English 
हिन्दी 
Minister in-charge of Lucknow district Suresh Khanna once again pulled up municipal officials and ordered salary deductions for failing to maintain cleanliness across various areas in the state capital despite repeated warnings.
Khanna, who holds the finance portfolio, conducted a surprise inspection of five zones in the city on Saturday and expressed dissatisfaction over clogged drains, garbage heaps, and lack of sanitation. The minister directed that the salary of zonal officers and sanitation inspectors of Zone 1 and Zone 3 be deducted for negligence. He also ordered similar penalties for several junior staff, citing gross dereliction of duty.
This marks the second instance within 24 days that Zone 1 officials have faced salary cuts. On May 19, Khanna had ordered a two-day salary deduction from zonal officer Rajesh Verma (Zone 1) and the sanitation inspector of Zone 5. At that time, he had also instructed officials to remove drain encroachments and issued notices to plot owners, asking them to construct boundary walls to prevent garbage dumping.
During the latest inspection, Khanna was accompanied by mayor Sushma Kharakwal and MLA Neeraj Bora. In multiple localities, including Rani Laxmibai Ward (Aminabad Ghanta Ghar Park), Daliganj, Nirala Nagar, Ayodhya Das (II), Faizullaganj (II), and Vivekanand Puri. The minister found poor sanitation conditions, choked drains, unattended garbage near religious places, and encroachments resulting in bottlenecks on roads.
In the Ghantaghar Park area of Aminabad, Khanna flagged large-scale encroachments and a growing garbage dump in a space where a road once existed. He directed the Lucknow Municipal Corporation to clean the area within 15 days and redevelop a 100-metre north-south stretch into a road and public park.
In Daliganj, Nirala Nagar, the minister noted that drains had not been cleaned in months and that garbage collection vehicles rarely arrived. He also highlighted irregular water supply and directed the local councillor and LMC officials to take immediate corrective measures.
Kharakwal expressed concern over sanitation workers being forced to clean open drains without proper safety equipment. She reprimanded officials and directed them to ensure compliance with safety protocols.
When HT questioned why Zone 1 continues to suffer despite repeated inspections and orders, additional municipal commissioner and Zone 1 incharge Lalit Kumar said zonal officer Rajesh Verma is currently unwell, which has affected on-ground supervision and execution.
Khanna emphasised that the inspections would continue unannounced in the coming days. “The current state of cleanliness in Lucknow is unacceptable. There is a clear disconnect between orders and implementation, especially in iconic areas like Aminabad and Hazratganj. Further inaction will not be tolerated,” he added.
