Covid-19: Bengaluru South MP launches helpline

Bengaluru: Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya on Thursday launched a Bengaluru South Coronavirus Task Force, in association with Bengaluru South and Bengaluru South-East Division Police to respond to the needs of senior citizens and vulnerable sections of the constituency.
As part of the Task Force, he launched a helpline 99464 99464 for citizens to avail assistance. The helpline will be able to assist senior citizens and the economically weaker sections procure food, groceries and medicines. It will also provide emergency non-COVID-19 medical assistance to citizens, especially pregnant women, his office said in a press release.

His office has also created whatsapp groups based on the jurisdiction of the police stations of the constituency. About 1,500 volunteers have enrolled in the Task Force and they have been added as members to the WhatsApp group of their jurisdiction. Nodal officers of every police station, the BBMP zones and the health department are also members of these WhatsApp groups, the release said.

The calls coming onto the helpline will be directed to a cloud-based call centre. The requirement will be redirected to the respective jurisdiction’s WhatsApp group, where the police and the volunteers will coordinate to attend the grievance. Similarly, the police would also post the requirements of food packets and grocery kits for the economically weaker sections coming in their jurisdictions on the WhatsApp groups. The RSS will provide grocery kits while the Bengaluru Hoteliers’ Association and Foundation India will assist in procuring food packets. The volunteers will then coordinate the delivery of such items with the police, the release said.

“The helpline will cater to problems faced by people during the lockdown,” Surya said. “For example, if a person is mentally stressed during the lockdown and calls the helpline, the volunteer will redirect you to an online psychiatrist. Any person who is unable to find food in his/her PG can call the helpline for food. If there is any medical emergency for a pregnant woman, divyang or any other person, the helpline will alert the nearest ambulance available. Any animal on the streets which needs water or food may alert our dedicated team of animal volunteers for the provision of food supplies. This way, we want to address grievances that may arise in the next 20 days," he said.