Telangana faces water scarcity as thousands of irrigation tanks run dry
Nearly 30 per cent of the state's minor irrigation tanks are empty following a 17 per cent rainfall deficit, according to Urban Acres.
Water scarcity in Telangana has expanded beyond Hyderabad into rural areas due to a 17 per cent rainfall deficit and depleted groundwater, according to a report by Urban Acres. Irrigation department data indicates that 6,123 of the state's 21,500 minor irrigation tanks have run completely dry.
Of the total water capacity of 253 tmcft in the state, only 93 tmcft is currently available. Officials stated that the remaining water may last until January or February.
The shortage affects gram panchayats that rely on these tanks for drinking water, livestock, and agriculture. While 550 tanks are between 75 per cent and 100 per cent full, 7,141 tanks have storage levels of 25 per cent or less.
District storage levels vary significantly. Nizamabad has 82 per cent of its irrigation tanks retaining water, while in Ranga Reddy and Rajanna Sircilla, only 22 per cent of tanks have storage exceeding 50 per cent.
Officials said available water will be prioritised for drinking purposes over agriculture. To mitigate the situation, Panchayat Raj officials said the government has begun works under VB-G Ram G, including the Telangana Jala Siri initiatives.
These measures involve creating household soak pits, farm ponds, percolation tanks for panchayats, and structures to recharge borewells.