By IANS,
Panaji : The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the Goa chief secretary and director general of police (DGP) for alleged violation of rights of tribals who have been protesting against illegal mining for several months now.
The NHRC has asked Chief Secretary Sanjiv Srivastva and DGP Aditya Arya to reply within four weeks on whether tribals rights had been violated during the anti-mining agitation at Cavrem in South Goa.
In April this year, a media professional Savio Rodrigues had approached the NHRC, accusing the state government and the powerful mining lobby in the state of violating tribal rights, assaulting them and encroaching on hills worshipped by tribals over generations.
A young tribal anti-mining activist Nilesh Gaonkar was also assaulted by unknown persons days after he led a protest demanding shutting down of four illegally operating mines near Cavrem village, 50 km from here.