Civil Defence in India
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: DH
Context: Ahead of rising geopolitical tensions, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered a nationwide Civil Defence Mock Drill across 244 districts on May 7, 2025, to assess emergency preparedness against military and disaster threats.
About Civil Defence in India:
• What is Civil Defence?
• Civil defence refers to organized efforts to protect civilians, infrastructure, and essential services during emergencies, especially in wartime or during natural or man-made disasters. Globally, it functions across six pillars: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, evacuation, and recovery.
• Civil defence refers to organized efforts to protect civilians, infrastructure, and essential services during emergencies, especially in wartime or during natural or man-made disasters.
• Globally, it functions across six pillars: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, evacuation, and recovery.
• Legal Framework in India::
• Civil Defence Act, 1968: Enacted post-Indo-China and Indo-Pak conflicts to institutionalize civil protection. Amendment in 2009 (Act No. 3 of 2010): Expanded the role to include disaster management along with war-related functions.
• Civil Defence Act, 1968: Enacted post-Indo-China and Indo-Pak conflicts to institutionalize civil protection.
• Amendment in 2009 (Act No. 3 of 2010): Expanded the role to include disaster management along with war-related functions.
• Structure and Functioning::
• Manned primarily by volunteers from various professions, trained to assist in emergency response. Activated during terror attacks, fires, floods, explosions, earthquakes, or other calamities before official responders arrive. Special focus on critical initial minutes of emergencies.
• Manned primarily by volunteers from various professions, trained to assist in emergency response.
• Activated during terror attacks, fires, floods, explosions, earthquakes, or other calamities before official responders arrive.
• Special focus on critical initial minutes of emergencies.
• Application:
• Though the Act is pan-India, active civil defence units are raised only in tactically vulnerable areas. These include nuclear power plants, ports, military bases, dams, oil refineries, and metropolitan cities.
• Though the Act is pan-India, active civil defence units are raised only in tactically vulnerable areas.
• These include nuclear power plants, ports, military bases, dams, oil refineries, and metropolitan cities.
• About Civil Defence Districts: Civil Defence Districts are specially designated areas where civil defence programmes are actively implemented by the Government of India under the Civil Defence Act, 1968. The Ministry of Home Affairs selects Civil Defence Districts based on strategic vulnerability: Proximity to International Borders: E.g., Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir Critical Infrastructure Presence: Nuclear plants, military bases, ports, telecom hubs Urban Density & Civilian Risk: Metro cities requiring evacuation planning Coastal Sensitivity: Maritime security in states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal
• Civil Defence Districts are specially designated areas where civil defence programmes are actively implemented by the Government of India under the Civil Defence Act, 1968.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs selects Civil Defence Districts based on strategic vulnerability: Proximity to International Borders: E.g., Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir Critical Infrastructure Presence: Nuclear plants, military bases, ports, telecom hubs Urban Density & Civilian Risk: Metro cities requiring evacuation planning Coastal Sensitivity: Maritime security in states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal
• Proximity to International Borders: E.g., Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir
• Critical Infrastructure Presence: Nuclear plants, military bases, ports, telecom hubs
• Urban Density & Civilian Risk: Metro cities requiring evacuation planning
• Coastal Sensitivity: Maritime security in states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal