Chennai floods: Technology puts relief work on fast track

Rural development-panchayat raj secretary and officer on special duty to monitor rain relief work in Cuddalore, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, says that he receives hundreds of pictures on WhatsApp from officers about rain damages and the steps they had taken to help people.

“These messages help us coordinate relief measures with agencies concerned. We also issue instructions through WhatsApp to collectors and other officers who in turn inform their officials on WhatsApp groups about the necessary steps to be taken,” he said.

Government officials have also been interacting with weather bloggers and IMD, who provide them weather updates on a regular basis through email, Facebook messenger and WhatsApp to plan and streamline relief work.

“Our officers have smartphone to use WhatsApp and email with which they send us reports immediately,” he said. Mr C. Sylendra Babu, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) heading the costal security group which is actively involved in rescue operations in rain affected areas in Cuddalore, termed WhatsApp as a beneficial tool for communication and they have separate groups for boats, technical persons, weather related and for other wings.

“With WhatsApp we can share messages at the same time to all those in the group about what is done in the field. All our field units get instructions and messages at the same time to coordinate our work,” he added.