Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan is scheduled to review the preparedness for strengthening civil defence mechanisms on Tuesday. This review will encompass various crucial aspects, including the execution of mock drills for air-raid warning sirens, the training of civilians to ensure their safety during a potential “hostile attack,” and the maintenance of bunkers and trenches.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has directed all states to conduct these mock drills on Wednesday, citing the emergence of “new and complex threats” amidst escalating tensions with Pakistan following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
According to a source, “The home secretary will review the preparations for civil defence being made across 244 districts. Chief secretaries and heads of civil defence from across the country will participate in the meeting via video conferencing.”
A communication from the home ministry outlines the specific measures to be undertaken during these mock drills. These include ensuring the operational readiness of air-raid warning sirens, educating civilians on essential civil defence techniques for self-protection in the event of a “hostile attack,” and undertaking the cleaning of existing bunkers and trenches.
Further measures to be addressed in the mock drills involve establishing crash-blackout protocols, implementing early camouflaging of critical infrastructure and installations, and updating and rehearsing evacuation strategies.
The exercises will also focus on the functionality of hotline and radio-communication links with the Indian Air Force (IAF), as well as testing the operational status of control rooms and their respective shadow control rooms.
In a letter to the states and Union Territories, the Directorate General Fire Service, Civil Defence and Home Guards emphasized, “In the current geo-political scenario, new and complex threats/challenges have emerged, hence, it would be prudent that optimum civil defence preparedness in the states/UTs is maintained at all times.”
The letter further stated the government’s decision to organize a nationwide civil defence exercise and rehearsal across 244 identified civil defence districts on May 7th. “The conduct of the exercise is planned up to the village level. This exercise aims to assess and enhance the readiness of civil defence mechanisms across all states and Union territories,” the communication noted.
The exercise anticipates active involvement from district controllers, various district authorities, civil-defence wardens, volunteers, home guards (both active and reservists), National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), and students from colleges and schools.
“The said civil defence exercise is aimed to assess the operational efficacy and operational coordination of various civil defence measures,” the letter concluded.
The heightened focus on civil defence preparedness follows a period of increased tension in India-Pakistan relations, particularly after the April 22nd terror attack in Pahalgam, South Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals, predominantly tourists. Following the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to relentlessly pursue the perpetrators and conspirators, vowing to inflict a punishment “beyond their imagination.”
