Telangana orders water and power contingency plan amid El Niño concerns

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has ordered a plan to protect water supplies and electricity availability against potential disruption linked to El Niño.

At a review meeting on October 10, he asked officials to assess drinking water, irrigation, farming and power requirements in advance. He described the next eight months as crucial for preventing a crisis.

Reddy called for enough irrigation water to protect standing crops until harvest and careful use of available electricity. He said the state was prepared to fund additional power purchases, while warning that supplies were not readily available.

Officials were asked to consider temporarily deferring electricity-dependent work where feasible. Public information campaigns using the media, cinema and cultural groups are also planned.

The Hindu and PTI reported that ministers would discuss the response further. Reddy also proposed an operational monitoring centre and a toll-free helpline to track conditions and handle concerns raised by residents.