Odisha to plant palm trees worth Rs 6 cr to prevent lightning deaths

Bhubaneswar: In a significant move aimed at reducing lightning-related deaths in the state, the Odisha Forest and Environment Department has announced a new initiative to plant palm trees worth Rs 6 crore during the current fiscal year.

This decision was informed by the Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, who emphasized the Odisha government’s commitment to enhancing public safety and environmental conservation simultaneously.

Speaking to the media, Minister Khuntia highlighted the importance of palm trees in mitigating the impact of lightning strikes.

In June 2015, the state government declared lightning a state-specific disaster. Last year, the Odisha government had announced that permission from the forest department was mandatory for cutting palm trees even if in their own backyard.

“Palm trees are known to act as natural lightning conductors and help disperse electrical charges during thunderstorms, thereby reducing the chances of casualties,” the minister explained. “To address this concern effectively, we are intensifying our efforts to plant more palm trees across lightning-prone areas of the state,” he added.

The minister also noted that this is not the first time the government has undertaken such a plantation drive.

“Last year, a target to plant 20 lakh palm trees was set, and it has been successfully achieved,” he said. Encouraged by that success, the department has now resolved to scale up the initiative substantially.

“This year, we have decided to invest Rs 5 to Rs 6 crore in planting palm trees across the state,” said Khuntia.

“This is not just a plantation drive, but a life-saving initiative. Our aim is to reduce fatalities due to lightning strikes, especially in rural and semi-urban regions where people are more exposed to open areas during storms,” he added.

The department will identify vulnerable zones, including open farmlands, village outskirts, and highways, for large-scale plantation. The trees will not only serve a safety purpose but also support the ecological balance and provide long-term benefits to the local environment.

This effort forms part of the Odisha government’s broader strategy to combat climate change impacts, reduce human-wildlife conflicts, and protect lives from natural disasters.