Will Northeastern States Participate in Nationwide Civil Defence Mock Drill?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Northeastern states to participate in a nationwide civil defence mock drill.
- Drill is a response to a recent terror attack.
- Conducted in 52 districts across the region.
- Public safety and emergency readiness are key objectives.
- Authorities urge calm as the drill takes place.
Agartala/Imphal/Shillong, May 6 (NationPress) The northeastern states are set to participate in a nationwide civil defence mock drill scheduled for Wednesday.
This exercise, organized at over 244 locations nationwide, is initiated under the guidance of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as a response to the recent terror incident on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 innocent civilians, primarily tourists, lost their lives.
According to MHA directives, the civil defence mock drill will be carried out in 52 districts across eight northeastern states.
The exercise will take place in 15 districts in Assam, followed by 10 in Nagaland, 8 in Tripura, 7 in Meghalaya, 5 in Arunachal Pradesh, 5 in Manipur, and a single district each in Mizoram and Sikkim.
In Meghalaya, the Directorate of Civil Defence and Home Guards announced that the mock exercise focused on air raid precautionary measures will commence on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
The air raid siren is scheduled to sound at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday evening, followed by a brief “black-out” exercise (a power shutdown) for just two minutes.
The Civil Defence authority has urged the public to remain calm as this exercise is merely a simulation for potential air raid situations.
In Tripura, state Revenue Secretary Brijesh Pandey stated that, in line with MHA guidelines, a complete civil defence mock drill will be held across all eight districts of the state on Wednesday.
The District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) and District Civil Defence Corps will oversee the drill, engaging various emergency and disaster response entities, as noted by Pandey during a media briefing.
This mock drill aims to evaluate the preparedness, effectiveness, and collaboration among civil defence units and associated agencies in reacting to hostile incidents and emergencies.
The drill will involve testing alert systems, evacuation protocols, public safety strategies, and inter-agency coordination.
Trained Civil Defence Volunteers are stationed across all eight districts and will play a pivotal role in crisis response alongside other key responders.
These volunteers are expected to be actively involved in the mock drill, according to officials.
Pandey emphasized, “We urge people to stay calm and follow safety guidelines during the exercise. It's important to clarify that this is just a mock drill.”
In Manipur, officials mentioned that several departments, including police, Civil Defence, Fire Department, State and National Disaster Response Forces, Health Department, Manipur State Power Distribution Company, educational institutions, the state museum, and the Information and Public Relations Directorate will participate in the mock exercises.
Preparations for the civil defence mock drill are currently underway in all eight northeastern states.