New Delhi, Bhatinda, Pune, Lucknow: A day after Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit gave the BSES officials an ultimatum to fix the city's power crisis, she now gets tough on the water problems. In a meeting with water board officials she said that anyone found to leave taps running will be in for severe punishment.
Dikshit has also asked the Jal Board officials to brief the local area MLAs everyday about the water situation.
And as the country reels under scorching heat, Pune seems to be caught neck deep in the water crisis with the city's residents facing up to 40 per cent cut in water supply starting Tuesday.
The city is already coping with a 20 per cent cut in its water supply. And what's worse, the authorities are saying that there is just 18 days of water left in dams in Pune.
That's mainly because the city has seen the worst rainfall in 50 years.
The heat wave is also claiming victims now. The construction labourers working on HPCL Mittal refinery at Bathinda went on a rampage early Monday morning after one of the labourer died of heat stroke.
The workers burnt about 10 vehicles and about a dozen two wheelers. One fire tender was also damaged and the police had to resort to lathicharge and fire in air to control the mob.
However, the metrological department says the heat wave in North India is likely to abate in next two days and the Southwest monsoon is expected to advance over parts of Central and Northwest India.
Lucknow, in fact got some immediate respite from the heat wave on Monday after there were pre-monsoon showers.