Globe-trotting Shubha Raul is off to Korea today for a three-day trip, and going by history, will return none the wiser
Globe-trotting Shubha Raul is off to Korea today for a three-day trip, and going by history, will return none the wiser
In 1931 the city got its first mayor. In the 78 years since, Mayor Shubha Raul has made history by being the mayor who's notched up the maximum number of foreign trips seven so far.
She jets off to Busan in South Korea today. And you are paying for it.
Before Raul, there have been 73 mayors, but none have quite managed to wrangle three trips a year.
Said Raul, "I'm going to Korea because the central government asked me to go. I am supposed to sign a memorandum to forge a sister-city relationship between Busan in Korea and Mumbai in India.
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The formalities for this MOU have been pending for more than eight years and the government admonished us and asked us whether we were seriously interested in tying up the agreement.
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Be that as it may, Raul's decision to go to Korea, has raised many eyebrows. This year, the Sena busy building its own defences as its house falls to bits post elections, chose to remain mum.
But last year, Raul had to cancel her trip to Singapore in the rains at the behest of Uddhav Thackeray.u00a0
Breaking rules
And then, she breaks BMC rules as the state government allows elected representatives to go on foreign tours only twice a year.
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However in her first year as mayor, Raul made five trips abroadu00a0 Turkey, Israel, USA, Australia and Switzerland.
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In her second year, ending now, she made two more trips one to Japan and now to Korea. Raul was quick to clarify, "The mayor's post is at a higher level than corporators, as the mayor represents the city.
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Moreover, I have got clearances for all the tours from the municipal commissioner. Had there been any objections, the commissioner would have cancelled them."
Fact is, when Raul gets an invite, she can unilaterally decide to go. She then asks the municipal secretary to chalk out the trip. The proposal goes to municipal commissioner only for sanctioning money.
Last trip
Raul's term ended in April this year, but was extended till November, and the Korea trip, therefore, is her last.
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Defending her foreign jaunts, Raul added, that every trip added to the dream to make Mumbai a world-class city.
"They help me gain global vision, which will be used for the city's development.
In Korea, apart from the MoU, I will be studying the workings of a seawater desalination project and sewerage water treatment projects.
With the present water crisis in the city, my visit will help the city in overcoming its problems," said Raul.
Raul maintains that the, "BMC has not spent a single paisa on my visits. I ensure that my visits are sponsored, and only then do I agree to go abroad," she said.
Duniya Dekho, Muft Muft Muft
March 2007: Turkey mayors' conference. Returned empty handed
April 2008: Israel mayors' conference. Returned empty handed
2008: New York mayors' conference. 'Learnt' how to convert dumping ground into green zone and generate electricity.
2008: Australia to study zoos and implement changes at the Byculla zoo. Work is on.
2008: Switzerland was sent by the chief minister for monorail, metro rail projects. Returned empty handed
September 2009: Japan for mayoral conference on u00a0sister city. Returned empty handed.
The Other Side
A BMC official from the mayor's office, who u00a0obviously did not want to be quoted said, "The BMC u00a0bears the travelling expenses for all her foreign visits, but the organisers sponsor the hospitality at the destination.
"In fact, Raul has taken her husband along on one trip and her daughter on another."
A senior BMC official added, "The mayor is always accompanied by people from the administration department.
It is they who decide on what and how to implement a project.
The mayor can only give suggestions and, frankly, it's just to make her trip look genuine and work related.
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Mumbai will have its new mayor in as many days.
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