Irrigation Minister directs officials to prepare contingency plans to counter El Nino impact

Hyderabad

Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has directed officials to be ready with comprehensive contingency plans to effectively tackle any challenges arising from the weather phenomenon with forecast indicating the possibility of El Niño influencing the current monsoon.

The State could not remain immune if El Niño affected the country. The situation called for seamless coordination among the Irrigation, Agriculture, and Meteorological Departments to minimise risks to agriculture and protect farmers’ livelihoods. Officials concerned should accordingly be ready with district specific action plans based on the rainfall, availability of water and crop conditions.

The government was continuously monitoring weather developments. It has put the departments and the official agencies concerned on alert. There was no reason for farmers to panic as contingency measures were being put in place to respond swiftly to any emerging situation, he said.

The Minister said every district should be equipped with a clear response strategy to address any adverse impact arising from deficient rainfall or prolonged dry spells. Irrigation, Agriculture and allied departments should immediately initiate district-specific preparedness measures and maintain constant coordination at the field level, the Minister said.

He said the India Meteorological Department’s forecasts, advisories and warnings should be closely monitored and promptly translated into actionable guidance for farmers. Scientific information should reach cultivators without delay through coordinated efforts of the departments concerned.

He reiterated his appeal to farmers not to entirely depend on traditional water intensive crops when water availability was uncertain. Instead, officials should promote suitable alternative crops based on expected rainfall and available irrigation resources. Officials were instructed to provide information on reservoir storage and water availability so that farmers could make informed cultivation decisions. Agricultural scientists should ensure that technical recommendations on crop selection and cultivation practices reach every farmer well in advance, Mr. Reddy said.