'Haryana fully prepared for nationwide civil defence drill'

Chandigarh, May 6 (PTI) A day ahead of the nationwide defence drill, Haryana has made elaborate preparations to ensure the success of the exercise in the state, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Sumita Misra said Haryana is fully prepared to conduct the mock drill and rehearsal at multiple levels, down to villages.

She said instructions are being issued to all deputy commissioners, who are ex-officio controllers of civil defence in their districts, to conduct a rigorous drill.

The drill follows the Union Home Ministry's Monday order communication to states and Union territories.

It ordered the exercise due to the "new and complex threats" that have emerged amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.

Haryana has 10 districts designated as civil defence towns under Category-II, namely Ambala, Faridabad, Gurugram, Hisar, Panchkula, Panipat, Rohtak, Sirsa, Sonipat and Yamunanagar, and Jhajjar in Category-III, according to an official statement.

Misra said Haryana has activated civil defence sirens, air raid warning systems in urban and sensitive areas, a hotline control room, and radio communication links with the Indian Air Force and other key defence agencies.

Crash blackout protocols will be implemented, and evacuation drills and emergency response plans will be part of the drill, she said.

Civilians and students will be trained and sensitised in civil defence. Response capabilities of civil defence services, including wardens, fire and rescue teams, depot staff, and medical responders, will also be tested, she said.

"The objective of this drill is not only to test the response capabilities of our systems but also to foster a culture of alertness and resilience among the citizens," Misra said. PTI SUN VN VN