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Meghalaya’s illegal coal mining
Why is it in News?
- Meghalaya based NGO accused that Meghalaya government is encouraging illegal coal mining in contempt of a Supreme Court order.
Details:
- Course:
(1) The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had in April 2014 imposed the ban on rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya.
(2) In 2018, SC upheld NGT order.
(3) The State government later claimed tonnes of already extracted coal lying around various mining sites.
(4) It inflated the figures of extracted coal.
- Rat hole mining:
(1) It is a primitive and hazardous method of mining for coal.
(2) It comprises tunnels that are only 3-4 feet in diameter. So, it’s called rat-hole.
(3) It is leading to pits ranging from 5-100 sq. mt deep.
(4) There are two types of rat-holes:
(1) When dug into the ground these are vertical shafts leading to the mines where horizontal tunnels are dug;
(2) Where horizontal holes are dug directly in the hillsides to reach coal seams (bed of coal).
(5) The coal is taken out manually, loaded into a bucket or a wheelbarrow and dumped on a nearby un-mined area.
(6) From here, it is carried to larger coal dumps near highways for trade and transportation.