E-Paper
U.P. govt to install lightning arresters atop tall buildings to save lives
The communique also said that when lightning strikes, it creates a large electromagnetic field that can induce high voltages in nearby conductive materials such as electrical wires and pipelines.
LUCKNOW The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to install lightning arresters (or lightning rods) atop tall buildings to protect people from lightning strikes, which claims hundreds of lives in the state every year. The lightning rods attract lightning from the sky during inclement weather conditions and push the electric charge underground, thus saving lives and preventing damage, said a government statement on Sunday.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the state government said, “Recently, relief commissioner GS Naveen Kumar talked about the benefits of lightning arresters in front of chief secretary Durga Shankar Misra. He pointed out that in 2022-23, 301 people died due to lightning strikes in 52 districts whereas 174 lives have already been lost due to such incident in 36 districts by July (2023-24). He had sought reports from districts on where these lightning rods can be installed. According to the proposal, lightning arresters (or lightning rods) can be installed on the tallest buildings.”
The statement further said that a lightning rod (or lightning conductor) is a metal rod mounted on a structure which is intended to protect the structure from lightning strikes. If lightning strikes a structure, then it will directly strike the rod instead of passing through the structure. The rod will conduct the electric charge through a wire into the ground, preventing any damage to the structure. This can stop lightning from striking anywhere, preventing numerous possible fatalities.
The communique also said that when lightning strikes, it creates a large electromagnetic field that can induce high voltages in nearby conductive materials such as electrical wires and pipelines. This high voltage can damage the structure and potentially harm the people present inside and around. A lightning arrester or lightning rod provides a low-resistance path for the flow of lightning away from the structure and into the ground. It prevents damage and also protects people inside or around the structure from electric shocks.
