Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: What is rat-hole mining? Why is it illegal?
Rat-hole mining experts were called in to rescue 41 workers trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara tunnel after high-tech auger machine broke down during the operation
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Rat-hole mining is a controversial and hazardous mining procedure
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In this technique, miners go down narrow tunnels (usually 3-4 feet wide) to excavate coal
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The practice was prevalent in Meghalaya because of the difficult terrain and the extremely thin coal seam in the state
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Once the miners reach the coal seam, they use hand-held tools to make tunnels to extract the coal
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As the size of the tunnels is very small, children become the best fit for the risky job
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With limited options for livelihood, several children also pose as adults to work in such mines
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The National Green Tribunal in 2014 banned the practice in Meghalaya owing to the rise in deaths and other tragedies
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In 2018, 15 men involved in illegal mining were trapped inside a flooded mine, where only two bodies could be recovered in the rescue operation that lasted for more than two months
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In another such accident, 5 miners were trapped in a flooded mine in 2021 and only three bodies were found before rescue teams called off the operation after a month