Operation Shield: Mock drill conducted in Karnal

A civil defence mock drill —‘Operation Shield — was conducted on Saturday evening at the Mini-Secretariat as part of the Civil Defence : Exercise 2 by the District Disaster Management Authority, aiming at strengthening the district’s emergency response mechanisms.

Under the guidance of Chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority-cum-Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh, the drill started at exactly 5 pm. The sounding of the siren marked commencement of the drill, immediately alerting all people present in the building. People on the first, second, and third floors were promptly evacuated to the ground floor and moved to designated safe zones. Rescue teams comprising fire brigade personnel, SDRF, NCC, YRC, police, and volunteers safely evacuated those stuck on higher floors and transported injured to the nearby hospitals for treatment.

Giving details, Karnal SDM Anubhav Mehta monitored every stage of the drill and said the exercise was conducted under the joint initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and the Government of Haryana. It was aimed at evaluating and enhancing the district’s civil defence framework and emergency preparedness, he added.

“The objective is to ensure that during an actual disaster, people know how to act swiftly and safely,” said SDM Mehta. He urged the public not to fall for rumours and instead rely on verified information released by the government and the district administration.

The mock drill also served as a platform to educate the public on emergency protocols—such as identifying safe interior rooms or basements, switching off lights and assembling in safe zones within one to two minutes. SDM Mehta emphasised the need for community participation in family drills and preparedness routines.

He also encouraged citizens to promptly report any suspicious activity in their area to the police or local authorities.

There will be a blackout across urban and rural areas of Karnal from 8pm to 8.15 pm as part of the drill. The residents were asked to turn off all indoor and outdoor lights, including those powered by inverters, to simulate emergency conditions.