MOCK DRILL: What To Do During Operation Abhyaas In Bengaluru: Check Full Schedule

MOCK DRILL: The first sirens of Mock Drill is reportedly going to take place at Director General, Civil Defence at around 4 PM on Wednesday. Three cities of Karnataka are selected for carrying the civil defence mock drill on May 7, as part of preparedness measure by Indian government during a war-like situation. This will be India's first mock drill since the 1971 war.

Mock Drill In India:

The Home Affairs ministry of India has directed all states to conduct mock drills on May 7, to ensure preparedness and effectiveness of civil defence mechanisms.

Some of the key components of the mock drill are activating air raid warning sirens, training civilians and students in self-protection during hostile attacks, implementing crash blackout measures, initiating early camouflage of critical infrastructure, and updating and rehearsing evacuation plans.

Mock Drill In Karnataka:

The full list of cities where mock drills will be carried have been released by the Indian government. In Karnataka, Mallapura (Karwar), Shaktinagara (Raichur) and Bengaluru are included for mock drill. These three are included under the category II of defence towns, as per MHA's direction.

The mock drill is conducted under a new wave called 'Operation Abhyaas' which is initiated by MHA.

Officers said that Bengaluru was chosen due to the dense population and the presence of many Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), defence establishments like the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and IT hubs, as per Deccan Herald report.

Furthermore, the state announced that mock drills will be carried in Bengaluru, Karwar, Raichur, Mysuru and Mandya districts for a week, which is a move, to identify any loopholes and fix them in a timely manner.

Mock Drill In Bengaluru:

In Bengaluru, the mock drill will be carried around 4 Pm on the premises of Civil Defence Head Quarters situated on Annaswamy Mudaliar Road, Ulsoor. As much as 32 air raid sirens are in working conditions from the total 35 air raid sirens that are installed in several police and fire stations.

Moreover, about 5,000 already trained defence personnel in Bengaluru will be activated, sensitised and deployed in different locations.

What Is Operation Abhyaas?

Operation Abhyaas is activated after Operation Sindoor in Pakistan. The Operation Abhyaas is a nationwide emergency preparedness exercise, which is scheduled on May 7. In simple words, it is called an Indian civil defence mock drill. Just like every other mock drill, the civil defence mock drill is a test and not a real threatening situation. This test is to ensure that Indian states and their citizens are prepared for any potential hostile threats.

The civil defence mock drill is co-ordinated by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), and organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Major cities including Delhi, Karnataka, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad will participate, with specific measures. For instance, plans for a 10-minute blackout in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, or drills at critical installations like the Madras Atomic Power Station in Tamil Nadu.

Most of the states are likely to perform mock drill at 4:00 PM.

In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, India initiated a series of national security measures to prepare for potential escalation. This exercise aims to strengthen India's readiness in the face of new and complex threats arising from the heightened tensions with Pakistan, The drill will span 244 districts across the country and will include activities such as testing air raid sirens, readying bomb shelters, simulating blackouts, and training civilians in emergency response procedures. The Ministry of Home Affairs is coordinating with various state and local agencies to ensure the effective implementation of the drill. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top security officials have been holding high-level meetings to assess the situation and formulate appropriate countermeasures, as per Wikipedia.

What To Do In Mock Drill?

1. First and foremost, stay calm since it's just a drill to ensure your preparedness. Hence, don't panic during blackouts or air raid sirens.

2. Follow instructions directed by authorities. Keep a check on any updates, official messages or announcements.

3. Follow the safety measures such as moving to a shelter, or dropping and holding which are some of the common actions during emergency-like situations.