Chennai, May 6 (UNI) In line with the Union Home Ministry's directives to test

the defence preparedness of various agencies in the wake of the Pahalgam

terror attack, a mock war drill will be held at two places in Tamil Nadu--Chennai

Port and at Kalpakkam, about 70 km from here, housing Atomic Power stations,

tomorrow.

An official release on Tuesday night said it was only a mock defence drill to to

check the preparedness in the selected vital installations and there was no need

for any panic or apprehension among the public about this.

It has been decided to organise Civil Defence Exercise and rehearsal in

certain vital installations as instructed by the Union Home Ministry.

In Tamil Nadu, it is proposed to conduct this civil defence exercise at the

Madras Atomic Power Station, Kalpakkam in Chengalpattu District and

in Chennai Port Trust tomorrow at 1600 hrs.

During this mock drill, activities will be undertaken in these two vital installations

to handle an incoming air raid. The conditions will be simulated to check the

preparedness of the systems to handle any kind of emergency, it said.

The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) in Tamil Nadu has been

activated and will function from the premises of the State Disaster Management

Authority at Ezhilagam in the city.

During the mock drill in the two installations, the District Disaster Management

Authority headed by the District Collector, Civil Defence officials (Home Guards),

Fire Department officials and other connected departments will be involved.

The mock drill will take place from 1600 hrs to 1630 hrs tomorrow in these two

installations.

In this connection, a meeting was convened under the Chairmanship of Chief

Secretary with all concerned State and Central Agencies today. It was attended

by Additional Chief Secretary, Home Prohibition and Excise Department, Additional

Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, State Relief

Commissioner and Commissioner for Revenue Administration, Director General

of Police, Additional Director General of Police (Operations), Project Director,

Madras Atomic Power Station, Kalpakkam, Chairman, Chennai Port Trust,

District Collector, Chengalpattu, IG (Home Guards), IG (General) and Dakshin

Bharat Area official.

The civil defence exercise is only a mock drill to check the preparedness in the

selected vital installations and all other functions in other places will go on normally.

There is no need for any panic or apprehension among the public about this exercise,

it said.

UNI GV 2035