(HT)
Aimed to enhance civil defence preparedness in the event of wartime emergencies, the Uttar Pradesh government has begun preparations for a statewide mock drill based on directives from the Union ministry of home affairs. The mock drill is expected to take place on May 7 (Wednesday). The move comes amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.
The exercise, focused on civil defence and wartime response, marks the first such initiative in the state since the 1971 Indo-Pak war—over five decades ago.
Officials from the civil defence department and the Uttar Pradesh Police are currently drawing up detailed strategies for the drill, which will train citizens on how to respond during aerial attacks and other wartime contingencies. Abhay Prasad, director general of the civil defence department, confirmed that instructions have been received from the Ministry of Home Affairs to conduct the drill.
“Preparations are already underway. The goal is to equip civilians with the knowledge and readiness needed in case of any future conflict,” he said.
Currently, the civil defence department has offices in 15 districts of the state, covering a total of 26 districts through its operational network.
As part of the initiative, authorities will assess emergency medical infrastructure, response times, and coordination between various agencies in the event of mass casualties or large-scale evacuations, a senior home department official added.
In Gorakhpur, the district authorities are set to conduct a blackout mock drill on Wednesday in response to a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Chief warden Dr Sanjeev Gulati stated that a preparatory meeting will be held on May 6 (Tuesday). Out of 555 sanctioned Civil Defence posts in the city, 480 wardens are currently active.
In the state capital, chief warden of civil defence, Lucknow, Amarnath Mishra, stated that the department is fully prepared to conduct mock drills on short notice if required. “We can organize a mock drill within an hour’s notice,” Mishra said.
In Meerut, a large-scale mock drill is expected to be conducted on Wednesday.
Chief warden of civil defence, Sandeep Goyal stated, “A meeting has been convened on Tuesday to finalise the modalities of the mock drill. Senior officials from the police and district administration are expected to participate in the planning session.” The Indian Red Cross Society in Meerut has also called a coordination meeting on Tuesday to develop its action plan for the exercise.
Meanwhile, the district administration is gearing up for compliance amid a strong possibility that Agra could be on the list of cities to undertake the mock drill. Guidelines will be issued on Tuesday.
The civil defence department has demarcated Agra into six segments with 700 registered wardens. They are being trained for meeting out disaster management and how to keep civilians safe.
This includes a blackout drill. If the drill is conducted in Agra, 30 sirens could be deployed to initiate the blackout.
As a final decision will be taken on Tuesday when cities will be named and guidelines will be issued, officials are tight-lipped for now.
