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Maharashtra Govt Unveils Policy To Promote Reuse Of Treated Wastewater Across Cities

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Mumbai: If things go as planned, housing societies and industrial estates might soon be required to reduce the use of freshwater and instead use treated wastewater for gardening, toilet flushing, vehicle washing, and firefighting. This could soon become the norm, thanks to a comprehensive policy — Safe Reuse and Management of Treated Wastewater, 2025 — announced by the state government.

The policy directs all Municipal Corporations and Class A Municipal Councils to adopt measures to reduce the use of freshwater for various purposes. Aiming to ease the strain on water resources as part of long-term planning, the state government said that using treated wastewater will help secure freshwater for broader environmental interests and offer social and financial benefits for all.

The policy outlines setting up wastewater treatment plants through a public-private partnership (PPP) or Hybrid Annuity Model if bulk buyers come forward. If both models prove unviable, such projects can be developed with investments from the concerned civic bodies and the state government. According to the policy, treated wastewater — once declared fit for purpose — will be made available to thermal power plants, industries, and industrial estates on priority.

It may also be supplied for agricultural and irrigation purposes or released into rivers and rivulets. Wastewater suitable for safe reuse is available in abundance; for instance, Mumbai alone generates as much as 2,632 million litres per day of sewage. The State Water Policy, 2019 mandates that at least 30% of recycled water must be reused within the next five years to reduce freshwater demand. The policy recommends using wastewater treated by secondary treatment for nonpotable purposes, while water treated through tertiary processes can be made fit for drinking.

The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation has been directed to initiate discussions with industrial units within its areas to set up wastewater treatment plants and source treated wastewater from nearby civic bodies. Additionally, data centres will be approached to use treated wastewater for their operations. Similarly, it will be recommended for construction work, road cleaning, garden watering, public toilets, and firefighting in cities. The cost of treated wastewater will be decided in consultation with the Water Resources Regulatory Authority. The Water Resources Department has been instructed to coordinate with the Urban Development Department before supplying water from its projects to civic bodies.

Crime

Woman tourist harassment case: Two Kerala cops suspended, two taxi drivers arrested (Lead)

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Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 3: In a swift action following the viral video of a woman tourist being harassed by local taxi drivers in Munnar, the Kerala Police, on Monday, have suspended two officials and taken two taxi drivers — identified as Vinayakan and Vijayakumar — into custody.

The case has sparked widespread outrage on social media, prompting the state government to promise corrective steps to ensure tourist safety in the hill station.

The video, originally posted by Janvi, a Mumbai-based assistant professor, showed a group of taxi drivers confronting and intimidating her and her friends for booking an online cab instead of a local taxi near the KSRTC bus stand in Munnar on October 30.

The drivers, reportedly opposed to app-based taxi services, allegedly warned the tourists that they would not be allowed to travel unless they hired local taxis.

Janvi alleged that when she approached the police for help, officers failed to act, echoing the stance of the taxi union.

“We were forced to take another vehicle and eventually cut short our trip out of fear,” she said in the video, which has since been deleted but had already gone viral.

Following the public outcry, the Munnar police registered a suo motu case under Sections 126(2), 351(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to wrongful restraint and criminal intimidation.

The FIR did not initially name any accused, but police have since identified three taxi drivers, two of whom are in custody, with the third expected to be taken into custody soon.

State Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas called the incident “unfortunate” and said it “should never have happened,” adding that steps will be taken to strengthen police vigilance and prevent the harassment of tourists in the future.

The incident has reignited debate over the monopoly of local taxi unions in tourist destinations and the challenges faced by app-based cab services in Kerala.

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Entertainment

Kartik Aaryan-starrer ‘Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri’ hops on December 25 release after ‘Alpha’ moves to April

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Mumbai, Nov 3: Bollywood is a place where timing is of essence. Be it the box-office clashes or their aversion, timing plays a huge role in how things play out on the ticket windows.

The Kartik Aaryan-starrer ‘Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri’, which was earlier scheduled to close the entertainment year on December 31, 2025, now has a new release date. The film is set to arrive in cinemas on December 25, 2025.

Over the past few years, Kartik Aaryan has emerged as one of the most bankable stars in the country, consistently delivering hits across genres. Whether it’s a mass entertainer, a romantic drama, the actor’s name alone now commands strong box office openings. His relatability, charm, and growing stardom have positioned him as the face of the new-age commercial cinema, someone who bridges the gap between youth appeal and family audiences.

However, the true star power also lies in being smart with the release of the films. The change in the release date of the film comes shortly after Alia Bhatt-starrer ‘Alpha’ vacated December 25, and shifted to April 17, 2026. Kartik, and the makers made a quick decision to consolidate the closing week of 2025 at the box-office.

With Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri, Kartik seems to have found his festive rhythm from lighting up Diwali with laughter and emotion in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 to now taking over Christmas with love and melody. Well, the excitement is sky rocketing amongst the audience and business.

The film also marks the reunion of Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday, who are all set to recreate their sizzling on-screen chemistry after years. They were earlier seen together in ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh’.

Produced by Dharma Productions and Namah Pictures, the rom-com is directed by Sameer Vidwans, with whom Kartik delivered the much-loved romantic drama ‘Satyaprem Ki Katha’.

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Business

Indian stock markets end higher after two days of losses

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Mumbai, Nov 3: Indian equity markets ended a volatile session on a positive note on Monday, snapping a two-day losing streak.

Gains in real estate and state-owned bank stocks helped lift the indices despite early weakness.

After opening lower, the Sensex recovered to touch an intra-day high of 84,127 before closing 39.78 points, or 0.05 per cent, higher at 83,978.49.

The Nifty also gained 41.25 points, or 0.16 per cent, to end at 25,763.35.

“The Nifty oscillated between 25,700 and 25,800 through the day, showing resilience after briefly dipping below the October 24 low of 25,718,” analysts said.

“The zone between 25,660–25,700 once again acted as a strong demand pocket, helping the index recover intraday losses and maintain a constructive tone ahead of key global data releases,” they added.

Among the Sensex stocks, Maruti Suzuki fell over 3 per cent and was among the top losers along with Titan Company, BEL, TCS, ITC, NTPC, Bajaj Finserv, Tata Steel and tech Mahindra.

On the other hand, Mahindra & Mahindra, State Bank of India, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, and HCL Tech were the major gainers.

In the broader markets, the Nifty MidCap index rose 0.77 per cent, while the Nifty SmallCap index advanced 0.72 per cent, showing strength beyond the frontline stocks.

Among sectoral indices, PSU bank shares led the rally, with the Nifty PSU Bank index climbing 1.92 per cent.

Bank of Baroda surged 5 per cent, while Canara Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Bank of India, and Indian Bank also gained.

The Nifty Metal and Realty indices also added up to 2 per cent each.

Meanwhile, the FMCG, Private Bank, and IT indices slipped up to 0.4 per cent, capping the market’s overall gains.

Analysts said that despite mixed global cues and cautious investor sentiment, buying in select sectors helped the markets end the day in the green.

“The domestic market ended on a marginal positive note as profit booking was visible at the higher levels due to the absence of fresh domestic triggers,” market watchers said.

“While the broader market outperformed since the quarterly earnings are steering investors’ preference to take a short- to medium-term view,” they mentioned.

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