Situation could aggravate if rainfall remains deficient, says Irrigation Minister

Farmers in Telangana were cautioned, once again, to be judicious in planning crops as rainfall deficit continues. Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy cautioned on Thursday that the situation could aggravate if rainfall remains deficient during September and October.Referring to the outlook for the remaining monsoon period, the Minister said that indications of deficient rainfall during the next two months had to be factored into agricultural and water-management decisions. The continuing rainfall deficit affected inflows into major reservoirs, including Nagarjuna Sagar, making prudent management of the available water essential.The Irrigation Minister said the government would maintain a judicious balance between irrigation and drinking-water requirements. The prese