In Rajasthan, the drill will be conducted in Jaisalmer, Barmer, Sri Ganganagar, and Bikaner to evaluate the effectiveness of emergency response systems in these high-risk areas
Earlier on May 7, a similar security drill was conducted across 28 cities in Rajasthan following Operation Sindoor. Representational pic
In a move to enhance national security preparedness, drills will be conducted in four border districts of Rajasthan and all the 22 districts of Haryana on Thursday. These exercises will test the country’s readiness to respond to various wartime scenarios, including air raids and border security threats.
Drills in four border districts of Rajasthan
On Thursday, a security drill will be conducted across the four border districts of Jaisalmer, Barmer, Sri Ganganagar, and Bikaner in Rajasthan to evaluate the effectiveness of emergency response systems in these high-risk regions. Sirens will be sounded as part of the drill, and authorities will test their civil defence protocols.
Barmer District Collector Tina Dabi stated that civil defence authorities are already engaged in planning the drills. Special arrangements are being made in Jaisalmer, a district that shares its border with Pakistan, to ensure that the exercise gets concluded smoothly. Additional District Collector Paras Ram Tok mentioned that while the exact time and location in Jaisalmer are yet to be decided, a meeting is scheduled to finalise these details.
Earlier on May 7, a similar security drill was conducted across 28 cities in Rajasthan following Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in retaliation over a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that killed 26 people.
The May 7 exercise tested the preparedness of the civilians and authorities to react to air raids, with air raid sirens activated and a blackout imposed during the night.
Haryana to conduct ‘Operation Shield’ civil defence exercise
Haryana will conduct a large-scale civil defence drill, ‘Operation Shield’, on Thursday from 5 pm to 9 pm in all its 22 districts. The drill is designed to assess the state’s emergency response capabilities under the guidance of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Sumita Misra, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Haryana Home Department, stated that Operation Shield will simulate critical wartime scenarios, including air raids, drone attacks, and other emergencies. The goal is to test and improve coordination between civil administration, the defence forces, and local communities, said Misra.
Volunteers from civil defence, National Cadet Corps (NCC), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), and Bharat Scouts and Guides will be mobilised to play key roles in the exercise.
A critical part of the drill will involve the activation of air raid sirens and testing the communication hotlines connected to the Indian Air Force. Additionally, the state will conduct a controlled blackout from 8 pm to 8.15 pm near vital installations, excluding essential emergency services such as hospitals and police stations. Misra emphasised that the exercise aligns with the Incident Response System (IRS), which was formally adopted by Haryana in January 2023 under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
District officials have been instructed to ensure the drill is conducted meticulously, with reports submitted to the Commandant General of the Home Guards and the Director of Civil Defence in Haryana.
(With ANI and PTI inputs)
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