Water wastage: 1,134 notices, 156 challans issued in one month

Chandigarh, May 15

The Municipal Corporation has issued 1,134 notices and 156 challans for water wastage in the city in the past one month. Three water meters were also disconnected.

The annual inspection drive, which started on April 15, will go on till June 30 in view of shortage of water during the summer.

Teams of various departments of the MC have been formed for the purpose. The teams visit various localities in the early morning hours. If wastage is detected at some place, the owner of that house is served a notice. He or she is asked to fix the problem. In case it is not done, the owner is issued a challan with a penalty of Rs5,000. The water connection of repeat violators is disconnected.

The UT Administration had increased the fine for water wastage from Rs2,000 to Rs5,000 through a notification on the water tariff hike in September last year.

The civic body is also mulling over continuing its challan drive throughout the year after Mayor Ravi Kant Sharma proposed it.

Watering of lawns, washing of courtyards and vehicles with a hosepipe is prohibited. Misuse of water in any other form such as overflow from overhead/ underground water tanks, leakage in water meter chamber, leakage and overflow from desert coolers, installation and use of booster pump on water supply line and wastage due to non-installation of bib taps attract penalty. — TNS