Clinton D’Souza & Devendra Gaonkar
PISSURLEM/VALPOI: A day after the villagers of Pissurlem reported a brutal attack on their leader by the Valpoi police, there was palpable tension when a team of journalists from Herald reached the spot.
One of the farmers said “We will continue our protest and our fight until we get justice. We have been arrested by Valpoi Police, threatened & filed the cases, and produced before the Deputy collector in Valpoi. Also, one of our villagers, a farmer, social activist, and well-known personality in society Hanumant Parab was arrested, criminal charges filed and beaten up brutally, and later on, released on bail. This doesn’t mean that we are sacred. These things have made us mentally strong”.
Hanumant Parab the head of the Pissurlem farmer’s organisation who said he was assaulted by the Valpoin police told Herald, “On Monday we will file a police complaint against the Valpoi Police Station police personnel for attacking, arresting and beating me badly. I have not shown my medical report. The police took me for a medical examination The doctor did an X-ray and checked my wounds”.
“Now we have approached many villages from Sattari taluka and they have told us that they will fully support us and will join us in our fight. Many well-known personalities and renowned environmentalists will join us in our fight in the coming days. Our protest will become big strong day by day”, says a farmer Babuso Dhatkar.
Further, a farmer added that they have demanded the mining companies to release the mining pit water for the use of domestic purposes and agriculture purposes. One said, “Give us our pending compensation, since we didn’t get the compensation for the last three years. Our agriculture fields are full of mud the mine companies have not removed the mud from fields. Earlier the mining companies were doing all this but now they are not doing anything”.
The farmers from the mining belt of Pissurlem reported a bloody attack from the Valpoi police and their alleged crime- trying to get their farms free of mining dumps 48 hours ago.
According to the farmers, Valpoi police on Friday allegedly assaulted and arrested those who were waiting for the Mamlatdar at a mine in Pissurlem to register their protest transportation and dumping of iron ore on their fields without following the High Court directives.
“The mine companies are only making huge money with the help of government machinery. From our natural village resources while neglecting our major demands”, say Pissurlem villagers.
The farmers had submitted several memoranda to the Deputy Collector and the Valpoi Mamlatdar. “Every time they promised us that we will sit together and will sort out our problems. But till date, there has been nothing, we haven’t sat across the table”, they told Herald.
When questioned Valpoi PI about the attack and this incident he said that there was no assault, Parab was arrested there was no assault, he also rubbished all the allegations against police and the attack.
But the question remains how he was bleeding sop profusely after he was taken in by the police.
The villagers are meeting today, Sunday to decide about their next move.
