BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government has demanded lightning to be declared as a natural disaster. The state government has given a proposal in this regard to the Centre, state revenue and disaster management minister Pramila Mallik informed on Thursday.
“Many people are getting killed due to lightning strikes in Odisha. The state government is providing an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the family of the deceased. If lightning is included in the list of natural disasters then the family members of the deceased will be able to get an increased ex-gratia amount as per the provisions for natural disasters,” said Mallik.
“Odisha government has given a proposal to the Centre in this regard. However, we are yet to get a response. We have also discussed the matter with a Union minister and he has assured us to look into our demands,” she added.
Mallick, however, did not mention the name of the Union minister the state government has talked to.
On September 2, as many as 12 persons were killed in extreme thunderstorms and lightning activities across Odisha. The highest number of deaths was reported from Khurdha district where four people were killed. While two deaths were reported in Bolangir, a death each was reported from Angul, Boudh, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Jagatsinghpur, and Puri districts.
Apart from the loss of human lives, eight cattle also died in extreme thunderstorms and lightning activities in Gajapati and Kandhamal districts.
Large-scale lighting occurs in Odisha, mostly during April to August, when the temperature is high and moisture in the atmosphere about 60 per cent to 85 per cent. Also, because of its closeness to Bay of Bengal, Odisha’s north-west and north part region is more prone to lightning.
