‘Preparedness Push, Not A Panic Call': What Does The May 7 Civil Defence Drill Entail?
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District magistrates will update their list of civil defence volunteers starting May 7 and update their contact numbers in case of an emergency for quick deployment.
Amidst the uncertainty over what action India might take against Pakistan following the deadly attack on civilians by terrorists in Pahalgam, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday asked several states to conduct mock drills 'for effective civil defence on May 7".
DG Civil Defence Vivek Srivastava said that the mock drill would be a pan-India exercise.
In an exclusive conversation with CNN-News18, Srivastava said: 'We have been doing these civil defence drills in districts on a regular basis but this time it will be pan-India. The exercise could spread out over a couple of days".
Authorities, however, said that this was not meant to cause panic but to help India revisit the civil defence SOP for any eventuality.
The last time a civil defence mock drill of this nature was conducted was in December last year, in the city of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The pan-India drill to be held this Wednesday is 'different", officials highlighted.
What Does The Mock Drill Entail?
Civil Defence is governed by the Civil Defence Act. Under this act, the District Magistrate (DM) or the district collector is assigned the nodal officer for civil defence in each district.
Starting Wednesday (May 7), the DMs will revisit the list of civil defence volunteers and update the contact numbers and names which will be prepared in case of any emergency.
An official said that vulnerable districts throughout India have been identified and the collectors will lead the drill on Wednesday in these districts.
'This will be to test the operational efficacy in vulnerable districts and train civilians. It is a multi stake holder exercise that will be undertaken," a senior official who is in charge of civil defence told CNN-News18.
'The list should be at the ready disposal of the DM to deploy the volunteers in times of emergency," a senior official said.
'It is a requirement under the Geneva convention to protect civilians in times of war. So we must empower them, train them to protect themselves. The last such training was in 1999 and before that in 1971. Most young people of this generation are unaware of such a situation. Hence the necessity of the drill," the senior official further added.
Air Raid Warning Sirens
One of the key components of the drill would be to conduct checks on the air raid warning system. 'It is the first step which warns civilians in an emergency situation. The Air Force sounds the alert and each district must ensure that its air raid warning sirens are functioning properly," a civil defence official told CNN-News18.
Bunkers
In some forward areas, the next step entails civilians taking cover in a protected area. Forward areas (areas close to the frontline if a battle breaks out) like Kashmir's Uri have already started preparing the community bunkers.
Students on the international border like Arnia have already practiced mock drills to evacuate in times of an emergency.
Blackout
Blackouts will also be practised during the May 7 mock drills. 'If a blackout siren is sounded, the standard operating procedure must be followed. The drill will assess whether the sirens are working and how effectively people respond. All stakeholders should be well-versed with the SOP," officials explained.
Safety Of Vital Installations
Civil Defence officials explained that a list of vital installations is codified under the act. These might include defence, para military installations, hospitals and installations of strategic importance.
'There is no scope for interpretation here. The list will be available to all concerned and as soon as the order comes everyone will have to work together to ensure that the vital installations as mentioned in the list are protected," officials said.
Training Civilians And Students
The final aspect of the drill will be to familiarise civilians, students, hospital staff with civil defence volunteers so that their instructions are followed in times of emergency. Evacuation plans will be discussed with authorities in such institutions when the mock drill happens.
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