Defence mock drills to be conducted at three locations in K’taka
Bengaluru: Karnataka Police Department said on Tuesday that the defence mock drills will be conducted at three locations in the state as per directions from the Union government in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Prashant Kumar Thakur, Director General of Police and Commandant General of Home Guards, Civil Defence, Fire and Emergency Services, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), said that mock drills will be held in Bengaluru, Karwar, and Raichur on May 7 (Wednesday).
“We have decided to conduct the mock drills in Bengaluru, Karwar, and Raichur at 4 PM on Wednesday. Meetings have already been held with officials from the Fire Services and Civil Defence departments,” Thakur said.
Thakur added that the National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Civil Defence personnel, and medical professionals will participate in the mock drills.
“Sirens have been installed at 35 locations, including police stations and fire stations. Of these, 32 sirens are currently functional,” he said.
Thakur added that the Union government will issue advisories and guidelines outlining the dos and don’ts for the general public.
Meanwhile, sources said that the drill will be held at the following locations in Bengaluru: Indian Institute, CQL, ESI Hospital, NAL, Bangalore Dairy, Canara Bank, SRS Peenya, V.V. Tower Fire Station, Jnanabharathi Fire Station, Thanisandra Fire Station, Banaswadi Fire Station, Yeshwanthpur Fire Station, Banashankari Fire Station, Rajajinagar Fire Station, Chamarajpet Fire Station, Commercial Street Police Station.
Halasuru Gate Police Station, Halasuru Police Station, Upparpet Police Station, Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police Station, Kamakshipalya Police Station, K.R. Market Police Station, Vyalikaval Police Station, Halasuru Home Guards Headquarters, Peenya Fire Station, Bengaluru Rural Home Guards Office, Bagalur Fire Station, Anjanapura Fire Station, ITPL Fire Station, Sarjapur Fire Station, Electronics City Fire Station, and Dairy Circle Fire Station.
Sources said that during the mock drill, sirens will be activated, which will sound in three phases, producing three different types of alarm tones.
“These sirens can be heard up to a distance of approximately three kilometres,” sources further added.
Bengaluru houses major defence, scientific and research installations, while INS Kadamba or Naval Base Karwar is a major Indian Navy base. Karwar also houses the third-largest nuclear power plant in India, while Raichur houses a thermal power plant.