Telangana has announced a statewide package of water-conservation and drinking-water measures amid concerns over rising temperatures and declining rainfall linked to the El Niño effect, with officials prioritising rural water supplies and plans to improve availability around Ramappa lake in Mulugu district.
Panchayat raj, rural development and rural water supply minister D Anasuya Seethakka said conservation works would be undertaken under the VB G Ram G scheme. The works include percolation pits, recharge ponds, small catchments, check dams, restoration of village tanks and borewell recharge measures.
Seethakka called on sarpanches and villagers to participate in the works to strengthen water reserves before severe scarcity develops. She said the government was taking proactive steps to prevent water shortages and that drinking-water supply had been given top priority.
“The govt is taking proactive measures to prevent water scarcity in the state in view of rising temperatures and declining rainfall due to the El Niño effect. The drinking water supply is being given top priority,” she said.
The minister said natural events such as droughts and excessive rainfall could not be completely controlled, and called for collective efforts to address changing weather conditions. She also said the government would continue monitoring drinking-water supplies to prevent hardship to residents.
According to Seethakka, officials have held regular reviews over the past six months under the leadership of chief minister A Revanth Reddy and deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka. The reviews have focused on implementing conservation measures and preventing drinking-water shortages.
During a visit to Ramappa lake and a defluoridation project in Venkatapuram mandal of Mulugu district, Seethakka said the lake had 29 feet of water. The government is exploring the possibility of pumping water from the Godavari river to improve water availability in the lake and nearby areas.
Officials have been instructed to release water within the next two days as part of efforts to increase storage levels. The minister also said water from the Ramappa source would be purified through the defluoridation project and supplied to Mulugu, Venkatapuram, Govindaraopet, Mallampalli and surrounding areas, along with parts of Jayashankar Bhupalpally district.
The measures place village-level water infrastructure alongside larger supply interventions. Officials are monitoring water-supply systems, village tanks and groundwater levels, while alternative sources are being examined in addition to proposed projects such as the Ramappa–Laknavaram canal.
Seethakka said drinking-water requirements must be prioritised alongside irrigation needs and appealed to residents to avoid wastage. The immediate operational milestones are the release of water within two days, continued monitoring of rural water systems and implementation of conservation works under the VB G Ram G scheme.
