Hans News Service Hyderabad

Withforecasts indicating the possibility of El Niño influencing the current monsoon, Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Thursday directed officials to be ready with comprehensive contingency plans to effectively tackle any challenges arising from the weather phenomenon.

Stating that Telangana could not remain immune if El Niño affected the country, the Minister called for seamless coordination among the Irrigation, Agriculture, and Meteorological Departments to minimise risks to agriculture and protect farmers’ livelihoods. Chairing a high-level review meeting on El Niño preparedness at the Secretariat, Uttam Kumar instructed officials to prepare detailed contingency plans at both the State and district levels, taking into account rainfall projections, groundwater availability, reservoir storage, irrigation potential and local cropping patterns. He said every district should be equipped with a clear response strategy to address any adverse impact arising from deficient rainfall or prolonged dry spells.

Following the review meeting, Uttam Kumar Reddy held a video conference with District Collectors and senior officials of the Irrigation, Agriculture and Horticulture Departments, directing them to immediately initiate district-specific preparedness measures and maintain constant coordination at the field level.

Emphasising scientific crop planning, the Minister advised farmers not to depend exclusively on traditional water-intensive crops wherever water availability was uncertain.

Instead, he directed officials to promote suitable alternative crops based on expected rainfall and available irrigation resources. Gram Sabhas, Rythu Vedikas and field-level extension programmes should be extensively utilised to create awareness among farmers about appropriate cropping choices and climate-resilient farming practices.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also instructed officials to provide transparent information on reservoir storage and water availability so that farmers could make informed cultivation decisions. Agricultural scientists, he said, should ensure that technical recommendations on crop selection and cultivation practices reach every farmer well in advance of critical sowing decisions.

Reviewing the irrigation scenario, the Minister directed the Irrigation Department to keep all infrastructure ready to efficiently store inflows in the Godavari basin, including the Sripada Yellampalli Reservoir, immediately after substantial rainfall is received in the upstream catchments of Maharashtra and Karnataka.