Odisha has begun work on a state-wide lightning safety framework, with the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) convening a two-day national workshop in Bhubaneswar to improve forecasting, early warnings and public protection measures. The workshop, inaugurated by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on October 15, will also contribute to a proposed action plan for 2027 and a longer roadmap extending to 2030.
The workshop is being held at Hotel Lemon Tree Premier in Bhubaneswar on October 15 and 16. It has brought together scientific and technical institutions, universities, researchers, disaster management organisations and district-level officials from across the country. The participants are discussing how scientific knowledge and technology can be converted into practical interventions for communities exposed to lightning risk.
Pujari said lightning had emerged as a significant disaster because of its impact and the extent of damage it causes. He said OSDMA’s continuing efforts to address lightning-related deaths and losses would be strengthened through the workshop’s deliberations and knowledge-sharing between experts and government officials.
India Meteorological Department Director General Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra attended the inaugural session as guest of honour. He said the discussions would cover improvements in lightning detection, monitoring and forecasting through satellite data, numerical weather prediction, and emerging applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning. The workshop will also examine the use of panchayat-level decision-support systems to make warnings more locally useful.
OSDMA Managing Director Rajesh Prabhakar Patil said the workshop’s primary objectives were to strengthen lightning forecasting, risk assessment, dissemination of early warnings and public safety measures. The authority said the proposed interventions would focus particularly on farmers, agricultural labourers, outdoor workers, students and people living in lightning-prone areas.
Institutions participating in the workshop include 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.
The technical sessions will examine ways to improve forecast accuracy, increase the lead time available for warnings and strengthen the use of scientific data in local decision-making. The workshop is also expected to improve coordination between scientific institutions and administrative agencies responsible for public safety and emergency response.
A key planned outcome is a draft Standard Operating Procedure on lightning safety, along with a proposed action plan for 2027. OSDMA has said the process will lead to the preparation of “Lightning-Safe Odisha: Action Plan 2027 and Roadmap 2027–2030”, covering forecasting, risk reduction, public awareness, warning dissemination and emergency response.
