Telangana has stepped up preparations for possible El Niño-related stress on water, agriculture and power, with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka scheduled to meet ministers and elected representatives at Praja Bhavan on October 23.
The meeting will focus on preparedness and mitigation measures as the state reviews the possible effects of adverse weather conditions on rainfall, reservoir storage, drinking water supply, irrigation requirements, farming activity and power availability. The discussions will include ministers, government advisers, MPs, MLCs, MLAs and district Congress committee presidents, according to a report by the Times of India.
The state government has also constituted a cabinet sub-committee headed by Bhatti Vikramarka to assess conditions in rainfall-deficit areas. The panel will review the difficulties faced by farmers and recommend measures aimed at protecting essential services and livelihoods.
The government’s response covers several interconnected systems. Reduced rainfall could affect reservoir levels and irrigation planning, while pressure on water availability could extend to drinking water supplies. Agriculture and power generation may also face operational challenges if adverse weather conditions continue, although the government has not provided a quantified estimate of the expected deficit or the scale of any potential impact.
Revanth Reddy has held a series of reviews on the likely consequences of El Niño conditions and has called for advance planning across departments. He has also urged farmers to reassess crop choices in response to possible water constraints. Citizens have been asked to conserve water, while public representatives have been requested to support the government’s preparedness efforts.
The proposed meeting places the state’s elected representatives within the response structure, alongside the departments responsible for water, agriculture and power. Its attendance list includes political and administrative stakeholders from across Telangana, indicating that the government intends to discuss conditions beyond Hyderabad and focus on rainfall-deficit regions and district-level concerns.
The chief minister has also announced plans for a delegation comprising ministers and representatives of all political parties to meet the Union government. The delegation is expected to seek financial and other assistance to address challenges arising from El Niño conditions.
For residents, the immediate issues identified by the government are the security of drinking water, the availability of irrigation, the protection of farm livelihoods and the reliability of power supplies. The October 23 meeting is expected to review these concerns and determine the next steps for coordinated preparedness. The cabinet sub-committee’s assessment of rainfall-deficit areas will be another key input into the state’s response.
