The power line over the tin-roofed school building (extreme left) of Udaypur Balika Vidya Niketan. Picture by Nityananda Sarkar

Raiganj, March 5: The head teacher of Udaypur Balika Vidya Niketan, 4 km from here, has been issued a show-cause notice by the district inspector of schools (secondary) for running the institution right under a high tension power line, endangering both students and teachers.

The institution consists of two buildings and a hostel for girls. An 11,000-volt power line passes just above the tinned roof of one of the school buildings. “The situation is very, very dangerous. This cannot be allowed. A mishap can occur at any time,” said Subhasish Sanyal, the inspector.

Sanyal said he came to know of the situation during a routine inspection of the school. “Instead of trying to find ways of averting this potential threat, the school authorities have been demanding the erection of a boundary wall and the introduction of higher secondary course,” the visibly angry inspector said.

“But they had kept us completely in the dark about this transmission line. When I saw the danger for myself I served a show-cause notice to the school’s head teacher. I have also contacted the West Bengal State Electricity Board (WBSEB),” Sanyal said.

The head teacher, Utsa Chakrabarty, said: “It had been a mistake on our part not to inform the school inspector. We have been acutely aware of the danger. Some years ago, the line snapped and a lady teacher of our school was severely injured. We had contacted the electricity board then, but nothing was done. I will write to the inspector tomorrow and reply to the show-cause notice when it comes.”

A source in the school said the line had snapped during a storm three years ago, injuring Sutapa Dasgupta, a teacher. Zilla parishad member Purnendu Dey said the WBSEB had been told many times but to no avail.

Sib Prasad Laha, the divisional engineer of WBSEB, said: “The school was established in 1969 but the power line existed long before that. We can shift it if the school bears the cost. Otherwise, if there is any mishap, the responsibility will lie with the school authorities.” Laha added that the WBSEB has not received any written complaint from the school.