Mock drills, blackout rehearsals conducted at several locations in Punjab

Hindustan Times

07-05-2025

Chandigarh, Authorities conducted mock drills and blackout rehearsals at several locations in Punjab on Wednesday as part of the nationwide mega civil defence exercise. Mock drills, blackout rehearsals conducted at several locations in Punjab
The exercise simulated emergency scenarios such as fire break out and mock rescue operations were carried out in Ferozepur, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Bathinda, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Patiala, Pathankot, Barnala and Mohali.
During the blackout rehearsals, air raid warning sirens were activated and electricity remained shut in Mohali and Chandigarh for 10 minutes from 7.30 pm.
At other places in Punjab, timings of blackout rehearsals differed. It was from 8.30pm to 8.40 pm in Sangrur, from 8 pm to 8.30 pm in Ludhiana and from 9 to 9.30 pm in Ferozepur.
Electricity was cut in markets and malls during the blackout rehearsals, while hospitals and medical institutions were spared from power outages, officials said.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs had directed all states and Union Territories to conduct mock drills on Wednesday in view of the "new and complex threats" that have emerged amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Officials said the drills were aimed at evaluating and enhancing the efficacy of emergency response mechanisms in real-time situations.
Scenes of volunteers enacting as injured being taken on stretchers to ambulances, fire being doused, and people rushing to safer places played out during the mock drills.
The drill saw coordinated participation from multiple agencies including the fire and emergency services, police, health department, municipal corporation and disaster management authorities.
Additionally, trained volunteers from the Civil Defence, National Service Scheme and National Cadet Corps also participated in the exercise.
In Mohali, the mock drill was carried out at a mall.
Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police Deepak Pareek said people were asked to cooperate to create awareness about ways to deal with real-time emergencies.
"Whatever instructions issued by the district administration, the Army or paramilitary forces should be followed," he said.
Assuring that the district police were fully geared up to tackle emergency situations with the help of other departments, Pareek warned rumour-mongers against creating panic. People must trust only the information from official sources, he said.
Mohali Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal ruled out apprehensions of any untoward situation in the district but said the authorities are keeping a watchful eye.
She also said the air space in the district has been closed till further orders.
In Ludhiana, the mock drill focused on fire safety and rescue operations at Verka Milk Plant on Ferozepur Road to bolster preparedness for potential emergencies.
Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain urged residents to remain calm, assuring them that such exercises are proactive measures to enhance safety and preparedness.
The drill commenced at 4 pm with an alarm, prompting swift coordination among multiple agencies including the National Disaster Response Force, fire brigade, district administration, municipal corporation, police, health department, civil defence and NCC.
In Chandigarh, civil defence mock drills were held simultaneously at three locations including Inter-State Bus Terminal-17. The drills simulated high-intensity emergency scenarios.
Chandigarh Union Territory's Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma, Home Secretary Mandeep Brar, Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav, Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwardeep Kaur and other senior officials from Chandigarh Administration monitored the drill.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.