At least 18 labourers were killed on Thursday in a suspected dynamite explosion inside an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district, once again drawing attention to the persistence and dangers of rat-hole mining a hazardous practice banned more than a decade ago but still widespread across the state.
The blast occurred at Mynsyngat village in the Thangsku area, under the Umpleng Police Outpost. Officials said the workers, including local residents and migrant labourers from neighbouring states, were operating deep inside narrow underground shafts when the explosion took place.
By Thursday evening, rescue teams had recovered 18 bodies from the mine. Operations were later suspended due to darkness, unstable underground conditions, and the risk of toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and methane remaining trapped inside the tunnels.
East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar confirmed that continuing rescue efforts overnight would have posed serious risks to personnel. Authorities are expected to resume recovery and investigation once conditions permit.
What Is Rat-Hole Mining?
Rat-hole mining is a primitive and unscientific method of coal extraction that involves digging extremely narrow vertical pits, typically just three to four feet wide. Once miners reach the coal seam which in Meghalaya lies close to the surface and is relatively thin they carve out horizontal tunnels to manually extract coal.
These cramped tunnels, often barely large enough for a single person to crawl through, give the method its name. Extracted coal is brought to the surface using baskets or sacks and later transported by road.
The practice relies entirely on manual labour, with no structural support, ventilation systems, or mechanised safety measures. Even minor mishaps flooding, gas buildup, or explosives used to loosen coal seams can quickly turn fatal.
Why the Practice Persists Despite the Ban
Rat-hole mining was banned by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014, which cited severe environmental damage, groundwater contamination, and repeated loss of human life. The tribunal also prohibited the transportation and sale of coal extracted through illegal methods.
The Supreme Court later upheld the ban, allowing coal mining only under regulated, scientific frameworks with strict environmental safeguards.
Yet, despite clear judicial orders, rat-hole mining continues in many parts of Meghalaya. State authorities have long argued that the region’s unique geology thin, fragmented coal seams makes large-scale mechanised mining economically unviable, leaving few alternatives for communities dependent on coal for livelihood.
A 2022 panel appointed by the Meghalaya High Court found that illegal rat-hole mining was continuing “unabated” in several districts, pointing to weak enforcement, local complicity, and economic dependence as key reasons for its persistence.
A Deadly Pattern Repeated
Thursday’s explosion is the latest in a long series of fatal incidents linked to rat-hole mining.
In December 2018, 15 miners were trapped inside a flooded rat-hole mine in East Jaintia Hills. A massive, months-long rescue operation involving the Navy and international experts followed, but only two bodies were recovered.
In 2021, another flooding incident trapped five miners in a similar mine; three bodies were eventually retrieved before rescue efforts were called off.
Environmental experts warn that apart from loss of life, rat-hole mining has caused extensive ecological damage, including acid mine drainage, pollution of rivers, destruction of farmland, and long-term land degradation.
Vulnerable Workers, Minimal Protection
The narrow tunnels have historically led to the employment of children, as their smaller physical size allows them to navigate the confined spaces more easily. Although child labour is illegal, reports over the years have documented minors posing as adults to secure work in mines.
Migrant workers, often from economically weaker regions, are also disproportionately affected. With limited employment options and little oversight, they are exposed to extreme risk with minimal compensation or protection.
Accountability Questions Resurface
The latest deaths have renewed questions about enforcement failures and accountability at multiple levels from mine operators and transporters to local administration and regulatory agencies.
Despite repeated court directives and past tragedies, illegal mines continue to function, often in remote areas with limited monitoring. Experts say that without sustained enforcement, alternative livelihood programmes, and transparent regulation, the cycle of accidents is likely to continue.
As authorities investigate the cause of Thursday’s explosion, the tragedy has once again underscored a grim reality: a practice declared illegal on paper continues to claim lives on the ground.
For families of the 18 workers who lost their lives, the cost of that failure has been devastating and entirely preventable.
