Blackout Drill in Chandigarh: City Administration To Carry Out Drill for 10 Minutes on May 7, Appeals People To Keep Electricity at Their Premises Switched Off During Rehearsal (Watch Video)
The decision comes in the wake of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) asking the states to conduct mock drills on Wednesday given the 'new and complex threats' that have emerged amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Chandigarh, May 6: The Chandigarh administration on Tuesday said it will carry out a blackout drill for 10 minutes on Wednesday evening, appealing to people to keep electricity at their premises switched off during the rehearsal. The decision comes in the wake of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) asking the states to conduct mock drills on Wednesday given the "new and complex threats" that have emerged amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Speaking to reporters here, Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner Nishan Kumar Yadav said the blackout rehearsal will be conducted from 7.30 pm to 7.40 pm on Wednesday. A siren will be sounded at 7.30 pm and it will continue for 10 minutes, he said. Civil Defence Mock Drill on May 07: Are Schools, Banks, Stock Market Open? Will Autos, Trains, Buses and Flights Operate Normally? Is Power Cut Likely? All FAQs Answered.
Chandigarh Administration to Residents To Voluntarily Participate in Mock Drill
"I appeal to all citizens to switch off lights at their homes for 10 minutes. And if possible, they should remain at their homes so that preparation for a blackout can be conducted," said Yadav. He also said the administration also spoke to the residents' welfare associations and market associations in this regard.
"A blackout rehearsal will be carried out from 7.30 pm to 7.40 pm," he said, adding that people should also keep their generators or inverter sets shut. "If people are outside of their homes for some work, they should park their cars at the roadside and turn off vehicles' headlights and lights," he said. Shopkeepers at markets and shopping malls have also been appealed to keep their lights off, he said. "It is a preparatory mechanism and we do not need to panic. Alarm will shut at 7.40 pm and thereafter business will be as usual," he said. School Holiday on May 07? Are Schools Open or Shut Tomorrow in View of Nationwide Civil Defence Mock Drills?.
Replying to a question, he said there will not be a power shutdown at hospitals, clinics and medical institutions during the blackout rehearsal. He also appealed to people not to hoard any essentials including petrol, diesel and ration. To another question, he said the blackout drill is voluntary and shortcomings, if any, will be examined and corrected.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)