Lightning detection sensors: UP ties up with IITM Pune in 5 districts
Why in the news
The Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement on 18 October 2026 that it is installing lightning detection sensors in five districts, working with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, to reduce deaths from lightning.
Key facts
- Districts: Etah, Meerut, Balrampur, Lakhimpur Kheri and Sonbhadra.
- How it works: sensors pick up lightning activity quickly so that warnings reach people in time and officials can act.
- Sonbhadra: a Lightning Detection and Early Warning System worth ₹1.33 crore is being set up in 32 villages of Duddhi block.
- Nodal office: the Relief Commissioner’s Office, which says the goal is fewer deaths and stronger disaster preparedness.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Partner institute | IITM, Pune |
| Districts covered | 5 |
| Sonbhadra project cost | ₹1.33 crore |
| Villages (Duddhi block) | 32 |
Who is most at risk
During the rainy season, farmers in fields, labourers working in the open, villagers and livestock rearers face the highest risk from lightning strikes. Early alerts give them time to move to safety.
Exam angle
- IITM, Pune is the scientific partner for the UP sensors.
- Lightning early warning is a key disaster risk reduction tool for rural and farming communities.
- Duddhi block lies in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.