Telangana CM KCR Instructs Officials To Utilise Kaleshwaram Water To Avoid Drought Conditions

The Chief Minister advised the officials to prioritize the supply of drinking water and maintain continuous monitoring of water reserves in the Godavari and Krishna reservoirs.

Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao (File Photo)

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao directed irrigation department officials to promptly prepare plans to address the anticipated deficit rainfall by lifting water from Kaleswaram and other irrigation projects on Krishna and Godavari rivers at regular intervals to prevent drought conditions in the state. With the state witnessing a dry spell due to deficit rainfall, CM KCR on Sunday held a high-level meeting with officials to discuss rainfall patterns, water availability in rivers such as Pranahita, reservoir water storage, and electricity demand. The Chief Minister urged the officials to take immediate action to prevent shortages of drinking water and meet the irrigation needs of the state.

During the meeting, senior officials from the respective departments provided detailed information about the availability of water for different projects to CM KCR.

The Chief Minister advised the officials to prioritize the supply of drinking water and maintain continuous monitoring of water reserves in the Godavari and Krishna reservoirs. The Irrigation Department and Energy Departments were instructed to work in coordination and conserve every drop of water for future requirements.

He also advised the officials to take steps to release water from Bayyannavagu to Paleru as there is no possibility of getting water from Nagarjuna Sagar to Paleru reservoir at present.

Stating that the water reaching through Pranahita should be lifted through Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla projects and fill the Mid Manair, the Chief Minister said that half of the water should be taken to the Lower Manair Dam and half of the water to the SRSP canal. He ordered the officials to take measures to ensure that the last ayacut of Kaleshwaram till Suryapet and the SRSP ayacut got irrigation water.

CM KCR issued instructions to agriculture department officials to develop a contingency plan for supplying seeds and fertilizers to farmers who have already planted cotton and other crops and are awaiting another round of sowing activities due to the dry spell.

To ensure effective management, the officials have been directed to submit a detailed report every morning to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). Based on the reports submitted by various departments such as Irrigation, Agriculture, Energy, and Panchayat Raj, regarding the distribution of drinking water and irrigation facilities, the CMO will issue orders and alerts to the respective ministers and public representatives in the affected areas. The Chief Minister emphasised that the CMO will resolve every issue by coordinating all wings.

The Chief Minister also directed the Mission Bhagiratha ENC to regularly check the water reserves in the reservoirs for drinking water needs and ensure that there was no drinking water problem. The Chief Minister directed the irrigation officials to take steps to finalise the procedures for the pumping of irrigation water projects across the state and the task was given to GENCO, the Government entity, instead of private contractors.