GUWAHATI: The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) is roping in the services of community radio to spread awareness about the novel coronavirus through jingles. After repeated announcements by the government to caution people about adopting safety measures to arrest the spread of Covid-19 failed, the ASDMA sought the help of community radio. The jingles will be prepared in all local languages and dialects.
In the first phase, jingles in Bengali and other local dialects such as Sadri (tea community dialect), Hajong, Mi sing, Bodo, Tiwa, Deori and Bhatiali will be prepared. ASDMA is already disseminating two audio visuals in Sadri and Hajong dialects on the safety measures. A significant section of the two communities does not know other languages apart from their mother tongues. “ASDMA has collaborated with community radio station Radio Brahmaputra, Dibrugarh, to prepare audio jingles on the precautionary measures on Covid-19 at the personal and social level along with ASDMA emergency numbers in various local languages and dialects,” said Pankaj Chakraborty, ASDMA project coordinator.
He said priority has been given to the tea community, which has a population of several lakhs, especially in Upper Assam.
“Our focus is on reaching out to communities with their own languages. Though they stay in Assam, they understand only their own language. Many people in the rural belt of Assam have no idea about the virus and so are trying to break lockdown rules,” said Chakraborty.
ASDMA has also collaborated with community radio station Radio Luit of Gauhati University and Government BDS Deaf and Dumb School, Kahilipara in Guwahati, and prepared short video capsules for people with disability (PwD) along with advisories for the elderly and children on precautionary measures. These are being disseminated through various media.
“The video capsules in sign language for PwDs has been created with the participation of experts. In areas which are not under the purview of Radio Luit, we have taken the help of social media platforms to reach out to PwDs,” said an ASDMA official.
In the first phase, jingles in Bengali and other local dialects such as Sadri (tea community dialect), Hajong, Mi sing, Bodo, Tiwa, Deori and Bhatiali will be prepared. ASDMA is already disseminating two audio visuals in Sadri and Hajong dialects on the safety measures. A significant section of the two communities does not know other languages apart from their mother tongues. “ASDMA has collaborated with community radio station Radio Brahmaputra, Dibrugarh, to prepare audio jingles on the precautionary measures on Covid-19 at the personal and social level along with ASDMA emergency numbers in various local languages and dialects,” said Pankaj Chakraborty, ASDMA project coordinator.
He said priority has been given to the tea community, which has a population of several lakhs, especially in Upper Assam.
“Our focus is on reaching out to communities with their own languages. Though they stay in Assam, they understand only their own language. Many people in the rural belt of Assam have no idea about the virus and so are trying to break lockdown rules,” said Chakraborty.
ASDMA has also collaborated with community radio station Radio Luit of Gauhati University and Government BDS Deaf and Dumb School, Kahilipara in Guwahati, and prepared short video capsules for people with disability (PwD) along with advisories for the elderly and children on precautionary measures. These are being disseminated through various media.
“The video capsules in sign language for PwDs has been created with the participation of experts. In areas which are not under the purview of Radio Luit, we have taken the help of social media platforms to reach out to PwDs,” said an ASDMA official.
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