Get ready to shell out money for wasting water, for directions have flowed out from the Punjab Government on misuse of water. Acting tough against those ill-using water owing to the scarce availability of drinking water this summer, the local department of State Government has issued instructions to all the urban local bodies to take effective measures to check its misuse.

The department has decided to impose fine on the violators, or even cut off the water connection in case of repeated violator. To check the misuse, fines have been proposed to be levied for the first time offender at Rs 1,000, second time Rs 2,000 and if repeated third time, water connection will be disconnected along with a fine of Rs 5,000.

“The ban will be applicable on direct cleaning of cars, verandas with house pipes and for watering of lawns during day time, which should be done after 5 in the evening only,” said the local Government Minister Anil Joshi. The Minister appealed to the people to cooperate in this novel initiative for the benefit of entire humanity and take it as a movement and ensure its success. Joshi has directed officers of the department to submit a fortnightly report in this regard for an effective check.

At the same time, in view of the increasing temperatures across the State, the Minister has also directed the Urban local Bodies to make adequate arrangements for fire-fighting and make sure that there is no shortage of required equipment with the Urban local Bodies.