Odisha has begun work on a statewide lightning-safety framework after Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari inaugurated a two-day national workshop in Bhubaneswar on October 15, bringing together scientific institutions, universities, researchers and district-level officials to reduce lightning-related deaths and losses.
Organised by the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) at Hotel Lemon Tree Premier, the workshop is being held on October 15 and 16. Its planned outcomes include a draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for lightning safety and an action plan for 2027, titled “Lightning-Safe Odisha: Action Plan 2027 and Roadmap 2027–2030”.
Addressing the inaugural session, Pujari said lightning had emerged as a significant disaster because of its impact and the extent of damage it causes. According to the report by Pragativadi, he said OSDMA had been making sustained efforts to address the challenge and expressed confidence that the workshop would strengthen Odisha’s capacity in disaster risk reduction.
Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department, attended the session as guest of honour. He said discussions would cover improvements in lightning detection, monitoring and forecasting through the integration of satellite data, numerical weather prediction, artificial intelligence and machine learning applications, as well as Panchayat-level decision-support systems.
The proposed use of Panchayat-level systems places local administration at the centre of the state’s response. OSDMA Managing Director Rajesh Prabhakar Patil said the workshop’s primary objectives were to strengthen lightning forecasting, risk assessment, early-warning dissemination and public-safety measures. The authority will focus on translating scientific and technological advances into practical interventions for vulnerable groups, including farmers, agricultural labourers, outdoor workers, students and people living in lightning-prone areas.
The workshop includes representatives from the IMD, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, National Remote Sensing Centre, National Centre for Earth Science Studies, National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, IIT Bhubaneswar, Fakir Mohan University, NIT Patna, the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, Central University of Jharkhand, CSIR National Institute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Tripura University, Brahmapur University, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University, the Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council and Cape Electric.
Technical sessions are scheduled to examine how forecast accuracy can be improved, how much lead time can be made available for warnings and how scientific data can be used more effectively for decision-making at the local level. The deliberations are also intended to improve coordination between scientific institutions and administrative agencies.
The final roadmap is expected to provide a framework covering lightning forecasting, risk reduction, public awareness, warning dissemination and emergency response. The workshop’s draft SOP and proposed action plan will be developed during the two-day exercise, with the “Lightning-Safe Odisha” framework identified as its key planned outcome.
