Quick Take
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States and Union Territories are prepping for a civil defence drill to enhance readiness amidst heightened tensions post the Pahalgam terror attack. The drill aims to train civilians in response to hostile attacks
New Delhi:
Following directions from the Centre, states and Union Territories are preparing for a civil defence security drill tomorrow. While the Centre’s instructions to the states’ chief secretaries do not mention the tensions with Pakistan, the timing of the order, amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack, leaves no room for interpretation. The last such drill was conducted in the run-up to the 1971 war between India and Pakistan, in which the latter was defeated and Bangladesh was created.
Here is what you need to know about the security drill
Who Will Be Part Of The Drill
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs notification to the states, this drill will be held across the country’s 244 Civil Defence districts. “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,” it says.
According to the notification, the drill should see “active participation of the District Controller, various district authorities, civil defence wardens/volunteers, Home Guard (active /reservists volunteers), NCC, NSS, NYKS, college and school students”.
The notification also mentions that civilians must be trained to respond to a “hostile attack”.
What Are The Objectives
The Home Ministry notification lays down nine objectives of this security drill. The first is to assess the effectiveness of air raid warning systems and aims to prepare people for a response to an aerial attack. Hotline and radio communication lines with the Air Force will also be operational during this drill. It will also test the functionality of control rooms and shadow control rooms. The notification says civilians and students must be trained in civil defence to protect themselves “in the event of hostile attack”.
The training also includes crash blackout measures, which refer to training on planned blackouts to guard against aerial attacks. As part of the drill, authorities may ask residents to switch off lights for a certain duration to mimic a blackout. The training will also include camouflaging of vital plants and installations. This means steps to cover or shield key premises — such as airfields, refineries and rail yards — from enemy fire. The drill will also check the preparedness of rescue teams and firefighters and evacuation measures. The evacuation drills will be rehearsals for moving civilians from vulnerable areas to safe zones. Civilians will also be trained in first-aid, firefighting and shelter techniques.
India Preps Pahalgam Response
The Pahalgam terror attack, in which 25 tourists and a Kashmiri pony ride operator were murdered in cold blood, has shocked and horrified the nation. The government has vowed a strong response, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that the perpetrators and conspirators of the attack would get a punishment they cannot imagine. The investigation into the Pahalgam attack has pointed to a Pakistani hand, like several other terror attacks on Indian soil in the past.
Following a series of diplomatic moves against Islamabad, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, New Delhi is now preparing for a military response. The past few days have seen multiple meetings by Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, top ministers and officials in the security establishment. The Prime Minister has met the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force and the Defence Secretary, triggering speculation that a big move against Pakistan may be imminent. The Centre’s instructions to conduct a security deal appear to be part of its preparation for a counterstrike.
