Minister Assures Farmers No Land Acquisition for Potash Mining in Lambi Villages. Punjab Mining Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal today met farmers from Kabarwala, Sarawan Bodla, and Kattianwali villages in the Lambi Assembly segment, assuring them that no land would be acquired for potash mining in the region. Accompanied by senior officials from his department and the Geological Survey of India (GSI), he addressed concerns over potential displacement.
Potash reserves, which are used mainly as fertilizers, were confirmed in these villages through a GSI study in 2019. The Indian Minerals Yearbook – 2019 was published by the Indian Bureau of Mines in May 2021, documenting reconnaissance surveys for potash, gypsum, and sulfates carried out in Muktsar and Fazilka districts during the year 2018-19.
Goyal had planned to call on a borehole site the GSI had drilled for potash exploration on a link road in Kabarwala, but he skipped the visit at the behest of a sit-in by the farmers. The chief minister did meet the agitators and told them the government was serious about protecting the land rights of the people. “I can assure you that the Punjab government stands with you. Not an inch of your land will be taken for potash mining,” he said. He claimed that he can give this guarantee in writing, too, added the minister. He further added that potash is at 450 meters in depth and also that the technology of modern mines does not acquire land. Kabarwala Sarpanch Former Swaran Singh Bal accepts the assurance but wants a letter guaranteeing him.
The Lambi Assembly constituency is currently represented by Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian and is considered to be the home turf of the Badal family. Beating the drum on their feared displacement, the farmers from these villages have earlier rallied their grievances with Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, Muktsar Deputy Commissioner, and the Malout SDM.
Meanwhile, panic has spread among residents of Mahuana, Aadhnian, Sehna Khera, Tappa Khera, Fatehpur Manianwala, Fatuhi Khera, Roranwali, Tarmala, Kandu Khera (all in Lambi), and Abul Khurana in the Malout Assembly segment. A Haryana-based private company has started seismic survey for Oil India Limited (OIL) to explore hydrocarbon deposits but maintained he was not aware of it.
