New Delhi: Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan chaired a high-level meeting on Tuesday to review preparations for a nationwide civil defence mock drill scheduled for Wednesday, May 7. The exercise comes amid increased security concerns following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which has heightened tensions with Pakistan.

Senior officials, including the Directors General of Civil Defence and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), attended the meeting. According to sources cited by the Press Trust of India (PTI), Chief Secretaries and heads of civil defence units from across the country participated via video conferencing.

The nationwide preparedness drill will simulate emergency scenarios such as air raid sirens and blackouts. The focus will be on enhancing public readiness and civil defence mechanisms, especially in 259 designated civil defence districts identified by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2010. These include sensitive regions in border states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal, and states in the Northeast.

Civil defence volunteers, who play a key role in public safety during emergencies, will be actively involved in the drill. These volunteers, particularly in states like Delhi, West Bengal, and Punjab, are regularly engaged in managing traffic and crowds and will now be trained for more intensive emergency response duties. India's civil defence framework is largely volunteer-based, supported by a limited number of salaried personnel and expanded during crises.

The Home Ministry’s 2010 categorization of civil defence districts divides 244 districts in 25 states into three sensitivity categories. These are separate from standard administrative divisions and include strategic locations such as Air Force stations in places like Bakshi Ka Talab and Sarwasa in Uttar Pradesh, along with cities like Lucknow, Kanpur, Mathura, and Saharanpur.

The ongoing review in the Home Ministry is also assessing the operational status of civil defence infrastructure across the country. Key topics include the functionality of existing equipment, training protocols for civilians, public response to emergency signals, and preparedness for essential supplies during crises.Officials have advised citizens to maintain emergency kits at home, including medical supplies, flashlights, candles, and cash, to mitigate the impact of potential electronic disruptions.

The mock drill aims to reinforce national readiness in the face of evolving security threats and ensure swift and coordinated responses across civil defence units.