Civil defence mock drill to be conducted in 4 border states tomorrow

A civil defence mock drill will reportedly be conducted in states bordering Pakistan - Gujarat, Punjab, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir - on Thursday, May 29.

According to reports, the Haryana government will also conduct a massive civil defence drill called 'Operation Shield' in all 22 districts from 5 pm on the same day to strengthen the state's emergency preparedness and response systems.

The development comes days after similar mock drills were conducted across the country to assess preparedness during emergencies such as war, missile attacks or air strikes. These exercises were conducted hours before India's 'Operation Sindoor', in which nine terror hideouts were targeted in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam attack on April 22.

What is a civil defence mock drill?

Civil defence exercises are designed to test strengths and shortcomings in emergency preparedness, simulating scenarios such as coordinated terror attacks, missile strikes, chemical emergencies and evacuations. Participants typically include state disaster response teams, local police, fire services, medical personnel and civil defence volunteers. During these drills, people may face temporary power cuts, blackouts, loud sirens and restricted access to certain areas. Authorities may also conduct evacuation drills and make public announcements, while there may be traffic diversions in affected areas. What should you do during a mock drill? Follow only official updates from authorities Stay calm and do not panic, even if sirens sound or a blackout is imposed Follow the instructions of the police, civil defence officials or authorised volunteers Avoid areas sealed for the drill Keep an emergency kit ready with drinking water, a flashlight and first aid supplies