Latest news with #GeneralPrinciplesofCivilDefenceinIndia
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
06-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
India's May 7 mock drills: How should you be prepared?
The Centre has announced pan-India security drills on Wednesday amid heightening tensions with Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. As all states and Union Territories get ready for the security exercise, here's a guide on dos and don'ts for the common man read more India is set to hold a nationwide security drill on Wednesday (May 7) as tensions with Pakistan mount in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed all states to carry out mock drills, citing the 'new and complex threats' after the April 22 massacre in Jammu and Kashmir that took 26 lives. Such elaborate drills were last conducted in India in 1971 when India and Pakistan went to war on two fronts. Along with the police, paramilitary and defence forces, authorities will engage students, government and private employees, hospital staff, railway and metro officials in the security exercise. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Here's your complete guide to the mock drill on May 7. What will happen in the mock drill? The Centre has asked all states and Union Territories to conduct mock security drills across 244 Civil Defence Districts. However, more than 300 such districts with vital installations like nuclear plants, military bases, refineries, and hydroelectric dams will be carrying out the exercise, sources told PTI. Civil Defence Districts are those areas that the government selects for implementing civil defence programmes. These regions are demarcated on the basis of the location of towns or districts, such as those near borders; the site of vital installations, including nuclear plants and important government buildings; and critical infrastructure like key highways or ports. During the mock drill, air raid warning sirens will be heard. The MHA's direction also mentions 'provision for crash blackout measures' in selected areas and training civilians on safety protocols in the event of an aerial or ground assault. Other measures include assessing the readiness of control rooms, organising rehearsals of evacuation plans and camouflaging sensitive installations such as power plants. It will also entail cleaning of existing bunkers and trenches, activating Civil Defence Services like warden services, firefighting, and rescue service, as well as operationalising hotline/radio communication links with the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Civil Defence Act of 1968 empowers the government to control people's movement, impose curfews, close roads, ports, and transport services in case of emergencies. How will it affect the public? The crash blackout measures are expected to lead to sudden power cuts for a brief period. Blackouts are implemented during conflicts to protect people and vital infrastructure against the enemy's line of fire. According to a 2003 document titled 'General Principles of Civil Defence in India', 'no light shall be visible at a height of 5,000 ft above ground level under normal visibility conditions'. The darkness will make it difficult for advanced high-speed aircraft to attack their target. 'The anxiety level of the enemy pilot in the cockpit would be more if the area is dark,' it says. Power cuts are to be done gradually, with curbs applying to street lights, factories and lights from vehicles. Illuminated advertisements in vulnerable areas are also to be shut down when civil defence measures are implemented. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lights in buildings are allowed to be switched on only if they are covered with opaque material. The mock drill advisory states that people should put up blackout curtains or blinds on all windows. Outdoor lights must be turned off during drills, and no light should be visible from outside. People are also advised not to step out unnecessarily during the drills. ALSO READ: When India 'hid' the Taj Mahal from Pakistani air forces during 1971 war After an air raid warning, all vehicles in a particular area will be stopped and people will be expected to take shelter and other precautionary measures. Those living in vulnerable villages and towns could be evacuated and shifted to shelters, bunkers or trenches. 'Identify the nearest shelter locations, such as basements, underground car parks, or designated safe zones,' the mock drill advisory states. After hearing the siren, people should immediately take cover in the nearest shelter. Civilians should pay attention to only official announcements and not panic when they hear air raid warning sirens. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Army personnel and students perform a mock drill in Army school premises in Mathura in 2016. File Photo/PTI The public may also experience communication disruptions during the pan-India mock drill. The advisory says that non-essential use of mobile phones should be avoided to keep 'communication lines free for emergencies.' People should also prepare a basic kit with water, non-perishable food items, a flashlight, and basic medical supplies. Sources told India Today, there will be instructions to keep cash handy to be ready for situations if mobile devices and digital transactions fail. Those who live near critical installations are advised not to share sensitive information about the facility. They should also report any unfamiliar activity and not interfere with camouflaging activities. A senior official who is in charge of civil defence told CNN-News18 that the Geneva Convention requires the protection of civilians in times of war. 'So, we must empower them, train them to protect themselves. The last such training was in 1999 and before that in 1971. Most young people of this generation are unaware of such a situation. Hence the necessity of the drill," the official added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
India to stimulate wartime blackouts in nationwide security drills: What we know?
