MAPUSA
In the picturesque coastal villages of Anjuna and Assagao, a shadowy network of tanker businessmen, popularly known as the “tanker mafia”, is tightening its grip on the region's water resources.
What began as a convenient solution for supplying water to construction and hotel projects has morphed into a formidable industry, with dire consequences for the local populace.
These tanker operators, racing against time and each other, traverse the narrow roads at breakneck speeds, leaving other motorists trembling with fear. For two-wheeler riders, each encounter with a speeding tanker becomes a precarious dance with death.
The proliferation of tankers has reached alarming levels, with one rumbling down the roads every five minutes. The insatiable demand for water has led these operators to exploit private wells and bore wells indiscriminately, exacerbating the depletion of groundwater reserves.
As a result, the once-plentiful private wells that sustained communities are now running dry, leaving residents at the mercy of these profiteering syndicates.
According to data obtained from the Water Resources Department (WRD) through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, only 37 wells were authorised between 2011 and 2023 in the Anjuna-Caisua and Assagao panchayat regions. Specifically, 19 wells were approved in Assagao, while 18 wells and one borewell received permission in Anjuna. Among these, 10 wells in Anjuna and four in Assagao were sanctioned for commercial purposes.
Further scrutiny of the obtained information reveals that seven individuals from Assagao were licensed to distribute water via tankers, whereas only four individuals from Anjuna obtained licences for commercial water supply.
Despite regulations ostensibly governing the extraction of water, the absence of monitoring mechanisms has emboldened the tanker mafia to operate with impunity. The WRD's failure to install meters on permitted wells and bore wells has allowed these operators to siphon water unchecked, further aggravating the water crisis.
A resident from Assagao, Erwin Fonseca laments the government's lack of oversight, which has enabled these tanker mafias to thrive at the expense of the public good.
“Several individuals in the village have purchased tankers and are involved in the business of supplying water. These people are hand in glove with the authorities to make a fast buck even as locals suffer,” Fonseca said.
Those brave enough to speak out against these illicit practices are met with threats and intimidation, silencing dissent and perpetuating the status quo.
For the residents of Anjuna and Assagao, the consequences are dire. Erratic water supply through taps has forced many to rely on dwindling private wells, while hoteliers and construction magnates exacerbate the crisis by importing water through tankers.
