Uttarakhand tunnel rescue operations:
With large metal pieces hindering machine drilling, the rescuers went ahead with rat-hole mining.
Key Points:
Rat-hole mining is a manual drilling method used by skilled workers in Meghalaya, where narrow pits are dug into the ground to extract coal.
The miner descends into the holes using rope and bamboo ladders, causing hazards such as asphyxiation, lack of oxygen, and hunger.
This method is illegal in many countries due to the increasing cases of miners dying from asphyxiation, lack of oxygen, and hunger.
Another type involves a rectangular opening and a vertical pit, with rat-hole-sized tunnels dug horizontally to extract coal.
Rat-hole mining has faced criticism due to hazardous working conditions, environmental damage, and numerous accidents resulting in injuries and fatalities.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned rat-hole mining in 2014, citing numerous cases of water flooding in mining areas during rainy seasons, resulting in the deaths of workers.
