LUCKNOW, Dec. 19 -- As dense fog and bitter chill grip the state capital, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has failed to provide bonfire (alaav) facilities at several major public locations, exposing homeless people and daily-wage workers to harsh winter conditions. The absence of bonfires has been reported from multiple high-footfall areas, even as civic officials claim that a citywide drive has begun.

With chilly winds and low visibility becoming routine after sunset, residents inside homes are already relying on blankets and warm clothing. For hundreds of homeless people and daily-wage labourers who spend nights on footpaths, near markets, transport hubs and construction sites, bonfires remain the most accessible source of warm...