Hyderabad departments told to prioritise drinking water, power supply and public health.
Hyderabad: Hyderabad incharge minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Monday directed departments to adopt advance planning to address the adverse impact of El Nino on rainfall, instead of responding after problems arise. He said the district administration should prioritise drinking water supply, uninterrupted power and public health, noting the absence of agricultural and irrigation requirements.
Prabhakar called for groundwater conservation to be taken up as a public movement and instructed departments to undertake extensive awareness and community outreach programmes. The minister directed the cultural department to conduct campaigns on water and electricity conservation through cultural troupes.
He also directed that rainwater harvesting pits be set up at ministers’ residences, government offices and institutions to set an example.
The minister was speaking at a district-level contingency meeting to assess the impact of El Nino conditions and the prevailing rainfall deficit. Present were Minister Mohammed Azharuddin, government whips Addanki Dayakar and Balmuri Venkat, and MLAs Zulfiqar Ali, Kausar Mohiuddin, Mohammed Mubeen, Majid Hussain and N. Sriganesh.
Azharuddin said water had become extremely valuable under current conditions and directed departments to prevent drinking water leakages, wastage and contamination.
