Polls Spark Garbage Woes in Indian Capital

Sanitation services in the state capital are reportedly worsening due to a significant number of migrant workers returning to Assam for the assembly elections. Corporators across various areas, including Aashiyana and Gomti Nagar, have reported a surge in complaints about irregular door-to-door waste collection, with garbage uncollected for days in some localities.

These disruptions stem from private agencies' workforce reduction, with nearly 30% of sanitation workers expected to leave before April 8. The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has responded by preparing notices for the involved agencies, demanding they ensure adequate staffing and maintain service continuity. Officials stated that agency payments are performance-based, and penalties will be imposed for any service failures.

Despite collection gaps, LMC data indicates that the overall volume of waste processed at the Shivri plant has remained steady, processing approximately 2,000 metric tonnes of municipal waste daily. However, corporators warn that the situation could deteriorate further if the agencies fail to deploy trained replacements swiftly.