Telangana Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju has directed officials to complete a comprehensive Telangana drought assessment by the end of October after reviewing the situation linked to El Niño impacts in the state. The assessment will examine rainfall and 12 other parameters from the June-September monsoon season.
The report will be prepared using inputs from the Planning, Revenue, Groundwater, Agriculture, Panchayat Raj and Rural Drinking Water Supply departments, among others. The multi-department process places water availability, rainfall conditions and agricultural impacts within a single assessment framework.
According to the report reviewed by Deccan Chronicle, Jaju issued the direction during a review of the situation in Telangana on Tuesday. The assessment is expected to establish the extent of the drought-related impact based on the monsoon season and information collected by the departments involved.
The inclusion of the Groundwater and Rural Drinking Water Supply departments means the exercise will also cover water-resource and drinking-water administration. The Agriculture department will contribute information related to the monsoon’s effect on farming, while Revenue and Panchayat Raj officials will provide inputs from their respective administrative areas.
The report will also form the basis for a proposed all-party meeting on the impact of El Niño in Telangana. The government has not released the assessment findings yet, and the supplied report does not specify the rainfall figures, the 12 parameters being considered, or the districts that may be most affected.
The October-end deadline is the next stated milestone in the government’s response. Once completed, the comprehensive report is expected to provide the factual basis for the proposed all-party meeting and further consideration of the situation across the state.
