Uttam Kumar Reddy stresses coordination with Collectors, sandbagging vulnerable spots, and round-the-clock vigilance at reservoirs

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday (August 27, 2025) said flood mitigation measures across Telangana must be taken up on a war footing to safeguard lives and property during the ongoing spell of heavy rains.

Speaking to the media at Gandhi Bhavan, he said every precaution was being put in place to protect reservoirs, canals, and minor irrigation (MI) tanks from breaches and ensure effective water management.

The minister said all possible steps, from close monitoring of water levels to deploying sandbags at vulnerable points, were being taken.

“In view of the flood like situation in some districts, all irrigation officials are requested to be present in the field and initiate flood mitigation measures by using their financial powers under GO 45,” the Minister said.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Reddy held a video conference with senior officials of the Irrigation Department and instructed them to remain on high alert, particularly in Kamareddy and Medak districts, where heavy rainfall was reported. “Whatever flood mitigation measures are required must be taken immediately,” he emphasised.

Reports from Kamareddy indicated that Nizam Sagar was safely handling surplus inflows of 1.52 lakh cusecs with an additional 86,000 cusecs incoming. The minister directed officials to keep a close watch, restore minor tank damages immediately, and ensure constant coordination with the district administration. “The heaviest rains are being recorded in your districts. Do not lower your guard,” he told Kamareddy and Medak CEs.

He directed that flood alerts be issued to farmers cultivating in ayacut areas downstream of reservoirs, so that they can take precautionary steps. He emphasised the need for quick communication lines so that reports on rainfall, reservoir levels, and field conditions are received in real time.

Reviewing the storage position in the Krishna and Godavari basins, the minister directed engineers to give continuous updates on inflows, discharges, and timelines for reaching full reservoir levels. He enquired whether all pumps were working at full capacity and instructed that additional pumping should be taken up wherever possible to manage water levels efficiently.

At Palair Dam, he ordered officials to fill the reservoir up to safe levels while maintaining a buffer margin to accommodate natural inflows. He said regulated releases through the Left Canal must be ensured.

In the Godavari basin, operations at Sripada Yellampalli, Mid Manair, and Lower Manair dams were reviewed. The minister asked engineers to carefully balance inflows and outflows and to intensify pumping at Annapurna, Ranganayaka Sagar, and Mallanna Sagar so that optimum levels could be achieved within the next two weeks.

To ensure accountability, he directed Engineer-in-Chief Amjed Ullah to personally monitor reservoir levels and pumping on a daily basis, through both physical inspections and online reviews. He said all CEs must hold daily meetings and report progress to ensure no negligence in flood preparedness.