By IANS
Ranchi : Considering the rising number of deaths due to lightning, the Jharkhand government is planning to make it mandatory to set up lightning conductors on all buildings.
Nearly 40 people have lost their lives in Jharkhand in the last two months due to lightning. Twenty-one people, including six schoolchildren, were killed on a single day in May after being struck by lightning.
"We are planning to make a correction in the existing bylaws while passing the maps of buildings. After that, lightning conductors on each building will be mandatory," said a government official.
"Lightning conductors will be made mandatory not only in apartments but also in shopping malls, cinema halls, multiplexes, schools, colleges and any other type of building", the official added.
According to experts, there are more lightning strikes in Jharkhand due to the presence of iron ore mines and large forest cover.
The government is also planning to approach the high court to have a lightning strike declared a natural disaster. If the court agrees, the central government will have to pay 75 percent of the compensation to victims of lightning.
Now the government pays a compensation of Rs.50,000 to relatives of anyone killed by lightning.