The emergency service received over 1,20,000 prank calls from kids by August end this year.
Stomach ache, headache and ankle sprain are some of the medical ‘emergencies’ that the 108 emergency service is summoned to help. Interestingly, most such complaints are made by children keen to have some fun by simply dialling the toll-free number.
In fact, EMRI officials said the number of prank calls made by children had gone up. And the rise in such calls invariably coincides with vacations.
“Such calls go up during summer vacations, Diwali holidays or when there is a string of public holidays,” said an official of the emergency service.
He said that often children pretend to be ill just to have fun. “The 108 number is toll-free, which is one reason why kids make these calls. They will complain of this ailment or that or even invent an emergency to have fun,” said the official.
“We talk to the parents of children who make it a habit of making such calls. Nearly 80% of the time, the parents have no knowledge that their children have been making prank calls,” said a 108 employee who has handled several such
calls.
She said that very frequently the children disconnect the call when officials insist on talking to their parents. She added that such pranks may seem funny but what the children don’t realise is that they could be blocking a genuine call.
Jashvant Prajapati, chief operating officer, GVK EMRI, said that the 108 service can be even more efficient and effective if such calls could be brought down. “Each call is an emergency call for us. Every misleading call takes away from us an opportunity to serve a real emergency,” said Prajapati.
In the year 2010, the service received 1,46,822 prank calls from children across Gijarat. This went up to 1,55,546 calls in 2011. This year, by August 23, the service had already received 1,29,834 prank calls from children.
However, over the years, the number of ineffective calls has fallen marginally, from 31,28,490 in 2010 to 31,05,408 in 2011. This year up to August 23, EMRI had received 21,73,007 ineffective calls. (Ineffective calls are those where the caller either refuses to talk after calling, or abuses the 108 service employee or even gives wrong information.)
An official of the emergency service said that on an average they receive 11,000 calls per day, of which 70% are ineffective calls. “Only 2,000 calls are related to emergencies,” said the official.
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