India ready for mega mock drill in 244 districts: What are civil defence districts?

Security personnel deployed at Connaught Place in Delhi, a day before the nationwide mock drills. (Courtesy: PTI photo)

India is preparing for a mega mock drill tomorrow in order to strengthen civil defence preparedness amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Operationalisation of air-raid warning sirens, training civilians on civil-defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of a 'hostile attack' and and cleaning bunkers are among the measures that need to be taken during the mock drill, as per the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The mock drills also include the operationalisation of hotline and radio-communication links with the Indian Air Force (IAF), testing the functionality of control rooms and shadow control rooms.

The government has decided to organise the exercise across 244 categorised civil defence districts in states including Delhi, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab among others.

What are civil defence districts?

There are a few districts in the country which are specially designated regions and serving as key administrative hubs for civil defence preparedness. Responsible for planning, executing, and refining emergency response activities including air raid alerts and blackout drills, these districts are classified as civil defence districts.

Other essential roles that these districts play are training civilians and volunteers and helping facilitate multi-agency responses involving government bodies as well as local communities.

Civil defence districts categorisation - What is the criteria?

There are 244 civil defence districts in India which have been identified based on their strategic relevance and risk profile. The selection of civil defence districts considers several factors, including the following:

1. Proximity to international borders - Districts located in border states such as Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir are prioritised due to their proximity to international borders, which increases their strategic importance during times of conflict.

2. Presence of critical infrastructure — Places housing defence establishments, power plants, oil refineries, ports and key communication networks fall under the civil defence districts category.

3. Densely populated urban centres - Those places which are highly populated too make it to the list of civil defence districts considering their vulnerability and the complexity of evacuation including management of emergency responses.

What happens during civil defence mock drill?

A preparedness exercise which is designed to assess how civilians as well as government systems can respond to emergencies is referred to as civil defence mock drill. These drills replicate real-world scenarios, such as activating air raid sirens, initiating blackouts in urban areas and practicing shelter protocols.

The primary objective of such a drill is to reduce panic and avoid confusion by enhancing public awareness and preparedness for emergencies. These drills are governed by the Civil Defence Rules, 1968.