New Delhi, May 24 (PTI) Industry body COAI on Monday said preventive steps are being taken to mitigate the impact of cyclone Yaas on telecom infrastructure in West Bengal and Odisha, and that measures like intra-circle roaming, additional Cell on Wheels (CoWs) would be actioned to ensure connectivity and minimise disruption.

The COAI said it is coordinating with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), state and local authorities, and emphasised that priority for the association and members would be to ensure that adverse impact of the cyclone remains minimal and telecom services are resumed at the earliest, wherever there is disruption.

In consultation with the telecom department, intra-circle roaming would be initiated in affected areas expected to be impacted by this cyclone, the COAI said adding this would enable any telecom subscriber to latch on to any working network and not just be dependent only on their own network.

"This is to ensure that cell phone services always remain active," Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) director general S P Kochhar said in a statement.

Additional CoWs have been pressed into service in anticipation of disruption to mobile towers.

Also, diesel stocks and battery backup at telecom sites have been boosted in the event of power grid cuts. Frontline teams have identified overhead Optic Fibre Cables (OFC) that need to be safeguarded and teams kept at standby for quick repair and restoration of the networks and services.

"COAI and its members, along with Infrastructure Providers (IPs), ISPs, are closely monitoring the situation. We are also coordinating with NDMA, state and local authorities. Preventive measures and steps to minimise the impact of cyclone Yaas on telecom infrastructure in West Bengal and Odisha are being undertaken," the COAI said.

Barely a week after cyclone 'Tauktae' battered the western coast leaving behind a trail of destruction, the country is bracing for cyclone Yaas on eastern coast.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had said on Sunday that the cyclone is likely to make landfall on May 26 evening between Paradip in Odisha and Sagar islands in West Bengal after intensifying into a very severe cyclonic storm with wind speed ranging from 155 kmph to 165 kmph, gusting to 185 kmph. It will start bringing heavy rain in coastal areas from Tuesday.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)