Pahalgam terror attack: Mock drills in nearly 300 'civil defence districts' with vital installations | What it means

Amid soaring tensions with Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack, India is preparing close to 300 'civil defence districts' by mock drills on air-raid warning sirens, civilian training for "hostile attack" and cleaning of bunkers and trenches. 

 

Districts with sensitive installations including nuclear plants, military bases and refineries will be covered by the mock drill. 

 

A high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan discussed how to conduct the mock exercise with active participation of people. 

 

The authorities in all states will involve students of educational institutions, employees of government and private organisations, hospital staff, railway and metro officials, paramilitary and defence forces, and uniformed police personnel. 

 

'Civil defence districts' are different from that of the normal administrative district as the former is classified as a geographical area having a cantonment or a refinery or a nuclear plant. The districts are designated following the requirement and exigency. 

 

The Uttar Pradesh DGP Prashant Kumar said that mock drills will be conducted in all districts of the state even though only 19 districts have been identified by the Centre. 

 

Apart from the air-raid warning sirens, and training civilians, provisions for crash-blackout measures, early camouflaging of vital plants and installations and rehearing evacuation plans will be included in the mock drills. 

 

Active participation of the district controllers, various district authorities, civil-defence wardens, volunteers, home guards (active and reservists volunteers), National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), college and school students are expected in the exercise. 

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to take strict action against perpetrators of the attack and those who took part in its conspiracy.

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