A former technician of Geological Survey of India has designed a Thermal Conductivity Measuring Apparatus (TCMA) a few months back, which the engineering colleges in the country can easily afford to buy. Besides determining mineral content of rocks, TCMA also identifies earthquake-prone areas by measuring the thermal conductivity of sample soils of those areas. However, most of the engineering colleges in the country lack the facility of TCMA ~ as an apparatus to measure thermal conductivity costs over Rs 50 lakh if imported. So students can only view the pictures of such apparatus in their textbooks. But Mr Sarojendra Nath Mallick, an ex-technician of GSI, has made it possible for engineering colleges across the country to set up a thermal conductivity measuring unit in their Geophysics laboratory. Mr Mallick has developed a TCMA that costs just Rs 5 lakh. Mr Mallick said, "This is the first of its kind in the country that can serve the same purpose of an expensive imported thermal conductivity measuring machine, which costs almost ten times as much,' He added that this machine would deliver conductivity values of 95 per cent accuracy. Guided by two senior geophysicists, Mr Mallick also developed seven other equipment for science and technology departments, which can slash the import bills of the country. He has applied for a patent for his inventions this year and wishes to set up a laboratory students who cannot afford buy this apparatus