Telangana crop deferment appeal: Revanth Reddy urges farmers to skip one crop amid water crisis

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday urged Telangana farmers to defer one crop during the coming farming season. He warned that severe water shortages linked to El Niño could threaten drinking water supplies over the next nine to ten months.

The Telangana crop deferment appeal followed a meeting with ministers on the state’s worsening water and electricity situation.

Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat, Reddy said farmers needed to help the government conserve water for drinking purposes. He warned that cultivating water-intensive crops during the shortage could cause financial losses and further strain available resources.

Telangana crop deferment appeal follows sharp fall in reservoir storage

The Chief Minister said Telangana faced an unprecedented water shortage because of deficient rainfall associated with El Niño. According to Reddy, reservoirs in the Krishna basin held 72% less water than during the corresponding period last year. Similarly, reservoirs in the Godavari basin recorded a 42% decline.

He said Telangana normally had around 462 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water across its reservoirs during October. However, the available storage had fallen to approximately 200 TMC.

Reddy maintained that no reservoir had sufficient water to meet both agricultural and drinking water requirements. He said the government had previously advised farmers against cultivating paddy because of expected rainfall shortages.

Farmers cultivating more than 13 lakh acres had followed that advice, while others had planted paddy across approximately 53 lakh acres.

The Chief Minister cautioned that paddy required substantial water and that conditions were unsuitable for its cultivation over the next eight to ten months.

El Niño crisis compared with Covid pandemic

Reddy described the prevailing El Niño conditions as a global emergency comparable to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. He attributed the severity of the phenomenon to global warming and said scientists had warned about its possible consequences.

According to the Chief Minister, some experts had described the event as a “Super El Nino” because of its exceptional intensity since 1950. He also cited United Nations assessments indicating that El Niño could affect nearly 100 crore people across 100 countries, directly or indirectly.

Reddy said the crisis required collective action beyond political differences, similar to the public response during the pandemic.

He urged residents to conserve water and electricity until rainfall conditions improved, referring to July 2027 as the expected period for relief.

Power demand crosses 20,000 MW in Telangana

The Chief Minister also expressed concern over a sharp increase in electricity demand across Telangana. He said daily power demand generally remained around 15,000 MW during October. However, the current requirement had exceeded 20,000 MW, representing an increase of approximately 33%.

Reddy praised Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka for managing electricity supplies despite the pressure. Nevertheless, he said power shortages in other states had restricted Telangana’s ability to purchase additional electricity.

He cited Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Kerala among the states facing similar difficulties. According to Reddy, the wider electricity shortage had made additional power purchases difficult. He urged people to reduce unnecessary electricity consumption alongside water conservation.

Telangana crop deferment appeal includes support for farm labourers

Reddy acknowledged the contribution of farmers to India’s food security since Independence. He recalled the country’s concerns about famine and food shortages in 1947 and credited farmers with helping overcome those challenges.

The Chief Minister said farmers had consistently responded to national emergencies and appealed for similar cooperation during the present crisis.

He warned that sowing crops during severe water shortages could expose farmers to substantial losses. Additionally, he said excessive agricultural water consumption could affect drinking water availability for households.

Reddy announced that agricultural labourers affected by the proposed crop deferment would receive compensation through VB-G RAM G. He said the government would use the programme to undertake irrigation-related works and nala improvements.

According to the Chief Minister, these works would strengthen infrastructure ahead of the return of rainfall and improve preparedness for future shortages.

The Chief Minister announced additional administrative measures to manage the water and electricity situation. He appointed former Chief Secretary and current government adviser K. Ramakrishna Rao as the nodal officer for information concerning El Niño.

Reddy said the appointment would help counter misinformation and misleading claims circulating on social media. He also announced plans to constitute a special group of ministers to coordinate the government’s response.

Furthermore, he said an all-party meeting would take place after Dasara under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka. The meeting would examine the prevailing conditions and discuss measures to address the crisis.

Reddy said a dedicated war room would monitor, manage and optimise drinking water supplies across Telangana. He also announced plans to introduce toll-free telephone numbers through which residents could obtain information.

The Chief Minister instructed ministers to communicate directly with citizens and explain the measures undertaken by the government. Reddy appealed to residents of cities and towns to reduce water consumption and participate in the conservation campaign.

He emphasised that water could not be manufactured and that protecting existing supplies was essential during the shortage. The Chief Minister identified “Save Water, Save Power” as the central message of the government’s campaign.

He compared the proposed conservation measures with the precautions adopted during the Covid-19 pandemic, including masks, lockdowns and physical distancing. Reddy said political parties needed to cooperate in addressing the emergency.

He recalled that governments and citizens had followed directions from the Central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the pandemic.

Similarly, he urged political leaders to set aside differences and support coordinated action. The Chief Minister also requested journalists to spread accurate information and raise public awareness about the water crisis.

He reiterated the Telangana crop deferment appeal, urging farmers and other residents to cooperate in protecting drinking water supplies.