BANGALORE: While citizens grapple with monsoon woes, 27 councillors and their families are packing their bags to fly to Russia for a pleasure trip.
A BBMP source told Express 84 people, including the councillors, are leaving on Tuesday for a group tour. They return on July 29. Those on the passenger list are: Deputy Mayor N Indira from the Congress and her party colleagues Manjunath Reddy, Nagaraju, M K Gunashekar, Pillappa, O Manjunath and Shivaraj; JD(S) leader Prakash and BJP members Rekha Kadresh, Gowramma, Ranganna and L Srinivas.
A senior BJP councillor said a majority among the councillors were Congress members.
“Chief Minister Siddaramiah is visiting Mandur on July 26. When he is trying to tackle the garbage crisis, how can they go on a holiday?” he said.
During the monsoon months, water-logging is common. “They might be spending at their own expense. But don’t they have any responsibility?” he wondered. The trip is estimated to cost `5 lakh each.
District-in-charge Minister Ramalinga Reddy said Siddaramaiah’s visit to Mandur will take place only in the first week of August. He said during Ashada, monsoon woes are not so worrisome. “We cannot restrain councillors from travelling on their money.”
However, he said, he had directed them to study Russian garbage disposal methods.