Bhatti urges political unity to combat El Niño impact

Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka announced that the state government is taking all necessary precautionary measures and advance preparedness steps to tackle the rainfall deficit and drought conditions arising from the impact of El Nino.

He revealed that a detailed report on the drought situation has already been submitted to the Central Government. If necessary, the administration will lead an all-party delegation to Delhi to meet Union Ministers and secure essential financial and material assistance for the state. He emphasised that the government will move forward with a coordinated action plan, actively incorporating constructive suggestions from all political parties to address the severe challenges posed by El Nino.

An all-party meeting was held at the Secretariat on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka to discuss strategic measures to tackle the rainfall deficit.

Cabinet Sub-Committee members and state ministers N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Tummala Nageswara Rao, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Danasari Seethakka, and Vakiti Srihari attended the meeting alongside Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju and nodal officer Ramakrishna Rao. Bhatti Vikramarka appealed to all political organizations to cooperate with the government in the larger public interest, urging leaders to set aside partisan political criticism while confronting a potential natural crisis.

He stated that the meeting was convened in the true spirit of democracy, noting that all recommendations put forward by party representatives were recorded for inclusion in the official action plan.

The Deputy Chief Minister explained that the state government is formulating strategies to make efficient use of available resources, carefully taking into account existing water storage levels across major reservoirs.

Department-wise measures are being actively coordinated to anticipate drought progression and minimise its economic impact on rural communities. The administration will make advance arrangements to prevent drinking water shortages in both rural and urban areas while ensuring adequate availability of drinking water and fodder for livestock. Reiterating that a preliminary assessment report has already been forwarded to the Centre, Bhatti Vikramarka confirmed that the state government will submit further detailed proposals to secure additional central funding. He assured that continuous efforts will be maintained to obtain all necessary support required to manage the emerging agricultural and environmental situation across Telangana state.