MAPUSA
While Mapusa reeled under the impact of the first monsoon rains – with flooded homes, waterlogged streets and an overwhelmed market – the town’s elected representatives had other priorities.
In what has sparked outrage and disbelief among citizens, at least nine councillors of the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC), most of them from the ruling BJP group, have chosen to fly to Dubai for a leisure trip.
The group includes none other than MMC Chairperson Priya Mishal and MMC Vice Chairperson Prakash Bhivshet, leaving the municipal council without its two top officials at a time when their presence was arguably most needed.
Eight councillors reportedly boarded an early morning flight to Dubai on May 25, with Mishal joining them mid-week on Wednesday.
Mapusa residents, who bore the brunt of the first rains, were left to deal with the chaos brought on by incomplete or poorly executed pre-monsoon desilting and drainage work.
Several wards are still undergoing emergency clean-up and repair, yet the councillors entrusted with overseeing these efforts have opted for a Gulf holiday.
This “civic junket,” as locals are now dubbing it, has left Mapusa not just waterlogged, but leaderless too – no Chairperson, no Vice-Chairperson, and apparently, no shame.
For a town struggling with blocked drains and despair, the sight of its leaders possibly posing on Burj Khalifa’s glass floors is not exactly comforting.
The absence of leadership during this crisis has not gone unnoticed.
“They should have avoided it. Given the current monsoon-related circumstances, it's not the ideal time to go on a holiday. At least I would not have gone and instead focussed on helping those in need,” said former chairperson and BJP leader Sandip Falari.
To be fair, not all councillors packed their bags.
From the ruling group, former chairpersons Nutan Bicholkar and Shubangi Vaigankar, along with councillor Swapnil Shirodkar, did not participate in the Dubai tour.
Senior councillor Chandrashekar Benkar also stayed back, though some of his family members are believed to have joined the travelling party.
Opposition councillors – including Sudhir Kandolkar, Anand Bhaidkar, Komal D’Souza, Anvi Korgoankar, Kayle Braganza, and Shashank Narvekar – have steered clear of the jaunt.
Interestingly, of the politically ambivalent Arolkar brothers, only Vikas Arolkar made the trip, while Tarak Arolkar stayed behind.
Former chairperson Nutan Bicholkar, who has distanced herself from the controversy, emphasised her commitment to duty.
“My position was very clear from day one. I was not interested in the trip. I don’t want to compromise on my principles. I am concerned about the work of my ward,” she said.
But for other residents of Mapusa, timing is everything.
“Just last week, our town was literally sinking. And now, when the people expect accountability and leadership, they’re gone. It’s not just disappointing – it feels like betrayal,” said a local shopkeeper from the market area.
Even Vice Chairperson Bhivshet, known for taking high moral ground in council meetings, has found himself at the receiving end of public criticism.
For two consecutive days, the municipal council functioned without a Chairperson or a Vice Chairperson – a symbolic void that has come to represent the larger issue: a town abandoned by its own leaders when it needed them most.
For Mapusa, it’s a sobering moment.
Public service, many argue, is not just about attending meetings or cutting ribbons, but about being present – especially in times of need.
A sad day for Mapusa indeed.
