New Lightning Arresters for Kolkata – Coconut Tree plantation!

If you have ever come across headless coconut trees in rural India, you will realise, being the tallest they have acted as great lightning arresters and took the brunt of being damaged on themselves. Using this science, HIDCO has drawn up a plan to plant coconut trees in the open areas of New Town that are severely prone to Lightning strikes. 

Around 528 Coconut Trees are slated to be planted around food stalls near New Town police station, Shankara Nethralaya and on the borders of Hathiayara and Tarulia. Studies have shown coconut trees attract lightning as the trees are tall and have moisture that acts as a conducting path for lightning. Priorities will be given to areas in New Town that have small stores, roadside stalls and other small structures, so that when the coconut saplings grow, they can act as tall lightning arresters.