The Telangana government has directed officials to prioritise drinking-water requirements before diverting supplies for other uses, as the state prepares for possible water stress during the coming summer. Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao issued the direction during an inspection of the Dummugudem anicut dam near Ammagaripalli in Ashwapuram mandal of Bhadradri-Kothagudem district on Monday.
Tummala said concerns over deficient rainfall and the effects of Super El Niño had increased the risk of reduced water availability. He said water conservation should be treated as a shared responsibility and that drinking-water needs must remain the first priority in managing available resources.
The minister instructed officials to coordinate so that only surplus water remaining after drinking-water requirements were met could be diverted for other purposes. Where available supplies are insufficient for drinking water, the use of water for other purposes must be restricted, he said.
The inspection also covered the storage position at the Dummugudem barrage. Tummala said the barrage had a storage capacity of 0.8 thousand million cubic feet, but current technical conditions allowed only about 0.5 thousand million cubic feet to be stored. The Chief Minister has directed officials to examine technical measures to increase storage, including the use of sandbags, according to the minister.
The water situation is also being linked to summer power planning. Tummala said the state government was making arrangements to prevent power shortages and stressed that precautionary measures were needed in managing both water and energy resources. The two systems are closely connected in agriculture, where irrigation demand can increase pressure on electricity supplies.
The minister also urged farmers to consider current weather conditions before selecting crops. He said cultivation could require an investment of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh per acre, making it important for farmers to assess the availability of water, electricity and groundwater before committing to a crop.
Officials are expected to evaluate the technical options for improving storage at the Dummugudem barrage and coordinate water-use priorities ahead of the summer period.
