Goa, 8 May 2025

 

The District Administration of South Goa successfully conducted a large-scale Civil Defence Mock Exercise titled Operation Abhyaas on Wednesday, 07th May 2025. The primary objective of the exercise was to evaluate emergency preparedness, reinforce inter-agency coordination, and enhance civil defence capabilities in the event of a hostile attack.

The exercise was carried out across three critical locations in South Goa. At Dabolim Airport, a simulated air strike alert activated emergency protocols involving fire emergencies and a mock building collapse. Simultaneously, the IOCL Terminal in Vasco enacted a hazardous chemical spill scenario coupled with a fire emergency. At the Margao Railway Station, a simulation of a building collapse with fire was staged, creating a complex situation involving mass casualties and disruption to public transport infrastructure.

The coordinated sequence of events began at 4:00 PM, when a simulated alert of an impending air raid was received from the Police Control Room. Following the alert, departments including Railways, Industries, IOCL, Education, and Water Resources were instructed to activate civil defence sirens, which were promptly sounded. Civil Defence Volunteers and Home Guards were deployed swiftly to their respective zones, while evacuation drills were initiated at all three locations. These drills were overseen by officials from the Fire Services, Police, and District Administration, with on-ground support teams guiding members of the public and ensuring smooth execution of emergency protocols.

A temporary medical relief camp was set up at ESI Hospital in Margao, equipped to handle mock casualties from the railway station scenario. This aspect of the drill demonstrated the district's capability to rapidly mobilize healthcare services during mass emergencies.

A notable feature of the exercise was the implementation of a coordinated blackout between 7:30 PM and 7:45 PM at all three key infrastructure sites and their adjacent areas. The blackout covered the IOCL Terminal within the Mormugao Municipal Council area, Dabolim Airport along with the villages of Dabolim, Chicalim, and Sancoale, and the Margao Railway Station and Bus Stand, including nearby locations such as Navelim and Aquem-Baixo. To facilitate the blackout, traffic diversions were strategically enforced between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM around the affected zones. South Goa Police played a central role in ensuring public safety, activating emergency hotlines and radio communications to support uninterrupted coordination among the involved agencies.

The entire exercise was monitored in real-time from the District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC) located at the South Goa Collectorate. Operations were carried out under the direct supervision of the District Collector Ms Egna Cleetus IAS, with senior officials including the Superintendent of Police, South Goa, and representatives from the Health, Fire & Emergency Services, and Traffic Departments stationed at the DEOC to manage on-ground responses effectively.

 

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PIB Panaji | RB/DR

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