PANJIM: Tearing into the State government’s affidavit (reply), Goa Foundation in its rejoinder, has argued that if the original lessee cannot mine the ore from the mine, then it should be returned to the state instead of being allowed to be mined by a raising contractor.

Iron ore resource is a public asset. In the act of mining, the said resource is depleted for profits which accrue to the private party to whom the asset is leased,” says the rejoinder, pointing out that the government is only the custodian of that asset, and therefore duty bound to ensure that the public asset is leased to private parties at the highest possible price.