Meghalaya rat-hole mine blast

1. Question 1Answer A

   In which Meghalaya district did the illegal rat-hole coal mine blast of 5 February 2026 occur?

   • ACorrect answer: East Jaintia Hills
   • BSouth West Khasi Hills
   • CWest Jaintia Hills
   • DEast Garo Hills

   Core Trigger: A blast on 5 February 2026 at an illegal rat-hole coal mine in East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya killed at least 25 by 6 February.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 219, point 1

2. Question 2Answer B

   The February 2026 mine blast death toll reached about how many by 11 February 2026?

   • AAbout 50
   • BCorrect answer: About 30
   • CAbout 40
   • DAbout 20

   Toll: The death toll reached about 30 by 11 February 2026.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 219, point 2

3. Question 3Answer B

   Which body banned rat-hole mining in Meghalaya by an order of 17 April 2014?

   • ASupreme Court of India
   • BCorrect answer: National Green Tribunal
   • CMeghalaya High Court
   • DUnion Ministry of Mines

   Banning Body: The National Green Tribunal banned rat-hole mining by an order of 17 April 2014 in Impulse NGO Network v State of Meghalaya.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 219, point 3

4. Question 4Answer A

   What is rat-hole mining?

   • ACorrect answer: Digging narrow tunnels in which miners crawl
   • BDrilling deep vertical shafts with lifts
   • CBlasting wide terraced pits using heavy machines
   • DDredging coal from riverbeds using suction pumps

   Key Term: Rat-hole mining means digging narrow pits and tunnels in which miners crawl to extract coal.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 219, point 4

5. Question 5Answer D

   Despite the ban, rat-hole mining continues across Meghalaya's coal belt and which other area?

   • ASingrauli
   • BJharia
   • CKorba
   • DCorrect answer: Dima Hasao

   Enforcement: The ban has been in force since 2014 yet mining continues across Meghalaya's coal belt and Dima Hasao.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 219, point 5

6. Question 6Answer A

   The 2014 ban on rat-hole mining is what kind of measure?

   • ACorrect answer: A Tribunal order, not a statute
   • BAn Act of Parliament
   • CA Meghalaya Assembly law
   • DA Presidential ordinance

   Nature of Ban: The 2014 ban is a Tribunal order, not a statute.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 219, point 6

7. Question 7Answer D

   The Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal sits in which city?

   • ABhopal
   • BPune
   • CChennai
   • DCorrect answer: New Delhi

   Tribunal Seat: The NGT's Principal Bench sits in New Delhi.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 219, point 8

8. Question 8Answer B

   In which year was the National Green Tribunal established?

   • A2006
   • BCorrect answer: 2010
   • C2013
   • D2016

   Founded: The National Green Tribunal was established in 2010 under the NGT Act, 2010.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 219, point 9

9. Question 9Answer C

   Which 2019 Supreme Court judgment affirmed the 2014 rat-hole mining ban?

   • AImpulse NGO Network v State of Meghalaya
   • BGoa Foundation v Union of India
   • CCorrect answer: State of Meghalaya v All Dimasa Students Union
   • DLafarge Umiam Mining v Union of India

   Landmark: In State of Meghalaya v All Dimasa Students Union (2019) the Supreme Court affirmed the 2014 ban.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 219, point 10

10. Question 10Answer D

    Consider: 1) Section 4 of the NGT Act, 2010 bars mining without a valid lease. 2) Section 15 of the MMDR Act, 1957 allows relief and compensation. Which is/are correct?

    • AOnly 1
    • BOnly 2
    • CBoth 1 and 2
    • DCorrect answer: Neither

    Statute: Section 4 of the MMDR Act, 1957 bars mining without a valid lease; section 15 of the NGT Act allows relief and compensation.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 219, point 11

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