Why is it in the news?

• By using the technique of Rat hole mining, 41 workers trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara-Barkot tunnel in Uttarakhand were rescued.

About Rat hole mining

• Rat hole mining is a specific method employed for coal extraction, particularly in regions like Meghalaya.
• Narrow pits are manually dug into the ground, often vertically oriented.
• Miners, equipped with basic tools, descend into these pits using ropes or bamboo ladders.
• Coal extraction involves manual labour, with miners using primitive tools such as pickaxes, shovels, and baskets.

Types of Rat Hole Mining

Side Cutting

• Involves excavating narrow tunnels into hill slopes.
• Workers enter these openings to locate and extract coal seams.

Box-cutting

• Initiates with a rectangular opening.
• A vertical pit is then dug, and rat-hole-sized horizontal tunnels are created for extracting coal.

Associated Concerns

• The mining process can lead to severe environmental degradation, including land degradation and deforestation.
• Water pollution is also a significant concern.
• Rat hole mining lacks proper safety measures such as adequate ventilation and safety gear for workers.
• There’s a heightened risk of accidents, including flooding or collapsing of rat holes, jeopardizing the lives of miners.
• Due to the small size of the tunnels, rat hole mining often employs children as workers, raising ethical and social concerns.

National Green Tribunal (NGT) Action on Rat Hole Mining

• The NGT imposed a ban on rat hole mining in 2014 due to its adverse environmental and safety impact. This ban was retained in 2015.
• In response to the ban, the Meghalaya government appealed to the Supreme Court, presenting a legal challenge to the NGT’s decision.