We called 59 helplines in Telangana. Only 17 responded

HYDERABAD: People attempting to reach out to government agencies or the state health department seeking help for information on Covid-19 or assistance in similar situations are getting no response if they are using helpline phone numbers in different districts of the state.

These phones remain switched off or send out messages saying the numbers are invalid.

All these phone numbers — spread over the 33 districts of the state — were listed in the affidavit submitted on May 31 by the state director of public health to the Telangana high court, as part of the state government’s submissions during the hearings on public interest litigations (PILs) on Covid-19 at the High Court.

Deccan Chronicle on Thursday called all of the 59 helpline numbers listed in the affidavit, and some of them were called multiple times. It was found only 17 of these phones were functional and responsive. The rest were either invalid numbers or have been switched off.

The affidavit submitted in the HC lists two phone numbers for Hyderabad district. When called, one was in ‘switched off’ mode while the other number was not answered despite several attempts. DC did not receive any call back from the particular number.

The numbers listed for districts of Bhadradri Kothagudem, Jagtial, Asifabad, Mahbubnagar, Mancherial, Medak, Nagarkurnool and Yadadri were all invalid.

In cases where multiple numbers were listed, only one number was working in most districts, or both were not reachable — like in the case of Rajanna Sircilla, where two out of the three numbers did not answer while the third number was switched off.

In case of Warangal Urban, out of the six numbers listed by the government, only one responded to the correspondent's call.

In the case of Sangareddy, Suryapet and Siddipet districts, the numbers listed in the affidavit for people to reach out for help on Covid1-9 were the same for all three. And, of these three, two numbers turned out to be invalid, whereas the receiver at the third number said that it was not a helpline number but was only for giving Covid-19 test reports.

Incidentally, the only helpline number from this lot of three listed for Siddipet was an invalid number. The number that worked for both Suryapet and Sangareddy was the one where the receiver said it was meant for Covid reports.

Of all 33 districts, Deccan Chronicle found only one district where all five landline numbers provided in the list actually worked and that was Rangareddy.

No reply

A status report on helpline numbers mentioned in the government’s affidavit to the High Court

Hyderabad

7337371002: Not answered

7995039793: Switched off

Adilabad

8732220462: Invalid

Bhadradri Kothagudem

8744241950: Invalid

8744246655: Invalid

Jagtial

87242222204: Invalid

Jogulamba Gadwal

8546274007: Invalid

8546295052: Invalid

Asifabad

Invalid

Mahbubabad

8719298526: Invalid

8719240400: Invalid

Mahbubnagar

8542241165: Invalid

Mancherial

4024651119:  Invalid

Medak

8452223360: Invalid

Medchal Malkajgiri

8418297820: Invalid

Mulugu

9492624469: Not helpline

Nagarkurnool

8540230201: Invalid

Nalgonda

9581555093: Switched off

Nizamabad

8309219718: No reply

Peddapalli

Numbers not reachable, or disconnects

Rajanna Sircilla-

6309141122: Not answering

9521842941 (Rajasthan number) Switched off,

739653254: Not answering

Sangareddy

8455272233: Invalid

8455272525: Invalid

7093324551: For Covid reports

Siddipet

Same as Sangareddy, invalid

Suryapet

same as Sangareddy, only for Covid reports

Vikarabad

Out of reach

Wanaparthy

8545233525: Invalid

Warangal Urban

7207188040: Disconnects

7093250040: Disconnects

7995118405: Switched off

8179243595: Switched off

8341812395: Switched off

Yadadri:

18004257106: Not in service

8685200020: Invalid