Bhubaneswar: Odisha govt will prepare a draft lightning safety standard operating procedure and an action plan to reduce lightning-related deaths and damage in the state, officials said.The draft SOP and the proposed ‘Lightning-Safe Odisha: 2027 Action Plan and 2027-2030 Roadmap’ will be developed during a two-day national workshop on lightning safety in Bhubaneswar on Oct 15 and 16.The workshop will draw experts, researchers, disaster management professionals and govt representatives to frame coordinated measures for forecasting, warning dissemination, vulnerability reduction and emergency response.According to the revenue and disaster management department, discussions would focus on defining warning levels, fixing responsibilities of departments and administrative authorities, laying down emergency response procedures and developing measurable indicators to monitor implementation.Revenue minister Suresh Pujari is scheduled to attend the workshop, which would examine scientific, technological and administrative measures to reduce casualties and losses caused by lightning. Officials said the initiative aims to link scientific research with govt planning and community-level action to prevent avoidable deaths.The first day would focus on improving lightning detection, monitoring and forecasting through satellite data, numerical weather prediction, artificial intelligence, machine learning applications and panchayat-level decision support systems. Experts from institutions such as India Meteorological Department, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, National Remote Sensing Centre, National Centre for Earth Science Studies, National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, IIT Bhubaneswar and Fakir Mohan University would take part in the sessions.The second day would focus on practical risk-reduction measures, including hotspot mapping, farmer risk mapping, lightning protection standards, low-cost lightning shelters and emergency management for lightning strike victims.A dedicated session would examine ways to convert scientific warnings into timely safety messages for farmers, students, outdoor workers and vulnerable communities through SMS, mobile applications, IVRS, sirens, local announcements and community networks.