Blackout from 8pm to 8.15pm near vital installations in Haryana today
Haryana government is set to conduct a state-wide civil defence exercise, named 'Operation Shield,' on May 31, across all 22 districts to enhance the state's emergency preparedness and response capabilities.
The drill will begin at 5pm and it is being organised under the guidance of the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) to simulate critical incidents such as air raids, drone attacks, and other wartime scenarios in the light of current national security concerns.
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.
According to additional chief secretary (ACS-home), Sumita Misra, the exercise aims to test existing emergency mechanisms, improve coordination between the civil administration, defence forces, and local communities and to identify areas that need to be strengthened.
She said that currently there are around 32,000 civil defence volunteers across the state who will also contribute to this exercise. All deputy commissioners (DCs) have been directed to call out civil defence volunteers, NSS, NCC, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), home gaurds, etc. of their respective districts in order to brief them regarding their deployment, duties and exercises to be undertaken.
The ACS (home) said that key components include drills responding to aerial threats such as air raids and swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), activation of air raid sirens, and testing of control room communication hotlines established with the Indian Air Force.
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