Tankers from Arpora-Nagoa denied entry into Baga STP
Baga Sewage Treatment Plant officials during discussions with Arpora-Nagoa Sarpanch Roshan Redkar and residents at Baga-Calangute.
MAPUSA
The long-brewing political rift between Calangute MLA Michael Lobo and his former close aide, Arpora-Nagoa Sarpanch Roshan Redkar, erupted into public view once again on Monday after several villagers gathered outside the Baga Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to protest what they called “blatant discrimination” in the handling of sewage tankers.
The protest, led by an irate Sarpanch Redkar, was triggered by repeated instances where sewage tankers from Arpora-Nagoa were allegedly denied entry into the Baga STP, even as tankers linked to hotels and commercial establishments in Calangute were reportedly being allowed inside without delay.
“For nearly two months our villagers have been harassed. I don’t know why someone is trying to play politics over something as basic as sanitation. We will not sit quiet if our village tankers are stopped while others get priority,” Redkar said.
Though Redkar did not explicitly name MLA Lobo, his insinuations were unmistakable.
The fallout between the two – once considered a formidable grassroots political pairing – has only grown sharper in recent months, with Redkar openly criticising decisions that he believes favour Calangute’s commercial interests over the needs of neighbouring villages.
Several villagers alleged that the issue was not administrative but “deliberately engineered.”
“When our tanker reaches the gate, they say the plant is full. But the same gate opens immediately for hotel tankers,” said a resident, claiming the bias had become routine.
Protesters warned that if the situation persisted, they would block all sewage tankers heading to the Baga plant.
“If our tankers cannot go in, then no one’s tankers will,” one villager declared, drawing loud approval from the crowd.
The escalation has revived speculation that political manoeuvring may be influencing STP operations, especially ahead of intensified local political activity in the coastal belt.
Although the STP management remained silent officially, officials later allowed the villagers’ tankers into the facility, helping defuse the confrontation and calm tempers among the gathering.
With the rift between Lobo and Redkar deepening, the coastal belt is increasingly becoming a stage for political contestation, amplifying tensions on the ground.
