Two-min blackout protocol largely ignored in city
Our Bureau
SHILLONG/NONGPOH, April 24: When sirens pierced the evening sky at 6:59 PM, Shillong’s streets should have plunged into darkness as planned under “ARMEX-I 2026,” the state-wide civil defence mock exercise.
Instead, the exercise largely revealed public apathy as most parts of the city—including business houses and residences—flickered defiantly against the two-minute blackout orders.
Despite relentless pre-drill buzz—media campaigns, pleas, and broadcasts—major parts of the city remained defiant through the air raid simulation.
Raja Myrthong, a resident of Laban Streamlet Road, said it is the responsibility of citizens to follow such protocols, though he added that authorities could consider cutting power centrally to avoid inconveniencing busy individuals.
He stressed that for the safety of the country, no one is above the law and orders must be followed. He also pointed out that in his locality, very few had switched off their lights, reflecting poor compliance. He further questioned the presence of street lighting during the drill, stating that a true blackout requires complete shutdown, including by the Power department.
However, not all were defiant. Trelly Restaurant remained dark during the two-minute blackout. Kyntiewriti Thabah of Trelly Restaurant said that upon hearing the siren clearly, they switched off their lights promptly. However, she observed that two to three shops nearby failed to do so, adding that people must take such protocols seriously, especially when prior information had been widely disseminated.
In several areas, lights were voluntarily switched off immediately after the siren, indicating that awareness exists but is inconsistently acted upon.
The mock drill, conducted under the directives of the Directorate General of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards under the Ministry of Home Affairs, was carried out across all districts with participation from multiple agencies including the armed forces, police, SDRF, Home Guards, Civil Defence volunteers, Fire & Emergency Services, Health and Power Departments, disaster management authorities, and community bodies.
The exercise was divided into two phases. Stage I, held from 3 PM to 4 PM, involved simulations of search and rescue, fire response, evacuation, and medical emergencies, marked by sirens signalling commencement and conclusion. Stage II, from 6:59 PM to 7:02 PM, focused on an air raid and blackout scenario, requiring complete shutdown of lights and power sources for two minutes.
Shillong witnessed scenes resembling a conflict zone as multiple locations, including Hotel Poinisuk, St. Anthony’s Higher Secondary School and St. Edmund’s College, became sites of intense mock emergency operations involving evacuation, firefighting, search and rescue, and medical response.
The scene at St. Anthony’s Higher Secondary School simulated an aerial threat scenario. Sirens signalled the beginning of the exercise, triggering evacuation and rescue operations.
During the simulation, a minor injury was reported amid the evacuation process. Volunteers from Bharat Scouts & Guides and NCC assisted in safely evacuating individuals. Personnel from Laitumkhrah Police Station reached the site to secure the area and regulate traffic.
Civil Defence volunteers and post wardens provided first aid, while casualties were attended to on-site. Two seriously injured individuals were shifted to Civil Hospital, Shillong, by ambulance.
At St. Edmund’s College, another simulated air raid scenario was carried out, where NCC, NSS and NYK volunteers coordinated evacuation procedures. No injuries were reported at this location.
Meanwhile, a more complex emergency was simulated at Hotel Poinisuk, where a mock drone strike resulted in a fire and structural damage. Following a report by the hotel management, police alerted the Deputy Controller of Civil Defence.
Fire and Emergency Services personnel responded swiftly to control and extinguish the blaze, while SDRF teams conducted rescue operations to evacuate individuals trapped on upper floors. All occupants were safely moved to designated assembly points, and operations concluded successfully.
A similar exercise was carried out at Ri-Bhoi College, Nongpoh.
A siren was sounded across Nongpoh town following information received from the Air Force Station, Shillong, about the presence of a rogue drone heading towards Nongpoh area. The simulated drone reportedly struck a location on the left wing of Ri-Bhoi College, within the jurisdiction of Mawdiangum village.
It was further stated that the simulated explosion triggered a sudden fire in a section of the college, causing significant damage. Police personnel promptly arrived at the scene to cordon the area and initiate an investigation and safely evacuate students and faculty members to designated bomb shelters.
Within minutes, teams from the F&ES reached the site to contain the blaze, while personnel from the Health department, in coordination with Civil Defence, carried out rescue operations, provided first aid to the injured, and shifted those with serious injuries to nearby medical facilities for further treatment.
