The State of Kerala has been passing through the most unprecedented natural disaster in the form of floods. The catastrophe of the century devastated the life of the State. All India Radio, Thiruvananthapuram's high power transmitter which almost covers the entire State of Kerala was put to maximum use in this hour of need. The programme personnel ably supported by the engineering staff could do a very gratifying service of reaching to the marooned people. All the Stations in Kerala did rise up to the occasion with targeted programmes even by deviating the regular programmes. All India Radio, Thiruvananthapuram held the reign and coordinated the job with all the stations.
The Stations have been airing the warnings and alerts released by the National and State Disaster Management Authorities, Central and State Meteorological Departments intermittently on the early days. Later, reservoir level updates and status reports, precautions to be taken in case of landslide, press releases from Chief Minister's Office and Office of the Chief Secretary in addition to releases from Public Relations department of the Government of Kerala ever since it has been raining heavily and reservoir levels were rising at an alarming rate. The Press brief of the Home Minister Shri.Rajnath Singh who was on a visit to assess the flood situation was broadcast. However, it was from 15th of August more frequent broadcasts of the rainfall updates, alerts from the Disaster Management Authority, precautionary steps in case of landslides, emergency kits to be carried if supposed to leave homes etc were started. The Status of release of spill from reservoirs and reservoir level updates, fishermen warning and alerts to the people living by river banks continued till 11 PM on 15th. But from 16th morning onwards a dedicated 24 hr. helpline was commissioned at AIR Thiruvananthapuram and this has gone round the clock. The distress calls were attended to patiently at the same time consoling the callers who were either extremely anxious on the where-abouts of close relatives or the caller himself was stranded waiting eagerly for help. Such distress calls were immediately transferred to the emergency center/control room either of the district administration or that of the disaster management authority. The helpline service continued to receive calls incessantly which had the staff on their toes to process them and forward them for appropriate action. From 16.08.2018 onwards all the distress calls received were recorded and simultaneously broadcast throughout the course of the transmission. This overnight transmission service was extended for two more days after assessing the gravity of the situations and the unending hits on the 24 hr helpline service. We have received approximately more than three thousand calls in the helpline number.
The Disaster Management Authority, the District Collectorates, the Chief Minister's Office, the Information and Public Relations Department were all providing valuable inputs which were aired as and when received. Detailed reports from ground zero were provided by AIR's Part-Time correspondents at districts and by some journalists in the havoc torn districts. Ministers, MPs, MLAs and other elected representatives of local bodies were also readily available for comments on the situation at the respective districts especially of those whose constituencies were thrown out of gear by the current flood situation. Appeal for contributions to the Chief Minister's Distress relief fund was also aired at regular intervals. We had to make the listener aware against fake propaganda in the midst of all this as it was happening mainly in the new media. Voice cuts of cyber forensic experts to keep oneself guarded against such fake news was also aired. Also, the Social Media like Facebook, Whatsapp etc were put to maximum use. Many callers who had called for rescue and help did get back to us after getting rescued and dropped at rescue camps.
Incidentally, almost all the programmes of All India Radio, Thiruvananthapuram were deviated to accommodate programmes related to the current situations. Health programmes were broadcast on topics like safe drinking water, preventing communicable diseases, personal hygiene, trauma related stress disorders etc. and these programmes were also repeatedly broadcast. Live phone in programmes on related topics like disaster management, insurance related topics were also broadcast. Hourly news bulletins were broadcast religiously from 16.08.2018 with incorporated inputs from districts and with the latest news on rescue and relief operations. Coastguard officials, navy personnel, disaster Management Authority officials were all included in the 24 hr. transmission from 16.08.2018 to 18.08.2018. Recordings of Chief Minister's daily review meetings, voice cuts of Revenue Minister, Health Minister, Transport Minister, Fisheries Minister etc. were also broadcast at regular intervals.
OTHER STATIONS in Kerala viz; Kannur, Calicut, Manjeri, Thrissur, Devikulam and Kochi also did similar broadcast independently in line with local situation and needs. The overnight transmissions originated by AIR, Thiruvananthapuram were relayed in Toto by Stations of Calicut, Thrissur and Kochi which could cover the entire state.
We firmly feel that the AIR network in Kerala did more than the expected role at this time of disaster. The Programme Staff supported by the engineering counterparts devotedly volunteered their best towards this mission which is to be appreciated and prized. We are receiving wide appreciation from people of all walks of life for the work done by us.We are not stopping with what is done. Now, we are concentrating in supporting everyone on their rehabilitation efforts. Many special programmes are planned towards post-flood issues like health, cleaning, sanitation, insurance proceedings, reconstruction of damaged houses etc.