Telangana Cabinet to Seek Central Aid for El Nino Drought; Directs Contingency Plans Across State
Revanth Reddy directed all departments to prepare contingency action plans to address drinking water supply, irrigation, agriculture and uninterrupted power supply
Hyderabad: The Telangana Cabinet on Friday decided to write to the Centre seeking urgent financial assistance and intervention to tackle the drought-like conditions prevailing due to the impact of El Nino. The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also decided to submit a report detailing the adverse impact of the rainfall deficit on agriculture, allied sectors, drinking water, irrigation, and the livelihoods of rural labourers.
Briefing the media on the details of the meeting, minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said that the state government would urge the Centre to depute a special team to assess the ground situation and extend financial assistance for implementing El Nino contingency plans. The cabinet noted that Telangana was facing nearly a 40 per cent rainfall deficit, raising serious concerns over agriculture, water availability and power supply.
Revanth Reddy directed all departments to prepare contingency action plans to address drinking water supply, irrigation, agriculture and uninterrupted power supply. In view of the India Meteorological Department's warning that the situation could worsen, he instructed all departments to remain fully prepared with advance measures.
The Cabinet directed collectors to ensure that no drinking water scarcity arose anywhere. Officials were asked to respond promptly to public complaints and take measures to prevent hardship to the people. All available water in reservoirs and irrigation projects should be prioritised for drinking water needs.
The government also decided to ensure uninterrupted power supply. Officials were instructed to make adequate arrangements for power generation and purchase electricity, if required.
Appealing to farmers to adapt to the prevailing conditions, the Cabinet advised them to avoid cultivating water-intensive crops and instead opt for crops that require less water. It also decided to conduct statewide awareness programmes and public meetings to educate people about the impact of El Nino, the prevailing drought conditions, available water resources and the precautions farmers should take.
The cabinet directed Planning Board vice-chairman G. Chinna Reddy to lead a team of agricultural experts and scientists to prepare a special report on the impact of El Nino on the farm sector. The report will recommend suitable crops for the current conditions and suggest measures for crop management, farmer preparedness and livestock protection.
To closely monitor the evolving situation, the Cabinet decided to hold emergency review meetings across all districts. Special review meetings will be conducted on July 20 on a unified district basis under the leadership of district incharge ministers.
