Punjab: No land acquisition for potash mining, minister Barinder Kumar Goyal assures farmers
Villagers in Muktsar district have been opposing the mining plan as they fear that their land would be acquired
Punjab cabinet minister Barinder Kumar Goyal on Thursday assured the landowners that the state government would not acquire land for potash mining. Addressed concerns, the minister for mining and water resources said there would be neither land acquisition nor damage to agricultural land as the extraction process would entail drilling instead of open-pit mining. “This ensures that farmers will retain ownership of their land while benefiting from industrial development in the region,” Goyal said.
Villagers in Muktsar district have been opposing the mining plan as they fear that their land would be acquired.
The potash reserves were discovered by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in Muktsar and Fazilka districts a few years ago. “Punjab has taken a major step towards self-reliance in mineral resources with the discovery of large potash reserves in three mining blocks in the southwestern part of the state. This makes Punjab the first state in the country to have potash deposits,” he said.
He said the newly discovered potash reserves were located especially in Kabarwala near Muktsar and Sherawala, Ramsar and Dalmir Khera in Fazilka. According to the minister, India currently imports around 5 million tonnes of potash annually, primarily for use as fertiliser and in various industries.
The potash deposits are located at a depth of 450 meters and the government is conducting comprehensive social and environmental impact assessments before initiating mining operations, he said.
“The Punjab government plans to establish processing industries for potash, which will create new employment opportunities and contribute to overall economic growth. Exploratory studies are ongoing in surrounding areas to identify additional deposits,” Goyal added.