Under a memorandum of understanding signed by the West Bengal Disaster Management and Civil Defence Department and radio amateurs, more people living in remote areas of that Indian state will be trained on how to pass emergency traffic during times of crisis.

The president of the West Bengal Radio Club, Subir Datta, VU3ZSD, called the October 9th signing of the agreement "a proud moment," noting that it officially recognises amateur radio operators as lifesavers.

He told the Indo Asian News Service [quote]: "During natural disasters, hams work as an important link between the wireless sets operated by various agencies. This aids in keeping all teams abreast of developments." [endquote]

The club's secretary, Ambarish Nag Biswas VU2JFA said that the club is known for its effective response during cyclones when the hams are called up by government officials. He said that rescue efforts benefit, especially in remote areas, when emergency traffic can get through. In cooperation with the affiliated Indian Academy of Communication and Disaster Management, the hams have already prepared many civil defence employees for their licensing exams and conducted mock-emergency drills.

Although the West Bengal hams were also prepared to deploy recently after flash flooding devastated the region of Nepal near the Tibet border, he said the Nepalese government did not grant them the necessary permission. Club members did provide essential communication links between agencies in Nepal in April of 2015 after an earthquake struck parts of the country.