Chandigarh: Now, wasting water in morning to cost you ₹5,788
Going a step further, the Chandigarh MC has decided to extend the drive into a year-long initiative. Traditionally held from April to June, the drive will now continue through the year, with municipal teams all geared up to issue challans to violators
Citizens found wasting water in the morning anywhere in Chandigarh and Panchkula will now be slapped with a ₹5,788 fine.
While the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has already kick-started its annual drive for water conservation during summer, when the demand for water soars, Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) will also start issuing challans from April 15.
Violators in both cities will invite a fine of ₹5,788 fine in case of first violation. The same fine will be imposed in case of second violation, while the third instance will lead to disconnection of water connection.
Year-long patrols in Chandigarh
Going a step further, the Chandigarh MC has decided to extend the drive into a year-long initiative. Traditionally held from April to June, the drive will now continue through the year, with municipal teams all geared up to issue challans to violators.
The move was announced via a public notice by municipal commissioner Amit Kumar on Monday, stating, “Residents should save water not only in summer, but throughout the year. The enforcement drive will now be conducted daily instead of seasonally.”
5% increase in fine
Inspection teams will be on the move to spot violations between 5.30 am and 9 am. These include washing vehicles or courtyards with potable water, watering lawns during supply hours, using booster pumps on the main water supply line, and wastage due to leakages in coolers, water meters or from overflowing tanks. If overhead or underground tanks are found overflowing, or if there are pipe leaks, residents will first be served a 48-hour notice to fix the issue.
Failure to comply will lead to a fine of ₹5,788, a 5% increase from last year’s ₹5,512. If the fine remains unpaid, it will be added to the resident’s water bill.
Last year, the Chandigarh MC had launched a similar citywide drive that resulted in the issuance of 2,267 notices and 365 challans, recording a total of 2,632 violations. In nine cases, MC had even disconnected the water connections to underscore the importance of responsible usage.
Resident bodies call for holistic approach
However, residents’ welfare associations have underlined the need for a more holistic approach. Baljinder Singh Bittu, chairperson of the Federation of Sector Welfare Associations of Chandigarh (FOSWAC), said while fines may act as a deterrent, the administration must also address systemic issues like leakages and the unfulfilled promise of 24x7 water supply. “Residents are often blamed, but infrastructure shortcomings must also be acknowledged. Alongside enforcement, the administration should focus on public awareness and genuine community involvement,” he said.
Hitesh Puri, chairperson of the Chandigarh Residents Association Welfare Federation (CRAWFED), supported the year-round enforcement, calling it a much-needed shift. “Water wastage is a serious concern, especially when flats face low pressure while large bungalows overuse water,” he said. “The challan system is effective to some extent, but the administration should also introduce incentives or recognition for households that consistently conserve water.”
No warnings in Panchkula this time
Even in Panchkula, HSVP has increased the penalty from last year’s ₹5,000 to ₹5,788, with executive engineer (Civil) NK Payal announcing that no warnings will be issued this year.
“First and second-time offenders will receive challans, and repeat offenders will have their water connections disconnected,” he added. The provision of an e-mail address or helpline number was under consideration to enable residents to report water wastage, an officer stated.
Last year, HSVP had issued around 100 challans for water wastage. This year, a team of a dozen junior engineers (JEs) will conduct unannounced inspections across residential and commercial areas, and fine the violators.
Mohali MC to wait till June
Even as summer months are already underway, the Mohali Municipal Corporation has decided to start its water conservation drive in June.
The drive will follow a three-stage penalty system. The first violation carries a challan of ₹1,000, the second ₹2,000 and the third ₹5,000. On the fourth violation, the resident’s water connection may be disconnected. However, no connections have been snapped so far. Last year, 76 challans of ₹1,000 each were issued. Complaints of water wastage can be registered through the MC’s toll-free helpline 18001370007.
