While the monsoon in the city is just round the corner, prominent leaders in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have decided to embark upon a tour to China to study water projects. However, people have expressed displeasure as monsoon-preparedness work is not yet complete, but the leaders are taking foreign trips instead.
These leaders would leave the city on Tuesday night to attend the conference in Shanghai, highly-placed sources in the BMC said. The BMC delegation comprises mayor Sunil Prabhu, standing committee chairman Rahul Shewale, Opposition leader Dnyanraj Nikam, party group leaders like Dilip Patel (BJP) and Dhananjay Pisal (NCP). However, Rais Shaikh (SP) and Dilip Lande (MNS) have decided not to go. Civic officials said the Aquatech China water show will be held on June 5 and 6 in Shanghai, which will highlight various water projects.
Though the BMC will not be bearing the expenses of this tour, some of the contractors have lent their hand to make this tour happen, said BMC officials.
Citizens have, however, expressed displeasure over the leaders’ decision to tour China ahead of monsoon, when the pre-monsoon works in the city are going at snail’s pace. “Pre-monsoon works are not completed yet. Mumbaikars witness numerous problems like water-logging, traffic jams and tree falling during the rainy season. But that has not deterred these leaders from taking a foreign tour,” said Hemant Deshpande from Dadar.
“Several such tours for corporators are being organised by the civic body by spending the taxpayers’ money, but nothing worthwhile comes out from them. At most of the tours, even a report is not filed by the tour members,” said a civic official on the condition of anonymity.
City mayor Sunil Prabhu, however, said that the leaders are bearing the cost of the visit themselves.