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

Telangana Minister for Panchayat Raj, Rural Development and Rural Water Supply (RWS) Danasari Anasuya Seethakka has directed officials to prepare habitation-wise summer action plans and ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply across the State in view of the anticipated impact of El Niño.

At a review meeting with senior officials at RWS office at Erram Manzil in Hyderabad on Saturday (October 17, 2026), she issued directions for identifying alternative water sources, completing borewell recharge structures and taking up check dams wherever necessary. Special attention should be paid to agency areas to prevent shortages, she said.

Emergency pumps to maintain supply

Ms. Seethakka asked officials to prioritise drinking water after meeting irrigation requirements by November 1 and keep at least 100 emergency pumps ready to maintain supplies even if reservoir levels fell to dead storage. Non-functional pumps should be repaired immediately.

She 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 and hold meetings with sarpanches and panchayat secretaries in the second week.

Measures to avoid damage to water pipelines

Stressing the need for regular monitoring of drinking water pipelines, the Minister directed officials to prevent damage 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, as permitted under the rules, to address shortages promptly, she said.

The Minister said reservoirs, except Singur, had adequate water to meet drinking water needs. A special meeting would be held on October 23 to review measures to ensure uninterrupted supply to districts dependent on the Singur reservoir.

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