Watering lawns during morning supply hours from 5 to 9 a.m. has been banned from April 15, and the Corporation's junior engineers and sub-divisional officers are authorised to challan citizens violating the order. Officials state that the step has been taken in order to supply water to upper floors of the houses and flats, mainly in densely populated sectors.

Going by data available with the Corporation's Public Health Department, 10 violators were detected in Sector 15, nine in Sector 8, six in Sector 4, three in Sector 5, five each from Sectors 11 and 21 apart from 25 in southern sectors, details of which were not available as of filing this report. MC Superintending Engineer Manmohanjit Singh, who supervised the operation, told Newsline that the operation will remain in force until May 15, and anyone found watering lawns will firmly dealt with. "Consumers will invite penal action of disruption of water supply, both domestic and commercial, if the offence is repeated."

The department categorically denies that anyone has been permitted to operate online boosters or small pumps. According to a Public Health engineer, citizens are permitted to collect water in small tanks and pump it to upper floors, after morning supply hours.

According to official sources, the SE himself visited the CHB and Sector 15, 16, 23 and 24 roundabouts; he confiscated hoses and served notices to caretakers, including the Chandigarh Housing Board and Daewoo Motors.