CHENNAI: The civil defence mock drills to check the preparedness in vital installations will continue in the coming week, covering major reservoirs of the Water Resources Department across Tamil Nadu. This will be coordinated by the revenue department, the State Emergency Operations Centre in Chennai, and its district units.
An official release said that the officials concerned will hold a tabletop exercise initially, and the district collectors/commissioner and Greater Chennai Corporation, will conduct on-site civil defence mock drills in select areas in the second half of the week.
Upon the advice of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the mock drills are being held in vital installations like ports, atomic power stations, airports, and thermal power stations across Tamil Nadu from May 7, the release said.
Already, such mock drills had been held in vital installations, including the Atomic Power Station, Kalpakkam in Chengalpattu district, Chennai Port Trust, Chennai Petro Chemicals Limited, Manali, and Kamarajar Port Limited, Ennore, V O Chidambaranar Port Authority and Thoothukudi Thermal Power Station, both in Thoothukudi district.
An air raid was simulated to check the preparedness of the civil defence system to handle a war-kind of emergency. Protection, safe evacuation and first aid were rehearsed during this mock exercise.
“The above civil defence exercise is only a mock drill to check the preparedness in the selected vital installations. All other functions in other places will go on normally. There is no need for any panic or apprehension among the public about this exercise,” the release said.
Such drills are being held in the aftermath of the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam.