Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 5: The union ministry of home affairs (MHA) on Monday directed several states, particularly the border states, to conduct mock drills on Wednesday to enhance civil defence preparedness to test wartime standard operating procedure (SOP) and measures and educate the present generation who have never seen a war about the war-time preparations.
Border states including Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Punjab, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat are among those that have been asked to carry out the drill. Sources, however, pointed out that there was no need to panic as this is only a drill to test effectiveness of civil defence measures.
It also shows the government is preparing for any eventuality in the event of a war as the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised harshest response to the perpetrators and backers of the Pahalgam terror strike, and Pakistan has promised retaliation to it.
The ministry directed states to operationalise air raid warning sirens and train civilians to protect themselves in the event of a hostile attack. The states have also been directed to update and rehearse evacuation plans, crash blackout measures, and early camouflaging of vital plants and installations.
The developments come amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 persons, mostly tourists, in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22. The assault is one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama bombing. India has vowed to hunt down the perpetrators of the attack.
The Indian Army on Monday said multiple locations in Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC) have come under small arms fire from the Pakistani Army.
With tensions escalating along the Indo-Pak border and fears of a war looming large, border villagers of Jammu are urgently appealing for the repair and completion of pending construction work of border bunkers that serve as their only shield during cross-border shelling.
Located just 500 metres from Pakistani posts, villages like Chandu Chak — which has previously endured shelling in 2020, 2018, and 2014 — have a handful of bunkers, many of which are incomplete or unusable. “Most bunkers are in ruins. There is no electricity, no water, no toilets — some even lack roofs,” said Suchet Singh, a resident of Chandu Chak.
Students learn to take cover under desks and evacuate to bunkers once the firing subsides. With tensions persisting along the LoC, authorities stress the need for preparedness and safety in vulnerable border areas.
India has announced a raft of punitive measures against Pakistan, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down of the land border crossing at Attari and downgrading of diplomatic ties. Pakistani forces have also been violating the ceasefire along the border continuously for the last 10 days. Mr Modi has also held
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held several high-profile meetings with top government officials and military leaders since April 22.
