Earthquake-resistant school opens in Gujarat
Eco-friendly hollow bricks have been used in the building
In a first-of-its-kind in Gujarat, an earthquake-resistant and eco-friendly school complex has been constructed in Manjalpur here. 
The English medium school was founded by Devyani Raje Gaekwad, widow of Lt Col Ashokraje Gaekwad, former ADC to Lord Mountbatten. She said the school was founded in 2001 in memory of her husband and operated at a building located in Dhairya Palace premises.
It will now be shifted to this new eco-friendly and earthquake resistant premises, Gaekwad said. Talking about the construction of the new school building, she said, "The entire complex is constructed making use of the hollow blocks. Conventional bricks were not used and that is why it is environmental friendly. Further in the making of blocks, paper masch was used as additive to cement and rubbles.”
Thus the use of cement was also reduced considerably, which is once again an environment friendly aspect, she added.
In the new premises, there has been no use of paint. The natural colour of the blocks used for raising the wall has been retained.
The walls are raised arranging the blocks in triangular formations, which are earth-quake resistant as compared to the rectangular structure raised using conventional bricks, she claimed.
Prince Ashokraje Gaekwad is the grandson of Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad III, the king of erstwhile princely Gaekwad State of Baroda, whose 150th birth anniversary is being celebrated this year.
