CRPF helpline gets 91 pc calls for COVID-19, lockdown info; few for rations, healthcare

Calls seeking to obtain information about COVID-19, its testing centres and lockdown related measures in the country constitute an overwhelming 91 per cent of distress messages received by a national CRPF helpline set up last week to help citizens, latest data shows.

This is in comparison to only about eight per cent of distress messages received by it for supply of essentials like rations and medicine.

The Kashmir-based 'madadgaar' helpline was expanded on March 26 for a pan-India coverage with the addition ofWhatsApp number- 7082814411 to help those affected by lockdown and other restrictions declared by the government to contain the spread of coronavirus.

It earlier used to only serve states in the northern part, with a strong focus on Kashmir valley and Kashmiris, through its landline number14411 and Twitter handle @CRPFmadadgaar.

As per latest data accessed by PTI, a total of 4,713 calls and messages were received by the helpline between March 26-April 2 out of which 4,289 (91 per cent) pertained to seeking information about the COVID-19 pandemic and related issues like when will the ongoing lockdown end, when will the trains services resume and even asking what kind of measures the government is taking to ensure that the disease does not spread.

The data said these information-seeking calls or messages on the telephone line, WhatsApp, Twitter, email and FaceBook were about people seeking details of testing laboratories, quarantine centres, treatment facilities in their vicinity or for places where the caller had a near or dear one residing.

People also contacted the 'madadgaar' helpline seeking contact details of medical and other essential services in their area, local police and administrative helplines and issues related to the ongoing 21-day lockdown that was declared on the midnight of March 24.

A number of callers also sought information about the preventive measures to be deployed to combat the viral disease that has infected lakhs of people and killed thousands across the globe.

"We had thought that the new helpline for COVID-19 will be deluged with calls for supply of rations and hence we were planning logistics and manpower for these physical deliveries.

"But we were surprised that the overwhelming majority of calls were about seeking a variety of information about the pandemic and other details related to restrictions imposed due to the lockdown," CRPF Special Director General (JK zone) Zulfiqar Hasan told PTI.

These figures also reflect that the supply of rations and other essential goods, including that under the public distribution system (PDS) is running well in the country, the officer said.

IPS officer Hasan, the brain behind the helpline that was launched in 2017 with the specific aim to help Kashmiris in distress, said a number of people called the 'madadgaar' just "for seeking reassurance whether the CRPF and other security forces be there to help till the time the coronavirus challenge gets over?. We assured them of our commitment."