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PMC to impose fines up to ₹10k for wastage of drinking water
PMC will slap fines of up to ₹10,000 for wasting drinking water on washing vehicles, filling swimming pools, watering private gardens, and carrying out construction work
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PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will slap fines of up to ₹10,000 for wasting drinking water on washing vehicles, filling swimming pools, watering private gardens, and carrying out construction work. If there is a third violation after two rounds of penal action, it will invite criminal action; standing committee chairman Shrinath Bhimale said on Thursday. The move comes as the civic body tightens water conservation measures amid conditions of drought and concerns over available stock in dams supplying water to the city.
The order directing civic departments and ward offices to enforce the restrictions was issued by additional municipal commissioner Pavneet Kaur. The water supply, garden, building permission, construction development, and road department will be responsible for implementation.
Centres for washing public and private vehicles have to remain shut during water cuts and those found operating in violation of the order will be fined ₹10,000. However, those using water from their own borewells or wells will be allowed to operate on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. The use of drinking water to fill public and private swimming pools and to maintain private gardens will also attract fines of ₹10,000 each. Furthermore, builders and contractors will not be able to use PMC drinking water for building construction, road works or ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants. Instead, they have to use treated wastewater from sewage treatment plants (STPs) or water from borewells and wells. Those violating the order will be fined ₹10,000, not to mention the PMC will be able to halt the construction work. An unauthorised water connection will be fined ₹5,000 and the PMC will be able to disconnect it immediately. Repeat violations will invite legal action. Allowing water tanks to overflow will attract a fine of ₹1,000; while tankers found leaking water will be fined ₹10,000. The civic body has also directed officials to ensure that leaks in water supply pipelines are repaired promptly. Housing societies will be issued notices to restart non-functional STPs and use treated wastewater for gardening and flushing toilets. The PMC will encourage societies to install automatic float valves to prevent water tanks from overflowing. Bhimale said that each department will have to appoint a nodal officer to monitor compliance and submit an action-taken report to the water supply department by the 15th of every month. “Civic officers and employees found negligent in implementing the order will face disciplinary action,” he said. The measures are aimed at curbing wastage and ensuring judicious use of the available water stock, he added.
