Uttar Pradesh on Friday conducted a statewide blackout mock drill. The exercise was held between 6 pm and 6.10 pm, during which sirens were sounded across the 75 districts and power supply was temporarily switched off in select areas. CM Yogi Adityanath attended a program organised in Lucknow to witness the mock drill.
Acting on directions from the state government, teams from Civil Defence, police, fire services and the health department, along with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), participated in the coordinated exercise.
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Why was the drill conducted? CM explains
While addressing the gathering during the program, Adityanath said that the blackout drill was organised by UP Civil Defence Organisation on the occasion of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary. “I would like to congratulate the volunteers associated with NDRF, Civil Organisation [and others] for this mock drill. It is imperative that the citizens remain ready for both war and peace at all times. They are the first responders and they should not be solely dependent upon government action.”
He further said, “Dependence on the government for every task can never be a characteristic of any self-reliant society. The first condition of self-reliance is that we also think about our country and society, and advance that thinking, which, by working together with the government, multiplies its speed many times over.”
District administrations said the drill included demonstrations of emergency rescue and relief procedures. The response time and coordination among various agencies was assessed during the blackout period.
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What happened during mock drill?
Authorities issued detailed advisories for residents. People were asked to remain indoors during the drill, switch off all lights, and ensure that no light is visible from homes, offices or shops. Citizens were also advised to avoid using mobile phones, torches or flashlights, refrain from stepping out unnecessarily and stay away from rumours. Officials stressed that there was no need to panic and urged residents to cooperate fully.
Clarifying the purpose of the exercise, the administration said the blackout is only a mock drill and does not indicate any real or imminent threat. Officials said such exercises are essential to strengthen preparedness and ensure the safety of life and property in the event of an actual emergency. |
