BENGALURU: As part of “Operation Abhyaas”, a nationwide mock drill announced by the Union Government in 244 districts identified as vulnerable areas across the country, the Civil Defence exercise will be conducted in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Mock drills are also planned in Karwar and Raichur and the dates for the same are yet to be finalised. According to an official press release issued by the Karnataka State Police on Tuesday, the 244 districts have been categorised into Category I, II, and III based on the vulnerability assessment. In Karnataka, Mallapura (Karwar), Shaktinagara (Raichur), and Bengaluru have been included in Category II Civil Defence Towns by the Ministry of Defence.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directives, the first Civil Defence exercise under “Operation Abhyaas” will be conducted at around 4 pm on Wednesday on the premises Civil Defence Head Quarters on Annaswamy Mudaliar Road, Ulsoor.
A senior Civil Defence officer said that the mock drill will include simulation of an incoming air raid, activation of sirens, prescribed response actions, and blackout measures. It will also involve rescue and search techniques during a building fire, casualty evacuation, setting up of temporary hospitals, and evacuation of civilians from endangered areas to bunkers and demilitarised zones. He said that during the mock drill, sirens will be activated in three phases, each producing a distinct alarm tone. “These sirens can be heard up to a distance of approximately 3 km,” he said. Mock drills will vary across districts based on their assigned category.
Speaking to reporters, Prashant Kumar Thakur, Director General of Police and Commandant General of Home Guards, Civil Defence, Fire and Emergency Services, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), said sirens have been installed at 35 locations in Bengaluru, including police and fire stations. Of these, 32 sirens are currently functional, he said.
He added that the Union Government will issue advisories and guidelines outlining the dos and dont’s for the general public. He also mentioned that the National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Civil Defence personnel, and medical professionals will participate in the mock drills.