What Happened
- At least 27 miners were killed and 9 injured in an explosion at an illegal rat-hole coal mine in Mynsyngat village, Thangsko area, East Jaintia Hills district, Meghalaya, on 5 February 2026.
- The explosion occurred when a dynamite blast in one pit ignited a methane gas pocket, with workers in adjacent pits unaware of the blasting activity.
- The mine was operating illegally, as rat-hole mining has been banned across Meghalaya since the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order of April 2014.
- An estimated 22,000 to 33,000 rat-hole mine openings operate in East Jaintia Hills alone, despite the decade-old ban.
- The Meghalaya government announced a judicial inquiry into the incident and the Meghalaya High Court ordered the immediate arrest of the mine owners.
Static Topic Bridges
Rat-Hole Mining: Process and Types
Rat-hole mining is a primitive, manual method of coal extraction unique to the hilly terrain of Meghalaya. The name derives from the narrow, tunnel-like pits that resemble rat burrows, through which workers crawl to extract coal from thin seams embedded in the hills.
- Side-cutting method: Narrow horizontal tunnels are dug into hill slopes until a coal seam is found; workers crawl through passages rarely more than 3-4 feet high to extract coal manually.
- Box-cutting method: A rectangular pit up to 100-400 feet deep is dug vertically into flat terrain; once the coal seam is reached at the bottom, horizontal rat-holes radiate outward from the base.
- Workers operate without safety gear, helmets, ventilation systems, or oxygen supply; child labour has been documented due to the need for small-bodied workers.
- Coal is carried out in baskets or hauled up with ropes; no structural supports are used in tunnels.
- Meghalaya's coal seams are typically thin (1-2 metres), making large-scale mechanised mining uneconomical, which sustains the rat-hole method.
Connection to this news: The February 2026 explosion exposed the complete absence of safety protocols in these mines; workers in adjacent pits had no knowledge of dynamite blasting, and there were no methane detection or ventilation systems in place.
NGT Ban and Regulatory Framework
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya through its order dated 17 April 2014, citing the practice as unscientific, unsafe for workers, and causing severe environmental degradation including acidification of downstream rivers.
- The NGT order (17 April 2014, reinforced 9 June 2014) directed Meghalaya's Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to ensure all rat-hole and illegal mining is stopped forthwith.
- The ban was upheld by the NGT in 2015 when the Meghalaya government challenged it.
- All rat-hole mining violates the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act), which requires mining leases, safety standards, and environmental clearances.
- The Mines Act, 1952, mandates safety provisions for underground mines including ventilation, structural support, emergency exits, and prohibition of child labour.
- Environmental damage includes acid mine drainage polluting rivers (particularly the Kopili and Lukha rivers in Jaintia Hills), deforestation, and land subsidence.
Connection to this news: Despite 12 years of the NGT ban, the Meghalaya government has failed to enforce the prohibition, allowing an estimated 22,000 illegal mines to operate openly in East Jaintia Hills, leading directly to the February 2026 tragedy.
Sixth Schedule and Governance Challenges in Tribal Areas
Meghalaya's three hill districts (Garo Hills, Khasi Hills, and Jaintia Hills) are governed under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution (Articles 244(2) and 275(1)), which creates Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) with legislative, judicial, and executive powers over land, forests, and mineral resources in tribal areas.
- The Sixth Schedule applies to tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram, providing self-governance through ADCs.
- ADCs are empowered to grant licences or leases for mineral extraction and receive a share of royalties from mining activities.
- Land in Sixth Schedule areas is community-owned (under clan or village control), not state-owned; this means coal deposits on private/community land are controlled by local tribal landowners.
- The dual authority structure (state government vs. ADCs) creates enforcement gaps: the NGT ban is a central regulatory order, but local land and mining rights are governed by ADCs.
- Enforcement of the mining ban requires cooperation between the state police, district administration, ADC authorities, and central agencies, which has been inconsistent.
Connection to this news: The persistence of illegal mining despite the NGT ban is partly attributed to the governance complexity under the Sixth Schedule, where community land ownership and ADC autonomy make centralised enforcement difficult, and coal mining remains a major livelihood source for tribal communities.
Economics of Illegal Coal Mining
The illegal coal mining economy in Meghalaya operates as a low-investment, high-profit model that has resisted regulatory intervention for over a decade. The economic incentives overwhelm the risks of legal penalties, making enforcement exceptionally challenging.
- Cost of production per tonne (including all investment and wages): Rs 2,000-3,000.
- Market selling price per tonne: Rs 12,000-13,000, yielding profit margins of 300-500%.
- The coal is primarily transported to cement factories, thermal power plants, and industrial units in Assam, Bangladesh, and other northeastern states.
- Workers, many from Bangladesh, Assam, and Nepal, earn Rs 500-1,000 per day, which is significantly higher than agricultural wages in the region.
- An estimated 22,000 mine openings in East Jaintia Hills alone suggest thousands of livelihoods depend on the illegal industry.
Connection to this news: The extreme profitability of rat-hole mining creates powerful incentives for mine owners to continue operations clandestinely, and the dependence of local economies on coal extraction makes political will for enforcement difficult to sustain.
Key Facts & Data
- 27 killed, 9 injured in the Mynsyngat mine explosion, East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya (5 February 2026).
- NGT ban on rat-hole mining: 17 April 2014, upheld in 2015.
- Estimated 22,000-33,000 illegal rat-hole mine openings in East Jaintia Hills district alone.
- Coal production cost: Rs 2,000-3,000 per tonne; market price: Rs 12,000-13,000 per tonne.
- Environmental damage: Acid mine drainage has polluted the Kopili and Lukha rivers in Jaintia Hills.
- Key legislation: MMDR Act, 1957; Mines Act, 1952; NGT Act, 2010.
- Sixth Schedule areas in Meghalaya: Garo Hills, Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills — governed by Autonomous District Councils.
- Post-tragedy crackdown: 204 gelatine sticks, 63 detonators, and over 175 metric tonnes of illegal coal seized; 30 cases registered.