Rat Hole Mining : Death Of Six Workers
Authorities were given four weeks by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to respond in a case related to the death of six workers in a rat-hole coal mine fire in Nagaland’s Wokha district.
- Rat-Hole Mining named for its resemblance to rodent burrows, is an illegal and highly hazardous method of extracting coal prevalent in certain pockets of India, particularly the state of Meghalaya.
- Unlike large-scale mechanised mines, this practice involves digging narrow, horizontal tunnels barely large enough for a single person to squeeze through.
- These tunnels, often referred to as “rat holes,” can extend tens of meters underground.
- Miners descend precariously using ropes, bamboo ladders, or makeshift supports and work in cramped, poorly ventilated conditions with basic tools like pickaxes and shovels.
- The extracted coal is then hauled back up through these narrow passages, making the entire process incredibly dangerous and backbreaking.
