Rat-Hole Mining in Meghalaya | 07 Feb 2026

Source: IE 

Why in News? 

A major disaster has unfolded in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills, where at least 18 workers died following an explosion in an illegally operating rat-hole coal mine.  

• The incident once again exposed the continued prevalence of rat-hole mining despite long-standing bans by the National Green Tribunal(NGT) and the Supreme Court (SC) of India.

What is Rat-hole Mining? 

• About: Rat-hole mining is a primitive and hazardous method of coal extraction in which very narrow tunnels are dug just large enough for a person to crawl through. 
  • The tunnels are typically 3–4 feet high, forcing miners to work in squatting or crawling positions with basic tools.  
  • Rat-hole Mining involves no scientific planning, ventilation, or structural support, making it extremely dangerous. 
  • While predominantly practised in Meghalaya, reports of rat-hole mining have surfaced in other northeastern states of India as well. 
• Types: Side-cutting, where horizontal tunnels are dug into hill slopes by following exposed coal seams. 
  • Box-cutting, where a deep vertical pit is first dug, and then multiple horizontal tunnels branch out in all directions like tentacles.  
  • The method involves no scientific planning, ventilation, or structural support, making it extremely dangerous. 
• Legality: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned the practice in 2014, citing it as "unscientific and illegal" and highlighting the environmental damage. 
  • The ban has been upheld by the Supreme Court. All rat-hole mining operations today are illegal and constitute violations of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation)  (MMDR) Act, 1957. 
• Reasons for Persistence:  
  • Geological Necessity: The coal seams in Meghalaya are very thin (often less than 2 meters).  
    • Open-cast mining, which is standard elsewhere, is economically unviable here because removing the vast amount of soil/rock to reach such thin seams is too expensive. Rat-hole mining targets the seam directly with minimal waste removal. 
  • Economic Dependence: For many local communities, this is the only known source of livelihood. The "quick money" from coal supports entire local economies. 
  • Lack of Alternatives: The region lacks significant industrial development or alternative employment opportunities, pushing locals back into the mines despite the risks. 
  • Demand: Local and regional industries continue to rely on this cheap, black-market coal.  
    • Reports often point to a collusion between mine owners, local authorities, and political figures, allowing the trade to continue despite official bans.

What are the Concerns Associated with Rat-hole Mining?

• Safety Hazards: The mines are death traps. They lack pillars for support, ventilation systems, or emergency exits.  
  • Common causes of death include roof collapses, flooding (as seen in the 2018 Ksan disaster), and asphyxiation from toxic gases. 
  • The employment of children in these hazardous conditions highlights serious child labour violations. 
• Water Pollution: The most critical impact is Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). When sulfur-bearing minerals in coal interact with water and oxygen, they produce sulfuric acid.  
  • This contaminates nearby water bodies with heavy metals like Iron, Cadmium, and Chromium. 
  • Rivers such as the Kopili (Assam-Meghalaya border), Myntdu, and Lukha (Jaintia Hills) have turned too acidic to sustain aquatic life. 
• Deforestation & Soil Erosion: Massive forest clearing for mining has led to biodiversity loss and topsoil erosion, rendering the land infertile. 
• Air Pollution: Operations release fine particulate matter and toxic gases, severely degrading air quality in regions inhabited by Scheduled Tribes like the Jaintias, Khasis, and Garos. 
• "Black Lung" Disease: Workers, who are often children, suffer from silicosis and pneumoconiosis due to prolonged exposure to coal dust without protective gear. 
  • Poor ventilation increases the risk of asphyxiation and poisoning from gases trapped in the mines. 
• Regulatory Challenges: In Sixth Schedule areas, ownership of both land and minerals rests with local communities and Autonomous District Councils (ADCs), limiting central oversight and often leading to conflicts between ADC regulations and national frameworks such as the MMDR Act, 1957 
  • Although the MMDR Act, 1957 empowers states to curb illegal mining, enforcement is paralyzed by a lack of manpower, corruption, and political interference. 

What Measures can Effectively End Rat-hole Mining Crisis? 

• Technological surveillance: Use drones, satellite imagery and Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping to detect illegal mining in real time in remote areas, supported by a centralized database to track offenders and repeat violations. 
• Alternative Livelihoods: The government must develop viable alternative livelihoods by promoting pineapple cultivation, eco-tourism, and other agri-horticulture sectors where Meghalaya has strong comparative potential, thereby reducing dependence on mining. 
• Empowered "Mining EACs": Create a dedicated cadre of Extra Assistant Commissioners (EACs) whose sole KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is mining oversight. They should report directly to the NGT committee, bypassing local political pressure. 
• MEPRF Utilization: The Meghalaya Environment Protection and Restoration Fund should be strictly ring-fenced to pay wages to former miners engaged in ecological restoration, creating a dedicated “Green Corps.” 
• Open-cast Methods: If mining must continue for the economy, it cannot be rat-hole. The state must invest in open-cast methods in designated zones where the seam is thick enough.  
  • This allows for ventilation, safety pillars, and mechanized extraction, but it requires consolidating small land holdings into larger cooperatives to be viable. 

Conclusion 

Ending the rat-hole mining crisis demands a dual approach: enforcing strict technological surveillance while proactively funding sustainable livelihoods to break the economic dependence on illegal extraction.