Blackened

Published on:

18 Jul 2011, 1:44 pm

<p>The rathole mines are a small hole dug into the earth to reach the coal seam. The mine is so small that even a four foot tall person cannot stand in it. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p>

The rathole mines are a small hole dug into the earth to reach the coal seam. The mine is so small that even a four foot tall person cannot stand in it.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

The Meghalaya coal is one of the finest quality in terms of calorific value but its disadvantage is the high sulphur content.<br /><br><br><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja <br><br>

The Meghalaya coal is one of the finest quality in terms of calorific value but its disadvantage is the high sulphur content.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

Children are often the preferred loaders as they work for very little wages.<br /><br><br><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p> <br><br>

Children are often the preferred loaders as they work for very little wages.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>The miners are oblivious to the effects of staying in contact with sulphuric acid for long and develop skin infections/reactions. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p>

The miners are oblivious to the effects of staying in contact with sulphuric acid for long and develop skin infections/reactions.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>Typically the mines breaching groundwater table produce sulphuric acid when the sulphur in the coal comes in contact with water, causing acid mine drainage. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p>

Typically the mines breaching groundwater table produce sulphuric acid when the sulphur in the coal comes in contact with water, causing acid mine drainage.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>The coal is merely dumped at a number of pre-determined locations only to be picked up by different trucks mostly with a view to transport it out of Meghalaya. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p><br /><p> </p><br /><p> </p>

The coal is merely dumped at a number of pre-determined locations only to be picked up by different trucks mostly with a view to transport it out of Meghalaya.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>RongJeng mine dug up till the fresh coal seam, ready to be mined. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p>

RongJeng mine dug up till the fresh coal seam, ready to be mined.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>NH-62 in East Garo Hills presents where coal loading/unloading happens without any regulatory control. <br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p>

NH-62 in East Garo Hills presents where coal loading/unloading happens without any regulatory control.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>The miners do mention how the yellow liquid in the mines corrodes their skin. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p>

The miners do mention how the yellow liquid in the mines corrodes their skin.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>Do not cut any tree or bamboo from the Ballupara reserve. Violation of this will be fined as follows: one quintal of rice, one adult cow and Rs 500. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p>

Do not cut any tree or bamboo from the Ballupara reserve. Violation of this will be fined as follows: one quintal of rice, one adult cow and Rs 500.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>The coal loading, unloading, dumping and transport are not recorded anywhere officially. Any check-post, or weighing station are absent. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p><br /><p> </p><br /><p> </p>

The coal loading, unloading, dumping and transport are not recorded anywhere officially. Any check-post, or weighing station are absent.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>A typical rat hole miner manages to dig out about one truck of coal everyday fetching him anywhere between Rs.600-1200. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p>

A typical rat hole miner manages to dig out about one truck of coal everyday fetching him anywhere between Rs.600-1200.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>With trucks lined up for kilometers on roads for rampant loading/unloading, this is what the highway looks like – black. <br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p><br /><p> </p>

With trucks lined up for kilometers on roads for rampant loading/unloading, this is what the highway looks like – black.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>Two local miners show the trail to a rat hole mine in RongJeng. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p>

Two local miners show the trail to a rat hole mine in RongJeng.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>A number of horizontal holes run close to each other in the vertical face of a hill/pit making the region extremely prone to subsidence. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p>

A number of horizontal holes run close to each other in the vertical face of a hill/pit making the region extremely prone to subsidence.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>Different grades of coal are piled separately and form most of the landscape. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p>

Different grades of coal are piled separately and form most of the landscape.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

Some rat hole mines in Meghalaya, like this one in Ballupara, also breach the ground water table.<br /><br><br><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja <br><br>

Some rat hole mines in Meghalaya, like this one in Ballupara, also breach the ground water table.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>Coal dust covered trees are a common site in coal mining regions of the state in the absence of compliance with environmental norms. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p><br /><p> </p><br /><p> </p>

Coal dust covered trees are a common site in coal mining regions of the state in the absence of compliance with environmental norms.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

<p>Laden with sulphuric acid deposits, this is what the out stream from these mines looks like. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photograph by</strong>: Sugandh Juneja</p>

Laden with sulphuric acid deposits, this is what the out stream from these mines looks like.

Photograph by: Sugandh Juneja

Meghalaya

Environment

coal mining

Blackened