LUCKNOW, Oct. 25 -- Despite the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) installing steel grills on major drains flowing into the Gomti, plastic waste and sludge continue to surface along the river, exposing gaps in the civic body's ongoing cleaning efforts for Chhath. An HT ground visit on Friday found that while the grills have been installed this year, irregular cleaning and lack of sustained maintenance along the riverbanks are allowing waste to pile up and slowly seep back into the water. Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar said steel grills had been fitted at around 23 major drains to intercept solid waste before it reaches the river. The grills have been installed at drain barrels from where sewage and stormwater enter the Gomti, he said. Kumar listed locations such as Martin Purva, near Lucknow Zoo, Jiamau, Rana Pratap Marg, Butler Colony and Qaiserbagh, among others, where installation has been completed. The initiative aims to curb the recurring problem of plastic bottles, wrappers and floating debris, particularly ahead of Chhath Puja, when devotees gather at the ghats. The LMC has also deployed a skimmer machine and 15 boats to remove floating waste from the river. "Each boat is being equipped with GPS tracking systems for real-time monitoring of their movement and efficiency," Kumar said. LMC chief engineer (civil) Mahesh Verma said grills had been installed at all identified points. "If waste is still flowing into the river, it may be carried along with the water," he said, adding that some people throw garbage from flyovers, which also contributes to the problem. The HT visit found visible waste accumulation near Daliganj flyover and Shaheed Smarak. Residents living along the embankment said that while installing grills was a step in the right direction, the purpose was defeated if trapped waste remained uncleared for days. Meanwhile, LMC is using poly aluminum chloride (PAC) to improve water clarity at selected ghats. At Laxman Mela Ghat last year, officials claimed it helped coagulate and settle floating impurities. Kuldeep Singh, general manager of the water works department, said PAC was being administered in controlled doses and in liquid form for more precise mixing....