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Hindustan Times
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Notification issued for civil defence units in all 75 U.P. districts
Now, all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh will have civil defence units. The decision comes days after ceasefire between India and Pakistan post April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam in which 26 tourists were gunned down by militants. The state government on Thursday issued a notification expanding ambit of civil defence units from existing 24 districts to all 75 districts. The government has also directed civil defence units to assist local administration in carrying out other important tasks, including sanitation, pulse polio, campaign against pollution, blood donation and during natural and human-made disasters. The Union government in 2010 had passed the Civil Defence (Amendment) Act, 2009, to bring calamities within the ambit of civil defence. In another notification, the government paved way for opening of offices of civil defence corps in all districts of the state. Till date, only 15 districts have such units. Now, all 75 districts will have civil defence corps (after 1962). Necessary directions about post creation, giving charge of deputy controller, budget will follow for 60 districts. As district magistrates are the controllers as per the Civil Defence Act, DMs are in charge now. This expansion aims to enhance preparedness, ensure swift emergency response, and build a more resilient security framework across the state for all kinds of emergency situations. Implementation of the civil defence system in all districts will not only strengthen the state's security infrastructure but also provide employment opportunities and enhance citizen safety, said the state government. The civil defence system helps build community resilience and enables citizens to respond effectively during crises. It is important to note that from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, the Centre remains vigilant about national security. Aligning with this focus, the state government has made civil defence a key component of the state's security strategy. The primary objective is to safeguard citizens during emergencies and ensure efficient relief operations during times of crisis.
India Today
27-05-2025
- General
- India Today
How Operation Sindoor prompted air raid siren revamp in Mumbai and beyond
Air raid sirens, which once acted as sentinels of Mumbai and its surroundings, are set to be revived in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India's military response to Pakistan after the terror attack in Pahalgam last state has 492 air raid siren points in all—311 in Mumbai, 85 in Pune, 33 in Nashik, 21 in Tarapur, 16 in Raigad and 26 in Thane. These were installed in phases after the 1962 India-China war, as per central government guidelines, and came in handy for sounding air raid warnings during the wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971. Even later, the sirens would be sounded at 9 am every of these public sirens, including some in Mumbai, are now dysfunctional. The centrally-operated system gradually went into oblivion after 2004 due to technological obsolescence. The torrential rain-triggered flooding of the Mumbai region in 2005 also damaged some underground cables that connected these sirens. The last time the air raid sirens were sounded was in July 2006 to pay tributes to the victims of serial bomb blasts in suburban trains in technological obsolescence has meant each siren is to be operated manually, and the decentralised nature of these operations made it difficult for government agencies to verify if these civil defence sirens, especially those in non-governmental premises, were working. However, some sirens installed on government buildings such as Cross Maidan and the Directorate office at Kalaghoda are tested On May 7, the union home ministry had issued an advisory to all states and Union territories for undertaking mock drills. This included the operationalisation of air raid sirens. Sources said that only 50 to 60 sirens in Mumbai were found to be working, and of the 492 sirens in the state, around 50 per cent were sirens are now being revived as part of efforts to sound emergency alerts and prepare for a war-like scenario in the future. Yogesh Kadam, Maharashtra minister of state for home, told INDIA TODAY that the government had sought a proposal from the Directorate of Civil Defence for upgrade of these sirens. 'This is an old system and we will upgrade it,' he Kumar, director general of police and director of civil defence, Maharashtra, said they were working on reviving and strengthening the existing sirens in Mumbai and the coastal districts of Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg. Newer sirens were also being installed in the legacy network.'On the instructions of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, the state government has provided funds as per the provisions of the Civil Defence Act, 1968, and Disaster Management Act, 2005 We will have a minimum of 100 sirens in good condition in Mumbai, and in vital areas like Uran and Tarapur,' said stated that procurement of these sirens and their installation were underway. Apart from bolstering the traditional sirens, the directorate is also planning to procure and install a state-of-art system in the Tarapur, located around 130 km from Mumbai in Palghar district, has a nuclear power plant—the Tarapur Atomic Power Station—Uran in Raigad district is located in proximity to sensitive installations such as the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, an Oil and Natural Gas Corporation plant and a gas thermal power station operated by the Maharashtra State Power Generation officials said that using air raid sirens came with its own set of challenges in a heavily built-up city like Mumbai, where much had changed since the times these sirens had been originally installed. 