NEW DELHI: India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has asked several states to carry out mock civil defence drills on May 7 (Wednesday), Indian media reported on Monday.
The development amid the heightening tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, Pakistan and India, after the Pahalgam terror attack two weeks ago.
The measures to be taken during the drills include operationalisation of air raid warning sirens and training of civilians, students, etc, on the civil defence aspects to protect themselves during an attack.
Furthermore, the Union Home Ministry has also directed the states to ensure the provision of crash blackout measures, early camouflaging of vital plants and installations, and the updation of evacuation plans and their rehearsal.
The instructions from the central government came at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been holding a series of high-level meetings, including with the defence minister and armed forces officials.
On the other hand, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, while talking to a journalist in Islamabad, warned that India could carry out a military strike at any point along the Line of Control (LoC), adding that New Delhi will be given a befitting reply.
Earlier last week. authorities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) also started emergency training sessions. School children learn how to respond if war breaks out with India.
Training sessions have already taken place in schools in Muzaffarabad and Bagh, where students were told how to jump out of a window, use an inflatable evacuation slide, or carry an injured person.
