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Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said that the state could face a prolonged drinking water crisis until July next year due to the impact of El Niño, flagging mounting pressure on agriculture, reservoirs and electricity supply as temperatures rise.
Addressing a high-level meeting on the state’s preparedness for El Niño-related conditions on Friday, October 23, CM Revanth said water availability was likely to worsen as summer advanced, with reservoirs and irrigation projects holding limited stocks. “The state had less than 200 tmc ft of water in its reservoirs,” he said, urging people to use water judiciously.
The CM said the government had been alerting the public to the impending crisis for the past six months. However, political opponents were accusing the Congress government of “bringing drought to Telangana”, he said, warning that a lack of transparent communication could allow the BRS to exploit public anxiety.
CM Revanth said that the state’s agricultural operations were already under strain, with 15 lakh of its 30 lakh pump sets having dried up. Public representatives and officials should not underplay the seriousness of the situation but explain both the challenges ahead and the steps being taken to address them.
Electricity supply was emerging as another major concern, with peak demand reaching 20,000 MW, against 13,000 MW recorded in undivided Andhra Pradesh during the corresponding period, he said.
The Chief Minister urged consumers to avoid unnecessary use of electricity and water, particularly as rising temperatures were expected to intensify demand. Government offices, he added, should lead by example by adopting power-conservation measures.
Drawing a parallel with the COVID-19 pandemic, CM Revanth called for public cooperation and preparedness, stressing that responsible consumption would be essential to managing the months ahead.