India gears up for a nationwide civil defence mock drill scheduled for Wednesday (May 7), with one of the directives stating "provision for crash blackout measures." The exercise comes as the tensions with Pakistan rise following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack. The exercise comes as tensions with Pakistan rise following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.(REUTERS) Among the key measures to be carried out during the mock drills is a 'crash blackout', which constitutes an emergency shutdown of lights and visible infrastructure designed to reduce the visibility of targets during potential air raids. Blackouts are implemented during air raids by enemy planes to minimise casualties and damage, and are designed to act as a safeguard against sudden raids. According to a 2003 document, General Principles of Civil Defence in India, lays down the dos and don'ts during air raids and details how blackouts must be implemented. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has instructed states and union territories to conduct full-scale mock drills on May 7, citing the need to rehearse responses to 'new and complex threats.' Check the full list of districts where the exercise will be conducted Why are blackouts significant? According to India's 2003 civil defence manual, blackouts serve a strategic purpose: to disorient enemy pilots and reduce the chances of successful aerial attacks. Also Read | Nationwide civil defence mock drill tomorrow: Will daily services run as usual? "The standard to be achieved is that no light shall be visible at a height of 5,000 ft. above ground level under normal visibility conditions," the document said. How are blackouts implemented? During the civil defence security drill, lighting restrictions will be implemented gradually and not all at once, and the curbs will apply to street lights, factories and also lights from vehicles. All illuminated advertisements are prohibited in the vulnerable areas, as per the document. According to the manual, streetlights must be dimmed to the equivalent of a 25-watt bulb from 20 feet or a hurricane lantern from 6 feet. Buildings will only be allowed to use light if it's completely screened off from external view. Also Read | Pahalgam attack fallout: BJP urges workers, citizens to join May 7 nationwide mock drills amid Pakistan standoff No lights should be used in any building unless it is screened by opaque material. The instructions are: "(a) No ray, direct from the source of light, or reflected from a bright surface, is visible outside the roofed portion of the building: (b) No glare is thrown upwards outside the building or any part of it". No light for decoration or advertisement will be allowed outside any building. Will Daily Life Be Affected? Despite the scale and seriousness of the drill, daily services such as banking, public transport, and essential utilities are expected to continue without disruption. Local authorities may simulate parts of the blackout and alert system, particularly in vulnerable or urban areas, but these will be controlled and temporary. Civil defence mock drills: What do we know? The Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday announced Civil Defence Exercise and Rehearsal across 244 categorised Civil Defence Districts of the country on May 7, 2025. Also Read | 'Was Lashkar involved?': Pakistan asked 'tough questions' by UNSC members over Pahalgam attack, say reports The primary objectives of the mock drill include assessing the effectiveness of air raid warning systems, operationalisation of hotline, radio communication links with IAF, testing functionality of control rooms and shadow rooms, training of civilians including students on civil defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of hostile attack and provision of crash blackout measures. The objectives also include the provision of early camouflaging of vital installations, to verify the activation and response of Civil Defence Services, including warden services, firefighting, rescue operations and depot management, assessing the implementation of crash blackout measures and evaluating the preparedness of evacuation plans and their execution.
NDTV
06-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Understanding Mega Security Drill: How Towns Black Out To Prep For Air Raids
New Delhi: India is gearing up for a nationwide security drill tomorrow amid heightened tension with Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 innocents dead. In the Ministry of Home Affairs' directions to states regarding the drill - the first in 54 years - "provision for crash blackout measures" is mentioned. Blackouts are implemented during air raids by enemy planes to minimise casualties and damage. A 2003 document, General Principles of Civil Defence in India, lays down the dos and don'ts during air raids and details how blackouts must be implemented. Why Blackouts Are Needed According to the document, blackouts create problems for advanced high-speed aircraft. "The anxiety level of the enemy pilot in the cockpit would be more if the area is dark," it says. The document says the objective is to ensure that "no light shall be visible at a height of 5,000 ft above ground level under normal visibility conditions". Lighting restrictions must be implemented gradually and not all at once. These curbs would apply to street lights, factories and also lights from vehicles. All illuminated advertisements are prohibited in the vulnerable areas -- this is important for urban centres with large markets. What's Allowed, What's Not During Blackouts A draft order says that a blackout "is intended to enable the people to protect themselves and their towns from enemy aircraft at night, without incurring the discomfort of total darkness". As for public lighting, including street lamps, the light shall be reduced to a minimum. "No direct ray from a street lamp shall be emitted except at a downward slope. Light thrown on the ground shall not be greater than that from a 25 watt bulb at a distance of 20 ft. or an ordinary hurricane lantern at a distance of 6 ft," the document says. No lights should be used in any building unless it is screened by opaque material. The instructions are: "(a) No ray, direct from the source of light, or reflected from a bright surface, is visible outside the roofed portion of the building: (b) No glare is thrown upwards outside the building or any part of it". No light for decoration or advertisement will be allowed outside any building. What About Car Lights? The document details how lights on cars and other vehicles must be covered to aid the blackout. "All lights capable of throwing a beam, carried on a motor vehicle, shall be screened," it says and lays down three methods. The first is by passing dry brown paper over the glass, one thickness on the lower half, and two thickness on the upper half -- this means a faint light will be emitted from the lower part of the headlamp. The second method is by inserting behind the glass a cardboard disc covering the whole area, with a horizontal slit 1/8" wide, half an inch below the centre of the bulb. The reflector, the document says, should be covered so that no light is reflected by the reflector itself. The document also sets standards for hand torches and says they, too, must be wrapped in paper. How Air Raid Warnings Work Warnings of approaching enemy planes provide time for people to take shelter. The document lays out the steps to implement this. The task of detecting enemy plane movement lies with the Air Force. As soon as Air Force detects an incoming enemy plane, the information is passed on to regional civil defence control centers, which forward it to the town centres that start ground actions. As for the Air Force, it plots the information on a large map and plans defensive countermeasures. There are four types of air raid warning messages: the first is 'Air Raid Message - Yellow'. This is a preliminary and confidential message and is a forecast of enemy plane movement. On receiving this message, civil defence services must prepare for unobstructed movement. This warning is kept confidential to minimise public alarm. The second alert is 'Air Raid Message-Red'. This is a warning that enemy planes are heading towards certain towns and that they may be attacked within minutes. This message is received by those part of the civil defence response and is a call to action. Public warnings through sirens are likely to follow this alert. The third type is 'Air Raid Message - Green'. This means that raiding aircraft have left the towns or no longer appear to threaten them. A fourth type of alert 'Air Raid Message-White' is sent out when a preliminary threat warned in 'Air Raid Message-Yellow' passes. This type of alert is also confidential.
