Efforts on to put lightning under natural calamity category

Ranchi, Jun 21 (UNI) Alarmed at the high incidence of lightning and loss of human lives in Jharkhand, the state government will urge the Centre to enlist the phenomenon in the natural calamity category.

In the past few weeks there were reports of about 40 lightning cases in which about 35 people, including some schools children were killed.

State Disaster Management Principal Secretary A K Chaudhary today told UNI that the high rate of lightning related deaths has concerned the government and the Centre would be urged to help the state meet the crisis.

''We are going to write to the Central Disaster Management department soon so that central funds could be realised in this regard,'' Mr Chaudhary said.

The death of about 35 people, including five school children due to lightning, in the past few days not only baffled the scientists but has caught the High Court's attention that asked the state government to reply by early next month about the safety measures taken on this front, particularly to potect the rural schools.

The scientists who were studying the natural phenomenon in the state were not in a position to come up with any specific theory about it.

A section of scholars felt that lightning takes place frequently in this region due to geo-magnetic imbalance while another group of school says since the state is highly rich in iron ores and coal mines it invites lightning on quick intervals.

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