Rat Hole Mining

Rat hole mining is being done to rescue the workers in collapsed Silkyara-Barkot tunnel in Uttarakhand.

Rat hole – It refers to the narrow pits dug into the ground, typically just large enough for 1 person to descend using ropes or bamboo ladders to reach the coal seams.
Rat hole mining – It is a method of extracting coal from narrow, horizontal seams, typically around 3-4 feet depth.
They are prevalent in Meghalaya due to challenging terrain and the coal seam here are very thin (less than 2 m) in most cases.
Types – There are 2 types of rat hole mining.
- Side cutting – Narrow tunnels are excavated into the hill slopes and workers enter these openings to locate the coal seam.
- Box cutting – Rectangular openings are created, ranging in size from 10 to 100 square metres
Issues - They lack safety measures such as proper ventilation, structural support, or safety gear for the workers.
The mining process can cause land degradation, deforestation, and water pollution.
Ban - The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has banned rat-hole mining in 2014 citing concerns about its unscientific nature and the safety risks posed to the workers.
However, in 2019, the Supreme Court set aside the NGT ban and allowed coal mining in Meghalaya through scientific mining methods.

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