Govt. sanctions special funds for alternative drinking water sources amid El Nino concerns

The Telangana state government has allocated special funds to guarantee a steady drinking water supply amid potential scarcity due to El Nino conditions, stated Panchayat Raj, Rural Development and Rural Water Supply Minister Danasari Anasuya Seethakka on Saturday. The government has approved ₹120 crore for alternative drinking water arrangements tied to the Singur reservoir, aimed at providing for Sangareddy, Medak, Kamareddy and Nizamabad districts.

Additionally, ₹1 crore each has been sanctioned for other districts to address immediate needs, she informed during a teleconference with Mission Bhagiratha and Public Health engineers to assess the water situation and preparedness. Seethakka directed officials to swiftly implement alternative arrangements using the allocated funds, ensuring uninterrupted water supply.

She ordered engineers to map villages at risk of disruption from Mission Bhagiratha supply and areas with depleted groundwater levels, instructing them to make local water sources accessible, including hand pumps and water supply schemes. In scarcity-stricken regions, officials were directed to consider hiring private borewells and arranging tankers for water transportation.

Seethakka stressed the importance of water conservation, urging the implementation of awareness campaigns on water usage and El Nino's impact at the village level, and continuous monitoring of reservoir storage levels according to government guidelines. She also directed officials to promote groundwater recharge, particularly in areas like Hyderabad, Medchal, Khammam and Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri, which recently received rainfall.

She mandated the functionalization of soak pits and magic pits near drinking water sources to facilitate percolation, and completion of all ongoing recharge works within two days.