Odisha to Host National Workshop on Lightning Safety; 2027 Action Plan in Focus

Bhubaneswar: Odisha will host a two-day National Workshop on Lightning Safety on October 15 and 16 to strengthen forecasting, early warning systems and preventive measures against lightning-related deaths and injuries. The workshop will be held at Hotel Lemon Tree Premier in Bhubaneswar, with the state’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister attending the inaugural ceremony.

Organised amid growing efforts to reduce lightning-related casualties, the workshop will bring together scientists, technical experts, researchers, disaster management professionals and district-level officials to discuss ways to improve lightning prediction, assess vulnerable areas and ensure timely dissemination of warnings.

The discussions will focus on translating scientific research and technological advances into practical safety measures, particularly for farmers, agricultural labourers, outdoor workers, students and people living in high-risk areas.

The first day will focus on strengthening lightning detection, monitoring and forecasting. Sessions will examine the integration of satellite data, numerical weather prediction models, emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) applications, and decision-support systems at the panchayat level. Experts will discuss ways to improve forecasting accuracy, increase warning lead time and make scientific information more useful for local authorities and communities.

Representatives from national and state institutions, including the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS), National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) and Indian Institute of Technology, Bhubaneswar, will share their expertise.

Other participating institutions include Fakir Mohan University, National Institute of Technology, Patna, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, Central University of Jharkhand, CSIR National Institute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Tripura University, Berhampur University, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University, Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council (CROPC) and Cape Electric.

The second day will focus on practical strategies to prevent lightning-related deaths and injuries. Key discussions will cover a lightning risk mitigation roadmap for Odisha, identification of high-risk locations, risk mapping methodologies, mapping risks faced by farmers, lightning protection standards, low-cost lightning shelters and emergency management for lightning strike victims.

A dedicated session will examine how scientific forecasts can be converted into timely and actionable warnings for people at risk. Participants will discuss the use of SMS alerts, mobile applications, Interactive Voice Response Systems (IVRS), sirens, local announcements and community networks to improve the last-mile delivery of warnings.

The workshop will also deliberate on a draft Lightning Safety Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and a proposed action plan for 2027. The discussions are expected to define warning levels, clarify the responsibilities of different departments and administrative authorities, establish emergency response procedures and identify measurable indicators to monitor implementation.

The key expected outcome is the proposed “Lightning-Safe Odisha: 2027 Action Plan and 2027–2030 Roadmap.” The framework is intended to guide coordinated action on forecasting, vulnerability reduction, public awareness, warning dissemination and emergency response.

The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) has been undertaking efforts to strengthen the state’s disaster preparedness and response mechanisms. The workshop aims to further connect scientific research with government planning and community-level action to reduce avoidable loss of life and improve Odisha’s resilience to lightning hazards.