Centre asks states to do mock drills on May 7, first since 1971

For the first time since 1971, the Centre has asked several states to conduct security mock drills on May 7, for “effective civil defence in the event of a hostile attack”.

The move comes amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam. The last time such a drill was conducted in the country was in 1971, the year India and Pakistan went to war.

The ministry of home affairs has asked the states to operationalise air raid warning sirens, train students and civilians in civil defence to protect themselves in the event of a hostile attack, make provision for crash blackout measures, take measures for early camouflaging of vital plants/installations and update evacuation plan, according to government sources.

Pakistan, anticipating retaliation from India following the terror attack, has been taking steps to enhance its defence preparedness. It has been conducting missile tests and resorting to cross border firing.

Soon after the attack, India took several retaliatory measures like puttinh in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting the Attari-Wagah border, cancelling visas to Pakistanis and shutting its airspace to Pakistani carriers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged that the terrorists and their backers will be tracked down and punished beyond their imagination. At a high level meeting, he gave full operational freedom to the armed forces to choose the mode, targets and timings to respond to the attack.

On Sunday, defence minister Rajnath Singh assured the nation that “what you desire will certainly happen”.

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