LUCKNOW, May 23 -- The silt removed during drain cleaning in the state capital and carelessly dumped on roads is now causing serious problems for commuters, and residents. After Thursday's rainfall, the waste spread across major roads and, in several areas, washed back into the same drains from which it had been extracted. The Lucknow Municipal Corporation's (LMC) failure to promptly remove the silt has not only caused inconvenience to residents but also necessitated repeated cleaning efforts.

The LMC is spending approximately Rs.12 crore on a pre-monsoon desilting drive covering 335 medium-sized drains. However, private agencies contracted for the task are leaving the extracted silt along the roadside. Moreover, the extracted waste is o...