Kerala: Dial 112 for all emergencies

Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has decided to set up a State Emergency Response Centre (SERC) as part of implementing the centralised emergency number of '112'. According to government sources, an apex committee under the chief secretary was also constituted last week for effective inter-department coordination for setting up the facility and monitoring its functioning. 

The  union home ministry had earlier sent a directive about setting up  a National Emergency Response System with the emergency number 112. It would act as a single-window for all emergency service numbers in the state like police, fire force, ambulance, women safety and disaster management. 

The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) has already submitted a project report on how the system could be implemented in Kerala. The CDAC is setting up the 112-emergency service number in  other states and it has already developed the technical solution for the facility.  It can set up the facility within a few  months once formal orders are given, government sources said.

At present, the state has over a dozen emergency numbers for various purposes and hence those in distress situations often get confused about which number to contact. There are even different emergency numbers run by different agencies for purposes like women safety. The apex committee headed by the chief secretary would sort out all such issues. Top officials of various departments, including home, health, revenue, transport, police, fire and rescue services, fisheries and ports are members of the committee, said sources.