Assam's 20+ Locations to Host Mock Drills as Centre Flags 'New Threats'

Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Assam is set to participate in a nationwide civil defence mock drill ordered by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), scheduled for Wednesday, May 7.

The mock drill, aimed at enhancing emergency preparedness, will be conducted across multiple key locations in Assam, including Bongaigaon, Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Goalpara, Jorhat, Sibsagar, Tinsukia, Tezpur, Digboi, Duliajan, Guwahati (Dispur), Rangia, Namrup, Nazira, North Lakhimpur, and Numaligarh under category-II, and Darrang, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, and Kokrajhar under category-III.

The drill is part of a broader security exercise in 244 districts across 35 states, including states such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, and all eight Northeastern states. It follows a spate of high-level security reviews in Delhi in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people.

Officials from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) stated that the mock drills aim to identify and rectify loopholes in the country’s civil defence mechanism. “We are reviewing preparedness. Loopholes to be rectified have been identified,” an NDMA member was quoted as saying by media reports following the MHA meeting.

Key components of the drill include testing of air raid warning systems, civil defence coordination, and even blackout rehearsals, especially in high-risk or border areas. “It is the first step that warns civilians in an emergency situation. The Air Force sounds the alert and each district must ensure that its air raid warning sirens are functioning properly,” a civil defence official told news channels.

The Home Ministry’s directive emphasized the importance of such exercises amid “new and complex threats” arising from the “current geo-political scenario.” Border states like Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Gujarat will also take part in the extensive drill.

Security agencies across Assam and other participating states have been placed on high alert in anticipation of tomorrow's exercise, which is expected to play a crucial role in assessing India’s civil defence readiness during emergencies.

Also Read: MHA Directs States to Hold Civil Defence Mock Drills on May 7