Staff Reporter
Panaji/Margao
As part of a nationwide civil defence preparedness exercise, the state government will conduct a mock drill on Wednesday (May 7) in Panaji and Colvale (North Goa) and in Vasco, Dabolim, and Harbour in Mormugao taluka (South Goa).
In North Goa, the mock drill will be conducted at Indian National Watersports Centre, Miramar, Panaji Ferry Wharf, Mandovi bridge collapse debris site, and Goa Glass Fibre Ltd at Colvale in Bardez.
The exercise has been initiated by the Union ministry of home affairs in response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, with the aim of enhancing preparedness for emerging and complex threats.
A planning meeting to coordinate the drill was held on Tuesday at the Secretariat, led by the state home department.
According to a press release issued by South Goa district collector Egna Cleetus, the drills in Mormugao taluka will begin at 4 pm. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant urged the public to cooperate with the authorities and follow safety instructions during the exercise.
He stated that multiple agencies and volunteers will participate in the drill, including civil defence services, National Cadet Corps, National Service volunteers, home guards, and Aapda Mitra volunteers. Residents in the areas will be notified in advance. The drills will include the use of sirens and emergency signals to simulate real-life scenarios.
The mock drills will be conducted under the supervision of the respective district collectors and monitored by the state’s home and revenue departments.
Speaking on the mock drill, Cletus said, “The general public is hereby informed that this is only a mock exercise. Sirens and other emergency signals will be activated as part of the drill. These should be treated as part of the simulation and no panic or alarm should
be caused.”
The contact details of the district control room set up for the mock drill are 0832 2794100 or 2794223.
