Op Shield: State to hold‘confidential’ mock drillon civil defence today

Jaipur/Jaisalmer: Chief secretary Sudhansh Pant held a high-level meeting at the secretariat on Friday to review preparations for the second statewide civil defence blackout and mock drill under ‘Operation Shield', scheduled for Saturday. The meeting was attended by senior officials and civil defence controllers, who were advised to decide on the timing of the blackout and drill based on local conditions while keeping the schedule and locations confidential.Pant stressed on the need for full preparedness in emergency scenarios, especially in times of war. He instructed officials to ensure that all sirens and communication systems were functioning properly, and underlined the importance of drawing lessons from the first mock drill to improve coordination and response mechanisms.Jagjit Singh Monga, director of the Directorate of Civil Defence, briefed those present on the participation of various departments and units, including the Air Force, medical services, local bodies, home guards, power dept, police, and district administration.But many citizens are confused due to a lack of clear communication from the administration. Though internal directives have been issued to district collectors and magistrates, no official guidelines have been shared with the public regarding their role in the blackout.