Lonavala waterfall tragedy: Pune administration issues guidelines for tourists
Pune (PTI): The Pune district administration has issued guidelines for tourists in view of the monsoon, following the death of a woman and four children after being swept away at a waterfall near Bhushi Dam in Lonavala.
Collector Suhas Divase on Monday instructed authorities to conduct a survey to identify potential hazards and ensure necessary measures for the safety of tourists visiting Maval, Mulshi, Khed, Junnar, Bhor, Velha and Ambegaon areas, which are located in the Western Ghats, an official said.
"Divase instructed district officials to visit picnic spots such as rivers, lakes, dams, waterfalls, forts and forests areas and ensure the safety measures. He directed to demarcate prohibited areas by installing warning boards. The places which are disaster-prone and where the safety measures cannot be taken must be shut for tourists," he said.
A large number of people come to Bhushi, Pavana dam areas, Lonavala, Sinhgad, Malshej and Tamhini Ghat during the monsoon.
"Agencies like revenue, forest, railways, municipal corporations and PWD should deploy divers, rescue boats, life guards, life jackets at water bodies which are frequented by tourists. Divase also asked the district administration to rope in NGOs, rescue foundations, trekkers and locals," the official said.
Visitors will not be allowed at such spots in forests after 6 pm, Divase said.
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Govt school teacher held for sexually harassing male students in Latur
Latur (PTI): A teacher of a government-run school in Maharashtra's Latur district has been arrested for allegedly sexually harassing male students, police said on Tuesday.
Based on a complaint, the police registered a case last week under relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Harassment (POCSO) Act and arrested the accused teacher, an official said.
He said the school's principal lodged the complaint following an internal inquiry.
The probe revealed that the teacher had allegedly sexually harassed 12-year-old boys between October 2024 and January 2025, the official said.
