What Happened
- An explosion in an illegal rat-hole coal mine in East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya on February 5, 2026, killed at least 18 workers (with the death toll later revised to 27-30 across reports).
- Rat-hole mining was banned by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014, yet an estimated 22,000-25,000 illegal mines continue to operate across 360 villages in East Jaintia Hills district alone.
- The NGT took suo motu cognizance and issued notices to the Chief Secretary of Meghalaya, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and the Deputy Commissioner of East Jaintia Hills.
- The editorial highlighted that court supervision alone cannot substitute governance: illegal coal enters legitimate markets through intermediaries, operators underreport accidents, and workers remain off formal records.
- Proposals to address the crisis include mandatory GPS tracking for coal carriers, satellite and drone patrol integration, community monitoring with penalty-sharing, and economic alternatives for displaced mining labour.
Static Topic Bridges
National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Environmental Regulation
The NGT is a statutory body established under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, to handle expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests. It has original jurisdiction over civil cases involving substantial questions relating to the environment, including enforcement of legal rights related to environment and relief for damages.
- Established on October 18, 2010, with its principal bench in New Delhi
- Headed by a Chairperson who must be a retired Supreme Court judge or Chief Justice of a High Court
- Has jurisdiction over cases arising under seven environmental laws, including the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and the Forest Conservation Act, 1980
- The NGT's 2014 order banned rat-hole mining in Meghalaya, citing environmental destruction and worker safety risks; the Supreme Court later upheld this ban
Connection to this news: The February 2026 blast demonstrates the gap between the NGT's 2014 ban and ground-level enforcement in Meghalaya, prompting the Tribunal's suo motu notice to state and central authorities.
Sixth Schedule and Tribal Autonomy in Northeast India
The Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution (Articles 244(2) and 275(1)) provides for the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram through Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) and Autonomous Regional Councils. These councils have legislative powers over land management, forests, and certain regulatory matters within their jurisdictions.
- Meghalaya has three ADCs: Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills, and Garo Hills
- ADCs can make laws on land allotment, use, and management, and can regulate mining leases within their territorial jurisdiction
- Local mine owners argue that land ownership under customary tribal law exempts them from the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act)
- This creates a regulatory grey zone where central mining law enforcement is resisted on grounds of tribal autonomy
Connection to this news: The persistence of rat-hole mining in Meghalaya is partly rooted in the tension between Sixth Schedule protections for tribal land ownership and the central government's regulatory authority under the MMDR Act and environmental laws.
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957
The MMDR Act is the primary central legislation governing the mining sector in India. It regulates the grant of mining leases and prospecting licences for all minerals except petroleum and natural gas, and empowers state governments to frame rules for minor minerals.
- Amended in 2015 to introduce transparent auction-based allocation of mining rights and establish the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) for mining-affected communities
- Section 4 requires a mining lease for undertaking any mining operations; illegal mining is punishable under Section 21 with imprisonment up to five years and fines
- Meghalaya has a framework under the MMDR Act to prevent illegal mining, transport, and storage of coal
- The 2021 amendment further strengthened provisions against illegal mining and introduced the concept of exploration licences
Connection to this news: Despite the MMDR Act's legal framework, enforcement in Meghalaya's coal belt remains weak due to fragmented land ownership, community patronage networks, and the ability of illegal coal to enter legitimate supply chains through intermediaries.
Child Labour and Informal Mining Economies
Child labour in mining, particularly in India's rat-hole mines, involves children as young as 8-10 years working in extremely hazardous conditions. India's Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, amended in 2016, prohibits employment of children below 14 years in all occupations and adolescents (14-18) in hazardous occupations including mining.
- Rat-hole mines are narrow, horizontal or vertical shafts (sometimes only 3-4 feet wide) dug into hillsides, typically lacking ventilation, structural support, or safety equipment
- Workers, including migrant labourers from Nepal, Bangladesh, and other Indian states, are often unregistered and have no formal employment records
- Injuries from polluted water, acid drainage, unstable landscapes, and respiratory diseases go largely unreported
- The informal nature of these operations means accidents are underreported and worker deaths rarely lead to accountability
Connection to this news: The February 2026 explosion underscored ongoing exploitation of informal labour, including reports of child workers, in Meghalaya's illegal mines -- a practice that persists because enforcement agencies struggle to access remote mining sites under fragmented community ownership.
Key Facts & Data
- At least 18-30 workers killed in the February 5, 2026 explosion in East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya
- NGT banned rat-hole mining in Meghalaya in April 2014; the Supreme Court upheld the ban
- An estimated 22,000-25,000 illegal coal mines operate in approximately 360 villages in East Jaintia Hills district
- Meghalaya's coal belt has distinct features: small privately or community-owned landholdings, thin coal seams, and weak local enforcement
- The MMDR Act provides for imprisonment of up to 5 years and fines for illegal mining
- Meghalaya has three Autonomous District Councils under the Sixth Schedule governing land and mineral rights
- NGT issued suo motu notices to the Chief Secretary of Meghalaya and the CPCB following the blast