Lucknow will soon be free of roadside garbage dumps, promises mayor

Mayor Sanyukta Bhatia on Friday promised that the city will soon be free of roadside garbage dumps.

Speaking at the HT Forum at Hindustan Times office in Lucknow, Bhatia said she wished to be remembered as a mayor who was not afraid of taking tough decisions for public welfare.

The civic problems of Lucknow, which HT received from residents through letters, were handed over to the mayor, in the form of a booklet, by eminent citizens of city.

Bhatia assured that she would ensure that all complaints were resolved by Lucknow Municipal Corporation.

She asserted that the days of dumping waste in the open were over as she had directed officials to shift dumps to places away from roads and from where trucks could pick up and transport waste to landfill sites. “I have also directed officials to install compactors in which waste can be treated and turned into manure,” said Bhatia.

“With this move the bad odour, which used to emanate from waste on roadsides, will no more affect residents. It will be beneficial for the environment, too. Compactors have already been placed at more than 20 points. These compactors will convert waste into manure and thus earn money for LMC,” said Bhatia.

“Even when I was not mayor, I always used to feel bad about the huge waste dumps on roadsides. I used to complain to the authorities but nothing was done. I am someone who loves cleanliness, whether it is my home or my city, so when I became mayor I pledged to make my city clean,” she said.

Bhatia added: “I have directed all zonal officers to stop spreading filth on roadsides and search a suitable place to dump waste.”

She also spoke on pink toilets at public places, house tax reforms, better co-ordination between departments when it comes to road cutting, street lights and safety of women.