5: Illegal Rat-Hole Mining in Meghalaya and Governance Failure

• Persistence of Prohibited Practices: A catastrophic blast in East Jaintia Hills in February 2026 resulted in the death of 25 miners, proving that illegal \'rat-hole\' mining continues unabated despite a 2014 ban by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and subsequent Supreme Court (SC) affirmations.• Structural and Safety Hazards: Rat-hole mining involves digging narrow horizontal tunnels (3–4 feet high) where miners, including children and migrants, crawl to extract coal. The absence of engineered roofs or side-wall support leads to frequent collapses and flooding, making it a \'death trap\' for the labor force. • The Governance Deficit: The persistence of this practice is linked to a complex interplay of Sixth Schedule autonomy, where community/private land ownership complicates state regulation, and a lack of political will to enforce the MMDR Act. • Environmental Degradation: Beyond the loss of life, the process causes severe Acid Mine Drainage (AMD), turning rivers like the Lukha and Myntdu acidic (orange-yellow hue), destroying aquatic life and contaminating drinking water for local tribes. • Economic Impasse: With daily wages as high as ₹2,000, the lack of viable livelihood alternatives drives vulnerable populations into these unregulated pits. The \'illegal coal\' often enters formal supply chains through a network of intermediaries and fake invoices. • Judicial Oversight: The Justice (Retd.) B.P. Katakey Committee, appointed by the Meghalaya High Court, has repeatedly flagged over 22,000 illegal mine openings in East Jaintia Hills alone, recommending real-time satellite surveillance and strict administrative accountability. Key Definitions & Provisions • Rat-Hole Mining: A primitive coal extraction method where small tunnels are dug into hillsides, resembling a rat’s burrow, often used in Meghalaya due to the thinness of the coal seams. • Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act): The primary legal framework governing the mining sector in India. Section 21 of the Act provides for stringent penalties for illegal mining. • Sixth Schedule (Article 244(2) & 275(1)): Provides for the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. In Meghalaya, the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) hold significant power over land and minerals. Conclusion The Meghalaya mining crisis is a classic case of \'regulatory capture,\' where local economic interests override the rule of law. A transition to scientific, regulated mining, coupled with diversified livelihood programs, is the only way to break the cycle of tragedy. UPSC Relevance • GS Paper 3: Environmental pollution and degradation; Disaster management. • GS Paper 2: Governance; Statutory, regulatory, and various quasi-judicial bodies (NGT, SC). • Ethics (GS4): Environmental ethics vs. economic survival; Administrative accountability.