day or fortnightly intervals to monitor the situation and coordinate corrective measures.
Responding to the suggestions, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the government would hold detailed consultations on strengthening the groundwater department, including improving its infrastructure, financial resources and technical capabilities.
