Sirens to Trigger Blackout Drill

 A nationwide civil defense mock drill will be conducted on Wednesday, 7 May, under the directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs, with a focus on testing emergency preparedness for aerial attacks and disaster response. Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant chaired a video conference with top administrative and police officials from across the state to outline the protocol for the drill, termed “Operation Abhyas.”

In Udaipur, Divisional Commissioner Pragya Kevlramani, Inspector General Rajesh Meena, District Collector Namit Mehta, and Superintendent of Police Yogesh Goyal, along with key administrative officers, joined the VC and later held a district-level review meeting to ensure coordination and readiness across departments.

What to Expect in the Mock Drill

The drill will simulate an aerial attack, featuring:

Warning sirens, followed by a 15-minute blackout

Testing of air raid alert systems

Simulated search and rescue operations

Temporary hospitals set up for rapid response

Participation from civil defense, fire services, SDRF, Home Guards, and other emergency units

The District Collector emphasized that departments like education, higher and technical education, and Nehru Yuva Kendra will collaborate with NCC, NSS, Scouts and Guides to conduct awareness drives and civil defense training in advance.

Key instructions have been issued to:

Police: Maintain law and order during the blackout

BSNL: Ensure siren and hotline systems function properly

Medical Colleges: Ensure presence of all students at assigned hospitals

Public: Switch off all lights, including inverters, solar lights, and generators during the 15-minute blackout (excluding emergency medical services)

Collector Appeals for Public Cooperation

District Collector Namit Mehta has appealed to the residents to remain calm and treat this as a planned safety exercise, not an actual emergency. He urged all citizens to cooperate by turning off lights at home, in shops, and institutions when the siren sounds, and to refrain from spreading rumors or misinformation.

He reiterated that the purpose of this drill is to assess administrative preparedness, strengthen disaster response systems, and foster public awareness and participation in civil defense practices.