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LMC hqs turns protest site as corporator flags ‘failing’ sanitation in Mahanagar
Lodhi, who also met municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar on Monday, further alleged that LSA workers were failing to collect household waste regularly and were not clearing garbage-vulnerable points on time.
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: The floor of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) headquarters became the site of a protest on Monday, as BJP corporator Harishchandra Lodhi sat on a dharna demanding that the civic body withdraw its approval for the private agency Lucknow Swachhta Abhiyan (LSA) to handle sanitation work in Mahanagar ward.
Lodhi alleged that garbage collection and street cleaning had deteriorated since LSA took charge and said the agency was brought in without consulting him. He also alleged that sanitation workers deployed in Mahanagar had not been paid since June, affecting both workers and the regularity of garbage collection.
The protest brought wider complaints against LSA into focus. BJP corporator Amit Chowdhury of Mahatma Gandhi ward said door-to-door garbage collection remained irregular, with vehicles failing to turn up even on Sunday and leaving household waste unattended. He alleged that despite inspections and repeated complaints, the LMC’s response had largely been limited to imposing fines.
Chowdhury said mayor Sushma Kharkwal had visited several areas and found lapses in sanitation. BJP corporator Shailendra Verma raised another concern, alleging that road-sweeping waste was not being lifted from several key localities and that horticulture waste was also piling up because the agency had cited a lack of dumping space.
Lodhi, who also met municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar on Monday, further alleged that LSA workers were failing to collect household waste regularly and were not clearing garbage-vulnerable points on time.
The complaints are not limited to Mahanagar. Residents and corporators have previously flagged sanitation problems in Hussainganj, Hazratganj, Indira Nagar, Jankipuram and Jankipuram Extension. Residents of Jankipuram Extension have also staged a protest over irregular garbage collection.
LSA’s functioning came under scrutiny in the previous Municipal House meeting as well, when corporators demanded action against the agency.
Following Monday’s protest, Gaurav Kumar assured Lodhi that the sanitation problems would be resolved. Lodhi said he would meet the commissioner again on Tuesday to pursue his demands.
