New Delhi/IBNS: Amid the water crisis in the national capital, Delhi Education Minister Atishi has notified that fines will be imposed on people who wash cars with pipes or overflowing water tanks.

“Illegal water connections at construction sites and at commercial establishments will be disconnected," the minister in Arvind Kejriwal’s Cabinet said.

Atishi informed that the AAP government “issued directions to crackdown on wastage of water and illegal water connections".

“Use of domestic water supply for construction or commercial purposes" will also be fined, Atishi said, who is also the chairman of Delhi Jal Board.

She also added that 200 teams of Delhi Jal Board would “hit the ground" to combat the ongoing water crisis.

“There is an acute heat wave in Delhi and a shortage of water supply since Haryana is not releasing Delhi’s share of water. Under these circumstances conservation of water becomes extremely important," an official statement shared by the Delhi minister stated.

“However, it has been seen that there is serious wastage of water in many parts of Delhi. There are also illegal connections taken by construction sites and commercial establishments, from water supply meant for domestic use. There is a need to crack down on this misuse of water," the statement added.

The Delhi Jal Board teams will be deployed from 8 AM on May 30 and impose a fine of Rs. 2,000 on anyone found wasting water.

The teams shall also disconnect illegal water connections on construction sites or commercial establishments.

Delhi recorded the highest-ever temperature at 52.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

According to the India Meteorological Department, the automatic weather station at Mungeshpur has recorded 52.3 degrees Celcius around 2.30 pm.

IMD said heatwave to severe heatwave conditions very likely in most parts of Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, many parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, East Madhya Pradesh, few parts of West Madhya Pradesh isolated pockets of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and heatwave conditions very likely in isolated pockets of Jammu division, Himachal Pradesh, Vidarbha, and Chhattisgarh on May 29.

It said conditions continue to become favourable for Monsoon onset over Kerala during next 24 hours and advance of monsoon over some parts of Northeastern States during the same period.

Netizens react

Many social media users have reacted to Atishi’s notification. “Are we allowed to take bath from shower or use Jacuzzi for relaxation?" one user asked in apparent jest. “It seems that in the coming days, there is bound to be chaos over water in Delhi," posted another.

“Good initiatives.... drinking water should to save/ preserve and also peoples should avoid to misuse drinking water," reacted one user.