The Chief Minister of Telangana, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, has directed key departments to develop contingency plans as the Meteorological Department predicts a below-normal rainfall until the first week of July. The meeting focused on monsoon preparedness, irrigation, and drinking water supply. KCR emphasized the importance of maintaining the supply of Mission Bhagiratha, which is the flagship water supply scheme. Instructing officials to prepare an operational manual in advance for the scheduled works of pump houses under the Lift Irrigation Scheme, he further urged the irrigation department to ensure the timely release of water from major and minor irrigation projects, emphasizing the need to maintain adequate water storage levels.
The Chief Minister addressed a high-level meeting and assured full support to farmers in safeguarding their crops while stressing the need to prioritize drinking water requirements. Keeping the significant decrease in Ranganaik Sagar’s water levels, he instructed the lifting of 3 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water from the Mid Manair Dam to Ranganaik Sagar. Meanwhile, Nizamsagar currently holds 4.95 TMC of water, which is sufficient for irrigation purposes.
Furthermore, Chief Minister KCR directed officials to closely monitor the water level of Sri Ramsagar (Poonampad) until August. If necessary, 30 to 35 TMC of water from the Kaleshwaram lift project should be pumped into Sri Ramsagar. The Chief Minister also reviewed the progress of the drinking water component works of the Palamur Nagaridi Lift Irrigation Scheme, emphasizing the need for water transfer from the Mid Manair Dam to the Gauravpalli reservoir through pumping if required.
The Chief Minister’s proactive approach and instructions aim to ensure the availability of irrigation water for agriculture while meeting the drinking water needs of the people. Planning ahead and closely monitoring water levels in various projects will mitigate the impact of below-normal rainfall and provide necessary support to farmers and communities in the state.
