Odisha government has asked the Centre to include deaths occurring due to lightning as natural disaster. Over the last 11 years, 3,790 people have been killed by lightning strikes in Odisha. On Saturday, Odisha reported 12 deaths due to lightning.

Managing Director, Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), Dr Gyana Ranjan Das told The Telegraph, “Minister, Revenue and Disaster Management, Pramilla Mallick has raised the issue with the Centre to declare deaths owing to lightning as natural disaster. Currently, we are giving compensation to the kin of the deceased from our own resources under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).”

Das said, “All the states will benefit once death due to lightning are declared as a natural disaster. Many other states are also demanding it”

Lightning was declared as a state-specific disaster in April, 2015. At present the state government is providing an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the deceased, who died due to lightning.

While lightning has not been included in the natural disaster list, cyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloudburst, pest attack, frost and cold waves are considered as natural disasters. Compensation is also given from the SDRF, 75 percent of which is funded by the Government of India.

Sources said the Centre is of the view that deaths due to lightning could be prevented through awareness and that’s the reason why it should not be declared as a natural disaster.

Meanwhile, heavy rains battered the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack on Thursday afternoon, making life miserable. There was no electricity and internet connection in many parts of the twin cities.

Traffic jams were noticed on many roads of Bhubaneswar with hundreds of vehicles stranded on the road. Severe water-logging, traffic congestion were reported in many parts of the two cities.