Acknowledging the demands from farmers in districts like Karimnagar, Khammam, Nalgonda, and Mahbubnagar for water release from reservoirs, the Chief Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring adequate drinking water supply, particularly during the upcoming summer months. Reddy stressed the importance of cooperation and understanding in navigating through these challenging times.
However, Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader KT Rama Rao criticized Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for allegedly failing to address the water issues in Telangana, despite the state receiving 14% excess rainfall in the 2023-24 period. Citing data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Rao in a post on social media platform X questioned the Chief Minister’s assertion of a drought-like situation in the state, given the reported surplus rainfall.
Bengaluru battles severe water crisis
Meanwhile, Karnataka, particularly its capital Bengaluru, is grappling with an acute water crisis attributed to inadequate rainfall in 2023, with the Indian Meteorological Department attributing the scanty rains to the El Nino effect. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar highlighted the severity of the situation, noting that even his residence’s borewell had dried up.
The frequency of water tankers traversing Bengaluru’s roads has increased significantly, indicating the severity of the water shortage. The government is considering fixing water tanker rates to address the crisis. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah revealed that out of 136 Taluks in Karnataka, 123 have been declared drought-hit, with 109 severely affected.
India to hotter summer
The India Meteorological Department has forecast a hotter summer and an increase in heatwave days across the country due to the continuation of El Nino conditions until May. The period from March to May is projected to witness above-normal maximum and minimum temperatures nationwide, a top IMD official said.