Odisha’s leading private university, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA), has signed an MoU with the Pune-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) for collaboration in studying lightning and thunderstorm phenomena on Monday.

According to the MoU, the IITM will help enhance the lightning detection network in Odisha in eight locations: Bhubaneswar, Balasore, Sambalpur, Rayagada, Berhampur, Keonjhar, Balangir and Angul. The detection network will cover a 100km radius.

“The SOA and IITM will explore the possibility of involving the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bhubaneswar, for operationalisation of forecasting location and time of occurrence of thunderstorm and associated lightning in the block and Grama Panchayat level as well as flash drought in western Odisha,” a release said.

Both SOA and IITM will jointly take extensive steps to enhance lightning and flash drought prediction in the drought-prone districts of western Odisha with an emphasis on joint research and development efforts, joint guidance of research students and regular publication of scientific research papers. The SOA has already set up the Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) and Centre for Climate Smart Agriculture (CCSA) to research climate and its impact on agriculture.

The MoU was signed by IITM director R. Krishnan and SOA vice-chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda on Monday.

SOA and IITM, Pune, are already involved in various experiments to study the lightning and thunderstorm phenomena and various electrical parameters of the atmosphere with a good deal of success in the prediction of thunderstorms and lightning across Odisha. “Efforts will also be made to include the DAMINI network (the apps monitor lightning activities). Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), state government systems, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) to disseminate and create awareness among the people to bring down lightning-related casualties,” said the release.

Senior scientist, IITM, V. Gopalakrishnan; dean, Institute of Agricultural Sciences (IAS), Prof. Santosh Kumar Rout; director, CEC, Sarat Chandra Sahu and other senior officials were present during the signing of the MoU.