Poonch, May 17: In a proactive step towards strengthening disaster response, the Poonch district administration Saturday unveiled a comprehensive plan to revitalise its Civil Defence mechanism, prompted by recent incidents of cross-border shelling.
Chaired by Additional District Development Commissioner Pankaj Magotra, the high-level review meeting outlined a multi-tiered strategy—from updating the existing volunteer database to introducing training schedules, deploying emergency kits, and installing public warning sirens across the district.
“We are creating a more agile, motivated and better-equipped Civil Defence force—right from the village level upwards,” Magotra stated, highlighting the urgency of preparedness in vulnerable border areas.
Inactive members of the Civil Defence and Village Guard (VHG) units will be removed, and a time-bound campaign will seek fresh enrolment, prioritising ex-servicemen. Each Mohra and urban ward will have at least one trained volunteer, supported by designated nodal officers at Naibat and Tehsil levels. A structured three-month training calendar will cover Civil Defence, Voluntary Home Guards, Aapda Mitras, NCC, and NSS volunteers. Additionally, critical locations such as temples, mosques, gurdwaras, hospitals, and public infrastructure in Poonch town will be identified for emergency management. In the first phase, Civil Defence sirens will be installed at tehsil-level points. Public awareness campaigns will accompany the initiative to educate residents on how to respond to various siren signals during emergencies. The meeting was attended by the ADC, ACR, DySP Civil Defence-SDRF, District Sainik Welfare Officer, Chief Warden, SDRF Inspector, NCC and NSS incharges, and disaster management officials.
