At a District Review Committee (DRC) gathering in Ongole’s Prakasam Bhavan on Wednesday, Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, who heads the Endowments portfolio and oversees the Prakasam‑Markapuram districts, warned officials that the looming El Niño could trigger serious drinking‑water and irrigation shortages if not pre‑emptively managed.

El Niño‑induced water stress

Current El Niño conditions are forecasted to depress monsoon rainfall, thereby lowering tank levels and groundwater tables across the region. Reddy cautioned that using tanks for fish‑farming during this period is “inappropriate,” as it accelerates water loss and jeopardises village wells. He also highlighted that newly‑laid drinking‑water pipelines often leave roads in disrepair, disrupting rural mobility and increasing maintenance costs.

Markapuram’s horticulture ambition

The state government is positioning Markapuram as a horticulture hub, supplying farmers with advanced sprinkler equipment and other agronomic tools. “The public must reap the benefits of the Veligonda project,” Reddy asserted, underscoring the linkage between large‑scale water‑storage schemes and local agricultural prosperity. Future DRC sessions will be convened separately for each district to tailor solutions to their unique challenges.

Infrastructure accountability

Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar stressed that contractors responsible for laying pipelines must be held liable for restoring the roads they excavate. He warned that unchecked waste of water not only reduces groundwater levels but also undermines the long‑term sustainability of the region’s water‑supply network.

Cross‑departmental coordination

Social‑Welfare Minister Dr. Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy called for a proactive stance from the Forest Department. She suggested that forest‑land could be transferred to the Revenue Department for industrial development, provided ecological safeguards are observed. Near Bapuji Colony, residents are forced to walk three kilometres merely to cross a national highway—a situation Swamy demanded be rectified without delay.

Path forward

Addressing El Niño‑related water challenges demands a coordinated strategy that blends resource conservation, infrastructure upgrades, and modern agricultural practices. If the directives issued today translate into concrete actions on the ground, Andhra Pradesh could set a benchmark for climate‑resilient water management that other Indian states might emulate.