Herald: You being beaten by cops, now takes a backseat, the real argument here is the bribe from mining firms.
Ravindra Velip: I don’t deny taking the money. In 2011-12, Cavrem’s fields, forest, water bodies and wells were contaminated and destroyed by mining dust and mining pollution. Mining trucks ruined our lives. After a long-drawn fight, today’s Mines Director who was Additional Collector of South Goa, Prasanna Acharya, called a meeting of all mining stakeholders and us. I represented Cavrem and showed him the destruction caused by mining and the pathetic condition of our fields. That was when the mining companies told me that they will transfer cash to my account and I should open accounts for the locals and transfer that money as compensation to them. There are minutes of that meeting. Also there is data that shows all the accounts I opened in the names of the Velips in Cavrem and also my bank statements show the money transfers and the 170 households that benefitted from the money paid as compensation for our fields and cattle that died.
Herald: What is it that Ravindra Velip is fighting for in Cavrem? Mining ban, no mining trucks at all or mining transportation through locals?
Velip: See, Cavrem experienced no mining activity from 2012 till 2015. In these years people turned away from being drivers, truck owners and mining machinery contractors except our MLA Subhash Phaldessai. People turned to agriculture, dairy farming, and horticulture and self-help groups. The quality of the air improved, our forest grew again and our water table rose with no mining rejects and no health problems. So now, we don’t want this mining activity at all or we say, let’s have a little but regulate it. Time to rid ourselves of this mining traffic and dust menace. We get nothing from the crores made from illegal mining.
Herald: Are the locals on the same page as you? What is your grouse with the local MLA? Is your agitation politically motivated?
Velip: The 100 odd locals who leave everything from the cattle to cashew plucking, who abandon their fields, paddy and vegetables and come and sit at 8am to block the roads of Cavrem only so that these illegal mining trucks don’t pass, are genuinely concerned about the environment and they come on the streets without me paying anything. This time Cavrem will not back-off and we will fight illegal mining. There’s nothing new in Subhash putting us in jail, threatening the Velips. This MLA will face the wrath of Cavrem and Sanguem.
