Mumbai, July 3: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday accused the BJP of robbing donations from the Ayodhya Ram Temple and announced a statewide agitation beginning with a ‘Ram Raksha’ protest in Mumbai’s Dadar area on July 5.

Addressing a press conference at his residence, Matoshree here, Thackeray alleged that the BJP had “robbed” money donated by devotees at the Ram Temple and demanded accountability. He said the protest would be held near the Hanuman Temple at Dadar Kabutarkhana from 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Thackeray extended an open invitation to all citizens, urging them to transcend party lines. “I invite every Hindu who cannot tolerate this theft in the house of Lord Ram. This is for everyone who hasn’t abandoned Hindutva or the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray. We will gather to recite the Ram Raksha Stotra, Hanuman Stotra, and Hanuman Chalisa,” he said, adding that he would personally lead the protest alongside top party leaders and Shiv Sainiks.

The aggressive stance comes at a time of intense political turmoil within the Thackeray camp, following successive setbacks including the defection of six party MPs to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the recent exit of close aide Sachin Ahir.

Recalling the history of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, Thackeray stated that the BJP’s current political dominance was built on the sacrifices of ordinary Hindus. “The entire country’s Hindu population participated in the movement that built the BJP. We remember the atrocities faced by Karsevaks, the Godhra carnage, the Ahmedabad riots, and what Mumbai endured. Suffering through all of this, Hindus persevered. Capitalising on this, the BJP — which had only two MPs before the movement and followed ‘Gandhian Socialism’ — shifted toward Hindutva and picked up the Ram Mandir issue,” Thackeray said.

The former Maharashtra Chief Minister further alleged that money siphoned from temple donations could be linked to political operations aimed at engineering splits in opposition parties.

“Today, under the BJP regime, the Ram Temple is in the news for all the wrong reasons. Political parties are being engineered to split, lawmakers are being flown to Goa and elsewhere, and horse-trading is disguised under the name of ‘Operations.’ Is the BJP now running an ‘Operation Ram Mandir’? There is evidence that a robbery has taken place at the temple. Some even say this stolen money is being used to split other parties. This is extremely serious,” he said.

Invoking a famous 1990s slogan by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Thackeray issued a stern warning to the ruling party. “Just as Atal Bihari Vajpayee once said, ‘Ab Hindu maar nahi khaayega’ (Now, Hindus will not take beatings), I say, ‘Ab Hindu maaf nahi karega’ (Now, Hindus will not forgive). The Hindu community will show temple looters their rightful place,” Thackeray declared.

Thackeray emphasised that the Dadar agitation is just the beginning of a larger, statewide campaign. Following Sunday’s event, similar protests will be organized across every district, city, and village at local Ram and Hanuman temples, he said.

Noting that the annual Wari (Pandharpur pilgrimage) is underway, Thackeray added that even the Warkaris (pilgrims) harbor deep anger over the alleged temple fraud and will join forces to hold the BJP accountable.

Mumbai, July 3: In a major push to tackle plastic pollution and position Maharashtra as a green manufacturing hub, the MahaYuti government has approved the Maharashtra Bioplastics Policy 2026, aimed at promoting bioplastics manufacturing through a comprehensive package of incentives and dedicated funding.

The policy, which will remain in force from 2026 to 2031, seeks to transform Maharashtra into a national hub for bioplastics manufacturing, research, innovation and exports. The government expects the initiative to attract investments worth Rs 25,000 crore, create 1.31 lakh direct and indirect jobs, and generate an estimated Rs 30,039 crore in revenue.

The policy also targets the creation of 2 lakh tonnes per annum (TPA) of PLA and biopolymer production capacity, reducing the state’s dependence on imported PLA by 50 per cent

Additionally, Maharashtra aims to replace 30 per cent of single-use plastics in selected sectors with compostable alternatives, achieve $1 billion in exports, and integrate 1 lakh farmers into the bioplastics value chain.

The state Cabinet has approved a total outlay of Rs 10,892 crore, including Rs 782 crore during the first five years and Rs 10,110 crore over the subsequent 20 years. A provision of Rs 50 crore has been made for 2026-27 under the Package Scheme of Incentives.

Government sources said rising concerns over conventional plastic waste, microplastics, marine pollution and greenhouse gas emissions have necessitated policy intervention to promote bio-based and biodegradable alternatives. While the global bioplastics market is expanding rapidly, India currently accounts for just 0.46 per cent of global output. It remains heavily dependent on imports of key biopolymers such as Polylactic Acid (PLA).

