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 s...