Tension along border: schools, Anganwadi centres shut in 5 border districts in Punjab
Amid rising India-Pakistan tensions, all schools and Anganwadi centres in Ferozepur, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, and Pathankot districts will remain closed Wednesday, district administration officials said.
Punjab has a 553 km border with Pakistan, covering the Ferozepur, Fazilka, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, and Amritsar districts of the state.
Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner said the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of children and staff in border areas. In Gurdaspur, the order is for private, as well as government schools, authorities said.
Simultaneously, the Punjab Government also initiated a large-scale preparedness exercise as per the directions of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The exercise began on the night of May 6, and includes a series of coordinated mock drills across Punjab to assess the state's civil defence readiness in case of any cross-border threat.
As part of this operation, a blackout rehearsal is being conducted in 20 civil defence districts of Punjab. The exercise includes simulation of power outages and emergency response actions at key locations, including vital installations and civilian areas. The aim is to test coordination among agencies and the readiness during potential airstrike scenarios.
The Punjab government has urged citizens to stay calm and cooperate with authorities. Officials emphasised that these drills are precautionary and intended to strengthen public safety systems during emergencies.
After Operation Sindoor, many residents in border villages have started packing their bags in panic. 'We will be sending them to a relative's place today,' said Parkash Singh from Tindiwala village, which is the last village on the border in Ferozepur.
'Last night, villagers couldn't sleep, a few youngsters burst crackers and the entire village panicked… Later, we came to know that it was nothing,' he added.
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