NEW DELHI, May 6: A high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan on Tuesday reviewed nationwide preparations for a large-scale Civil Defence Exercise scheduled for May 7, in the wake of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians and escalated tensions with Pakistan.
The virtual meeting, held at 10:45 am, brought together Chief Secretaries and heads of Civil Defence from all states and Union Territories. The primary objective was to assess readiness and ensure seamless execution of the comprehensive mock drill across 244 Civil Defence-designated districts, with a focus on both urban and rural coverage.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in a formal communication issued on May 5, reiterated the strategic importance of these drills, calling them a critical measure to strengthen India’s emergency response capabilities, especially in the context of mounting geopolitical friction in the subcontinent.
The nationwide drill will be conducted at 259 locations under three categories. Northeastern states have been included in categories II and III.
Northeast Drill Locations:
Arunachal Pradesh
- Category II: Aalo (West Siang), Itanagar, Tawang, Hayuliang
- Category III: Bomdila
Assam
- Category II: Bongaigaon, Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Goalpara, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Tinsukia, Tezpur, Digboi, Duliajan, Guwahati (Dispur), Rangia, Namrup, Nazira, North Lakhimpur, Numaligarh
- Category III: Darrang, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, Kokrajhar
Manipur
- Category II: Imphal, Churachandpur, Ukhrul, Moreh, Ningthoukhong
Meghalaya
- Category II: Shillong, Jowai, Tura
Mizoram
- Category II: Aizawl
Nagaland
- Category II: Dimapur, Kohima, Mokokchung, Mon, Phek, Tuensang, Wokha, Zunheboto, Kiphire, Peren
Sikkim
- Category II: Gangtok
Tripura
- Category II: Agartala
The selected districts include several in border states like Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, West Bengal, and the Northeast, where heightened preparedness is crucial due to proximity to international borders.
As part of the exercise, air raid sirens will be activated in multiple parts of the country on May 7, and civilians, including school and college students, will engage in mock drills simulating multi-hazard scenarios and wartime protocols to build resilience and readiness.
