Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has cautioned citizens, media organisations and social media content creators against circulating fake, misleading and speculative cyclone forecasts, warning that such information could trigger public panic, cause economic losses and undermine disaster preparedness across the state.
In an official advisory issued on Monday, the Office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) expressed serious concern over the dissemination of unverified information about potential cyclones, including speculative storm tracks, landfall locations, timelines and impact assessments.
The advisory noted that some individuals and self-proclaimed weather experts had been sharing cyclone predictions without adequate scientific validation or reference to official forecasts issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Such misleading information could have serious consequences, including unnecessary public panic, disruption of normal economic activities and a loss of confidence in official disaster management arrangements, the advisory said.
It also highlighted that speculative cyclone warnings could prompt farmers to harvest standing crops prematurely, resulting in avoidable agricultural losses and financial hardship.
Similarly, rumours about impending severe weather could encourage panic buying and hoarding of essential commodities, potentially creating artificial shortages and driving up prices.
The government warned that conflicting and misleading information could also undermine coordinated disaster preparedness, evacuation and emergency response operations undertaken by the state government and district administrations.
Emphasising the importance of scientific accuracy, the SRC said the IMD was the designated national agency responsible for issuing authoritative weather forecasts, cyclone bulletins and severe weather warnings.
The Office of the Special Relief Commissioner, in coordination with the IMD and other competent authorities, disseminates official disaster-related advisories and coordinates preparedness, evacuation and response measures across Odisha.
Citizens have been urged to verify weather-related information against official IMD bulletins and advisories issued by the SRC, district administrations and other competent authorities before sharing it publicly.
The advisory also referred to provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, concerning false disaster warnings and obstruction of official functions.
Section 54 of the Act provides for punishment for making or circulating a false alarm or warning regarding a disaster, or its severity or magnitude, that leads to panic. Upon conviction, the provision prescribes imprisonment for a term that may extend to one year or a fine.
The government also referred to Section 51, which deals with obstruction of authorised officers in the discharge of their functions and failure to comply with lawful directions issued by competent authorities, subject to the applicable statutory requirements and penalties.
The SRC said appropriate legal action would be taken, wherever warranted and in accordance with the law, against individuals or entities found deliberately circulating false disaster warnings, creating public panic or obstructing disaster management operations.
Print, electronic and digital media organisations have been advised to exercise due diligence while reporting cyclone-related developments, clearly attribute forecasts to authoritative sources and avoid presenting speculative predictions as confirmed warnings.
Social media users and digital content creators operating YouTube channels, Facebook pages, WhatsApp groups and other platforms have also been cautioned against generating or circulating fabricated cyclone tracks, misleading landfall predictions, exaggerated impact assessments and false disaster alerts likely to cause public panic.
The advisory further stated that law enforcement and cybercrime authorities may maintain appropriate vigilance over the deliberate circulation of misleading disaster warnings and initiate action wherever relevant legal provisions apply.
District Collectors and District Disaster Management Authorities have also been directed to ensure the timely dissemination of authenticated weather warnings and disaster advisories through official communication channels and take appropriate measures to counter misinformation.
Reiterating the importance of accurate information and timely warnings, the state government said the responsible dissemination of scientific information was essential for effective disaster management.
It urged citizens, media organisations and digital platform operators to cooperate in preventing the spread of misinformation during cyclones and other disaster situations.
The advisory emphasised that people should remain alert to official warnings and refrain from circulating unverified claims, ensuring that disaster preparedness measures are guided by credible information rather than speculation.
