States » SouthPosted at: Oct 15 2026 11:15PM


CM urges Telangana farmers to defer one crop amid water crisis

Hyderabad, Oct. 15(UNI) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday night appealed to farmers to defer one crop during the coming farming season, warning that the State could face severe water shortages over the next nine to ten months due to the El Niño phenomenon.
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 Minsiter urged farmers to help the government protect drinking water supplies by avoiding water-intensive paddy cultivation during the period of scarcity.
Describing the situation as an unprecedented crisis, Reddy said reservoir levels had declined sharply, with storage in the Krishna basin down 72 per cent and in the Godavari basin down 42 per cent compared with the corresponding period last year.
Against the usual storage of around 462 TMC across the State's reservoirs at this time of the year, only about 200 TMC was currently available, he said, adding that no reservoir had sufficient water to meet both drinking water and agricultural requirements.
The Chief Minister said farmers had avoided paddy cultivation on more than 13 lakh acres following the government's appeal, while paddy had been cultivated on around 53 lakh acres by other farmers.
He cautioned that paddy required large quantities of water and that the prevailing situation was unfavourable for its cultivation over the next eight to ten months.
Reddy also expressed concern over the rising power demand, which had crossed 20,000 MW in October against the usual level of around 15,000 MW, an increase of nearly 33 per cent.
He appreciated Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and electricity department personnel for managing the increased demand through planning.
He said several other States, including Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Kerala, were also facing power shortages, limiting the availability of electricity for purchase.
Comparing the situation to the COVID-19 pandemic, Reddy called for collective action beyond political differences and urged people to follow the mantra, “Save Water, Save Power”, until the rains returned in July 2027.
He said agricultural labourers affected by the decision to defer a crop would be supported through VB-G RAM G, with a focus on irrigation and nala works.
The Chief Minister appointed former Chief Secretary and government adviser K. Ramakrishna Rao as the nodal officer for information related to El Niño and announced plans to constitute a special group of ministers.
An all-party meeting would also be held after Dasara under the leadership of the Deputy Chief Minister to discuss the way forward, he said.
The government would establish a war room to monitor and optimise water supply and issue toll-free numbers for public enquiries, Reddy said, urging ministers, political parties and the media to help spread awareness and accurate information.
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Tags: #CM urges Telangana farmers to defer one crop amid water crisis
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