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Punjab Postpones Civil Defence Mock Drill ‘Operation Shield’ to June 3
By Zinnia Balli
Chandigarh, May 28, 2025:
The Punjab Government has officially postponed the second phase of the Civil Defence exercise, ‘Operation Shield’, initially scheduled for May 29, 2025, in all districts bordering Pakistan. The revised date for the mock drill has been set as June 3, 2025, at 7:30 PM, as per an official communication from the Home Guards and Civil Defence Department, Punjab.
The decision was taken because the Nodal Officers of the department are currently undergoing Training of Trainers (ToT) by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), based on prior directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India.
The drill, designed to simulate coordinated response actions to potential hostile attacks or wartime emergencies, will now be organized across Punjab’s border districts in alignment with similar exercises planned in Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan and Gujarat on May 29, 2025
Key Mock Scenarios to Be Simulated:
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Air raids and drone strikes.
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Activation of air raid sirens and hotlines between civil and defence authorities.
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Blackout implementation in civilian areas.
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Evacuation of families from high-risk zones.
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Deployment of medical teams and simulation of mass casualty response.
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Coordination with Indian Army for rear-area security.
All Deputy Commissioners and District Commanders of Home Guards in Punjab have been instructed to coordinate the mock drill effectively and submit a comprehensive Action Taken Report for onward submission to the central authorities.
The exercise is being conducted under Section 19 of the Civil Defence Rules, 1968, to evaluate and enhance emergency preparedness along the international border.