Bhubaneswar: In response to the high incidence of lightning fatalities in northern Odisha, Fakir Mohan University, in collaboration with the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), recently organized a master trainer workshop. The initiative aims to strengthen awareness, preparedness, and risk reduction measures against lightning hazards across the region.
Inaugural Address by Vice-Chancellor
During the inauguration, university Vice-Chancellor Santosh Kumar Tripathy highlighted the critical need to create grassroots-level ambassadors for lightning safety. He stressed the goal of achieving zero lightning casualties in northern Odisha. "If people, especially farmers and agricultural workers, know how to get respite from lightning, they can try to save themselves from the jaws of death," he added.
OSDMA Chief Calls for Collaboration
Executive Director of OSDMA, Kamal Lochan Mishra, attended the programme via online mode. He emphasized the importance of collaboration among government agencies, universities, non-governmental organizations, and communities to conduct impactful lightning awareness campaigns.
Expert Insights and Action Plan
Professor of Geography at FM University Balasore, Manoranjan Mishra, presented evidence-based strategies and solutions to mitigate lightning-related disasters. He discussed a comprehensive 10-point action plan designed to save lives from lightning strikes. "Lightning occurs between May and August in the northern part of the state. People can take precautions between 2 PM and 7 PM of the day. Farmers should know this and take shelter under any pucca house to get respite from a lightning strike. People can receive messages on their mobile phones about this," he explained.
Professor Mishra further noted that these strategies, combined with standard operating procedures and awareness campaigns by local government authorities, can significantly reduce lightning deaths.
Workshop Participants and Activities
The workshop was attended by 190 participants from OSDMA, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), district and block administrations, along with resource persons from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC). A major highlight was the interactive group discussions involving district and block-level officers. These sessions focused on developing district-specific SOPs on lightning safety, addressing casualty patterns, early warning utilization, vulnerability assessment, and last-mile communication.
