Telangana to Hold October 23 Review on Rural Water Supply Amid El Niño

Telangana’s El Niño contingency plan for uninterrupted water supply in rural areas

Telangana will hold a special review on October 23 to examine measures for maintaining uninterrupted drinking water supply to districts dependent on the Singur reservoir. The meeting follows directions to prepare habitation-wise summer action plans across the State in anticipation of the impact of El Niño.

Alternative sources and emergency pumps

Telangana Minister for Panchayat Raj, Rural Development and Rural Water Supply (RWS) Danasari Anasuya Seethakka issued the directions at a review meeting with senior officials at the RWS office at Erram Manzil in Hyderabad on Saturday (October 17, 2026).

Officials were asked to identify alternative water sources, complete borewell recharge structures and take up check dams wherever necessary. The Minister said special attention should be given to agency areas to prevent shortages.

Seethakka directed officials to prioritise drinking water after meeting irrigation requirements by November 1. They were also asked to keep at least 100 emergency pumps ready so that supplies could be maintained even if reservoir levels fell to dead storage.

Non-functional pumps should be repaired immediately, according to the directions issued at the meeting. The measures are intended to keep drinking water supplies running as reservoir levels and summer conditions come under review.

Reviews at district and village level

The Minister called for village-level awareness programmes to encourage farmers to take up short-duration crops during the ensuing yasangi (rabi) season. Officials should review summer preparedness with district collectors in the first week of November.

Meetings with sarpanches and panchayat secretaries should be held in the second week of November. These reviews are part of the preparations for assessing local water requirements and responding to possible shortages.

Pipeline repairs and use of funds

Seethakka stressed the need for regular monitoring of drinking water pipelines. Officials were directed to prevent damage to the pipelines during road repairs and construction works.

District collectors should hold the departments concerned accountable for any damage and ensure immediate repairs to restore supplies. Funds for overhead tank maintenance and pipeline repairs should be utilised effectively.

Emergency funds available with District Collectors and special development fund allocations could also be used to address shortages promptly, as permitted under the rules, she said. The Minister said reservoirs, except Singur, had adequate water to meet drinking water needs.

Special Chief Secretary Dana Kishore, Panchayat Raj Commissioner Divya Devarajan, Engineer-in-Chief (ENC), Krupakar Reddy and other senior engineering officials attended the meeting.

Source: The Hindu