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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Are civil defence mock drills being held in border states today? Officials share updates
Operation Shield, a civil defence mock drill scheduled for Thursday across several border states and Union Territories, has been postponed due to administrative reasons. The drill, aimed at strengthening emergency preparedness amid ongoing tensions with Pakistan, was to simulate responses to hostile attacks including drone strikes and air raids. States including Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab, as well as the Union Territory of Chandigarh, officially announced the postponement of the exercise late Wednesday evening. According to officials, the decision was taken due to "administrative reasons," though no further details were immediately provided. An official statement from the Haryana Home Department confirmed the postponement, stating, 'According to the instructions of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Haryana Home Department announced the postponement of the comprehensive civil defence exercise, Operation Shield, which was scheduled to be conducted on Thursday.' All deputy commissioners and relevant stakeholders were notified accordingly. Chandigarh's administration echoed the announcement, clarifying that there would be 'no blackout or mock drill' on Thursday, attributing the decision to instructions from the Government of India. Operation Shield was initially planned to be conducted across all 22 districts of Haryana between 5 pm and 9 pm, involving full-scale simulation of wartime scenarios such as air raids and drone attacks. The exercise was designed to test evacuation protocols, activate air raid sirens, and mobilize medical and emergency response teams. Rajasthan, which had also planned a comprehensive mock drill in all its 41 districts, issued a similar order for postponement. According to a statement from the state's Home Department, a new date for the drill will be announced soon. Preparations for drills, including siren activation and special arrangements in border districts like Jaisalmer and Barmer, had already begun when the directive from the Centre arrived. Punjab took a different approach, proactively requesting a rescheduling of the exercise due to its civil defence staff currently undergoing training with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The Centre accepted Punjab's proposal to conduct the drill on June 3, and deputy commissioners have been informed of the revised date. This is the second time such mock drills are being held this year. The first were held in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, a military campaign launched on May 7 by Indian forces targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The campaign was a direct response to the deadly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 people were killed. In the days following Operation Sindoor, retaliatory shelling and drone incursions by Pakistani forces along the Line of Control and international border heightened national security concerns. This prompted the Ministry of Home Affairs to instruct vulnerable states and UTs along the western border to bolster their civil defence readiness. New dates for Operation Shield in Haryana, Rajasthan, and Chandigarh are expected to be announced shortly. Meanwhile, Punjab will proceed with its drill on June 3.
The Print
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Civil defence exercise postponed in Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh; Punjab schedules it for June 3
'According to the instructions of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Haryana Home Department announced the postponement of the comprehensive civil defence exercise, Operation Shield, which was scheduled to be conducted on Thursday,' an official statement said. The Haryana government on Wednesday evening said the civil defence exercise – Operation Shield – scheduled for Thursday stood postponed following the Union Home Ministry's directions. New Delhi, May 28 (PTI) After the government decided to carry out a civil defence exercise on Thursday in states and Union Territories adjoining the western border, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab on Wednesday postponed the scheduled mock drill. All the deputy commissioners and other stakeholders have been informed about this, the statement said. The Chandigarh administration also announced postponement of the civil defence exercise. A statement issued by the UT administration on Wednesday evening said, 'As per the directions received from the Government of India, it is hereby informed that the civil defence exercise Operation Shield, which was planned for May 29, is hereby postponed due to administrative reasons. There will be no blackout or mock drill tomorrow.' Earlier in the day, the Haryana government issued a statement, which said a mock drill was scheduled to take place across all the 22 districts of the state between 5 pm and 9 pm on Thursday to strengthen emergency preparedness. The mock drill has also been postponed in Rajasthan, where it was scheduled to be held across all the districts on Thursday, officials said. According to an official statement, the civil defence exercise has been postponed due to administrative reasons and a new date will be announced soon. Earlier, the civil defence department issued guidelines for conducting a blackout and mock drill in all the 41 districts of the state on Thursday evening. The Punjab government, meanwhile, wrote to the Centre on Wednesday, proposing June 3 as the date for carrying out the mock drill, citing that their civil defence staff were undergoing training being conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). A senior Punjab Police officer said the Centre accepted the state government's request for holding the drill on June 3. The deputy commissioners in Punjab have been told that the civil defence exercise will take place in all districts on June 3. Earlier, the Directorate General of Fire Service and Home Guards conveyed that the civil defence exercise – Operation Shield – will be carried out in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Chandigarh. Responding to the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalagam in which 26 people were killed, Operation Sindoor was carried out by India on May 7 through which the defence forces targeted terror camps at nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Later, some Pakistani military bases were also targeted by India in retaliatory action during four days of skirmishes with the neighbouring country between May 7 and 10. Pakistani forces resorted to heavy shelling along the border and LoC in Jammu and Kashmir and also tried to attack some other places along the International Border in the western sector with drones and missiles. The Directorate, which comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs, said during the first civil defence exercise held on May 7, critical gaps in the civil defence preparedness of the vulnerable areas of the country were observed. Instructions to take necessary actions to suitably address the issues were issued on May 9. Accordingly, emergency powers were invoked and funding arrangements through the State Disaster Response Force were also made. To augment the civil defence preparedness against any hostile attack, Operation Shield has been planned in all the districts of states and UTs adjoining the western border. During the exercise, there will be activation of centrally controlled and operated air raid sirens, and complete blackout measures adjoining civilian areas among others, sources said. According to the plan, during the mock drills, evacuation of the families of one of the military stations will be practised in case of drone attacks. The deployment of medical teams and the transportation of blood units, among others, will also be done, according to the plan. PTI CHS SUN AG ACB ARI This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Haryana to conduct drills under ‘Operation Shield' across all 22 districts on May 29
The Haryana government will conduct a civil defence exercise, named Operation Shield, on Thursday (May 29, 2025), across all 22 of the State's districts to vet its emergency preparedness. Scheduled to take place between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., the drill is being organised under the guidance of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, to simulate critical incidents such as air raids, drone attacks, and other wartime scenarios in the light of current national security concerns, an official said. In photos: States conduct mock drills in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack Sumita Misra, Additional Chief Secretary, Haryana Home Department, said the exercise aims to test existing emergency mechanisms, improve coordination between the civil administration, defence forces, and local communities, and identify areas that need to be strengthened. She said the drill will involve a large-scale mobilisation of Civil Defence Wardens, registered volunteers, and youth outfits like the National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), and Bharat Scouts and Guides. The drill will involve responding to aerial threats such as air raids and unmanned aerial vehicles, activation of air raid sirens, and testing of control room communication hotlines connected with the Indian Air Force, she said. In addition, a controlled blackout will be observed from 8 p.m. to 8.15 p.m. near vital installations, with essential emergency services such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations excepted, she said. Ms. Misra said the exercise also aligns with the Incident Response System (IRS), which Haryana officially notified on January 28 under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. She said she has directed all deputy commissioners, who are also chairpersons of district disaster management authorities, along with commissioners and superintendents of police, to ensure meticulous exercises in their jurisdictions. They have been instructed to submit detailed reports to the Commandant General, Home Guards, and Director, Civil Defence, Haryana, which will be compiled and sent to the MHA.
