Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said that no officer was allowed to leave station or apply for leave during the critical period.
In light of heavy rainfall, the Telangana government today directed all irrigation department officials to remain at their stations; maintain round-the-clock vigil at dams, reservoirs, canals and tanks; and take immediate action to prevent breaches caused by heavy to very heavy rains.
All top officials have also been ordered to remain physically present at their assigned project sites for the next 72 hours.
Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy issued these emergency directives.
He also instructed authorities to utilise all available funds for flood-related works.
The minister gave these instructions during a video conference with Engineers-in-Chief, Chief Engineers, Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers and Deputy Executive Engineers across the State.
Principal Secretary (Irrigation) Rahul Bojja, Special Secretary Prashanth Patil and other senior officials also participated.
The meeting assumed significance after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast a prolonged spell of heavy to very heavy rainfall across the State over the next three to four days.
Citing the latest IMD update, Reddy said that Bhadradri Kothagudem, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Khammam, Medak, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Mulugu, Sangareddy, Suryapet, Vikarabad and Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri districts were likely to receive very heavy rain in the next 24 hours, while many other parts of Telangana could witness heavy rainfall over the next 72 hours.
"No officer is allowed to leave the station or apply for leave during this critical period. From the smallest village-level structure to the largest dam site, every location must be watched closely. If you sense any danger or believe a situation is getting out of control, inform your District Collector, your Chief Engineer and the Irrigation Secretary immediately," he instructed.
The minister also directed that all major and medium projects, canals, embankments, lakes and especially tanks, be monitored without interruption, with special attention to those already full. Any breach detected in a canal or tank needed to be addressed immediately to prevent damage or loss, he added.
Irrigation officials were instructed to coordinate with the Revenue and Police Departments to patrol dam sites and vulnerable areas, with a special watch for overflow, seepage or structural distress.
To avoid delays in emergency response, he authorised officials to utilise available funds immediately as per GO 45.
"This is not the time for paperwork delays. Act fast and act decisively," he said.
"We cannot afford to be complacent. Every minute counts when dealing with heavy inflows and potential breaches," he added.
Reddy also said that he would be personally available on his mobile phone over the next two to three days to respond to any urgent developments.
During the conference, Reddy also reviewed the status of all major reservoirs including Nagarjuna Sagar, Jurala and Kadam, and of other projects. He sought detailed updates on water levels, inflow patterns in the Krishna and Godavari rivers and their tributaries, flood discharge capacity, and floodgate readiness.
Officials informed him that the situation was currently under control, with all safety protocols in place, and assured him that field monitoring would be intensified.
On the occasion, Engineer-in-Chief Amjad briefed officers on additional operational precautions, technical checks and contingency plans to be implemented during this period.