Hyderabad: Irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy has directed the district collectors and officials of power, irrigation and agriculture to monitor the irrigation and ground water situation prevailing in the districts, and instructed them to save the standing Rabi crops for the next fifteen days on a daily basis.

He, along with agriculture minister Tummala Nageshwara Rao and chief secretary A Santhi Kumari held a video conference with all the district collectors and took stock of the situation on Monday, March 10.

The minister stated that there was enough water in the reservoirs and the power situation in the state was also fine.

He said that the total area under cultivation in Rabi 2024-25 was in 73.16 lakh acres, of which paddy was being cultivated in 56 lakh acres. He said that the area under paddy has increased by more than 4 lakh acres as compared to last Rabi season.

He said out of total paddy area, 33 percent which is around 18 lakh acres was under canal irrigation, while the remaining was under ground water irrigation (borewells and open wells).

He also noted that nine districts have reported no issues with water supply or ground water availability.

“The state government is taking every possible measure to ensure that water is available to all the extent of area sown,” he stated, also mentioning that 1.5 tmcft of water has been released to Ranganayaka Sagar recently.

The minister directed the collectors to form mandal-wise teams consisting of officials from power, agriculture and revenue to continuously monitor the situation.

“A water supply plan should be in place by proper assessment of water requirement based on the stages of crop and actual need. The situation should be reviewed on a daily-basis. Promoting alternative wetting and drying of paddy crop, night patrolling wherever necessary with the help of police, are certain measures that need to be taken,” he said.

Alleging that certain vested interests have been spreading false propaganda, he felt the need for officials to counter it effectively through proper crisis management locally, and by working in close coordination with the line departments.

“The chief engineers, in consultation with the collectors should take steps to see that all standing crops are protected at any cost. Positive information about the measures taken by the government should also be shared with the public to counter the negative propaganda,” he added.

Nageswara Rao directed the agriculture officials to be in the fields, and wherever needed, asked them to take measures to save the standing crops by effective management locally.