Attendants seek police help to deal with prank calls

“Sir, please get my mobile recharge done.” “I had a quarrel with my wife, what to do?” “My milkman didn’t come today!”

Such frivolous calls are being received by the attendants at the 108 ambulance service call centre, taking up their valuable time. Statistics reveal that out of the average daily 39,684 calls, as many as 23,685 are nuisance calls.

Many callers even pester the attendants while seeking to talk to the female staff.

“Absurd prank calls do come at every call centre but with us there is a risk. So many phone lines getting engaged due to such calls can hinder calls from those who are actually sick,” said Chandan Datta, head operations GVK EMRI that runs 108 and 102 ambulance service in Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Datta and Chandrakant Shukla, head HR said that if bogus calls were restricted the phone lines could remain free for people who seek help. The call centre has 100 lines for 108 and an equal number for 102 ambulances that are for pregnant women and children.

“We appeal to the public to abstain from making unnecessary calls at 108 and 102 services,” said Shukla.

The GVK EMRI authorities are now planning to hand over the phone number of such callers to the police for action. Some of the callers even take names of girls and express their desire to speak to them, even if there is no such employee by that name. “Some of them stop calling when we say their number will be given to police, but many continue,” said Datta.