Panchkula admin does it again, fails to communicate mock drill cancellation
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Panchkula: Once again, the Panchkula administration has come under fire for its lack of preparedness and poor communication. Despite earlier announcements about a mock drill and blackout scheduled for Wednesday night, the administration failed to inform residents about its cancellation, leaving many confused and uncertain.
This stands in stark contrast to Chandigarh and Gurugram, where respective administrations not only announced the drill under Operation Shield in the evening but also promptly informed the public of its cancellation later that night.
Although the Haryana government issued a general cancellation notice, Panchkula deputy commissioner had made a separate announcement earlier, leading to confusion among residents about whether the drill was still on in Panchkula.
The district administration only issued a clarification the following morning via the director public relations WhatsApp group.
Blackout Timings Changed Thrice
Adding to the confusion, the administration changed the blackout timings three times. Initially, a press release announced the blackout from 8 pm to 8.15 pm. Minutes later, the message was deleted from the official WhatsApp group. Upon inquiry, officials stated the new timing was 10 pm to 10.15 pm.
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Eventually, a final press release revised the timing again to 11 pm to 11.15 pm.
"The Panchkula administration should be responsive and responsible during such times. Even during Covid, we faced similar issues with communication. Why does the administration remain inactive while others lead?" said Mohit Gupta, founder of the Solution Box forum. "Residents were left confused and uninformed last night."
Weeklong Training Ends in a Day
In another instance of poor planning, the administration had announced a weeklong civil defence training for volunteers in response to India-Pakistan tensions.
However, due to a lack of awareness and last-minute communication, very few people turned up. The training, which was supposed to last a week, ended abruptly in a single day without any formal announcement.
Inactive Social Media Presence
Residents also pointed out the lack of digital communication. While the verified X (formerly Twitter) accounts of the Chandigarh and Mohali DCs are regularly updated with public announcements and initiatives, Panchkula DC's unverified X account has been inactive since Sep 29, 2024. Many residents said they feel left out and find the silence from the administration unusual.
When contacted, DC Monika Gupta said, "Information was shared as soon as directions were received from higher authority."
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