Krishna Byre Gowda.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: Karnataka wants to double down on its plan to prevent loss of life due to lightning strikes, which Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said kills 70-75 people in the state every year.
According to Gowda, who is the vice-chairperson of the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority, deaths due to lightning strikes have increased over the years due to climate crisis.
"From April till now, 17 cases of lightning strikes have been reported. Last year, there were 66 cases. Even one case is bad since it involves loss of life," Gowda said.
"In a year, 70-75 deaths are happening. The number has gone up over the years," Gowda told DH. "If we can save even 20-25 lives, it's worth the effort."
According to the Karnataka State Thunderstorm & Lightning Action Plan 2024-25, most lightning-related deaths were recorded in rural areas involving farmers, cattle grazers, fishermen, labourers, and children.
Deaths are higher among men "due to their presence in vulnerable situations such as working in open fields or walking in unprotected terrain in pursuit of livelihood activities", the action plan states. Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Bidar and Hassan are the top five districts for lightning deaths.
Gowda said his department has designed a plan over the past couple of months to save people from lightning strikes. "Awareness is the only prevention. Lightning strike can happen under any circumstances. People make simple mistakes. One of them is standing under a tree," he said.
The government, the minister said, has mapped vulnerable areas based on lightning incidence. "It's more in the north interior areas of the state."
Gowda wanted to launch a massive campaign, but couldn't due to the Lok Sabha elections. "I haven't been able to hold a meeting with deputy commissioners on this. If the model code of conduct is relaxed, we can take it up," he said.
Revenue Principal Secretary (Disaster Management) Rashmi V Mahesh told DH that Karnataka should have "zero tolerance" for deaths due to lightning. "We have invested heavily in early warning systems. So, paying compensation when a death occurs isn't an achievement. We should prevent deaths and see that people are aware," she said.
"Last-mile alert delivery is a challenge," Rashmi conceded, adding that the government is working on this front. "We've had deputy commissioners say that lightning is an act of God. It's delusional! We've asked them to remove this thought," she said.