Satyam may log out of 108

Satyam Computer Services Limited may log out from 108 emergency ambulance services in Gujarat.

The services are currently being run through PPP (Public Private Partnership) between the state health department and Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI), Hyderabad, a non-profitable organisation.

Satyam, as technology partner, helps EMRI develop an emergency response system and run the automated call centre which manages 108 services.

A highly-placed source in the state government said, “After the Satyam fraud came to light, EMRI also got affected. EMRI officials clearly told us that they were finding it difficult to manage emergency services and would like to withdraw from it. As 11 states are facing this problem, health & family welfare secretary, Government of India, recently visited Gujarat to access the problem.’’

The ministry in its latest report, ‘Study of Emergency Response Services - EMRI Model-2009’ has observed that one of the central problems faced by the government with EMRI is insufficient transparency. There is no member from the government on the board or the executive committees. Another problem is lack of independent monitoring system which can validate the data given to it by EMRI.

Each state has a separate bank account to run EMRI, but they are all part of the same registered society and under the same board with headquarters at Hyderabad. “There are no state-level branches or trusts. Misuse and mismanagement of government grants and directly received donations have also come to light, so we have requested the ministry to allow the government to withdraw from the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with EMRI,” he said.

According to the present arrangement, state governments have given right to Satyam to provide 108 communication services. The governments provide 100% capital and running cost of 108 service while EMRI provides communication management services with fixed charges.