2026

The Telangana High Court granted an interim stay on an order passed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that had halted all ongoing construction works on the ₹1,534 crore Uma Maheshwaram Lift Irrigation Project in Nagarkurnool district. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin issued the stay after the State Government, represented by the Irrigation Department, challenged the tribunal’s directive. The High Court observed that the NGT’s stop-work order was passed ex parte—meaning it was issued unilaterally without serving prior notice or giving the state government a fair opportunity to present its case, which directly violated the principles of natural justice. The legal battle originally began after a local farmer and a resident from Mahabubnagar filed a petition before the NGT, alleging that the major lift scheme was being aggressively executed without securing mandatory environmental, forest, and wildlife clearances. A primary environmental concern flagged by the petitioners was the project site’s close proximity—merely 300 meters away—to the ecologically sensitive Amrabad Tiger Reserve in the Nallamala forest region. Citing these potential environmental risks and the preliminary status of the statutory permits, the tribunal had strictly restrained the authorities from proceeding with any further physical work. Arguing for the state, Advocate General A. Sudarshan Reddy successfully contended that the tribunal’s sudden, unilateral halt was legally unsustainable due to the procedural lapse. The Uma Maheshwaram Lift Irrigation Project is a crucial regional initiative designed to establish the Sri Uma Maheshwara reservoir, which aims to provide essential irrigation to over 57,200 acres of arid, upland areas in its first stage. While the High Court’s interim suspension provides the state government with temporary relief to resume project operations, the division bench has issued formal notices to the Union Government, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), and private respondents to file their counter-affidavits before the next hearing.

A major socio-political controversy continues to unfold in Nagarkurnool district following the tragic death of a two-month-old infant, sparking sharp political divides, grassroots protests, and institutional interventions over allegations of caste-based violence and discrimination. The incident originated at Kummera village during the Sri Mallanna Swamy Jatara festival. According to complaints filed by the family and regional Backward Classes (BC) organizations, members of the Rajaka (washermen) community were allegedly subjected to caste slurs and denied entry into the temple premises by organizers, including the village sarpanch and other local figures. The confrontation escalated into physical violence; the family alleged that during the scuffle, the infant was thrown to the ground and sustained fatal injuries, tragically succumbing a few days later. In response to the initial localized friction, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Telangana State Human Rights Commission (TGHRC) stepped in, ordering a comprehensive investigation from the Director General of Police (DGP) regarding the allegations of murder, assault, and police inaction. The tragedy has quickly become a polarized political battleground. Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President K.T. Rama Rao visited the grieving family to demand swift justice, criminal cases under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, and significant state compensation, accusing the ruling Congress government of failing to protect marginalized communities. Conversely, senior Congress leaders, including Nagarkurnool MP Dr. Mallu Ravi, have heavily rejected the narrative connecting the infant’s death to the temple altercation. Citing preliminary medical and post-mortem findings, the Congress camp maintains the infant passed away due to congenital lung complications without any external or internal physical injuries, accusing opposition parties of intentionally exploiting the family’s grief for political leverage.

A solo charcoal art exhibition titled “Charcoal Stories” by 12-year-old child prodigy Ricky Tej officially opened at the Lamakaan cultural space in Hyderabad. The two-day exhibition was inaugurated by acclaimed Indian film director and artist B. Narsing Rao, drawing art enthusiasts, journalists, and cultural figures from across the city to celebrate the remarkable young talent from the Kalwakurthy mandal of Nagarkurnool district. The exhibition showcases over 100 intricate charcoal artworks created by Ricky Tej, a Class 7 student and the son of government school teachers Katta Koteswara Rao and Samatala. What makes Ricky’s artistic process extraordinarily unique is his ability to sketch highly realistic portraits completely without the aid of standard grid lines, a tool typically used by artists to maintain facial proportions. His collection spans a diverse range of subjects, blending deeply expressive, realistic portraits of everyday rural life—such as an old, wrinkled farmer detailed with sweat drops—alongside sweeping mythological themes featuring figures from Sri Krishna Arjuna, Jhansi Lakshmi Bai, and the Kurukshetra war.

A major initiative to enhance educational infrastructure is underway in the Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha constituency, with the government sanctioning the establishment of 50 state-of-the-art digital libraries. Set up across Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, and Jogulamba Gadwal districts at an estimated cost of ₹1.2 crore, the project is funded through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions. The sweeping educational initiative has been heavily driven by local Congress MP Dr. Mallu Ravi, working in close coordination with regional administrative bodies to bridge the rural-urban digital divide. Out of the total 50 sanctioned units, Nagarkurnool district alone will host 29 of these advanced learning facilities. According to District Collector Badawat Santosh, the libraries are being distributed evenly across regional assembly segments, with Kalwakurthy receiving eight units, while Kollapur, Achampet, and Nagarkurnool proper are allocated seven units each. Each individual facility is budgeted at approximately ₹2 lakh, a fund dedicated to outfitting the designated spaces with computers, modern digital catalog software, and high-speed internet. To guarantee swift execution and avoid standard bureaucratic delays, the district administration has fast-tracked structural clearances and land acquisition. District Panchayat Officer Sriramulu has been explicitly tasked with supervising the day-to-day installation works to ensure completion within a strict, stipulated timeline. Once fully operational, these digital hubs will serve as crucial, free knowledge repositories, providing rural students and competitive exam aspirants with open access to extensive study databases and modern learning resources.