Maharashtra enjoys several competitive advantages, including its leadership in sugarcane, sugar and ethanol production, which provides abundant feedstock such as corn, bagasse and molasses. Coupled with a strong chemicals industry, premier research institutions and logistics infrastructure anchored by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), the state is well positioned to develop a robust bioplastics ecosystem. The urgency of the shift is underscored by the generation of nearly 3.96 lakh tonnes of plastic waste in the state during 2022-23.

The policy covers the entire value chain, from raw material processing and production of PLA, PHA, PBS and other biopolymers to compounding, end-product manufacturing, testing facilities, composting and certification services. All eligible units will be required to obtain BIS/ISO 17088 certification or equivalent standards recognised by the Central Pollution Control Board.

Key focus areas include standards and certification, cluster-based industrial parks, common facility centres, research and centres of excellence, skill development, support for MSMEs and startups, increased participation of women and rural youth, and promotion of foreign investment and exports. The government also plans to establish two Centres of Excellence to foster innovation and technology development. Only Greenfield (new) investments and dedicated Brownfield expansions for bioplastics will be eligible.

To attract large-scale investments, Maharashtra will offer a tiered incentive framework, including special benefits for the first two anchor projects involving investments of Rs 3,000 crore or more. These projects will be eligible for capital subsidies of up to 30 per cent of fixed capital investment over 10 years, 100 per cent SGST reimbursement for 12 years, full electricity duty waivers and stamp duty exemptions, among other incentives.

Additional benefits include export incentives, reimbursement of employers’ provident fund contributions, and support for adoption of green technologies. Similar incentives will be available to the first 10 eligible large, mega and MSME units. Standalone R&D facilities will receive financial assistance of up to 50 per cent, subject to a ceiling of Rs 25 lakh.

The policy also provides an additional “green incentive” for units adopting zero liquid discharge systems, renewable energy and circular economy practices, reinforcing Maharashtra’s ambition to emerge as a leading sustainable manufacturing destination.

Mumbai, July 3: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday issued an orange alert for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts in Maharashtra, warning of moderate to intense spells of rainfall at isolated places over the next three hours. The weather office has advised residents to take necessary precautions as heavy rain continues to lash the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

According to the IMD’s nowcast warning, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over Mumbai city and its suburbs during the day. Occasional gusty winds reaching speeds of 50-60 kmph are also expected.

Mumbai witnessed intense rainfall during the 24 hours between 8 a.m. on July 2 and 6 a.m. on July 3. According to data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Mandvi Fire Station recorded the city’s highest rainfall at 150.2 mm. The continuous downpour has disrupted normal life across the financial capital, leading to widespread waterlogging and traffic congestion.

In the island city, Malabar Hill received 145.8 mm of rainfall, followed by the B Ward Office with 140.8 mm, Menonwada Fire Station with 140.2 mm, and the Municipal Head Office with 139.2 mm.

Among the western suburbs, Malpa Dongari Municipal School in Andheri recorded the highest rainfall at 136.6 mm. It was followed by the K East Ward Office with 134.6 mm, Versova Wastewater Treatment Facility and Lagoons with 129.4 mm, Versova Pumping Station with 128.8 mm, and Andheri Fire Station with 128.6 mm.

In the eastern suburbs, Paspoli Powai Municipal School recorded the highest rainfall at 124 mm, followed by Mankhurd Fire Station with 117.8 mm, the S Ward Office with 116.2 mm, and Gawanpada Fire Station with 115.6 mm.

The heavy rainfall has left several parts of Mumbai inundated, with major traffic corridors affected by severe waterlogging. Areas including Dadar East and Sion Gandhi Market witnessed significant flooding, causing hardship for commuters and disrupting normal daily activities.

A tree collapsed in Mumbai’s Santacruz area on Thursday afternoon, leaving eight people injured amid the heavy rains. Earlier in the day, the BMC received 91 complaints related to tree and branch falls, nine complaints of short circuits, and four complaints of partial house or wall collapses. No casualties were reported in the short-circuit or house collapse incidents.

The BMC said that average rainfall recorded between 8 a.m. on July 2 and 8 a.m. on July 3 stood at 126 mm in the island city, 110 mm in the eastern suburbs, and 114 mm in the western suburbs.

The IMD has also warned of high tide at 2:18 p.m. on Friday, with a tidal height of 4.28 metres, and has urged citizens to remain cautious in low-lying and flood-prone areas.