Stories
Telangana CM Sounds El Nino Alarm, Urges Farmers To Skip One Crop Cycle
- •Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy urged farmers to defer one crop cycle due to a looming water and power crisis driven by El Nino.
- •Reservoir levels in the state are significantly low, with the Krishna basin showing a 72 percent deficit and the Godavari basin a 42 percent deficit compared to last year.
- •Electricity demand in October crossed 20,000 MW against the usual 15,000 MW, putting severe pressure on the power supply system.
- •The state government has announced a special war room, appointed a nodal officer, and plans to hold an all-party meeting to coordinate crisis response measures.
Key Questions Answered
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy urged farmers to defer paddy cultivation and skip a crop cycle to cope with an anticipated severe water and power crisis triggered by El Niño. With reservoir storage levels significantly below normal—including a 72% deficit in the Krishna basin and a 42% deficit in the Godavari basin—conserving water has become critical to prioritize drinking water supplies.
To coordinate the response, the Telangana government appointed former Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao as a nodal officer, set up a special group of ministers, and planned a war room along with toll-free numbers. Additionally, agricultural labourers who may lose jobs due to reduced cultivation will be supported via the VB-G RAM G scheme with an extended 50 work days, while an all-party meeting is scheduled after Dasara.
Electricity demand in October surged past 20,000 MW, compared to the usual level of around 15,000 MW. Because neighboring states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Kerala are facing similar shortages, procuring extra power has proven difficult, prompting the government to urge judicious energy use and continuous supply for crops until harvest.
