Haryana to hold state-wide mock drill on May 31, blackout from 8 pm to 8.15 pm

A controlled blackout of 15 minutes will be observed from 8 pm to 8.15 pm near vital installations, except essential emergency services such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations.

Earlier, the mock drill was scheduled for May 29 but was postponed as per the instructions of the MHA.

“The exercise aims to test existing emergency mechanisms, improve coordination between the civil administration, defence forces, and local communities and to identify areas that need to be strengthened, thus ensuring swift and effective response during any crisis,” Dr Sumita Misra, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), told reporters on Friday.

Around 32,000 civil defence volunteers across Haryana are expected to participate in the exercise. “All deputy commissioners have been directed to call out civil defence volunteers, NSS, NCC, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Home Guards, etc, of their respective districts to brief them regarding their deployment, duties, and exercises to be undertaken,” she said.

The key components include drills responding to aerial threats such as air raids and swarms of drones, activation of air raid sirens, and testing of control room communication hotlines established with the Indian Air Force.

“The exercise aligns with the Incident Response System (IRS), which Haryana officially notified on January 28, 2025, under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, providing a structured framework for effective emergency response. All deputy commissioners, who are also chairpersons of District Disaster Management Authorities, along with commissioners and Superintendents of Police, have been directed to ensure meticulous planning and execution of the exercise in their jurisdictions. They have been instructed to submit detailed action taken reports to the Commandant General, Home Guards, and Director, Civil Defence, Haryana, which will be compiled for state-level review and forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs,” Dr Misra said, adding that the drills should not be the cause of alarm for citizens.