Hyderabad, Oct. 30: Telangana Government Advisor Mohammed Ali Shabbir has accused BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao of misleading farmers over the drought situation, rejecting his claim that the Congress government had declared a “crop holiday”.
Shabbir Ali said the government had not announced any crop holiday but had advised farmers against cultivating water-intensive Rabi crops, particularly paddy, in areas without assured irrigation.
“Farmers risk losing their investment in seeds, fertilisers and labour if water runs out midway. How does warning them become a crop holiday?” he asked, responding to KTR’s press conference on Thursday.
He recalled restrictions imposed along the Nagarjunasagar left canal in 2023 and advisories issued during the BRS regime to reduce paddy cultivation in years of low reservoir storage. He questioned why similar precautions were now being described as anti-farmer.
Shabbir Ali Questions BRS Record on Kaleshwaram Project
Shabbir Ali challenged KTR’s claim that the drought was man-made and that available water was being allowed to go waste. He questioned the condition of irrigation infrastructure left behind by the previous government.
He said the Kaleshwaram project, which the BRS had promoted as a major drought-proofing initiative, was facing restrictions at the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages following safety concerns raised by the National Dam Safety Authority.
According to Shabbir Ali, several pumps could not be operated as originally planned, while parts of the irrigation system remained incomplete or under safety review.
He said major and medium reservoirs held around 180 TMC against their combined capacity of 585 TMC, arguing that the water shortage could not be attributed to rainfall alone.
“You had years in power to finish the canals, fix structural issues and make the system fully usable. Instead, we inherited restricted barrages and incomplete works,” he said.
The Congress leader also questioned the delay in completing the Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu, Bhima, SLBC, Sita Rama, Pranahita-Chevella and Devadula irrigation projects despite substantial expenditure.
He said rehabilitation designs were being finalised under technical supervision, with works targeted to begin by the end of December and be completed before the next monsoon.
Compares Drought Response in 2015 and 2026
Shabbir Ali recalled that the BRS government had declared 231 mandals drought-affected in November 2015, after the monsoon season had ended.
He said the then government sought assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), with approximately Rs. 791 crore sanctioned. Measures included water tankers, private borewells, additional employment under MGNREGA and support for livestock.
In comparison, he said the Congress government notified 365 drought-affected mandals across 31 districts on October 27 following a 17% southwest monsoon rainfall deficit. The affected areas included 111 severely affected and 254 moderately affected mandals.
He questioned why measures similar to those adopted by the BRS government in 2015 were now being dismissed as an “eyewash”.
Government Announces Drought Preparedness Measures
Shabbir Ali said the Telangana Assembly had unanimously sought a Central assessment, NDRF assistance, additional employment days, extra power supply and a special package of Rs. 20,000 crore in September.
He said the Congress government had constituted an El Niño Cabinet sub-committee, allocated Rs. 1 crore in emergency funds to each District Collector and convened an all-party meeting on October 28.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had prioritised drinking water and warned that the stress could continue for eight to ten months, he said.
The government had also outlined an employment programme from after Sankranti until May. Shabbir Ali added that the state was prepared to seek Central assistance through an all-party delegation if required.
Responds to Farmers’ Compensation and Power Supply Demands
Responding to KTR’s demand for compensation of Rs. 60,000 per acre, Shabbir Ali said investment support continued and drought-related input subsidies would be transferred to eligible farmers through the established NDRF and direct benefit transfer process once funds arrived.
He said District Collectors had also been instructed to address drinking water shortages, fodder requirements and employment concerns.
Rejecting allegations of a “power holiday”, Shabbir Ali said agricultural power supply continued even when electricity demand approached 20,000 MW.
He noted that many of Telangana’s approximately 30 lakh agricultural pump sets were affected by declining groundwater levels and said dry borewells could not automatically be attributed to power cuts.
Shabbir Ali Addresses Hyderabad Water Supply Concerns
On concerns over reduced water-supply frequency and increased tanker bookings in Hyderabad, Shabbir Ali referred to the prioritisation of drinking water, reuse of treated wastewater and directions to operate sewage treatment plants at full capacity.
He also recalled that the BRS government had relied on water tankers and temporary borewells during the 2015-16 drought and in subsequent years.
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