India's First Thunderstorm Research Testbed to be established at Balasore in Odisha

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced to set up the first ‘Thunderstorm Research Testbed’ of the country at Odisha’s Balasore district.
Objective : to minimalise human fatalities and loss of property due to lightning strikes.
The facility will be established in a collaboration between the Ministry of Earth Sciences, IMD, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Besides this, the IMD has also planned to set up a first-of-its-kind monsoon testbed near Bhopal.
Currently both the projects are in the planning stage and detailed project reports are being made.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General – Mrutyunjay Mohapatra