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.
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 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”
Civilians will also be trained in first-aid, firefighting and shelter techniques
Meanwhile, a high-level consultation meeting was held at the Secretariat in Chennai to plan for an upcoming wartime drill across Tamil Nadu.
Chaired by the State Home Secretary, the session included representatives from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and other senior officials.
The discussion focused on enhancing security protocols and ensuring inter-agency coordination. The drill will be conducted at vital locations such as the Kalpakkam Nuclear Power Plant, Chennai Airport, Avadi Defence Facility, and the Manali Petroleum Corporation, aiming to test preparedness in critical infrastructure zones.