Odisha gears up for mock drill in 12 dists today
Bhubaneswar: Beginning Wednesday, Odisha will conduct week-long civil defence mock drills in 12 districts a day after the Union home ministry asked all states and UTs to carry out such exercises to evaluate their readiness for a potential warlike situation in the aftermath of the terror attack in Pahalgam. The home ministry had selected 12 locations across 11 districts in Odisha — Khurda, Angul, Balasore, Bhadrak, Ganjam, Koraput, Sambalpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Sundargarh and Dhenkanal — from a total of 244 civil defence districts nationwide designated for the mock drill. The Odisha govt subsequently added Puri to the list, bringing the total number of districts to 12.The govt said warning sirens will indicate the start of the simulation at 4 pm across the selected locations — Puri, Balasore, Bhadrak, Koraput, Dhenkanal, Kendrapada, Talcher (Angul district), Bhubaneswar (Khurda district), Gopalpur (Ganjam district), Hirakud (Sambalpur district), Jagatsinghpur and Paradip (Jagatsinghpur district) and Rourkela (Sundargarh district).“Odisha govt has finalised all arrangements. We are fully prepared. The exercise aims to assess and strengthen civil defence capabilities against potential enemy attacks, missile strikes or aerial assaults. The drill will test air raid warning systems, emergency service coordination and public safety protocols,” director general (fire services, home guards and civil defence) Sudhansu Sarangi said after attending a high-level meeting chaired by additional chief secretary (home) Satyabrata Sahu, here on Tuesday.District collectors and SPs have received instructions to identify drill locations, set up schedules and notify local residents beforehand. The administrations have been asked to issue public advisories regarding appropriate action during the exercise.“We (Odisha) already have an advantage of successfully handling natural disasters. Emergency mock drills are being conducted at regular intervals in Odisha. Our state is well equipped for all types of emergency responses,” state revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari said.The comprehensive drill will include participation from police, fire services, home guards, civil defence units, NCC, NSS, students, district administrators and emergency response forces. Activities will include air raid siren tests, blackout procedures, civilian shelter protocols and emergency response simulations in realistic scenarios.“In Bhubaneswar, the exercise will run from 4 pm to 4.30 pm across multiple locations. Vehicles equipped with sirens will ply the city before 4 pm. Residents should seek shelter indoors or in nearby concrete structures upon hearing the sirens. A retreat siren will signal the conclusion of the exercise,” DIG (fire services, home guards and civil defence) Uma Shankar Dash said.“All services for the public will run under the civil defence authority. The district magistrates will designate heads of various services as civil defence wardens to manage these responsibilities,” a home department official said.Officials have advised the public to remain calm, maintain essential supplies and follow official communications. People have been advised to combat the spread of misinformation on social media during emergencies. “People need not panic as it’s just a mock drill and not an announcement of war,” Dash added.
