Hyderabad: Congress leader Mohammed Waliullah Sameer on Friday backed the Revanth Reddy government’s preparations for the El Niño crisis and urged special safeguards for Hyderabad’s Old City. He said the government had begun planning for possible water shortages, extreme heat and electricity disruptions amid deficient rainfall.
Sameer, the Congress in-charge for the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency and former District Congress Committee (DCC) president, welcomed Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s advance preparations. He expressed confidence that the government would protect vulnerable households from the anticipated climatic difficulties.
In a statement issued on October 30, he said the Chief Minister had recognised the seriousness of the situation. He welcomed the decision to convene an all-party meeting and initiate contingency measures.
According to Sameer, the government’s focus on drinking water availability, reservoir monitoring and drought preparedness demonstrated responsible administration.
“El Niño is a climatic phenomenon beyond any government’s control. What matters is preparedness. CM Revanth Reddy has recognised the challenge well in advance. As Congress workers, our responsibility is to support these efforts and ensure that the concerns of vulnerable neighbourhoods receive attention,” he said.
El Niño crisis raises concerns over Hyderabad’s rainfall deficit
Sameer cited rainfall figures showing a substantial monsoon shortfall across Telangana, with Hyderabad recording a more severe deficit. Telangana received 615.5 mm of rainfall during the southwest monsoon against its normal average of 740.6 mm. Consequently, the state recorded a 17% rainfall deficit.
Hyderabad district received only 458.2 mm against its normal rainfall of 627.2 mm, resulting in a 27% shortfall. Moreover, Charminar and Saidabad ranked among the worst-affected mandals, with rainfall deficits approaching 47%.
Sameer said the state had declared 365 mandals drought-affected. These included 111 severely affected mandals and 254 moderately affected mandals. Meanwhile, live storage in major and medium reservoirs had reportedly declined to approximately 180 thousand million cubic feet (TMC). Their combined storage capacity stood at 585 TMC.
He warned that strong El Niño conditions could continue into early 2027. Such conditions could worsen drinking water shortages, agricultural difficulties and pressure on electricity supplies.
Sameer also welcomed the Chief Minister’s warning about possible challenges extending until July 2027. He said the early assessment would help authorities strengthen preparations without creating unnecessary panic.
El Niño crisis prompts calls for special Old City water measures
Sameer urged the government to prioritise densely populated neighbourhoods across Hyderabad’s Old City while implementing its drought contingency plans. He identified Charminar, Yakutpura, Chandrayangutta, Bahadurpura, Malakpet and Saidabad as areas requiring particular attention.
According to him, many households in these localities relied entirely on municipal drinking water supplies. Furthermore, several families lacked underground sumps or sufficient facilities to store water.
“Thousands of families live in small houses without underground sumps or sufficient storage capacity. Any reduction in municipal supply could create serious difficulties. Their circumstances must be considered while implementing the government’s contingency plans,” he said.
Sameer appreciated the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board’s (HMWSSB) efforts to secure additional supplies from alternative sources. However, he said conventional water tankers could face difficulties reaching households along the Old City’s narrow streets.
Therefore, he proposed deploying smaller tankers, establishing neighbourhood-level water distribution points and announcing supply schedules in advance. He also called for close monitoring of groundwater extraction and stronger protection of local water bodies.
Although some Old City localities historically enjoyed relatively favourable groundwater conditions, he warned that declining rainfall threatened those reserves. Excessive groundwater extraction could further aggravate the situation. Therefore, he stressed the importance of conservation and groundwater recharge.
Extreme summer heat could threaten workers and vulnerable families
Sameer also expressed concern about the possible health consequences of unusually high summer temperatures. He said dense construction, poor ventilation and inadequate green cover could intensify heat exposure in several Old City neighbourhoods.
Daily-wage workers, street vendors, autorickshaw drivers and construction labourers faced particular risks because their occupations required prolonged outdoor activity. Similarly, senior citizens and children could face greater health problems during periods of extreme heat.
“Poor families cannot afford expensive cooling arrangements, while daily-wage workers cannot stop earning during extreme heat. Protecting their health and livelihoods must remain central to our preparedness,” he said.
Sameer welcomed the government’s emphasis on maintaining electricity supplies during the anticipated dry spell. Additionally, he recommended more public drinking water points, heat-awareness campaigns and emergency medical arrangements in vulnerable residential areas.
He said these measures would help protect people who could not afford expensive cooling facilities or interruptions to their livelihoods.
El Niño crisis could increase food prices and household expenses
The Congress leader also warned that drought-related agricultural losses could push up food prices. Consequently, economically weaker households could face additional pressure from rising expenses for food, drinking water, electricity and other essential commodities.
Sameer welcomed the government’s proposed employment-support measures and its stated emphasis on protecting financially vulnerable families. He also cautioned that deficient seasonal rainfall did not rule out sudden episodes of heavy rain.
Therefore, he called for regular drainage maintenance, desilting and measures to prevent drinking water contamination. He said groundwater recharge and the protection of existing drainage infrastructure remained essential for Old City neighbourhoods.
Congress workers to support water conservation and public outreach
Sameer announced that Congress workers across the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency would participate in water-conservation campaigns. They would also collect neighbourhood-specific feedback and communicate residents’ concerns to the relevant government authorities.
He urged residents to reduce unnecessary water consumption, repair leaking pipelines and cooperate with conservation initiatives. Furthermore, he said local feedback would help ensure that contingency measures addressed the difficulties faced by vulnerable communities.
“The Revanth Reddy Government is approaching this unprecedented climatic challenge with seriousness and advance planning. Our responsibility is to strengthen those efforts and ensure that every neighbourhood, especially the Old City’s vulnerable communities, receives the necessary protection. Congress workers will stand with the people throughout this difficult period,” Sameer Waliullah said.