HYDERABAD: With Telangana declaring drought in 365 mandals across 31 districts for the 2026 Kharif season, environmentalists have urged the state government to cap groundwater extraction by Hyderabad hotels, introduce graded cuts in their water consumption and defer summits and large events that could increase demand during the drought.
They have called for extending water conservation measures to urban commercial establishments, prioritising domestic supply until reservoir storage and groundwater levels recover.
Telangana received 615.5 mm of monsoon rainfall against the normal 740.6 mm, a deficit of 17%, according to a representation submitted by environmentalists.
According to estimates cited by sources, Hyderabad’s hotel sector consumes 25 million to 45 million litres of water daily, based on 30,000 to 45,000 rooms and occupancy rates of 60% to 80%. At the higher end, this demand is equivalent to the domestic water needs of three to four lakh people.
“The government must identify stressed aquifer zones around Hyderabad and impose groundwater extraction ceilings on hotels,” Joint Action for Water (JAW) convener Dr Narasimha Reddy Donthi told TNIE.