Open dumping raises a stench, LMC drags feet over clearing it
Despite repeated complaints, residents are still awaiting action from authorities to address the issue.
Open dumping of waste remains a big issue in Lucknow with waste accumulating in several areas of the city. Despite repeated complaints, residents are still awaiting action from authorities to address the issue.
Divisional commissioner Roshan Jacob had previously raised the issue in a meeting recently, but residents say that despite notifying the Lucknow Municipal Corporation, response is often delayed, if at all.
Prabhakar, a resident of Gomti Nagar Extension 4, said, “We file complaints about the cleaning of nullahs at the zonal office and with senior officials in charge. However, when the LMC cleaning and sanitation teams arrive, they just take pictures and leave. We often have to pay out of our pockets for the cleaning, even after heavy rain.”
Vishal, a commuter near Cinepolis Mall noted, “The pile-up of garbage is a constant issue for both residents and commuters. It becomes particularly problematic when garbage spills onto the road after heavy rainfall.”
A resident from Vishesh Khand in Gomti Nagar said, “We have to keep our windows closed at night due to the risk of mosquitoes because of the garbage pile-up near our house. We use repellents twice a day as a precaution.”
Poojit, a resident of Dalibagh, said, “Garbage usually accumulates at the beginning of our lane. While officials do come to clean it after complaints, the cleaning is not regular. On some days, garbage litters the roads.”
Additional municipal commissioner Pankaj Srivastava said, “We need to dispose of waste properly, but setting up compactors at other locations will take some time. We have identified these locations, and work is expected to start in the next few months for the other sites”.
About eight portable compactors and three reuse compactors have been set up in the four zones. The zones where all these compactors are set up are zones 1, 4, 6 and 7, said Lucknow Swachhta Abhiyan Zonal in-charge Anupam Mishra.
Additionally, he said till the time the compactor stations are being built, portable compactors are being set up at the site.