Government urges caution for media personnel covering Cyclone Biparjoy

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued an advisory to media organisations, specifically television channels, urging them to exercise "abundant precaution" when deploying their personnel to report on Cyclone Biparjoy. As of Thursday morning, the cyclone was positioned less than 200 kilometres away from the Gujarat coast, and its imminent landfall in the evening, accompanied by heavy rainfall and a potential storm surge, has prompted the evacuation of 74,000 residents residing in vulnerable regions.

In the advisory, the ministry revealed that 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 stated.


The advisory said that the government 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 deploy their personnel "in a way which may compromise the safety and security of the media personnel".

Inputs from PTI