Pratiyogita darpan monthly in English - No 1 magazine in India subscribe Published this article page no 25 rathole mining why in news recently the collapse of a coal mine in meghalayas east jaintia hills in which 15 workers were trapped has thrown the spotlight on a procedure known as rathole mining. about rathole miningit involves digging of very small tunnels usually only 34 feet high without any pillars to prevent collapse in which workers (often children) enter and extract coal the national green tribunal (ngt) banned it in 2014 on grounds of it being unscientific and unsafe for workers. however the state government appealed the order in the supreme court.even after ban it remains the prevalent procedure for coal mining in meghalaya as no other method would be economically viable in meghalaya where the coal seam is extremely thin. negative impacts of rat hole miningenvironmental degradation it has caused the water in the kopili river (flows through meghalaya and assam) to turn acidic best magazine for ias preparation.
