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Understanding rat hole mining
Context:
The last leg of the Silkyara Tunnel rescue in Uttarakhand involved rat hole mining.
Overview of Rat Hole Mining
- Types of Rat Hole Mining: Rat Hole mining involves side cutting on hill slopes or box cutting in pits, where workers manually extract coal in tunnels resembling octopus tentacles.
- Land Ownership and Government Control: In Meghalaya, the Coal Mines Nationalisation Act doesn't apply, leaving landowners as mineral owners. Labor-intensive rat hole mining surged due to terrain challenges and low expenses.
- Dangers and Adverse Impacts: Rat hole mining poses risks like asphyxiation, collapses, and flooding. Its unregulated nature causes land degradation, deforestation, and water pollution, leading to an NGT ban in 2014.
Reasons Behind NGT Ban
- Environmental Hazards Highlighted: Activists, including Impulse NGO, raised concerns about hazards and child labor in rat hole mines, estimating 70,000 child laborers. Environmentalists flagged issues like water flooding during rainy seasons.
- NGT Ban and Continued Illegal Mining: In 2014, NGT banned rat hole mining due to safety hazards and environmental degradation. However, illegal mining and coal transportation persist, as noted in reports by the High Court of Meghalaya.
- Government Pressure and Approval for Mining Leases: The Meghalaya government faces pressure for legal mining resumption. In May 2023, the Chief Minister announced Coal Ministry approval for mining leases, emphasizing 'scientific' and environmentally sustainable extraction methods.
Current Status and Future Concerns
- Economic Viability of Rat Hole Mining: Thin coal seams make rat hole mining economically attractive in Meghalaya. Despite environmental concerns, some locals and the government push for legal resumption due to economic stakes.
- Approved Mining Leases and Sustainability Claims: Mining leases approval for 'scientific' extraction aims at minimizing environmental impact. Anti-mining activists remain skeptical, labeling it a tag in a state where profit-driven mining prevails over sustainability.
- Ongoing Debate and Future Prospects: The ongoing debate between economic viability and environmental sustainability continues. While 'scientific' mining is proposed, concerns persist about the actual commitment to sustainable practices in Meghalaya's coal mining industry.
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