The perils and policies behind rat-hole mining in Nagaland

On January 25, at least six migrant laborers lost their lives in an explosion at a rat-hole coal mine in Wokha district, near the state’s border with Assam. Ayaskant Das sheds light on the prevalent issue of rat-hole coal mining in Nagaland in his report “Rat Hole Mining: Tragic Accident Exposes Dark Side of Nagaland’s Coal Sector” published by newsclick.in on 31 January.

According to the report, as per officials, the mine where the accident took place was “illegal” even though rat-hole mining is permissible in Nagaland. The mine in Wokha District was illegal only because it did not have the mandatory clearances from the government.

Principal Secretary of Nagaland’s Geology & Mining Department, Himato Zhimomi, was quoted as saying, “Rat hole mining is permissible in Nagaland, but it must be undertaken only with consent from the concerned departments.”

But why is rat-hole mining legal in Nagaland?

Nagaland has significant coal reserves totaling 492.68 million tons but it faces a unique geological challenge. Unlike traditional coal-rich regions, these reserves are not concentrated in large, accessible deposits. Instead, they are scattered irregularly in small pockets across the state, making large-scale extraction through large-scale operations for “scientific, economic development in a coordinated and integrated manner” unfeasible.

Recognizing this geological reality, Nagaland’s coal policy, established in 2006, permits a practice known as “rat-hole mining” to exploit these dispersed coal deposits. Rat-hole mining involves small-scale, manual extraction of coal from narrow, unstable tunnels or “rat-holes” dug into the earth.

“Small Pocket Deposit License may be granted only to individual landowners for undertaking rat-hole mining and shall not be granted to any company. The license period shall not exceed 1 (one) year, where the intended mining area does not exceed 2 (two) hectares, and annual coal production does not exceed 1,000 tons per annum and heavy machinery is not used for extraction,” states the Nagaland Coal Policy (First Amendment) 2014 (See Section 6.4 (ii)).

However, despite the legal framework in place, instances of illegal rat-hole mining have been reported in Nagaland, leading to accidents and environmental degradation.

According to the report, in March 2019, at least four workers were killed, reportedly in a mudslide accident, at an abandoned coal mine in Nagaland’s Longleng district. The deceased were identified as migrant workers from Assam. In yet another accident reported from Mokokchung district in March 2021, another four migrant workers from Assam were killed by a suspected poisonous gas leak from an illegal mine in which they were working.

Why coal mining activities are carried out only by individuals and communities in Nagaland

In Nagaland, coal mining activities are exclusively conducted by individuals and communities due to the state’s unique land-holding system, as outlined in Article 371A of the Constitution of India.

Under this provision, land and natural resources belong solely to the state’s citizens, granting them control over resource utilization and management. Traditionally, coal mining operations in Nagaland have been decentralized, with localindividuals and communities spearheading these endeavors.

The state’s role in this context has primarily been limited to royalty collection, rather than direct involvement in mining operations.

Moreover, the Nagaland Coal Policy (First Amendment) 2014 and the Nagaland Coal Mining Rules, 2006, formulated in accordance with the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, reinforces this decentralized approach. These regulations stipulate that the state government must share 10% of coal royalties with local village councils through a system known as the “Naga Commission.”

Despite these regulations, concerns have been raised about the oversight of safety measures by the state government. The Nagaland Coal Mining Rules, 2006, mandate the issuance of guidelines for precautionary measures against toxic gas emissions, fires, and spontaneous heating in operational mines. However, instances of oversight have led to mine-related accidents in the past, underscoring the need for stricter enforcement and accountability in the coal mining sector.

Mokokchung Times