LUCKNOW, Oct. 19 -- Piles of garbage and clogged drains greeted state finance and parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Khanna during his surprise inspection across several zones of Lucknow on Saturday, exposing the grim reality of the city's sanitation system amid the festive season. The civic lapses drew strong criticism from the minister who warned that negligence in cleanliness would not be tolerated. Accompanied by mayor Sushma Kharkwal, municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar and senior officials, including additional municipal commissioners Lalit Kumar and Namrata Singh and chief engineer (civil) Mahesh Verma, the minister reviewed multiple zones to assess waste management and civic maintenance. The inspection revealed poor sanitation in major localities, including Rakabganj, Daliganj and Secretariat Colony, where heaps of garbage and choked drains were found. Expressing displeasure, Khanna ordered strict action against negligent contractors and directed the municipal commissioner to impose a Rs 10 lakh fine on the Lucknow Swachhata Abhiyan (LSA) agency responsible for cleaning in Zone 3. He also instructed officials to activate night sweeping systems, ensure regular drain cleaning, and prevent garbage accumulation, particularly in crowded markets....