Lucknow, Feb. 20 -- Garbage spillage, poor sanitation and a few other civic issues are still a hurdle for Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) as the city struggles to secure a top spot in this year's Swachh Survekshan slated to take place in the last week of this month.

After securing its best 12th spot in the 2020 and 2021 surveys, Lucknow's position in the rankings gradually slipped. It was placed 17th in 2022 and 44th in the 2023 edition, when 4,477 cities were ranked. The 2024 survey will rank 4,542 cities.

The rising garbage heap at the Shivri solid waste treatment plant was one of the reasons that brought down the score in last year's Swachh survey. Officials said the city lost points as no private agency was available to manage t...