Hans News Service Hyderabad

PanchayatRaj Minister Seethakka on Wednesday directed officials to utilise the employment guarantee scheme extensively for water conservation and storage in view of the potential impact of El Niño on Telangana.

She said the government was taking proactive measures to prevent water scarcity amid rising temperatures and declining rainfall. Regular reviews had been conducted with officials from various departments over the past six months to strengthen water conservation efforts, she added.

The minister inspected Ramappa Lake and the associated defluoridation project in Venkatapuram mandal of Mulugu district. She said the lake currently held water up to a level of 29 feet.

She revealed that the government was exploring the possibility of pumping water from the Godavari to augment supplies to the lake and surrounding areas. She directed officials to release water within the next two days in accordance with the annual operational schedule aimed at improving storage levels.

Seethakka said plans were under way to treat water from Ramappa Lake through the defluoridation project and supply it for drinking purposes. Officials were continuously monitoring water supply systems, villages dependent on the lakes and groundwater levels, she added.

The minister said natural phenomena such as excessive rainfall and drought could not be completely controlled and cautioned against exploiting such situations for political gain by criticising the Congress government. Changes in Pacific Ocean temperatures influenced weather patterns, she said, stressing that tackling such challenges required collective efforts. She said the government was prioritising water conservation through percolation pits, recharge trenches, small ponds, check dams, restoration of village tanks and borewell recharge. The minister urged sarpanches and villagers to take up extensive water conservation works under the Employment Guarantee Scheme, increase worker participation and make effective use of available opportunities. Enhancing water storage now would help mitigate potential shortages in the future, she said.