Telangana’s drought preparedness has come under political attack, with senior BRS leader T. Harish Rao alleging that the Congress government is ignoring drinking-water needs, farmer livelihoods and the impact of El Nino conditions. Rao also questioned the reported diversion of water from Sigur dam to beer companies while Hyderabad faces concerns over sustained water availability.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Rao accused Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of prioritising political activities and travel to Delhi over the drought situation in the state. He said the government had failed to create alternative employment opportunities for farmers and agricultural workers who could be affected by deteriorating conditions.
“While farmers are facing dangerously tough conditions, the government is also ignoring the drinking water needs of the people,” Rao said, according to Deccan Chronicle. He alleged that water capable of sustaining Hyderabad was being supplied from Sigur dam to beer companies and questioned whether drinking water or liquor manufacturing was being treated as the priority.
The allegation places Hyderabad’s urban water security within a wider dispute over how Telangana should allocate limited water between domestic consumption, irrigation and industrial use. The report does not include an independent response from the state government or documentation confirming Rao’s claim about the Sigur supply. The water source is significant for Hyderabad’s broader supply system, although the report does not specify the quantity allegedly diverted or the duration of the arrangement.
Rao also criticised the government’s handling of a meeting involving Rythu Vedikas, farmer-support platforms established across the state. He said the meeting was initially scheduled for 11 am, with the Chief Minister expected to address farmers, before being described as cancelled and then rescheduled for 1 pm. According to Rao, responsibility for addressing the meeting subsequently shifted from the Chief Minister to the Deputy Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary and the agriculture minister.
The BRS leader said a Cabinet meeting had been expected to discuss El Nino and drought conditions. He questioned why cases should not be filed against the Chief Minister and other officials for what he described as inadequate preparedness and neglect of the drought’s effects. Rao contrasted this with the non-bailable cases faced by farmers arrested after releasing water from the Jurala project, asking why similar action was not being considered over decisions involving drinking and irrigation water.
The immediate administrative questions raised by the allegations are whether the state has formally assessed drought conditions, how alternative employment for affected farm workers will be arranged, and what drinking-water allocation safeguards are in place for Hyderabad. The report does not provide details of any government drought package, Cabinet decision, water-allocation order or official response to Rao’s statements.
