Mock drill being conducted at the Administrative buliding in Dabolim Airport on Wednesday.
VASCO
As part of a nationwide civil defence exercise, a mock drill was conducted in Mormugao Taluka on Wednesday to bolster emergency preparedness in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and ongoing border tensions.
The exercise focused on testing air-raid warning systems, shelter readiness, and evacuation procedures.
Drills were held at Dabolim Airport and the IOC depot in Vasco. Air raid sirens were heard across Vasco and Dabolim at 4 pm, triggering simulations that included mock evacuations, search and rescue operations, and a planned blackout to test the city’s crisis response capabilities.
Civil defence volunteers, including NCC cadets, home guards, and students, actively participated in the drill.
At Dabolim Airport, a simulated fire evacuation from the administrative building was conducted, followed by the rescue of personnel from the premises.
Speaking to reporters, Mormugao Deputy Collector Bhagwant Karmali said the exercise was part of Operation Abhyaas and aimed at evaluating the readiness of state authorities to handle emergency situations.
“The drill helps train volunteers in first aid, evacuation, and emergency protocols. With support from the police, CISF, fire services, and other stakeholders, we successfully executed the operation. A 15-minute blackout in the areas of Chicalim, Dabolim, and Sancoale followed the siren alert, allowing us to test the efficiency of communication systems,” said Karmali.
A mock exercise simulating an air strike scenario was conducted at IOCL, Vasco. The exercise depicted significant damage and fire resulting from the simulated strike. Four seriously injured workers were shifted to Chicalim Sub-District Hospital (SDH), while 20 workers were successfully rescued.
The operation was led by the Mamlatdar of Mormugao Pravinjay Pandit along with officials from the police department, fire services, civil defence, medical services, PWD, traffic department, and various volunteer organisations extended their assistance during the exercise.
A mock drill was conducted at Dabolim Airport to simulate an air strike scenario. In this exercise, 20 civilians, portrayed as trapped, were successfully rescued.
The operation was coordinated by Mormugao Deputy Collector Bhagwant Karmali. Assistance was provided by officials from various line departments and agencies.
