In a critical move to ensure state-wide readiness amid rising cross-border tensions, the Punjab Government has rescheduled the coordinated mock drill under Operation Shield to June 3 at 7:30 pm, citing ongoing training of civil defence personnel as the reason for the deferral.   Initially scheduled for May 29, that is Thursday, as a part of nationwide simulation exercise directed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the mock drill was intended to test preparedness and response systems across Indias western border states — Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Gujarat — in the wake of escalated hostilities post-Operation Sindoor, Indias retaliatory strike on terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.   In Punjab, the drill will now take place in six strategic border districts — Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Fazilka — that have witnessed heightened activity and risk due to proximity to the international border.  Special DGP (Home Guards and Civil Defence) Sanjeev Kalra, in a formal letter to the Centre, cited the Training of Trainers (ToT) program by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) currently underway as the primary reason for the deferral. He assured that the mock drill would be executed effectively on the revised date with trained personnel in place. The State Government is awaiting a formal response from the Centre on its rescheduling decision. Under Operation Shield, the exercise aimed at simulating scenarios such as drone strikes, aerial bombardments, and missile attacks, which are no longer hypothetical in Punjab. During Operation Sindoor, retaliatory cross-border strikes saw Pakistan launching drone, rocket, and missile attacks across several Punjab districts, resulting in civilian injuries, infrastructural damage, and even one casualty. From missile fragments found in Kapurthala and Ludhiana, to a deadly drone attack in Ferozepur, Punjab has been at the frontline. The attack on Pathankot and Adampur air bases, although limited in damage, underscored the urgent need for civil preparedness. Punjab had earlier conducted a mock drill on May 7 under Operation Abhyaas, covering towns such as Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Mohali, and Bathinda, simulating air raid sirens and blackout protocols. Operation Shield now builds on these lessons, aiming for a coordinated inter-agency response, including police, civil defence, rescue teams, fire services, and local administrations.  The upcoming drill is not merely an exercise in protocol, but a necessary response to current realities. With Punjab repeatedly becoming a target for cross-border incursions, the ability of both administration and citizens to respond rapidly could mean the difference between life and death. Haryana to conduct drills under Operation Shield to vet emergency response The Haryana government will conduct Operation Shield on Thursday, across all 22 of the states districts to vet its emergency preparedness. Scheduled to take place between 5 pm and 9 pm, the drill is being organised under the guidance of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, to simulate critical incidents such as air raids, drone attacks, and other wartime scenarios in the light of current national security concerns, an official said.   Sumita Misra, Additional Chief Secretary, Haryana Home Department, said the exercise aims to test existing emergency mechanisms, improve coordination between the civil administration, defence forces, and local communities, and identify areas that need to be strengthened. She said the drill will involve a large-scale mobilisation of Civil Defence Wardens, registered volunteers, and youth outfits like the National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), and Bharat Scouts and Guides. The drill will involve responding to aerial threats such as air raids and unmanned aerial vehicles, activation of air raid sirens, and testing of control room communication hotlines connected with the Indian Air Force, she said. In addition, a controlled blackout will be observed from 8 pm to 8.15 pm near vital installations, with essential emergency services such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations excepted, she said. Misra said the exercise also aligns with the Incident Response System (IRS), which Haryana officially notified on January 28 under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.  She said she has directed all deputy commissioners, who are also chairpersons of district disaster management authorities, along with commissioners and superintendents of police, to ensure meticulous exercises in their jurisdictions.  They have been instructed to submit detailed reports to the Commandant General, Home Guards, and Director, Civil Defence, Haryana, which will be compiled and sent to the MHA.

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