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1.: Holidaying in Uttrakhand? Need help? Dial 108 From: Deepak Dhyani

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1.: Holidaying in Uttrakhand? Need help? Dial 108

Posted by: "Deepak Dhyani" deepakdhyani@yahoo.com deepakdhyani

Sun Jun 15, 2008 3:51 am (PDT)

Press Trust of India

Sunday, June 15, 2008 (Dehradun)
 

The next time you are holidaying in the hills of Garhwal and find yourself in the midst of trouble, dialing 108 for immediate help can prove beneficial and at times life saving.

When a group of five foreign tourists found themselves caught in an avalanche on their way to Gaumukh, the origin of river Ganga, early this month, they were surprised to see help arriving within hours at the dizzying elevation of 4255 metres in the Garhwal Himalayas.

In another incident, two persons critically injured when a landslide struck their house in a remote village of Pauri district were rushed to a nearby hospital in a matter of 30 minutes in the dead of the night on May 24.

In yet another case of instant action, a woman in labour pain in a remote village in Chamoli was provided immediate medical help and she delivered a healthy baby boy.

The new innovative 'dial 108 scheme', launched recently to provide relief to people in distress in Uttarakhand, a major tourist destination in north India, has attracted a lot of attention, with the government claiming that it has become very useful in the hill state having tough terrains and long serpentine roads.

The scheme was launched in collaboration with emergency management and research institute (EMRI), a private company, which will get Rs 16 crore as annual maintenance fees.

Under the scheme, EMRI, as the nodal agency, has been provided ambulances, equipped with paramedical staffs, police and fire brigade personnel, life saving drugs, oxygen cylinders and first-aid material.

''Keeping in view the tough terrain and vulnerability of the state for natural calamities and road accidents, where several people die due to inaccessibility to quick and timely medical aid, this service will prove a boon,'' said Health minister Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank.

Uttarakhand is the first state in north India to implement this kind of scheme, Nishank said, claiming within the shortest period of time, the EMRI people would reach the area where help is required.

In the first phase, a total of 20 ambulances have been stationed at different sensitive points in Garhwal including Beasi, Deoprayag, Srinagar, Guptakashi, Agastmuni, Karnprayag, Chamoli, Joshimath, Dharasu and Barkot along the yatra route.

Later this month, the scheme would be launched in Kumaon with 10 more vehicles starting plying on the hilly and serpentine roads.

''We have fixed a target of 90 vehicles till March next year. We want to build a strong network of this service so that nobody could die due to lack of medical facilities,'' said Nishank.

The 108 service is being extensively used by the people.

''Since the scheme was launched last month nearly 32,000 calls were received by the 108 service,'' said Anoop Nautiyal of EMRI, who is heading its operation in Uttarakhand.

While 38 per cent of calls were related to road accidents, 13 per cent requested for carrying women for deliveries, 8 per cent from people in acute pains 4 per cent from heart patients and rest from others.

Source: http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080053091

My Comment: Do we have phone lines and enough Mobile coverage in remote areas where help is actually required? Do we have enough roads to take these helps in time to remote areas?
 
 
Regards
Deepak Dhyani

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