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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Mock drill held in 22 districts in Haryana
Around 10,000 civil defence volunteers along with National Cadet Corps, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Home Guards and National Service Scheme volunteers from 22 districts of Haryana participated in mock drills as part of Operation Shield across Haryana on Saturday. The mock drills were aimed to test readiness for emergency situations like air raids, blackouts and evacuations. Additional chief secretary (ACS) home Sumita Misra who supervised the execution of Operation Shield from the State Emergency Response Center at Panchkula said that district-level war rooms led by deputy commissioners conducted tactical briefings and deployed volunteers to critical zones. The drills included mock evacuations, first-response triaging, and cyber-incidents protocols tested across urban and rural areas. Advanced technologies such as drones, emergency alert systems, and GIS-based resource tracking were deployed to replicate real-world emergency scenarios. These efforts helped stress-test the state's readiness and highlighted areas for future capacity building, she said. The ACS said that civil defence master trainers were trained under the guidance of NDRF and MHA. These master trainers shall impart training in every district, she said. The ACS said that exercise involved high-intensity simulations of security threats such as air raids, drone attacks, and wartime scenarios. Misra monitored live updates from 22 districts issuing operational instructions in real time. She emphasised that preparedness should not be treated as a one-time drill but must evolve into a continuous culture. The exercise demonstrated a seamless coordination between senior officers, local administrations, and community-level volunteers, marking a significant step in improving the state's response capabilities, an official spokesperson said.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Gurugram begins 'Operation Shield' drill today, blackout at 8 p.m.
The district administration of Gurugram has issued a notification with details of the scheduled 'Operation Shield' today. The public notification informs that the drill will begin on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. The exercise is being organised as per the direction and guidance of the Union ministry of home affairs. It will simulate situations like air raids, drone attacks, and other wartime threats, keeping in mind the current concerns around national security, according to an official statement issued on Friday. The citizens have also been informed about dos and don'ts. Blackout timing is from 8:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. on May 31, 2025. The air raid siren will be heard at 5:00 p.m. Area to which the drill is scheduled is Gurugram district (may apply elsewhere, but this notification is district-specific). This is a part of the "Operation Shield" civil defence drill. Do's during the blackout: Turn off all lights. Draw curtains. Maintain silence. Cooperate with the district administration. Don'ts during the blackout: Do not use mobile phones. Do not light candles. Avoid unnecessary movement. Do not go outdoors. Authorities have also urged the public not to panic, as these drills will take place between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. The Haryana government earlier announced that it will conduct a major statewide civil defence exercise, "Operation Shield," on May 31 across all 22 districts to enhance the state's emergency preparedness and response capabilities. This is to simulate critical incidents such as air raids, drone attacks, and other wartime scenarios in the light of current national security concerns, an official statement said on Friday. The mock exercises scheduled should not be the cause of alarm for the citizens, officials said. The drill was previously scheduled for May 29 but was postponed as per the instructions of the home ministry, it said. Giving further details, Sumita Misra, additional chief secretary (Haryana home department), said on Friday that 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, thus ensuring swift and effective response during any crisis. She said that currently there are around 32,000 civil defence volunteers across the state who will also contribute to this exercise. All deputy commissioners have been directed to call out civil defence volunteers, NSS, NCC, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), and Home Guards of their respective districts to brief them regarding their deployment, duties, and exercises to be undertaken. She further stated that key components include drills responding to aerial threats such as air raids and swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), activation of air raid sirens, and testing of control room communication hotlines established with the Indian Air Force. Additionally, a controlled blackout of 15 minutes will be observed from 8 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. near vital installations, with the exception of essential emergency services such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations. Misra highlighted that the exercise also aligns with the Incident Response System (IRS), which Haryana officially notified on January 28, 2025, under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, providing a structured framework for effective emergency response. She directed all deputy commissioners, who are also chairpersons of District Disaster Management Authorities, along with commissioners and superintendents of police, to ensure meticulous planning and execution of the exercise in their jurisdictions. They have been instructed to submit detailed Action Taken Reports to the Commandant General, Home Guards, and Director, Civil Defence, Haryana, which will be compiled for state-level review and forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Haryana to conduct state-wide mock drill today, 15-min blackout from 8 pm
