Team Goemkarponn
MORMUGAO: The special meeting of the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) on Friday ended in chaos after councillors staged a walkout in protest over what they termed as “unanswered questions” surrounding the upcoming Formula 4 event in the port town. With the walkout leaving the meeting without quorum, Chairperson Girish Borker was forced to adjourn the session.
Following the disruption, Borker directed municipal staff to halt all ongoing works linked to the event at Sada until further notice.
Bogda ward councillor Prajay Mayekar led the protest, condemning the event for causing inconvenience to residents. “We don’t want any event that brings trouble to our people. When a local builds a small house, the MMC is quick to act and even sends police and staff to stop the work. But here, large-scale activities have begun without permissions, damaging water pipelines and leaving residents without supply. Since the Chief Officer and Chairperson are not answering our questions, we have decided to boycott the meeting,” said Mayekar.
Other councillors echoed similar sentiments, claiming that neither the government nor event organisers had taken locals or the municipal body into confidence before allowing preparations to proceed. “No permission has been granted by the MMC for this event. People are suffering for no reason, and no authority seems aware of what’s happening. It’s surprising that the MMC remains silent even as residents approach us for answers,” said councillor Damodar Naik.
Speaking to reporters later, MMC Chairperson Girish Borker admitted that even the municipal council was not officially informed about the details of the Formula 4 event. “Before the meeting could begin, councillors started raising the Formula 4 issue and walked out, forcing us to adjourn due to lack of quorum. People in Mormugao are completely unaware of the event details, and this issue has been brewing for weeks. As Chairperson, I feel we should have been kept in the loop,” Borker said.
He further stated that the event management should have briefed local authorities well in advance to avoid public unrest. “If the organisers had met with the Deputy Collector, MMC, and other authorities to explain the track layout, safety and security plans, and event duration, the situation would not have escalated to this level. We are elected representatives — we cannot go against the wishes of our people,” he added.
Borker confirmed that MMC staff had been instructed to visit Sada and stop all ongoing works connected to the race preparations. “Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is expected to arrive tomorrow to hear the people’s concerns. We hope he will take a decision that reflects public sentiment. If residents oppose the event, the government can consider shifting it to another location so that the event continues elsewhere without inconveniencing locals,” he said.
Borker reiterated that the council, united across political lines, would stand by the people’s voice. “We are a panel of united councillors and cannot go against the wishes of Mormugao’s residents,” he asserted.
