Odisha Govt to plant palm trees worth Rs 6 crore to prevent lightning deaths

By Satchidananda Behera

Bhubaneswar, May 19: In a significant step towards enhancing public safety and environmental conservation, the Odisha forest and environment department has announced a new initiative to plant palm trees (locally called taala gachha) worth Rs 6 crore during the current financial year.

The decision was shared on Saturday by forest and environment minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, who underscored the government’s commitment to protecting lives while fostering ecological well-being.

Addressing the media, minister Khuntia highlighted the vital role of palm trees in reducing the risk of lightning strikes.

“Palm trees are natural lightning conductors. They help disperse electrical charges during thunderstorms, thereby reducing the likelihood of casualties,” the minister explained. “To address this risk effectively, we are intensifying our plantation efforts across lightning-prone areas of the state,” he added.

The minister recalled that in June 2015, the state government officially declared lightning a state-specific disaster. In a related measure last year, the government made it mandatory to obtain permission from the Forest Department before cutting down palm trees, even on private land.

“This is not the first time the government has taken up such a plantation drive,” Khuntia noted. “Last year, we set a target to plant 20 lakh palm trees, which we successfully achieved. Encouraged by that, we have now decided to invest Rs 5 to Rs 6 crore in scaling up the initiative.”

Describing the effort as more than just a plantation drive, the minister called it a life-saving mission aimed at reducing lightning-related fatalities, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas where people are more exposed during thunderstorms.

The department will identify vulnerable zones — including open farmlands, village outskirts, and highways — for large-scale plantation. Beyond serving as a safety measure, the trees are expected to bolster ecological balance and offer long-term environmental benefits.

This initiative is part of the Odisha government’s broader strategy to combat the effects of climate change, minimise human-wildlife conflicts, and safeguard communities from natural disasters.