The mock drills, under Operation Shield, are being conducted to enhance the state’s and UT’s emergency preparedness and response capabilities. Major civil defence drills are set to take place across six states and union territories on Saturday, May 31. The Civil Defence Exercise under ‘Operation Shield’ will be conducted in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chandigarh and Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, similar mock drills were conducted on May 7 amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. The drills are being conducted to enhance the state’s and UT’s emergency preparedness and response capabilities. Earlier, the mock drills were scheduled to be held in the bordering states on May 29, later, they were postponed to May 31 due to administrative reasons.
10 Points Scheduled to begin at 5 pm, this comprehensive drill is being organised under the guidance of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, to simulate critical incidents such as air raids, drone attacks, and other wartime scenarios in light of current national security concerns. The mock exercises are scheduled for May 31 between 5 pm to 9 pm and should not be the cause of alarm for the citizens. In Rajasthan, a coordinated mock drill and blackout will be carried out simultaneously in all 41 districts under Operation Shield. Jagjeet Singh Monga, Director of the Directorate of Civil Defence, has issued directives to all district collectors and magistrates regarding a statewide blackout and mock drill scheduled on Saturday evening.
Additional Chief Secretary, Haryana’s Home Department, Sumita Misra said that currently there are around 32,000 Civil Defence Volunteers across state who will also contribute in this exercise. In Haryana, All Deputy Commissioners have been directed to call out Civil Defence Volunteers, NSS, NCC, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Home Guards, of their respective districts in order to brief them regarding their deployment, duties and exercises to be undertaken. In Haryana, a controlled blackout of 15 minutes will be observed from 8 pm to 8.15 pm near vital installations, with the exception of essential emergency services such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations.
Earlier, similar mock drills were conducted on May 7, just hours before India launched Operation Sindoor.The May 7 mock drills also looked at provisions of crash blackout measures, early camouflaging of vital plants and installations and updation of evacuation plans and their rehearsal. After successful May 7 drills, the next set of similar exercises was announced on May 31, but was later postponed. According to an official communication, the mock drills were postponed due to administrative reasons.
