In a week, 274 notices issued for water misuse

The drive against misuse of water, which began on April 15, is being carried out throughout the city. The maximum number of seven challans each have been issued in Sector 11 and Manimajra. Four persons have been challaned in Sector 40, and three in Sector 34. Apart from Sector 11, only two challans have been issued in the northern sectors, called “VIP sectors”. These have been issued in Sectors 2 and 10. As many as 17 people have been challaned for washing vehicles, while seven have been challaned for watering lawns. Challans have also been issued for water overflow, leakage, and washing of courtyards. In Pipliwala town in Manimajra, a resident was challaned for washing cattle using a hosepipe on April 19.

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A penalty of Rs 2,000 is added to the water bills of those who are challaned. “Officials issue an on-the-spot challan to people using hosepipes to wash vehicles and courtyards or to water lawns. For other violations, a notice is issued and the violator is given two days to rectify the violation,” said executive engineer B K Dhawan, who is the officer appointed to enforce the ban. He said that 16 teams had been deployed to conduct area-wise inspections.

Of the 274 notices, 30 notices have been issued in Manimajra and 21 in Sector 56. Other sectors where a large number of notices have been issued are Sectors 22, 35, 38 (West), 44, 49 and 52.

The restrictions, which are imposed every summer, will remain in force until June 30. Last year, as many as 96 challans were issued in the first 10 days of the drive. There were compaints of low water supply on Tuesday and Wednesday, particularly on the upper storeys.

Officials said that this was due to leakage in a Kajauli water pipeline, maintained by GMADA, which had since been repaired.