If you witness a crime, you can have the police rush to the spot by calling the emergency toll-free number 100. In the event of a road accident, ambulance service can be summoned by calling 108.
But what if there is a fire mishap or a child marriage which needs to be stopped, or to report about a case of child labour or even if there is interruption in water or power supply at home. There are separate departments with toll-free numbers to address these problems, but not many people are aware of them.
Moreover, during an emergency, it is easy to become disoriented and upset, and one needs to have all important phone numbers readily available ahead of time.
Officials at the helm in Krishna district have designed “Memunnam” (We are there), a unique awareness campaign on toll-free numbers of emergency services.
“We are printing 12 lakh stickers with the toll-free numbers of 13 different government wings to be displayed at every house across the district in a door-to-door campaign in the next few days,” said Krishna District Collector B. Lakshmikantham.
He said the objective was to make accessible emergency and civic services to all sections.
Call them up
In the event of a fire accident, one should call 101; for emergency in a pregnancy case, call 102 (Thalli-bidda express); for dowry-harassment, sexual abuse or any other women atrocities case, call 181; for domestic violence, call one-stop Sakhi on 0866-2566589; to report child marriage or child labour call Child Helpline 1098; for discrepancies in the State-sponsored Chandranna Bima insurance scheme report to the officials concerned by calling 155214 and for seeking redressal to a problem call Prajale Mundu (1100).
Inconsistency or interruption in power supply can be reported to 1912, while problems related to water supply in the city can be taken to the notice of the authorities concerned through toll-free number 103 and in rural areas 0866-2573944 and 1800 425 1899.
Atrocities against women
Similarly, wall posters with details of 10 different categories of crime against women, the various Sections of the Indian Penal Code under which the culprits can been booked and the quantum of punishment, are also being released. “These posters to be displayed at every gram panchayat office, fair price shop, village administrative office, municipal office, Mandal Development Office and other important junctions will serve as a reminder of the consequences of the crimes against women,” said Mr. Lakshmikantham. The issues include dowry harassment, domestic violence, kidnap, abetment to suicide, polygamy, dowry death, rape and eve-teasing.
