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High-tension wires threaten 4L students in 8,309 UP gov schools

High-tension wires threaten 4L students in 8,309 UP gov schools

Over 4 lakh students studying in 8,309 government-run primary and upper primary schools across Uttar Pradesh continue to face a serious safety threat due to 11,000-volt high-tension electricity wires passing directly over their campuses. Letter to energy dept seeks urgent action;
₹ 100 cr allocated for line shifting (Sourced)
According to official records, Prayagraj district, which houses the state's education directorate, has 289 such schools, while Gonda has 206.
The issue, flagged in a state-level survey following a major accident in 2019, persists despite earlier directions. On July 15, 2019, 55 students suffered burn injuries when a high-tension wire fell on a government primary school in Utraula tehsil of Balrampur district. The incident led to a statewide identification drive of such vulnerable schools.
Six years later, on August 4, 2025, director of basic education Pratap Singh Baghel wrote to the additional chief secretary, energy department-3, urging the removal of these high-tension wires from above school buildings.
'Due to high tension power lines passing above the primary and upper primary schools run by Uttar Pradesh Basic Shiksha Parishad, there is a possibility of accidents as the students are studying there,' the official communication stated. Some schools also reportedly have transformers and electric poles installed within their premises, an official said.
An official mentioned that the district basic education officers have identified the affected schools and submitted the list to the power department. In his letter, he urged officials to 'take the pain of taking necessary action' to remove the power lines passing above the school buildings.
Director general of school education Kanchan Verma informed that ₹100 crore has been allocated to power corporations for shifting the electrical infrastructure this financial year. '80% of the sanctioned amount has already been released. We are hopeful that the department will work on priority to ensure children's safety,' she said.
'Very soon, no school will have this issue,' Baghel said and added that he has been pursuing the matter with the senior staff in the power department.
Teachers in affected schools have repeatedly raised safety concerns, particularly during the rainy season. A teacher from Upper Primary School Bharatpura, development block Kuravali, Mainpuri, said the fear of lightning and electric shock remains constant. 'When an accident occurs, compensation is given, but no accountability is fixed. In many cases, only cover-up actions follow,' the teacher added.
In the 2019 Balrampur incident, the National Human Rights Commission had taken suo motu cognisance following media reports, after it was found that a high-tension wire had come in contact with trees on the campus, causing electric shock injuries to dozens of students.

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