PATNA, Sept. 3 -- In view of the rising deaths from lightning strikes in recent years, the Bihar government is now mulling over a proposal to plant palm trees in a phase wise manner in districts across the state so that the toddy trees act as natural protectors by absorbing the thunder strikes and save human life in rural hinterland of the state, officials in the know of the matter said. The proposal mooted by the state disaster management department is under active consideration and likely to be be approved once the modalities of the proposal are given final shape in the coming months, officials added. "Palm trees are good conductors that absorb the electricity from the lightning and route it to the ground, helping to minimise the lightning strike impact and help people living in rural areas to protect their lives during storms. Toddy palm has been a natural protector from lightning, and it is now going to be planted more in number," said a senior official in the state disaster management department. "We are discussing the proposal and it would be implemented, once approved, in a phased manner in almost all districts," said Santosh Kumar Mall, principal secretary, disaster management department, Bihar Sources said that the government has started deliberations over the proposal in view of the alarming statistics of deaths from lightening in past many years including in 2026. As per data, 1,769 deaths have taken place from 2021 to 2026 (till August 21) out of which 253 persons have died in 2026 alone while the figure of casualties was highest in 2022 when 400 deaths were reported. In 2021, 280 persons died while in 2023,242 deaths occurred. In 2024, 305 deaths took place while in 2025, 289 deaths occurred due to lightning. There are views that the toddy palm trees, which was once ubiquitous in the rural hinterland in Bihar more for use by a section of people engaged in the profession of extracting sap and fermenting it to prepare toddy (a local drink), have slowly seen a decline in their number due to the cutting of trees after prohibition in the state was implemented in 2016 April. "It is perceptible that there have been felling of palm trees in big number in last many years as perhaps it's no more profitable venture for those who earned a living from tapping juice to make toddy. It is one factor while expansion of urban areas with new townships and clusters coming up coupled with many infrastructure projects in the state over the years also has seen cutting of trees including palm trees. So, the number of palm trees along with other trees have gone down in rural areas, which is one reason why lightning deaths are increasing," said another disaster management official, seeking anonymity. Dr Bihari Singh,former principal of AN College and coordinator, environmental science, Nalanda Open University, Nalanda, said that whenever there is a lightning strike, a medium is required to route the electricity to the ground highlighting how high rises install metallic rods at a height with connection with the ground to absorb energy from the lightning and save the buildings. Principal secretary, disaster management Santosh Kumar Mall said the planting of palm would be first taken up in districts where deaths from lightning had been higher in recent years like Banka, Patna, Kaimur, Rohtas. In these four districts, 365 deaths have occurred from 2021 to 2026 mid August. "This proposal , once approved, would have five to six years period of implementation and done in a planned fashion. We expect to have good results once the plantation of palm trees rises and they mature," he said....