State Mining Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal today met farmers of Kabarwala, Sarawan Bodla and Kattianwali villages in Lambi Assembly segment here and assured them that not even an inch of land would be acquired for potash mining in these villages. He was accompanied by senior officials of his department and Geological Survey of India (GSI).
Notably, reserves of potash, a mineral mainly used in fertilisers, were found in these villages during a study conducted by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in 2019. According to the Indian Minerals Yearbook – 2019, published by the Indian Bureau of Mines in May 2021, a reconnaissance survey for potash, gypsum and associated sulfates was conducted in Muktsar and Fazilka districts during 2018-19.
The minister was scheduled to visit the site of a borehole drilled by the GSI for potash exploration along a link road at Kabarwala village. However, due to farmers’ sit-in on the road, he did not visit the site.
Instead, he sat amid the protesting farmers and said, “I assure you that the Punjab Government stands with you. Not even an inch of land will be acquired for potash mining. I can provide this assurance in writing as well. Currently, potash is being imported into our country. The GSI has been conducting surveys for the exploration of potash, which is found 450 metres deep here in these villages. The surveys are being conducted and there is no set time frame for starting mining. There are latest methods of mining potash, which do not require land acquisition.”
Later, Swaran Singh Bal, former Sarpanch of Kabarwala village, said, “The minister has assured us that land will not be acquired for mining purposes. However, we want it in writing.”
The Lambi Assembly segment is currently represented by Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian. Additionally, this is the home turf of the Badals.
The farmers from these three villages, fearing displacement amid rumours of land acquisition for potash mining, have previously met Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, Muktsar Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Malout Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).
There is also panic among residents of Mahuana, Aadhnian, Sehna Khera, Tappa Khera, Fatehpur Manianwala, Fatuhi Khera, Roranwali, Tarmala, Kandu Khera (villages in Lambi) and Abul Khurana in the Malout Assembly segment, as a Haryana-based private company has started a seismic survey for Oil India Limited (OIL) to explore the possibility of hydrocarbons.
However, the minister said that he was unaware of this issue.
