Hyderabad: State govt is most likely to convene an all-party meeting on Wednesday (Oct 28) to discuss the impact of El Niño, deficient rainfall and prevailing drought-like conditions across the state.Deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka will chair the meeting at the secretariat. Govt intends to seek suggestions and recommendations from representatives of all political parties to develop effective strategies to mitigate the impact of the anticipated drought and address challenges in the coming months.The consultations are aimed at building a broad political consensus on drought preparedness and securing the cooperation of opposition parties in implementing preventive and relief measures.The meeting assumes significance amid growing concerns over rainfall deficiency, declining groundwater levels and reduced water storage in reservoirs across Telangana. According to preliminary assessments discussed at a cabinet sub-committee meeting on Oct 23, as many as 358 mandals were identified as potentially drought-affected, while groundwater availability was a concern in 324 mandals. The reservoirs’ storage was reported at 170 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) against the total capacity of 470 TMC.Chief minister A Revanth Reddy has warned that El Niño conditions could lead to a prolonged drought-like situation until July 2027, raising concerns over possible water and power shortages. He stressed the need to involve people as stakeholders in tackling the anticipated crisis.The state is also seeking a special assistance package of Rs 20,000 crore from the Union govt to address the impact of El Niño and rainfall deficits.Meanwhile, the cabinet sub-committee, headed by Bhatti Vikramarka, has initiated steps to prepare department-wise action plans to tackle the anticipated drought situation.Govt is working towards identifying and declaring drought-affected mandals by Oct 31. Officials have been directed to scientifically assess local conditions and formulate measures to protect drinking water supplies, support agricultural activities and maintain essential services.The discussions at the all-party meeting are expected to focus on conserving available water resources, ensuring uninterrupted drinking water supply, maintaining adequate power for agricultural operations and protecting farmers from potential crop losses. Suggestions on alternative crop planning based on water availability and prevailing weather conditions might also be considered.Govt hopes the consultations would strengthen preparedness and facilitate coordinated action to minimise the impact of drought on farmers and the general public.
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