Air strike drills to be held in Surat, South Gujarat

SURAT: To gauge preparedness for an air strike amid the ongoing tense situation between India and Pakistan, a drill will be held in the city and at all major population centres in South Gujarat on Wednesday. During the drill, citizens have been directed to turn off all lights between 7.30pm and 8pm.Following instructions from the Union home ministry, a civil defence drill, Operation Abhyas, has been planned.A meeting of top govt officials in the city was held on Tuesday to discuss the modalities. The drill will be held between 4pm and 8pm. A siren will sound at 4pm, after which a search and rescue drill will be held at five spots. The siren will be played from 51 locations by the Surat Municipal Corporation and by industrial units. Between 7.30pm and 8pm, a blackout will take place during which citizens are supposed to turn off their lights."The objective of the drill is to ensure that both the administration and citizens are prepared for a quick response during emergencies to ensure public safety. The drill simulates a war-like situation to keep citizens safe and alert," said Dr Saurabh Pardhi, district collector.The drill will involve simulated responses to potential air strikes, fire, rescue operations, transporting the injured to hospitals and relocating stranded individuals to safe areas. Emergency services will remain operational."It will be a comprehensive drill in which people will participate by turning off lights during the specified time. Fire, police, hospital and other agencies' preparedness will be practised. Streetlights and lights of hoardings will also be turned off," said Shalini Agarwal, the Surat municipal commissioner."People should only turn off their lights and not the power to buildings or their facilities. People should not panic and follow the instructions issued by the govt from time to time," said city police commissioner, Anupam Singh Gahlaut.