Dial 108 for immediate help in Uttarakhand
Dehradun, 15 Jun 2008
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.
Source: PTI | http://www.ptinews.com
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