Haryana to conduct civil defence drill under Op Shield tomorrow

Weeks after Operation Sindoor, the Haryana Government will conduct a statewide civil defence exercise, named Operation Shield, between 5pm and 9pm on Thursday across all 22 districts to enhance the state’s emergency preparedness and response capabilities.

The drill is being organised under the guidance of the ministry of home affairs to simulate critical incidents such as air raids, drone attacks, and other wartime scenarios in the light of current national security concerns.

Stating this in Chandigarh on Wednesday, additional chief secretary, home, Sumita Misra said the exercise aims to test emergency mechanisms, improve coordination between the civil administration, defence forces, and local communities, and identify areas that need to be strengthened, thus ensuring swift and effective response during any crisis.

She said the drill will involve large-scale mobilisation of civil defence wardens, registered volunteers, and youth organisations, including the National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), and Bharat Scouts and Guides, to assist in simulated emergency scenarios.

Key components include drills responding to aerial threats such as air raids and swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), activation of air raid sirens, and testing of control room communication hotlines established with the Indian Air Force. Additionally, a controlled blackout of 15 minutes will be observed from 8pm near vital installations, with the exception of essential emergency services such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations.

The exercise aligns with the incident response system (IRS), which Haryana officially notified on January 28, 2025, under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, providing a structured framework for emergency response. She directed all deputy commissioners, who are also chairpersons of district disaster management authorities, along with commissioners and superintendents of police, to ensure meticulous planning and execution of the exercise.