Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday warned that Telangana is facing a severe crisis due to the El Nino effect, likening it to the Covid-19 pandemic. He addressed the media after a review meeting at Praja Bhavan attended by Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, PCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, ministers and MLAs.
Stating that reservoir levels are a matter of concern, the Chief Minister said storage in the state’s projects is below 20 per cent. He said irrigation water cannot be supplied for the next four months and that drinking water needs will be the government’s first priority. He noted that Maharashtra has also imposed a 20 per cent water cut.
Electricity demand has touched a record 20,000 MW, and power is not available in the market even at high prices, Reddy said. He asked government offices to reduce the daytime use of fans and air conditioners, and urged the public to conserve electricity and promote solar energy.
He directed elected representatives to visit villages from after the Sankranti festival until the end of May, with their performance to be tracked through a monitoring app. He said special funds will be allocated for summer works and earthwork under the employment guarantee scheme to ensure work for all.
Reddy said the drought was not caused by the Congress, as El Nino is affecting more than 100 countries. He alleged corruption worth Rs 1 lakh crore in the Yadadri power plant built during the KCR government and asked party leaders to counter the opposition’s false propaganda.