Sri Vijaya Puram, Jun 05: The ongoing disruption of the 102 emergency medical helpline across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has raised alarm among residents, with reports indicating that the service has remained non-functional for several days. The outage has left citizens, especially those in remote areas, vulnerable and without a reliable means to access urgent medical aid.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Mr. Angshuman Roy, State Youth President of Hindu Rashtra Shakti, has formally appealed to the Honourable Lt. Governor of the Islands, urging immediate intervention. In a letter addressed to Raj Niwas, Roy emphasized the life-threatening implications of the disruption for tourists, the elderly, accident victims, and pregnant women.
“Repeated calls to the 102 helpline either go unanswered or fail to connect entirely. The absence of an official explanation or contingency plan is deeply troubling,” Roy stated.
In a proactive suggestion, Roy proposed the creation of a dedicated WhatsApp-based emergency helpline, taking inspiration from the successful model employed by the Andaman and Nicobar Traffic Police. Their existing WhatsApp line (+91 95318 92228) allows the public to share real-time photos, videos, and locations for quick action.
Roy suggested that a similar system for medical emergencies would allow real-time updates and quicker ambulance deployment, while also reducing call congestion on the main helpline.
He further appealed for a thorough technical review of the 102 infrastructure to identify and resolve the underlying faults. “This dual approach not only addresses the current crisis but also strengthens our long-term emergency response framework,” he added.
