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By Ayodhya Prasad Singh
Derided by health enthusiasts for its commonly used oil, the palm tree has many benefits too. Palm oil might be a subject of contention for many, but the tree by itself is very useful. For instance, it can ward off lightning and, thereby, save lives.
Between 2000 and 2021, over 49,000 people had died from lightning strikes in India. And, Odisha is one of the leaders, with an unprecedented 61,000 lightning strikes in 2 hours in September last year that killed 12 people!
To fight a calamity of that scale, Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) has come up with a plan to grow massive palm plantations across the state, as these trees are considered crucial in warding off lightning strikes. The Forest and Agriculture departments are working jointly with OSDMA for planting of more than 25 lakh palm trees, which will also help create livelihoods.