Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Dr. Sumita Misra, today supervised the implementation of 'Operation Shield' from the State Emergency Response Center (SERC ) Dial 112 Haryana at Panchkula.
The exercise, conducted under the direct guidance of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, involved high-intensity simulations of security threats such as air raids, drone attacks, and wartime scenarios.
Dr. Misra monitored live updates of all 22 districts of Haryana, issuing operational instructions in real time. She emphasized that preparedness should not be treated as a one-time drill but must evolve into a continuous culture.
The exercise demonstrated a seamless coordination between senior officers, local administrations, and community-level volunteers, marking a significant step in improving the state’s response capabilities.
Massive Civilian Participation through Jan Bhagidari
A key highlight of Operation Shield was the massive participation of around 10,000 Civil Defence Volunteers, who worked in close coordination with the National Cadet Corps (NCC), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Home Guards, and National Service Scheme (NSS).
This wide-reaching civilian engagement exemplified Haryana’s ‘Jan Bhagidari’ model, placing citizens at the center of community safety and resilience. Civil Defence master trainers were trained under the Guidance of NDRF and MHA. These Master Trainers shall impart training to train more trainers in every district, She added.
Dr. Misra praised this collaborative approach as vital to the success of the operation. Successful conduct was possible with the inputs from trained instructors who were trained by NDRF teams according to MHA norms, she added.
Multi-Layered Simulations and Technology Deployment
Dr. Misra informed that District-level war rooms, led by Deputy Commissioners, conducted tactical briefings and deployed volunteers to critical zones. The drills included mock evacuations, first-response triaging, and cyber-incidents protocols tested across urban and rural areas.
Advanced technologies such as drones, emergency alert systems, and GIS-based resource tracking were deployed to replicate real-world emergency scenarios. These efforts helped stress-test the state’s readiness and highlighted areas for future capacity building.
A Model for Other States
Calling it a “watershed moment” in security governance, Dr. Misra remarked that when citizens are empowered to act as first responders, resilience becomes a built-in attribute of society. She, also underscored the importance of fostering a culture of coordination, vigilance, and shared responsibility in internal security matters.
Secretary, Home, Smt. Geeta Bharti, ADGP, Sh. Hardeep Singh Doon, Special Secretary, Revenue & Disaster Management Department, Sh. Rahul Hooda besides other senior officers were present at the State Emergency Response Center (SERC).