The Disaster Management Department has decided to install lightning conductors in as many as 132 Government High Schools in the State capital, keeping in view the vulnerability of Jharkhand to the frequent lightening strikes.
Showing concern for the safety of the school children, State Programme Officer in Disaster Management Department SK Srivastav said, “lightening has taken its toll over the school buildings in the city in past few years putting life of school authorities and children at risk. The decision has been taken to protect their life.”
A lightning arrester is a device used on electrical power systems and telecommunications systems to protect the insulation and conductors of the system from the damaging effects of lightning.
The lighting conductors in school buildings will be installed based on the area and height of the premises. The earth component for the lightning conductors which is usually made of coal this time will have silicon gel to eliminate the need of annual maintenance work which was essential in previous models. Besides, protecting the building the conductor equipment would also record the number of lighting strikes.”
Tender inviting the suitable bidder for the same has already been floated by the department.
“The tender has been floated for the same. Many private firms are lining up. The best one will be handed the responsibility,” said Principal Secretary of Disaster Management Arun Kumar Singh.
Notably, Jharkhand High Court had directed the State Government to install lightning conductors in every school and important Government and community buildings after the June 2007 incident in which five school students were killed and almost dozen were injured in Ranchi.
The Disaster Management Department had assigned the lighting conductor installation work to the Building Construction and the Human Resource Development (HRD) Departments. However, it has been almost seven years and the project is not completed yet. According to an official, the reason behind it is that in many schools the installed conductors get stolen and interestingly, none of them are aware about the number of stolen conductors.
“We have installed the conductors but it has been stolen from many schools. However, it is difficult to provide the exact figure. The department is trying its level best to accomplish the project on time. But such incidents are creating hurdle in the project,” said Joint Secretary of HRD Department Kameshwar Prasad.
Meanwhile, according to the research report of the Birsa Agriculture Department (BAU) weather Physics department on an average every year around 200-250 death occurs in different areas of the State due to lighting strikes.