Four-water strategy proposed to make Telangana drought-proof

NDMA vice chairperson said the model required a minimum average annual rainfall of about 500 mm, while several drought-affected states received between 650 mm and 1,200 mm per year.

Hyderabad: Former Vice Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Marri Shashidhar Reddy, has called for a four-water strategy to make Telangana drought-proof.

Addressing the media on Monday, October 12, Reddy said that watershed development could ensure water availability for three crops a year even during drought conditions. He explained that El Niño was a recurring phenomenon whose impact could worsen if coupled with climate change.

“The Four Waters Concept, developed by irrigation expert T Hanumantha Rao, had delivered results in rain-fed areas but remained largely under-utilised despite several govt programmes aimed at water conservation,” Reddy said.

According to Reddy, the concept follows a ridge-to-valley approach, combining 10 earthworks and four vegetative measures across watersheds.

He added that the model was initially implemented in villages in Telangana and Rayalaseema in 2001 at a cost of about Rs 5,000 per acre. The approach was also implemented in Rajasthan between 2014 and 2018, he said.

Reddy said the model required a minimum average annual rainfall of about 500 mm, while several drought-affected states received between 650 mm and 1,200 mm per year. He estimated the current cost at around Rs 15,000 per acre.

According to him, the benefits include improved groundwater levels, reduced soil erosion, sustained stream flows and lower dependence on drought relief.