The security drills planned for Thursday across all the districts of the states sharing a border with Pakistan have been rescheduled for May 31, sources said on Thursday. The exercise will be conducted in Punjab, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Jammu & Kashmir to enhance preparedness and ensure awareness in areas susceptible to cross-border threats.
These exercises were postponed due to administrative reasons, which were initially scheduled as part of Operation Shield, after the four-day conflict that witnessed heavy attacks across the border.
As per India Today, sources indicated that such security exercises will now be conducted monthly in districts located near the Pakistan border. During these drills, residents will be instructed to stay vigilant and strictly follow all directives issued by the authorities.
The key goals of these exercises include evaluating the functionality of control rooms and air raid alert systems. They also aim to assess the readiness and efficiency of civil defence mechanisms like warden services, firefighting units, rescue operations, depot handling, and evacuation planning.
Drills In All Districts Of Gujarat
In Gujarat, drills are planned across all districts, and citizens are encouraged to register on the government portal to become civil defence volunteers. A major focus of the drills will be on strategies for protecting people in the event of an aerial strike.
This initiative follows the Ministry of Home Affairs’ recent national-level security exercise, Operation Abhyas, conducted on May 7, just hours before the launch of ‘Operation Sindoor’.
During the last security drill, along with the activation of air raid warning sirens, civilians and students were informed how to protect themselves and others around them during the attack as part of civil defence protocols.
These security drills, the first of their scale since the 1971 war with Pakistan, were carried out at 250 sites across 33 states and union territories. Following multiple air attacks from Pakistan that were effectively repelled, 32 airports in northern and northwestern India were temporarily closed as a precautionary step.
As part of Operation Sindoor, Punjab, which shares a 532-kilometre border with Pakistan, placed all its border districts on high alert. Public gatherings were suspended, and schools were ordered shut in Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Tarn Taran.
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