Salal is a picturesque village in Indian-administered Kashmir that’s at the moment being touted as India’s likelihood to grow to be self-sufficient in lithium. The smooth, white metallic is a crucial part within the batteries used to energy electrical autos (EVs), cell phones, and computer systems and has grow to be a extremely sought-after aspect within the global race in the direction of decarbonization.

Pankaj Srivastava, a professor of geology on the University of Jammu, instructed DW that the invention of lithium in India was a promising improvement that would assist the nation grow to be extra self-reliant.

“As the world shifts towards renewable energy, electric cars are becoming increasingly important, and the demand for lithium-ion batteries is growing,” he stated. “By finding a domestic source of lithium, Indiacould potentially reduce its dependence on imports and boost its economy.”

“From solar energy to Mission Hydrogen to EVs, we need to take these initiatives to the next level for energy independence,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared final 12 months on India’s Independence Day final August.

The discovery of 5.9 million tons places India on the map as having the fifth-largest reservoir of this treasured metallic.

A senior officer on the area’s Geology and Mining Department instructed DW that the lithium present in Salal was additionally the purest discovered up to now, as it’s graded at 500 elements per million (PPM) in comparison with the traditional grade of 220 elements per million (PPM) present in different deposits.

“It will be interesting to see how this discovery will impact the global lithium market and the production of lithium-ion batteries that are used in various electronic devices,” he stated.

‘Mixed emotions of worry and pleasure’

In Salal itself, there have been “mixed feelings of fear and joy,” village head Pritam Singh instructed DW. “The whole village will be displaced because of the lithium extraction, and we will lose our ancestral homes, but there is a hope that it will bring jobs to our unemployed youth and prosperity to our village.”

“I am excited that our village, which has never got the attention of past governments, will contribute to the economy of our country,” stated retired Indian Army soldier Romel Singh. “It is painful to lose our ancestral village, but we are ready to make this sacrifice for the prosperous future of our kids,” he stated. “It will bring more jobs and improve our living standards.”

Critics of the lithium mining undertaking worry that the groundwater disaster will probably be exacerbated given the large quantities of water wanted to extract lithium.

Vaibhav Rakwal, 25, an area lawyer, expressed shock that surveyors had didn’t bear in mind {that a} main river flowed beneath the foothills of the mountain the place the lithium has been found. “If the mountain sinks just a few centimeters, it will change the course of the Chenab River and flood the whole area,” he warned.

“It won’t bring any economic opportunities to local people but will certainly trigger an ecological disaster and potential shortage of drinking water,” he stated.

‘Our days are counted’ 

“What worries me is the water crisis and pollution it can trigger,” agreed Pragasho Devi, 56. “We are already facing a shortage of drinking water and if they start mining, we won’t have enough water for us, for our livestock.”

Most of Salal’s 10,000 inhabitants make a dwelling from agriculture and cattle farming.

“Our days in Salal are counted,” Devi continued. “We have cared for these fields like our own children. What is the use of this lithium if we have to leave behind our ancestral houses? It is a tragedy.”

Devi had supposed to construct a home for her elder son in order that he may stay individually together with his household however she needed to abandon her plans when she came upon that the authorities wished to relocate them elsewhere.

There has already been displacement within the space as a result of different infrastructure tasks within the space. In the Eighties, the locals misplaced nearly 70% of their agricultural land when a man-made lake was constructed for a 690-MW hydroelectric energy station within the Eighties.

Edited by: Anne Thomas