Mock drill in Punjab tonight, locals asked to keep lights off | Know time, dos and don'ts

ADimout bemock exercise is scheduled in Punjab on fri, apr 24, night to assess emergency preparedness. This exercise will reportedly be held in designated areas, with the objective of strengthening the civil defence system. Mock drills will also be held in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday evening.As part of the mock drill, sirens will be sounded to warn of an air raid, according to the directive of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), HT reported earlier.Punjab mock drill timeThe mock drill exercise will reportedly be held between 8 pm to 8:15 pm in parts of Punjab on Friday.Residents have been urged to switch off non-essential lights during the mock drill period.Essential services will continue uninterrupted.The mock exercise will commence with an air raid warning signal, which will be disseminated through sirens featuring a high-low pitch for two minutes.During the exercise, a simulated blackout will be enforced in specific areas identified by the respective deputy commissioners-cum-controllers, civil defence, according to the earlier HT report.Where will mock drill be held in Punjab?The mock drill will be carried out in all districts and will conclude with an “All Clear” signal marked by a continuous high-pitch siren lasting two minutes.Authorities will simulate key emergency operations during the drill, including fire response, search and rescue, first aid and medical assistance, evacuation of injured persons, and traffic and crowd control measures to evaluate field-level coordination.In Ludhiana, the blackout mock drill will be conducted at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and in areas under the Aggar Nagar PSPCL division on Friday from 8 pm to 8.15 pm, according to a PTI news agency report.In Faridkot, the blackout mock exercise will reportedly be held at Dr Hari Singh Sewak Senior Secondary School.J&K mock drillsIn Jammu and Kashmir, district administrations in Kupwara and Anantnag have announced similar drills as part of emergency preparedness efforts. In Kupwara, the exercise is scheduled for April 24, with a preparatory drill at 3:30 pm and a blackout from 8 pm to 8:10 pm.In Anantnag, the drill will be conducted on April 23. Residents have been instructed to switch off all sources of illumination, including inverter lights, solar lights, torches, mobile flashlights, and vehicle lights, immediately after the siren, and to draw curtains to prevent light emission.The mock drill comes close to the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor strikes that India carried out against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) on May 7 last year. A nationwide mock drill was held before the Operation Sindoor strikes as well last year.