How far are you willing to go to fulfil your call of duty? Well, we bet you can’t beat this reporter in Tamil Nadu, who decided to swim across sewage filled flood water in a village in Kanchipuram, just to get sound bytes from the people on the other end.
Yes, you read that right.
Anand from News 18 Tamil Nadu was reporting from Adhanur village in Kancheepuram district when he saw that water had stagnated across all the streets there. His report from the site began with him claiming that the stretch of water was 30 feet long and deep enough for a full grown man to become submerged in.
It is an unspoken rule for every journalist that you report a story that affects the common man, come hell or high water. Anand pretty much dived head first into this proverbial high water.
“I’m in Kancheepuram district, Adhanur village right now. In this village, all the streets are flooded with rainwater. If one were to go from where I’m sitting to where those people are standing…” Anand says, pointing to a group of people on the other end of the street.
“The distance is about 30 feet, and the water is deep enough to drown people. If we have to interview them, the only way is to swim across…” he says, as a premonition for what is to come.
“Come, let’s swim across,” he then declares, and dives head first into what we can only imagine must have been a rather dirty and stinky ‘pool’
Anand was clearly prepared: His mic was wrapped in polythene, ready to take the plunge with him. His sandals were swiftly left behind just as he took his dive.
For the next 14 seconds, you can see and hear Anand swimming in the water to reach the other side. At one point, the depth of the water must have reduced, for we can see him get up and start walking towards his interviewees.
The reporter, then panting for breath, began to ask a series of questions to the men and women. But people who watched the video, could only focus on the dramatic display by this reporter.
Several even calling him 'reporter of the year' for the demonstration.
Employee of the year
— Dharmaraj.R (@dharmarajptlee) November 5, 2017
Example of loving your job
— Pavendhan Veerasamy (@pavenyadav) November 5, 2017
No watering down this type of journalism!
— Darshan Yadunath (@DarshanYadunath) November 5, 2017
Surviva Reporting....
— Vanko (@Tamilvanko) November 5, 2017
But some questioned if the intention behind this act was merely to attract eyeballs.
No ethics... Period... Why distort facts? Isn't that basic principle of reporting?
— Sathish B Balasubram (@Bala_Sathish) November 5, 2017
Its a publicity gimmick.Water level level is well below hip& can b walkable. Media& vested interests try to show as entireTN is under water.
— S Amanullah (@s_amanullah) November 5, 2017
Since Monday, reporters from various media houses have taken to the roads to cover waterlogging due to the monsoon in Tamil Nadu. While this was necessary to question the government for its lack of preparedness, it also meant that these journalists were putting themselves at high risk. They have been standing in varying heights of water to highlight the plight of the common man. This water is not only often mixed with sewage but also is opaque, putting reporters at risk of stepping on live wires or into an open manhole.
So whether, it was done to grab eyeballs or not, this video shows that the state's journalists are ready to bear with any form of inconvenience to bring stories to its viewers and readers.