National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Odisha Government to formulate a standard operating procedure (SOP) to provide monetary succor to the lighting victims in the State.
Acting on a petition filed by human rights lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, the NHRC passed the order asking the State’s Chief Secretary to do the needful in this regard. The petition had sought for the expeditious relief to the victims’ families.
“Tripathy has suggested several steps in detail to reduce the fatalities and injuries from lighting which are discussed in preceding paragraphs in brief. The complainant also stressed to formulate a SOP for providing compensation and support to the victims’ families. Since, the Government of Odisha, has already been working to reduce the fatalities, the Commission is of the view that suggestions submitted by the complainant, may be considered by the Government of Odisha, for further policy farming in this regard”, NHRC asked in an order.
Earlier the State Government had submitted that a SATARK APP has been developed to provide early warning on lightning and thunderstorms.
Lightning has been recognised as Natural Calamity u/s 3(1) of the Odisha Relief Code and has been categorised as “State Specific Disaster” by the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA).
The petition had suggested among other things steps in detail to reduce the fatalities and injuries from lighting on steps like public awareness, real-time weather forecasting and warning systems by installation of advanced lighting detection systems across the state and safe shelter initiatives.
Other steps include Infrastructure and building regulations, training for emergency responders, data collection and research, promoting lighting safety practices, improved disaster management plans and community resilience building.
The petitioner further suggested that to manage and address lighting-relating deaths, it is important to have clear and effective SoP for providing compensation and support to the victims’ families having outline of the points including identification and verification of lighting death, communicating and coordination, compensation eligibility criteria, compensation account and expeditious processing the compensation claim.