Mine owners should pay for affected people: Congress

Whatever money has been "looted" by the mine owners should be recovered from them and given back to the people affected with the current halt of the mining industry, Goa Congress unit working president Francisco Sardinha told reporters.

Justice M B Shah commission in its report on the illegal iron ore mining in the state had pointed out that mine owners had illegally extracted ore worth Rs 35,000 crore.

Sardinha said after recovery the money should be judiciously put into welfare of the people dependent on mining industry and those areas affected by the industry.

"The money should not go into someone's pocket," the Congress leader said.

He also said Congress is ready for an all-party meeting to discuss the crucial issue.

"If Chief Minister (Manohar Parrikar) takes the initiative then the Congress is ready to join hands with him (to work out a solution)," Sardinha said.

Sardinha, who is also a Member of Parliament, stated that he will take up the issue of lifting the abeyance imposed on the environmental clearances (EC) given to the mining leases.

The MoEF kept in abeyance ECs of all the mining companies, after Shah commission pointed out that the ECs were granted as a favour.