Nagarjuna Sagar, Aug.10 (RAHNUMA): Civil Supplies and Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Telangana government was adopting a combination of spiritual, administrative and water-management measures to mitigate the possible impact of El Niño, which could affect rainfall during the remaining months of the monsoon.
Speaking on the occasion of the Maha Varuna Yagam held at Nagarjuna Sagar on Monday, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the State government was praying for abundant and widespread rainfall while simultaneously preparing the irrigation system to make optimal use of the water available in reservoirs, rivers and tanks.
He said the Varuna Yagam was being performed on the banks of the Krishna River, seeking good rains across Telangana, healthy flows in the Krishna and Godavari rivers, replenishment of reservoirs and tanks and a prosperous agricultural season.
The Minister said the emerging El Niño conditions were a matter of concern as they could adversely affect rainfall in the coming months. The government, therefore, could not rely solely on expectations of future rainfall and was planning water utilisation cautiously, he said.
“Every drop of water has to be used carefully. Protecting the interests of farmers and ensuring that available water lasts through the agricultural season are our foremost priorities,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy stressed that sustained rainfall in the catchment areas of the Krishna and Godavari rivers was crucial for Telangana.
While recent inflows had brought some relief to irrigation projects in the two river basins, continued rainfall in the upper catchments would be necessary to substantially improve reservoir levels and provide greater certainty for irrigation, he said.
The Minister said the government was closely monitoring rainfall, river inflows, reservoir storage levels and irrigation requirements and would take decisions based on actual water availability.
He added that farmers would also be advised on suitable cropping patterns, taking into account reservoir levels and the likely availability of water during the agricultural season.
