Keonjhar: The forest department has decided to undertake a palm tree plantation drive along roadside patches and forest borders to create a protective barrier against lightning during thunderstorms.
The decision comes in the wake of lightning-related deaths assuming alarming proportions in the district. The trees are capable of acting as lightning conductors to minimise damage.
"We have received instructions from the principal conservator of forests in this regard. We are now chalking out a plan for the plantation drive," said Anandpur divisional forest officer Ajit Kumar Satpathy.
"We plan to raise the trees in nurseries before the plantation. Roadside land, including the national and state highways, dykes in farmlands, forest boundaries marked by human settlements, social forestry plantation areas besides coastal villages need to be taken up for the plantation drive."
The forest department said in a letter: "Planting of palm trees was a traditional practice in villages. But urbanisation has led to its discontinuation. These trees have a wide range of utility value. The delicious fruits are consumed. Stems are used as wood and leaves for thatching and making mats and baskets. Recently, it has been found as an effective bulwark against lightning. Lightning usually hits the tallest objects. The palm trees absorb the lightning and act as lightning conductors. Palm trees also protect the coastal areas from storms and cyclones. Their roots also act as flood protection of embankments against soil erosion."
Lightning is widely perceived as the most unpredictable natural phenomenon. Eighty-nine people died in lightning strikes in the past three years here. It accounts for 27 per cent of the total deaths caused by disasters, including fire, sunstroke, hailstorm, flood, cyclone, boat capsize, drowning and snakebite.
Balasore topped the list with 130 deaths followed by Mayurbhanj with 95 and Ganjam and Keonjhar with 89 each.
Lightning was declared a state specific disaster from April 1, 2015. According to the norms, the government now pays Rs 4 lakh as ex-gratia towards lightning victim's families. Prior to 2015, ex-gratia was either being paid from the chief minister's relief fund or district gratuitous relief fund.
