{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Telangana Faces Severe El Nino Crisis As Next 9 To 10 Months Look Extremely Grim",
  "summary": "Telangana is grappling with severe water scarcity and surging power demand due to the impacts of El Nino and deficient monsoon rains. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has urged farmers to skip Rabi sowing and appealed to citizens to conserve water.",
  "content": "The climate warnings issued by meteorologists months in advance are now manifesting into harsh realities across various regions. The weather phenomenon known as El Nino has begun showing its severe impacts, triggering concerns over soaring temperatures, acute drinking water shortages, and drought-like conditions. While several parts of the country experienced adequate rainfall, states like Maharashtra and Telangana recorded significantly lower precipitation than normal during the monsoon season. Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, the leadership in Telangana has stepped up to address the unfolding crisis.\n\nImpending Water Scarcity in Telangana\nTelangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy issued a stern warning, stating that depleting water levels in reservoirs and surging electricity demand are pushing the state toward an unprecedented El Nino crisis. He cautioned that the upcoming 9 to 10 months could prove to be exceptionally difficult for the region. To safeguard drinking water supplies, the Chief Minister urged farmers to postpone the sowing of the Yasangi or Rabi crop and appealed to the general public to exercise strict caution while using water resources. Following a review meeting with cabinet ministers regarding the El Nino situation, CM Reddy emphasized that pressure on the state water infrastructure is mounting steadily.\n\nHighlighting the seasonal deficit, the Chief Minister reported that the state received 23 percent less rainfall than normal during the monsoon months. This shortfall has severely impacted water availability in storage reservoirs, turning the management of drinking water, irrigation supplies, and fodder for livestock into a massive challenge for the months ahead. According to CM Reddy, reservoirs in the Krishna basin currently hold 72 percent less water compared to the same period last year. Providing further details on the state water reserves, he noted that while normal years see about 462 TMC of water available by this time, current levels have plummeted to roughly 200 TMC.\n\nCurrent Status of Water Resources\nCM Revanth Reddy stated that no single reservoir currently holds enough water to fulfill both drinking and irrigation demands simultaneously. The state government bears the crucial responsibility of ensuring drinking water supply to approximately 24,000 villages, which requires prioritizing available reserves strictly based on necessity. Despite administrative efforts, the Chief Minister warned that roughly 10 lakh acres under the Vanakalam or Kharif crop face potential damage. With about 20 days remaining before the harvest of monsoon crops, the government is procuring electricity at prevailing market rates to save the standing crops in fields.\n\nThe Chief Minister appealed to the farming community to use irrigation water judiciously. He stressed that alongside drinking water, proper arrangements must be secured for livestock water and fodder to prevent the risk of widespread cattle mortality. The soaring electricity demand has added another layer of complexity to the crisis. CM Reddy revealed that power demand, which normally hovers around 15,000 megawatts in October, has spiked dramatically to 20,003 megawatts. This represents a surge of roughly 5,000 megawatts, driven primarily by the intensive operation of nearly 30 lakh agricultural pump sets across the state.\n\nDescribing the weather conditions, the Chief Minister pointed out that October is witnessing scorching heat resembling March temperatures, which has significantly driven up domestic power consumption. He called upon citizens to conserve electricity and avoid wasteful practices such as using hose pipes to wash vehicles. To combat these challenges, CM Reddy announced that the state government is formulating an action plan under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to repair and restore tanks, lakes, and ponds.\n\nFurthermore, the state administration has formally requested financial assistance from the central government for farmers who have suffered crop losses and those unable to undertake sowing in the upcoming agricultural season. CM Reddy announced that Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka will convene an all-party meeting after Dusshera to brief political representatives on the gravity of the situation. Following this, an all-party delegation headed by the Chief Minister will travel to Delhi to meet the Union Home Minister and other central ministers, seeking necessary administrative and financial support from the center.\n\nAddressing the global scale of the phenomenon, CM Reddy noted that El Nino is being felt worldwide due to ongoing global warming. He referenced United Nations warnings indicating that El Nino could impact people across 100 countries, bringing roughly one billion individuals under its direct or indirect influence. Drawing a parallel between this crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, CM Reddy asserted that concerted collective efforts are essential to overcome the challenge. He appealed to political parties, the media, and citizens to rise above partisan politics and support the government so that no individual is left behind during this adversity.