Illegal coal mine blast Meghalaya: Rat-hole mining deaths | GS 3

Context
• 18 miners were killed after a suspected dynamite blast in an illegal rat-hole coal mine in East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya.

Rat-hole mining
• Narrow vertical pits where workers crawl horizontally to extract coal.
• Extremely unsafe and hazardous.
• Banned by National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014 due to deaths, child labour, pollution and illegal operations.

National Green Tribunal (NGT)
• Established: 2010 under NGT Act, 2010
• Purpose: Speedy disposal of environmental cases
• Time limit: Within 6 months (statutory)
• Jurisdiction:
• Environmental protection
• Conservation of forests
• Pollution control
• Hazardous waste
• Covers Acts:
• Environment Protection Act, 1986
• Water Act, 1974
• Air Act, 1981
• Forest Conservation Act, 1980
• Biological Diversity Act, 2002
• Powers:
• Civil court powers
• Award compensation
• Impose penalties
• Appeal: Lies only to Supreme Court within 90 days

PYQ – 2018, Ans – B
PYQ – 2012, Ans – A
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