LUCKNOW, July 21 -- Despite it climbing to the third spot in the recent Swachh survey of the central government, Lucknow continues to struggle with open waste dumping at major residential and commercial areas. Residents and commuters said several locations remained chronically neglected by the civic authorities, even during the monsoon. During an inspection on Sunday, this reporter witnessed that the problem persisted in multiple areas, such as Vibhuti Khand (Gomti Nagar), Vinamra Khand, Aashiyana, and near the Engineering College intersection. Garbage piles were left unattended for days, locals said and blamed the lax attitude of zonal sanitation officers for the situation. "Complaints to the municipal helpline either go unanswered or result in temporary clean-up. Garbage returns the next day," said Rajeev Sharma, a shopkeeper in Aashiyana. Hindustan Times has often reported on open dumping plaguing the city. However, Lucknow Municipal Corporation has failed to implement lasting solutions. Residents said civic teams visited a site only after complaints, but did not ensure sustained cleanliness. "What's the use of awards if the streets remain dirty? The system works only for inspections, not for us," said Anjali Mishra from Vinamra Khand. Responding to the allegations, municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar said the issue would be resolved and strict action would be taken against officials if they were found to be lax. The city recently secured third spot in the Clean City category of Swachh Survekshan for cities with over 10 lakh population....