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News: India rolled out a mobile-based disaster communication system (SACHET) aimed at delivering near-real-time emergency alerts directly to citizens’ phones.
About SACHET
- SACHET stands for Secure and Alert Centre for Hazard Evaluation and Transmission.
- It is a mobile-enabled, integrated disaster alert system designed to deliver timely information and warnings to citizens.
- Developed by: It has been developed by the Centre of Development of Telematics (C-DOT) for the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
- It is based on the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) recommended by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- Pan India Coverage: It is already operational across all states and Union Territories and has delivered over 134 billion SMS alerts in more than 19 Indian languages.
- How it works:
- Bulk messaging: Recent upgardation introduces Cell Broadcast (CB) technology alongside SMS, enabling authorities to push alerts simultaneously to all mobile phones in a specific geographic area, rather than sending messages individually.
- Instant Messaging: Cell Broadcast (CB) messages are transmitted directly from mobile towers to devices using a dedicated channel, allowing millions of users to receive alerts almost instantly.
- Geo-tagged: The system is geo-targeted, meaning only people physically present in an affected area, such as a coastal zone during a tsunami warning, will receive the alert.
- Messages are also designed to override typical notification behaviour – they can appear as pop-ups on screens, may trigger a loud alert tone or vibration, and are displayed prominently until acknowledged by the user.
- It does not rely on individual phone numbers and can reach even roaming users or devices without heavy network usage.
- Multiple languages: Messages will be delivered in multiple languages based on region and device settings.
- Coverage of types of alerts: The system will be used for both natural and man-made emergencies, including earthquakes, tsunamis, lightning strikes and man-made hazards such as gas leaks or chemical incidents.
- Immediate threat notifications (e.g. evacuation orders, hazardous leaks)
- Public safety advisories (do’s and don’ts during disasters)
- Location-specific instructions, such as evacuation routes or shelters
