Pvt firm staff, engaged with dial-112, oppose termination

Bhubaneswar: Employees of a private firm, formerly engaged at the dial-112 Odisha police helpline centre in Bhubaneswar, staged a protest outside the office on Monday, opposing their sudden termination.“We were denied entry to the office (state emergency response centre) and told our services were no longer required. We have not received salaries for the past three months, nor EPF deposits for nearly 14 months,” one protesting employee said.The private agency had been contracted by Odisha police to provide manpower for the helpline. Around 120 call takers were employed by the outsourced firm, tasked with receiving emergency calls and connecting them to the appropriate police authorities for swift action.Odisha police attributed the agitation to a dispute between the workers and their employer. “The private service provider’s contract ended on Sunday. A new company has now been engaged to operate the dial-112 service,” a police official clarified, adding that the emergency helpline service remains unaffected.According to police sources, the previous agency failed to pay salaries and did not deposit EPF contributions despite receiving funds on time from the department. “Though the company was paid regularly, it withheld salaries from the call takers. The police have no role in this dispute,” the official said. The company authorities were unavailable for comment.The dial-112 system, part of the emergency response support system (ERSS), was introduced by the Centre in 2019 following the Nirbhaya case in Delhi. This initiative aims to ensure a swift police response, particularly for women in emergencies.The state govt launched its ERSS on March 19, 2021, consolidating multiple emergency numbers—police (100), fire (101), ambulance (108 and 102), and the women & child helpline (181)—into a single, unified platform.