States » EastPosted at: Oct 15 2026 6:37PM


Experts to draft lightning safety roadmap for Odisha, action plan for 2027

Bhubaneswar, Oct 15 (UNI) Experts at a two-day national workshop on lightning safety, which began here on Thursday, will prepare a draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and an action plan for 2027 to strengthen lightning forecasting, early warning systems and disaster response in Odisha.
A key outcome of the workshop will be the formulation of the “Lightning-Safe Odisha: Action Plan 2027 and Roadmap 2027–2030”, providing a framework for coordinated measures to improve lightning prediction, reduce risks, raise public awareness and ensure timely dissemination of warnings and emergency response.
Inaugurating the workshop, Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said lightning had emerged as a significant disaster because of its impact and the extent of damage it caused.
The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) had been making sustained efforts to reduce lightning-related deaths and losses, he said, expressing confidence that the workshop would provide a valuable platform for scientists, researchers, technical experts and administrative officials to exchange knowledge and identify effective mitigation measures.
The initiative would further strengthen Odisha’s disaster risk reduction capabilities, the minister said.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the workshop would deliberate on improving lightning detection, monitoring and forecasting systems by integrating satellite data, numerical weather prediction, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Panchayat-level decision-support systems.
He emphasised that such deliberations would help make existing mechanisms more effective in tackling lightning and other disaster-related challenges.
OSDMA Managing Director Rajesh Prabhakar Patil said the primary objective was to strengthen lightning forecasting, risk assessment, early warning dissemination and public safety measures.
The two-day deliberations would focus on translating scientific knowledge and technological advancements into practical interventions to protect vulnerable communities, particularly farmers, agricultural labourers, outdoor workers, students and people living in lightning-prone areas, he said.
Patil reiterated OSDMA's commitment to safeguarding lives in Odisha, a state vulnerable to natural disasters.
Experts and representatives from several leading national scientific, technical and academic institutions are participating in the workshop. These include the IMD, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS) and National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF).
The technical sessions will focus on improving the accuracy of lightning forecasts, extending the lead time available for early warnings and strengthening the use of scientific data in local-level decision-making.
The discussions are expected to improve coordination between scientific institutions and administrative agencies and help develop more effective, timely and locally responsive lightning safety measures.
UNI DP
Tags: #Experts to draft lightning safety roadmap for Odisha# action plan for 2027
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