Q. Rat hole mining, recently seen in news, is a method of manual drilling most prevalent in which state?
Answer:
Meghalaya
Notes: A High Court-appointed panel in Meghalaya highlights stalled efforts in restoring environments damaged by rat-hole coal mining. This method, prevalent in the state's Jaintia and Khasi Hills, involves narrow, manual pits for coal extraction. Classified into side-cutting and box-cutting, it lacks regulation and safety measures, leading to accidents and fatalities. Despite a 2014 ban by the NGT, rat-hole mining persists, posing environmental and human risks.