Monsoon deficit bites: 365 mandals across T declared drought-hit | Hyderabad News

Hyderabad: Facing one of its worst monsoon shortfalls in recent years, the Telangana govt on Tuesday declared 365 mandals across 31 districts drought-affected, citing deficient rainfall, prolonged dry spells, shrinking crop acreage and critically low reservoir storage.Of these, 111 mandals were categorised as severely drought-hit and 254 as moderately affected, triggering relief measures and a request for central assistance. The declaration follows a scientific assessment of rainfall, crop conditions, soil moisture, groundwater levels, and field verification surveys conducted across the state.The govt attributed the drought conditions to El Niño effects, weak low pressure systems over the Bay of Bengal and prolonged dry spells during the southwest monsoon season.Among the affected districts, Nalgonda and Sangareddy topped the list with 28 drought-hit mandals each, followed by Suryapet (23), Adilabad and Vikarabad (20 each), Nizamabad and Rangareddy (18 each), and Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri and Khammam (17 each). Manoharabad was the lone drought-affected mandal in Medak district. Interestingly, even Mulugu district, which received heavy rainfall in parts, had four mandals declared drought-hit.Chief secretary Sanjay Jaju issued the GO and directed the planning department to prepare a memorandum for submission to the Union ministries of agriculture and home affairs within seven days, seeking assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).District collectors, along with officials of the agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and civil supplies departments, have been asked to immediately launch relief measures, maintain beneficiary and expenditure records, and submit periodic progress reports.“The state had received 615 mm as against the normal rainfall 740 mm with a deviation 17% deficit between June 1 to Sept 30 monsoon with 18 of 33 districts in deficit kharif crop areas reduced from 139 lakh acres to 126 lakh acres. Paddy area reduced by 18% from 69 lakh acres to 57 lakh acres and currently live storage in major and medium reservoirs have water reserves at 179 tmc against 589 tmc capacity raising risks to drinking water, agriculture, livestock and power,” the govt said.The decision was taken after surveys submitted by district collectors and recommendations made by a cabinet sub-committee on Oct 23. While the drought declaration will remain in force for six months, the govt may add more mandals if conditions worsen.According to the GO, drought classification was based on a multi-criteria assessment covering rainfall deficiency, dry-spell intensity, crop stress, remote-sensing data, soil moisture, and groundwater conditions.“The rainfall data between June 1 to Sept 30 and dry spell logs were evaluated for the mandatory trigger I assessment and also evaluated impact indicators such as agriculture shortfall, remote sensing, soil moisture, ground water. In mandals with more than 75% irrigated area, ground truthing sample surveys were conducted in 10% of the villages of each of the mandal and the findings of field verification have been taken as the final basis for the intensity of drought,” the GO said.Collectors have been directed to implement relief measures, including input subsidies through direct benefit transfer, augmentation of drinking water supply, fodder management, cattle camps where required, and employment generation under rural job schemes. The chief secretary also asked districts to coordinate with the state-level bankers’ committee to facilitate crop loan restructuring and prevent coercive loan recoveries in accordance with RBI guidelines.