10K volunteers take part in Operation Shield

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sumita Misra today supervised the implementation of 'Operation Shield' from the State Emergency Response Centre (SERC) at Panchkula. The exercise, conducted under the direct guidance of the Ministry of Home Affairs, involved high-intensity simulations of security threats such as air raids, drone attacks, and wartime scenarios.

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She monitored live updates of all districts, issuing operational instructions in real time. She emphasised that preparedness should not be treated as a one-time drill, but must evolve into a continuous culture. The exercise demonstrated a seamless coordination between senior officers, local administrations, and community-level volunteers, marking a significant step in improving the state’s response.

A key highlight of the operation was the massive participation of around 10,000 Civil Defence Volunteers, who worked in close coordination with the National Cadet Corps (NCC), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Home Guard, and National Service Scheme (NSS). This wide-reaching civilian engagement exemplified Haryana’s ‘Jan Bhagidari’ model, placing people at the centre of community safety and resilience.

Misra informed that district-level war rooms, led by Deputy Commissioners, conducted tactical briefings and deployed volunteers to critical zones. The drills included mock evacuations, first-response triaging, and cyber incident protocols tested across urban and rural areas. Advanced technologies such as drones, emergency alert systems, and GIS-based resource tracking were deployed to replicate real-world emergency scenarios. These efforts helped stress-test the state’s readiness and highlighted areas for future capacity building.