Published: 11th May, 2024
Context
Despite an order, none of the 26,000 abandoned rat-hole coal mines in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district have been closed, posing risks to human and animal lives.
About Rat-Hole Mining
- Rat-hole mining, banned by the National Green Tribunal a decade ago, involves narrow tunnels where workers extract coal.
- These tunnels, called "rat-holes," are typically only big enough for one person to enter.
- Banning:
- The government's control over land in Meghalaya, a Sixth Schedule State exempt from the Coal Mines Nationalisation Act of 1973, is limited.
- Landowners also own the minerals beneath, fueling a coal mining boom since Meghalaya became a state in 1972.
- However, the rugged terrain and high costs deterred mine owners from using advanced drilling machines.
- Instead, they relied on laborers from Assam, Nepal, and Bangladesh for rat-hole mining, a hazardous practice offering higher wages than other jobs.
- Rat-hole mining risks include poor ventilation leading to asphyxiation, mine collapse due to lack of support, and flooding.
- The unregulated mining also caused environmental damage, including land degradation, deforestation, and contamination of water sources with sulphates, iron, and toxic heavy metals.
- Rivers like Lukha and Myntdu became too acidic to support aquatic life. These issues prompted the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to ban rat-hole mining in Meghalaya in 2014.
Fact Box: India’s Mining Sector
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PYQ Q: Consider the following statements: (2018)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Solution: (d) |
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