*One Helpline, Three Apps: The Tech Backbone of Chhattisgarh's Monsoon Preparedness* *Stay Informed, Stay Safe: Your Digital Shields Against Monsoon Risks* Raipur June 12, 2026/ For decades, information about floods, heavy rainfall or severe weather often travelled through local networks, village announcements and administrative channels. Today, the same warning can reach thousands of people instantly through a mobile phone. As Chhattisgarh prepares for the monsoon season, the state government is placing renewed emphasis on the use of digital tools that can help citizens stay informed and safe during weather-related emergencies. During a recent review meeting on monsoon preparedness, Chief Secretary Shri Vikas Sheel directed officials to undertake wider awareness campaigns on disaster management and weather forecasting mobile applications so that more citizens can benefit from early warnings and safety advisories. The directive comes at a time when much of the state's annual rainfall is expected over the coming months. Nearly 90 per cent of Chhattisgarh's annual rainfall is received through the southwest monsoon, with July and August typically recording the heaviest rainfall. While the season is vital for agriculture, it is also accompanied by risks such as floods, lightning strikes and other weather-related emergencies. At the centre of the awareness campaign are three mobile applications—Damini, Meghdoot and Sachet—along with the state's 24×7 disaster helpline 1070. Together, they offer citizens access to weather forecasts, safety advisories and early warnings that can prove critical during emergencies. Damini focuses on one of the monsoon's most persistent threats: lightning. The application provides advance alerts about lightning activity in the user's vicinity, giving people time to move to safety before a thunderstorm intensifies. For a farmer working in an open field, a labourer at a construction site or anyone spending extended periods outdoors, a timely alert can mean the difference between seeking shelter in time and being caught in a storm. The app also provides safety guidelines and precautionary measures to follow during thunderstorms. For farmers, Meghdoot serves as a practical weather companion throughout the monsoon season. The application provides local weather forecasts and weather-based agricultural advisories that can help farmers plan activities such as sowing, irrigation, fertiliser application and harvesting. It also enables them to make informed decisions when weather conditions are unfavourable, helping them avoid unnecessary exposure to heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and other adverse conditions. By bringing weather information and agricultural guidance directly to their phones, Meghdoot helps farmers manage risks while protecting both their livelihoods and their safety. Sachet provides real-time, geo-targeted alerts for disasters and emergency situations. Users can receive alerts for their current location or subscribe to notifications for any district or state in the country. The application also provides weather forecasts, information on affected areas, emergency helpline numbers, safety guidelines and disaster-specific dos and don'ts. Available in 12 Indian languages, it is designed to ensure that official warnings reach citizens quickly and in an accessible format. Complementing these applications is the state's 24×7 disaster helpline, 1070, which citizens can use to seek assistance, report emergencies and obtain information during floods and other disaster situations. The usefulness of these tools lies not merely in the information they provide, but in the decisions they help people make. A lightning alert can prompt a farmer or labourer to move indoors before a storm intensifies. A weather advisory can help a farmer postpone field operations when conditions are unsafe. A disaster alert can warn families about emerging risks and precautionary measures before a situation turns critical. For many people, the first warning of an approaching threat may no longer come from dark clouds gathering overhead, but from a notification on their phone. As the monsoon season advances, officials hope wider use of these applications and the 1070 helpline will help citizens stay informed, prepared and safe. "Timely information is one of the most effective safeguards during the monsoon season. I urge farmers, labourers, people working outdoors and all citizens to make use of applications such as Sachet, Damini and Meghdoot, which provide weather forecasts, safety advisories and early warnings. These tools can help people take informed decisions, avoid unnecessary risks and remain alert during adverse weather conditions. I also encourage citizens to save the emergency helpline number 1070 and share this information with their families and communities." *— Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, Chief Minister, Chhattisgarh*