Media asked to take precautions while deploying personnel to cover cyclone

The information and broadcasting ministry asked media organisations, including television channels, on Thursday to take "abundant precaution" while deploying their personnel to cover Cyclone Biparjoy to ensure their safety.

As on Thursday morning, Cyclone Biparjoy was less than 200 kilometres from the Gujarat coast and its impending landfall in the evening, along with the anticipated heavy rain and storm surge, has led to the evacuation of 74,000 people living in vulnerable areas.

In an advisory, the ministry said media personnel, especially of satellite television channels, will be engaged in the ground reporting of the cyclone and other related incidents.

"Given the possible impact of the cyclone, reporting from the ground level may pose serious risks of safety and security of the reporters and the cameramen and other personnel deployed by the private satellite TV channels for reporting this incident," it said.

The government, the advisory said, is "deeply concerned" that such ground reporting may risk the lives of the personnel deployed.

"From the perspective of the safety and security of the various reporters, cameramen and other personnel of the various media organisations, especially the private TV channels, it is strongly advised that media organisations may undertake abundant precaution and due care in the matter of deployment of their personnel in the areas likely to be affected and follow the precautions being issued by the local administration," it added.

The advisory cautioned that "under no circumstances", media organisations should decide to deployment their personnel "in a way which may compromise the safety and security of the media personnel".