Mohali to amp up emergency readiness with 50 air sirens
Taking cognisance of the shortcomings exposed during the recent blackout drills in Mohali, the administration has decided to install 50 air raid sirens at 15 key locations and recruit 1,500 civil defence volunteers for potential emergencies.
Currently, only 3-5 sirens are functional in Mohali, thus making them inaudible for majority of the areas.
Mohali deputy commissioner (DC) Komal Mittal said, 'We never had to execute such plans before and there have been learnings. We will now take corrective measures.'
The administration is actively gearing up to strengthen its civil defence measures under the Civil Defence Act and Rules of 1968. A team of 1,500 civil defence volunteers, including ex-servicemen, doctors, and NCC and NSS volunteers, will be trained by Home Guards.
The DC said the measures will be in place within two weeks. 'We are in the process of preparing a team of 1,500 volunteers, which will include ex-servicemen, doctors, and NCC and NSS volunteers,' she said.
The volunteers will be divided into sectors and villages and one civil defence warden will be appointed for each area. The volunteers will educate the public on disaster preparedness and safety measures, help organise mock drills and training programmes for citizens and emergency responders, engage in various welfare initiatives and support administrative efforts and play a role in maintaining peace and harmony within communities.
She added that mock drills at the local level will be a regular feature, as drills are designed to familiarise communities with emergency protocols. 'Also, we are focusing on strengthening security at critical infrastructure in our district,' she said.
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