Guwahati, Feb. 23: The Assam Police Radio Organisation (APRO) will soon submit a proposal seeking the Centre's nod to popularise amateur or ham radio and its use during disasters.

Amateur radio or ham radio is a community of people that use designated radio frequency to talk to friends using a handheld transceiver in order to exchange personal messages or vital information during an emergency.

"The Centre recently withdrew its restriction on permission for ham radio operators. We will soon move the wireless planning and coordination wing of the Union ministry of communications and information technology through the state government for permission. Once the permission is granted, we are planning to partner with the National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad, for popularisation of ham radio among youth as a hobby and for use during a disaster," an APRO official said today.

Assam faces severe floods almost every year and the state is situated in the earthquake-prone zone V.

Speaking at a conference here on Restoration of Communication in Disaster Scenario: the Role of First Responder, S. Ram Mohan, director of the Hyderabad-based institute, said, "Recent calamities have shown how our disaster management system collapses because of breakdown of communication. An effective alternative communication is significant and ham radio can fill that void. I was part of a team of amateur radio operators who helped disaster response forces in the Andamans during the 2004 tsunami."

The APRO and Assam State Disaster Management Authority jointly organised the conference.

Additional director-general of police (communication), N. Chandranathan, who went to Jammu and Kashmir during the 2014 floods to rescue people from Assam, said, "For three days there was no credible communication and I realised how it is necessary to have an alternative mode of communication. I hope ham radio or social media can be helpful during an earthquake or floods."

Assam director-general of police Mukesh Sahay too called for use of ham radio since it had proven an effective alternative communication mode worldwide and could be handy in a disaster-prone state.