'The highrise buildings in Mumbai act as sound barriers for traditional sirens. The glass faade on these buildings does not allow the sound to penetrate deep. The ambient noise in the city is also high,' an official civil defence mechanism has its roots in the 'Air Raid Precaution Committee', which was established in August 1937 in the run-up to World War II. In October 1939, air raid precaution wardens were enrolled for the first time in Bombay. In October 1941, air raid precaution was redesignated as civil to India Today MagazineTune InMust Watch
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
2.7k from 9 cities to undergo training for civil defence prep
Raipur: In the wake of heightened security awareness following 'Operation Sindoor', the Chhattisgarh govt is set to ramp up its civil defence infrastructure. After initial implementation in Durg-Bhilai, eight more cities will be designated as Civil Defence Districts, including Raipur, Korba, Raigarh, Bilaspur, Jagdalpur, Ambikapur, Janjgir-Champa, Dhamtari, and in police headquarters said that a decision has been taken to designate nine cities as 'Civil Defence Districts' for defence preparedness in the state.A total of 2,700 volunteers will be trained across these districts, with 300 volunteers per district. They will undergo a two-day specialized training program, equipping them with skills to respond effectively during emergency or war-like training will be repeated annually, and their records will be updated every Civil Defence Act, 1968, which guides this initiative, is also acknowledged under the United Nations Charter. In 2009, the scope of the Act was expanded to include disaster management. Initially, civil defence operations were limited to Bhilai, but later, the entire Durg district was included. The decision was made during a high-level meeting on Sunday, chaired by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Manoj Pingua, with participation from DGP Arundev Gautam and other senior officials from the Home Guard and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).Volunteers will take part in mock drills and annual reviews, with district collectors overseeing recruitment and preparedness activities. Additionally, the Centre has instructed all 33 districts of Chhattisgarh to install warning sirens, with each district receiving 4 to 5 units. These will be managed by SDRF for rapid emergency state had earlier designated Raipur, Korba, Rajnandgaon, and Sukma as pilot districts for training 1,200 'Disaster Mitras' (Disaster Volunteers). The state govt now plans to hold annual pre-monsoon sessions for them, including skill refreshers and disaster response strategies.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi urges youth to join civil defence as volunteers in Odisha
BHUBANESWAR: In a public appeal, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday urged citizens to enroll as volunteers in the state's civil defence wing. The chief minister has directed the expansion of civil defence operations from its existing coverage of 12 districts to additional regions. The chief minister emphasised that safeguarding people's lives and property within the country is a collective responsibility. He stated that security and service are paramount duties, and encouraged young individuals to step forward and join the civil defence organisation as volunteers, driven by patriotic sentiment. Majhi called for reinforcing the commitment to service and nationalism. 'With a sense of nationalism, I urge the general public, especially the youth, to volunteer for the civil defence organization. Operation Sindoor Amid flare-up hours after thaw, officials say things will settle down with time Ceasefire on, but pressure stays: Key decisions by India against Pak that still stand 'Will work with India & Pakistan to seek solution on Kashmir': Trump The youth are our hope, trust, and symbol of strength. Let us further strengthen the spirit of service and nationalism,' Majhi said in a video appeal. According to the chief minister, interested persons can submit their applications to district collectors, who serve as civil defence controllers in districts. According to govt officials, no age limits nor educational qualifications are required to serve as civil defence volunteers. 'These volunteers will receive training and will assist the public when required, guided by principles of service and patriotism. Currently, the civil defence organisation operates in 12 locations statewide. Instructions have been given to establish new units in other regions as required,' Majhi said. The chief minister expressed confidence that many individuals, particularly young people, will step forward with a spirit of service and nationalism. The development came days after the Centre asked all states to strengthen their civil defence preparedness amid tension between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror strike. The Centre on Friday asked all states to invoke civil defence measures under the Civil Defence Act and Rules of 1968 amid India-Pakistan border tensions. 