Uttam prods officials to monitor rising levels in TG reservoirs
Hyderabad: State Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday instructed irrigation officials to maintain strict vigilance over rising inflows into reservoirs, take preventive measures for flood damage, and ensure appropriate supply of water to farmers during the current crop season.
Chairing a video conference with all Engineers-in-Chief, Chief Engineers, Superintending Engineers, and Executive Engineers from their respective field locations, the Minister emphasised that balancing flood management and irrigation needs was the foremost priority of the Telangana government.
Reviewing the status of major reservoirs, the Minister pointed out that water inflows into the Krishna basin had reached significant levels. In the Godavari basin, heavy inflows were reported across key projects. Sri Ram Sagar Project was holding 73.37 TMC against its 90.30 TMC capacity, while Singur project stood at 19.48 TMC, significantly higher than last year’s 14.91 TMC.
The Minister said that flood-related damages must be attended to on war footing. The flood damage report showed 177 cases of breaches and damages across tanks, canals, and lifts. Restoration costs were estimated at over ₹335 crore, with nearly 3,500 temporary restorations already undertaken. Districts such as Adilabad, Mulugu, Mahabubnagar, and Suryapet reported higher levels of damage. Uttam Kumar Reddy directed that permanent restoration works be prioritised and warned that negligence in flood management would not be tolerated.
Uttam Kumar Reddy asked engineers to operate the infrastructure at maximum efficiency to secure Godavari waters for current and future cropping cycles. The Minister asked for optimum use of water in Kadam, Yellampalli, and SRSP projects. He also instructed them to fill up all minor irrigation tanks to ensure year-round water adequacy.
The Minister informed that he would visit the Sripada Yellampally Project in Peddapally district, Sriram Sagar Project in Nizamabad, and Mid Manair Project in Rajanna Sircilla district on Wednesday to assess the situation.
