Bihar t conduct civil defence mock drills in 7 cities including Patna
The state administration will conduct a civil defence mock drill simulating a crash blackout during an air raid scenario in seven cities across six districts from 7:00 PM to 7:10 PM on Wednesday, following directives from the Union ministry of home affairs. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and dog squad jawans check passengers and everywhere following the Pahalgam terror attack at Jaiprakash Narayan International Airport in Patna on Tuesday. (Santosh Kumar/HT)
According to top officials, power supply will be suspended for 10 minutes in Patna, Purnia, Katihar, Begusarai, Barauni, Araria, and Kishanganj during the exercise. Warning sirens will be activated prior to the blackout to alert citizens.
Chief secretary Amrit Lal Meena issued instructions to all concerned District Magistrates (DMs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) after a high-level meeting with the Director General of Police, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), and senior officials from the Civil Defence Directorate. The mock drill is part of a nationwide preparedness initiative in light of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
'This drill aims to raise public awareness about civil defence roles during wartime or emergencies. The blackout will be simulated across seven cities for ten minutes. Civil defence volunteers from the Disaster Management Department will also conduct awareness drives and training sessions for residents throughout the day,' Chief Secretary said.
Officials clarified that the mock drill is meant to train citizens to respond effectively during air raids and evaluate the state's civil defence preparedness. Hospitals and essential services will remain unaffected. Efforts will be made to minimise inconvenience for commuters and the general public.
Paresh Saxena, ADG and Commissioner of the Civil Defence Directorate, stated that 12,000 trained civil defence volunteers will be deployed across the six districts. These volunteers will educate the public on precautionary measures and appropriate responses during aerial threats. 'Similar drills were conducted in 1971 during the Indo-Pak war to prepare citizens for emergency situations,' Saxena noted.
Fire services, police, and other administrative departments will work in coordination during the blackout simulation. School students will also be sensitised on emergency preparedness.
Reassuring the public, Meena and Saxena stressed that there is no need for panic, as the drill is a precautionary and evaluative measure aimed at identifying gaps in the civil defence system and strengthening administrative response.
However, public reactions were mixed. Rajeev Kumar, a resident of Jagdeo Path in Patna, said, 'It's a good initiative. People should know how to react in case of an air raid. But I'm not sure how effective these drills will be. The government should've acted more strongly against terrorists after the Pahalgam attack.'
Another resident, Ramesh Kumar Sinha, felt that the drill would be better conducted in the morning. 'We don't fully understand what this is about. I just hope it doesn't disrupt daily life too much,' he said.
Meanwhile, the Patna administration has mobilised fire tenders, police forces, and other emergency services for the successful execution of the mock drill.
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