Punjab's Emergency Preparedness Drill: A Community Comes Together

The Punjab government is set to conduct a comprehensive blackout mock drill on April 24 across all districts. This exercise aims to evaluate the state's emergency preparedness, following directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Civil Defence preparedness will be tested during an air raid/blackout simulation beginning at 8 pm.

The drill will involve a two-minute air raid warning siren followed by a simulated blackout in designated areas, as identified by the Deputy Commissioners-cum-Controllers, Civil Defence. Residents in these areas have been instructed to switch off all non-essential lighting. Essential services will remain operational, and the drill will end with an 'All Clear' signal, using a continuous high-pitch siren.

Various emergency response functions, including fire response, medical assistance, and evacuation operations, will be simulated to test field coordination. Ludhiana's Punjab Agricultural University and Faridkot's Dr Hari Singh Sewak Senior Secondary School are some of the locations for the drill. The public is urged not to panic, as this is a routine procedural measure.