Get ready to pay up fine for wasting waster in Chandigarh and Mohali from Monday.
To curb water shortage this summer, civic bodies of both cities will start issuing challans to people found wasting water during the morning supply.
The ban will remain in place from April 15 to June 30. However, it will come into force in sectors under the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (Sectors 66 to 80) from May 1. The Panchkula municipal corporation (MC) is also expected to impose the ban in the coming week.
According to the notice issued by the Chandigarh MC, the watering of lawns, washing of courtyards and washing of vehicles, etc, is prohibited between 4am and 8am.
Violation will attract a fine of ₹2,000, which will be recovered through regular water bills. Materials such as booster pumps and hosepipe used by the defaulter will be confiscated.
If the consumer is found violating the norm for the second time, the water connection will be disconnected without notice. Officials say they have constituted ward-wise teams that will start the drive and issue on-the-spot challans to the violators. MC commissioner KK Yadav said the ban will be imposed strictly.
In Mohali, if a resident is found violating the order during the supply between 5:30am and 8:30am, a notice will be issued for the first offence. If it is repeated, a challan of ₹1,000 will be imposed. Third offence will lead to ₹2,000 fine while the water supply will be disconnected the fourth time.
{{/usCountry}}In Mohali, if a resident is found violating the order during the supply between 5:30am and 8:30am, a notice will be issued for the first offence. If it is repeated, a challan of ₹1,000 will be imposed. Third offence will lead to ₹2,000 fine while the water supply will be disconnected the fourth time.
{{/usCountry}}To get the connection restored, the defaulter will have to pay ₹5,000 along with an affidavit.
The MC has constituted 12 teams to conduct the drive, while GMADA has formed three teams. Last year, the MC had issued 70 challans while GMADA issued 31.
“We will not spare the violators as we do not want there to be scarcity of drinking water,” said Anil Kumar, executive engineer, public health, Mohali MC.
The Panchkula MC had imposed a fine of ₹5,000 last year. Officials said a notice will be issued in the coming days.
Mohali on an average has a requirement of 30 million gallon daily (MGD) water, but the supply is limited to 20MGD: 10 MGD from the Kajauli waterworks and an equal amount from 75 tubewells. During the peak summer, demand reaches 32MGD, a shortfall of 12MGD.
In Chandigarh, which has a peak demand of 115 MGD, there is a shortfall of around 35MGD. However, commissioning of Phases 5 and 6 of the Kajauli waterworks in the coming days will bring a major relief.