Minister asks Irrigation officials to make judicious use of water available in projects

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has urged authorities to carefully balance the needs of drinking water and irrigation, especially given the current El Niño conditions and uncertain rainfall for the remaining monsoon season. During a review of reservoir levels and irrigation prospects for the Kharif season, Reddy emphasized the need for prudent, scientifically assessed, and realistic water management, rather than relying on optimistic forecasts.

Drinking-water security was identified as a top priority and should not lead to withholding irrigation water when reservoirs and other reliable sources have sufficient supplies. Reddy stressed that releases should be based on actual usable storage, dependable inflows, and a realistic rainfall assessment. Major reservoirs in the State currently hold about 74.57% of their full capacity, with the Krishna basin at 746.12 tmc ft (out of 973.68 tmc ft) and the Godavari basin at 208.38 tmc ft (out of 306.20 tmc ft).

Nagarjunasagar's water storage is at 53% (164 tmc ft out of 312 tmc ft), which is insufficient to meet the needs of the Left Canal serving 6.4 lakh acres in Nalgonda, Suryapet, and Khammam districts. Reddy cautioned against presenting an overly optimistic picture based solely on gross storage percentages and instructed officials to compare 2025 and 2026 storage and inflow positions, rather than assuming heavy inflows in September and October.

He also instructed engineers to verify the latest storage position of the Singur dam and resolve technical issues affecting the reservoir. Regarding the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel works, Reddy informed that excavation is progressing from both the inlet and outlet sides. Additionally, Reddy reviewed Telangana's position in ongoing inter-State water disputes, including cases before the tribunal and the Supreme Court.