'We have already initiated efforts to strengthen our civil defence wing. On May 8, chief secretary Manoj Ahuja instructed district collectors to boost volunteer enrolment to enhance the state's wartime response capabilities,' a govt official said. The civil defence unit, operating under the state directorate of fire services, home guards and civil defence, has experienced significant neglect over the years, unlike its counterpart wings, according to govt sources. The number of civil defence volunteers in Odisha has drastically reduced from 21,000 a decade ago to merely 753 active members currently, with 401 stationed in Bhubaneswar, according to official sources. Unlike govt-recruited firefighters and home guards, civil defence volunteers are enrolled into the voluntary service through a simple application process. ( EOM ) Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
India Gazette
10-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
MHA orders all media channels to avoid using air raid sirens on broadcast
New Delhi [India], May 10 (ANI): Amid the ongoing tension at the India-Pakistan border, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued an advisory to all media channels to refrain from using Civil Defence Air Raid Sirens sounds in their programs other than community awareness drives. As per an advisory from Directorate General Fire Service, Civil Defence and Home Guards under MHA, 'In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 3 (1) (w) (i) of the Civil Defence Act, 1968, all media channels are hereby requested to refrain from using Civil Defence Air Raid Sirens sounds in their programs other than for educating the community.' The advisory notes, 'The routine use of sirens may likely reduce the sensitivity of civilians towards the Air Raid Sirens and civilians may have misunderstood it as a routine matter, used by the media channels, during the actual air raids. Looking forward to your kind support in augmenting the Civil Defence preparedness in terms of the Civil Defence Act, 1968.' Earlier on Saturday, India categorically rejected Pakistan's malicious misinformation campaign, which falsely claimed the destruction of critical Indian military assets and infrastructure. Addressing a joint press conference by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence on Operation Sindoor, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh highlighted Pakistan's attempts to spread disinformation about damage caused to the S-400 system at Adhampur, airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, Brahmos space at Nagrota, and artillery-gun positions in Dehrangyari and Chandigarh, among other allegations. She emphasised that India unequivocally rejects these false narratives, which are part of a broader strategy to undermine India's military capabilities and instil fear among the public.' Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system at Adhampur, destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, Brahmos space at Nagrota, and Arti-gun positions in Dehrangyari and Chandigarh forward ammunition depot, with heavy damages to other military stations being propagated across social media,' she said. 'India unequivocally rejects these false narratives being spread by Pakistan,' the Wing Commander added. Alongside the disinformation campaign, Singh added that Pakistan has escalated its military actions along the Line of Control (LoC), attempting multiple air intrusions using drones and conducting shelling with heavy-calibre artillery guns, which have threatened civilian infrastructure and resulted in civilian casualties. She noted the Indian Army's effective and proportionate response, causing extensive damage to the Pakistan Army in retaliation. 'Along the Line of Control, Pakistan has also attempted multiple air intrusions using drones and conducted shelling using heavy-calibre artillery guns, threatening civilians' infrastructure and killing civilians... Heavy exchange of artillery, mortar, and small arms fire in the Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri and Akhnoor sectors has continued... The Indian Army has responded effectively and proportionately, causing extensive damage to the Pakistan Army,' she said. Debunking claims of Pakistani propaganda, Wing Commander Singh also showed time-stamped images of the Indian air bases undamaged. Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry asked several states to conduct mock drills on May 7 to enhance the effectiveness of civil defence. The measures to be undertaken include operationalisation of Air Raid Warning Sirens and training of civilians, students, and others on Civil Defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of a hostile attack. In a letter to Chief Secretaries, the Union Home Ministry said the exercise aims to assess and enhance the readiness of Civil Defence mechanisms across states and Union Territories. The exercise is planned up to the village level. 'Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to organise Civil Defence Exercise and rehearsal across 244 categorised Civil Defence Districts of the country on May 7, 2025,' the letter said. (ANI)
