Hyderabad: With forecasts indicating El Niño’s influence on the present monsoon, Telangana irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Thursday advised farmers not to depend exclusively on traditional water-intensive crops. He directed officials to promote suitable alternative crops based on expected rainfall and available irrigation resources.“Gram Sabhas, Rythu Vedikas and field-level extension programmes should be extensively utilised to create awareness among farmers about appropriate cropping choices and climate-resilient farming practices. Officials must be ready with comprehensive contingency plans to effectively tackle any challenges arising from the weather phenomenon,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.Speaking at review meeting on El Niño preparedness at the Secretariat along with ministers Tummala Nageshwara Rao and D Sridhar Babu and officials, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the state govt is continuously monitoring weather developments. He stressed that there was no reason for farmers to panic, as comprehensive contingency measures were being put in place to respond swiftly to any emerging situation.Stating that Telangana could not remain immune if El Niño affected the country, the minister called for seamless coordination among the irrigation, agriculture, and meteorological departments to minimise risks to agriculture and protect farmers’ livelihoods.Uttam Kumar Reddy asked the officials to prepare detailed contingency plans at both the state and district levels, taking into account rainfall projections, groundwater availability, reservoir storage, irrigation potential and local cropping patterns. He said every district should be equipped with a clear response strategy to address any adverse impact arising from deficient rainfall or prolonged dry spells.He said the India Meteorological Department’s forecasts, advisories and warnings should be closely monitored and promptly translated into actionable guidance for farmers. Scientific information, he said, must reach cultivators without delay through coordinated efforts of the meteorology, agriculture, horticulture and irrigation departments.Reviewing the irrigation scenario, the minister directed irrigation officials to keep all infrastructure ready to efficiently store inflows in the Godavari basin, including the Sripada Yellampalli reservoir, immediately after substantial rainfall is received in the upstream catchments of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He asked engineers to scientifically utilise every available water resource to maximise irrigation potential during the season.