\n\nEmphasizing the core strategy of resource conservation, the Chief Minister declared that saving water and saving electricity must become the guiding motto for everyone. To boost public awareness, the administration plans to run dedicated campaigns through cultural troupes. Prominent film actor Vijay Deverakonda has already appealed to the public regarding the El Nino issue, and the government intends to enlist the support of other film stars, athletes, and artists to strengthen the outreach campaign.\n\nWhat this means for you\nThe severe unfolding El Nino conditions and deficient monsoon rains in Telangana and other parts of India carry significant practical implications for daily life, farming, and utility costs.\n\n• In Telangana: Farmers have been advised to postpone Rabi or Yasangi crop sowing, which could lead to a temporary loss of agricultural income. Residents across nearly 24,000 villages will need to exercise strict water conservation to cope with drinking shortages.\n• Across India: Reduced agricultural output across affected states could push up retail prices for staple food items and produce nationwide. Surging power demand may force utility providers to manage grid loads more strictly to avoid outages.\n• For Agriculture: Standing Kharif crops across roughly 10 lakh acres face potential damage, requiring emergency market-rate power procurement by the state to keep irrigation pumps running. Livestock owners must secure alternative fodder and water arrangements to prevent cattle mortality.\n• For Households: Unseasonably high October temperatures will drive up residential electricity bills due to increased cooling appliance usage. Citizens have been urged to eliminate wasteful water habits like vehicle washing to preserve municipal reserves.\n• Policy Action: The state administration is launching rural employment guarantee projects to restore water bodies and seeking central financial aid. An all-party delegation will travel to Delhi to lobby for emergency administrative support.\n\nWhy this happened\nEl Nino is a recurring climate pattern involving the warming of surface waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, which disrupts global weather systems and monsoon currents. The current intensity has been exacerbated by ongoing global warming trends, placing numerous countries under severe environmental stress.\n\n• Monsoon Rainfall Deficit: States like Telangana and Maharashtra experienced a 23 percent shortfall in rainfall during the southwest monsoon season. This lack of precipitation severely restricted surface water runoff and prevented local reservoirs from reaching adequate storage capacities.\n• Depleted Reservoir Storage: While reservoirs typically hold around 462 TMC of water by this period in normal years, current levels have plummeted to roughly 200 TMC. Specifically, Krishna basin reservoirs contain 72 percent less water than they did at the same time last year.\n• Agricultural and Domestic Load: The operation of nearly 30 lakh agricultural pump sets across the state has driven up electricity demand. Coupled with unseasonably high October temperatures resembling March heat, power consumption surged by about 5,000 megawatts.\n• Global Warming Factors: According to United Nations assessments, climate change has amplified the reach of El Nino cycles. The phenomenon is projected to affect populations across 100 countries, directly or indirectly exposing roughly one billion people to resource scarcity.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. What is the main impact of the El Nino crisis in Telangana?\nDeficient monsoon rains and El Nino have caused reservoir levels to plummet, leading to severe drinking water shortages and irrigation challenges across the state.\n\n2. What appeal did Chief Minister Revanth Reddy make to farmers?\nThe Chief Minister urged farmers to postpone the sowing of Yasangi or Rabi crops to ensure adequate drinking water availability for the public.\n\n3. How much rainfall deficit was recorded during the monsoon in Telangana?\nThe state experienced 23 percent less rainfall than normal during the monsoon season.\n\n4. What is the current water status in Krishna basin reservoirs?\nReservoirs in the Krishna basin currently hold 72 percent less water compared to the same period last year.\n\n5. How much has electricity demand surged in Telangana?\nPower demand has spiked by roughly 5,000 megawatts, rising from a normal October level of 15,000 megawatts to 20,003 megawatts.\n\n6. How many agricultural pump sets are operating in the state?\nThere are approximately 30 lakh agricultural pump sets operating across Telangana, driving up electricity consumption.\n\n7. What steps is the state government taking to combat the crisis?\nThe government is planning repairs for tanks and lakes under rural employment schemes and seeking financial assistance from the central government.\n\n8. Who will convene the upcoming all-party meeting in the state?\nDeputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka will organize an all-party meeting after Dusshera to brief political leaders.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/telangana/telangana-faces-severe-el-nino-crisis-as-next-9-to-10-months-look-extremely-grim-48058",
  "category": "Telangana",
  "publishedAt": "2026-10-16",
  "tags": [
    "El Nino",
    "Telangana",
    "Revanth Reddy",
    "water crisis",
    "monsoon",
    "Rabi crops",
    "power demand"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}