Haryana will now conduct the state-wide mock drill – civil defence exercise — under Operation Shield on Saturday across all 22 districts to enhance state's emergency preparedness and response capabilities. Scheduled to begin at 5 pm, the drill is being organised under the guidance of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to simulate critical incidents such as air raids, drone attacks, and other wartime scenarios in the light of current national security concerns. Earlier, this mock drill was scheduled for May 29 but was postponed as per MHA instructions. A controlled blackout of 15 minutes will be observed from 8 pm near vital installations, with exception of essential emergency services such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations. Interacting with media persons here Friday, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sumita Misra said, 'The exercise aims to test existing emergency mechanisms, improve coordination between the civil administration, defence forces, and local communities and to identify areas that need to be strengthened, thus ensuring swift and effective response during any crisis.' Misra said, 'Currently there are around 32,000 civil defence volunteers across Haryana who will contribute in this exercise. All Deputy Commissioners have been directed to call out Civil Defence Volunteers, NSS, NCC, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Home Gaurds, etc. of their respective districts in order to brief them regarding their deployment, duties and exercises to be undertaken.' The key components include drills responding to aerial threats such as air raids and swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), activation of air raid sirens, and testing of control room communication hotlines established with the Indian Air Force. The exercise aligns with the Incident Response System (IRS), which Haryana officially notified on January 28, 2025, under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, providing a structured framework for effective emergency response. All Deputy Commissioners, who are also Chairpersons of District Disaster Management Authorities, along with Commissioners and Superintendents of Police, have been directed to ensure meticulous planning and execution of the exercise in their jurisdictions. 'They have been instructed to submit a detailed Action Taken Reports to the Commandant General, Home Guards, and Director, Civil Defence, Haryana, which will be compiled for state-level review and forwarded to the MHA. The above mock exercises are scheduled for May 31 between 5 pm and 9 pm and should not be the cause of alarm for the citizen,' Misra said.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Haryana to conduct statewide civil defence exercise 'Operation Shield' on May 31
The Haryana government will conduct a major statewide Civil Defence Exercise, "Operation Shield", on May 31, across all 22 districts to enhance the state's emergency preparedness and response capabilities. Scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., this comprehensive 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 statement said here on Friday. The mock exercises are scheduled for May 31 between 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and should not be the cause of alarm for the citizens, officials said. Earlier, this drill was scheduled for May 29 but was postponed as per the instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs, it said. Giving further details, Additional Chief Secretary, Haryana's Home Department, Sumita Misra on Friday stated that the exercise aims to test existing emergency mechanisms, improve coordination between the civil administration, defence forces, and local communities and to identify areas that need to be strengthened, thus ensuring swift and effective response during any crisis. She said that currently there are around 32,000 Civil Defence Volunteers across state who will also contribute in this exercise. All Deputy Commissioners have been directed to call out Civil Defence Volunteers, NSS, NCC, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Home Guards, of their respective districts in order to brief them regarding their deployment, duties and exercises to be undertaken. She further stated that, key components include drills responding to aerial threats such as air raids and swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), activation of air raid sirens, and testing of control room communication hotlines established with the Indian Air Force. Additionally, a controlled blackout of 15 minutes will be observed from 8 p.m. to 8.15 p.m. near vital installations, with exception of essential emergency services such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations. Mr. Misra highlighted that the exercise also aligns with the Incident Response System (IRS), which Haryana officially notified on January 28, 2025, under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, providing a structured framework for effective emergency response. She directed all Deputy Commissioners, who are also Chairpersons of District Disaster Management Authorities, along with Commissioners and Superintendents of Police, to ensure meticulous planning and execution of the exercise in their jurisdictions. They have been instructed to submit detailed Action Taken Reports to the Commandant General, Home Guards, and Director, Civil Defence, Haryana, which will be compiled for state-level review and forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Blackout from 8pm to 8.15pm near vital installations in Haryana today
Haryana government is set to conduct a state-wide civil defence exercise, named 'Operation Shield,' on May 31, across all 22 districts to enhance the state's emergency preparedness and response capabilities. The drill will begin at 5pm and it is being organised under the guidance of the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) to simulate critical incidents such as air raids, drone attacks, and other wartime scenarios in the light of current national security concerns. A controlled blackout of 15 minutes will be observed from 8 pm to 8.15 pm near vital installations, with the exception of essential emergency services such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations. According to additional chief secretary (ACS-home), Sumita Misra, the exercise aims to test existing emergency mechanisms, improve coordination between the civil administration, defence forces, and local communities and to identify areas that need to be strengthened. She said that currently there are around 32,000 civil defence volunteers across the state who will also contribute to this exercise. All deputy commissioners (DCs) have been directed to call out civil defence volunteers, NSS, NCC, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), home gaurds, etc. of their respective districts in order to brief them regarding their deployment, duties and exercises to be undertaken. The ACS (home) said that key components include drills responding to aerial threats such as air raids and swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), activation of air raid sirens, and testing of control room communication hotlines established with the Indian Air Force.
