To release 41 workers trapped in the collapsed Silkyara-Barkot tunnel, the rescuers is planning to drill through the remaining few meters using the practice of rat-hole mining.
- Rat hole mining is a method of extracting coal from narrow, horizontal seams, prevalent in Meghalaya.
- The term “rat hole” refers to the narrow pits dug into the ground, typically just large enough for one person to descend and extract coal.
- Once the pits are dug, miners descend using ropes or bamboo ladders to reach the coal seams. The coal is then manually extracted using primitive tools such as pickaxes, shovels, and baskets.
- This method of mining has faced severe criticism due to its hazardous working conditions, environmental damage, and numerous accidents leading to injuries and fatalities.
- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned the practice in 2014, and retained the ban in 2015.
