Role of Civil Administration In War Situation

Although officers & staff of Civil Administration have to be alert, active and responsive all the time, it goes without saying that their work & responsibility increases during a war or war kind of situation. Not only senior Civil Servants at the level of Commissionarate but those posted at Block or Circle levels belonging to various departments are also required to function and perform.

We are aware that hostilities between India and Pakistan escalated for over a fortnight.What was thought to be a low intensity stage was likely to take the shape of a full fledged war.

AROUND D.C., EVERYTHING CLUSTERS

First and foremost, a District Collector or head has to take cognisance of developments that may lead to a conflict situation having a bearing on safety and security of the common man. He has to take District S.P. and his team of armed men into confidence. Now he has many A.D.M.’ or officers of his equivalence at his command. So there is no shortage of manpower and vehicles.

Apart from briefing and sensitizing his civil staff, uniformed force wielding arms as also the entity, bereft of arms, volunteers of Civil Defence too have to be mobilised and taken into confidence.

CIVIL DEFENCE

Idea is to utilise them for rescuing people and taking them to a safe area in a crisis situation. Civil Defence, afterall, aims to save life and minimize damage to property. It is also an effort to protect the citizens from human made and natural calamities. Indian Army too extends all help under specific circumstances of natural disasters and emergencies.

MOCK DRILLS

Mock Drills aim at training civilians, students, volunteers and others in civil defence techniques for providing protection in the event of a hostile attack. Idea is to assist in maintenance of peace, amity and order and in protection and rescuing of civil population.

People have to be trained in conducting Mock Drills like testing and operating Air Raid Sirens, seeing and assessing injured persons and learning to perform Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (C.P.R.).Tips for taking injured to hospitals correctly will have to be given, so that such persons do not add to their injury on the way. A list of Government and private paramedics have to be updated and kept in readiness to take care of delays.

If there is a necessity for a mock drill, sufficient notice shall have to be given to general people. Readiness of Control Rooms and Shadow Control Centres has to be checked. Other steps are : operationalising Air Raid Warning Sirens, cleaning and restoration of Bunkers and training the civilians. Purpose is to assess preparedness and response capacity.

Weaknesses, if any, could be identified in the initial stages and areas for improvement may have to be highlighted.

OTHER STEPS

Vulnerable pockets and areas and vital installations prone to attacks by enemy should be identified quickly, sensitizing the public to be ready for taking precautionary measures and creating emergency shelters too have to be thought of.

District Collectors are required to prepare a list of schools, community halls, Panchayat Ghars and basements of buildings that can serve as Emergency Shelters.

Disaster Management Plan shall have to be invoked, integrated public warning sirens have to be installed & activated that can be operated in a war kind of situation. Extra security in remote areas such as also densely populated areas, popular tourist spots, bus stands, Railway and Metro stations, Airports etc is very much called for. Extra patrolling and intensive night patrolling can help a great deal in this regard.

The emergency operation centres, Block, District and State Control Rooms shall also have to remain open round the clock. If C.C.T.V. is available, its footage not only has to be seen but the same shall have to be analysed 24×7 for taking follow up action. Fresh volunteers should be briefed and trained to help in conducting rescue and relief in the event of fire, building collapses, sudden floods, riot, or any other emergency. Basics of crowd management too would have to be passed on. Also correct and authentic messages need to be communicated to Parents whether it concerns school going children or grown up wards working in offices.

MOCK DRILL ON MAY 7

A widespread Mock Drill was conducted in 244 identified Districts of the country on May 7. Delhi had one of the largest numbers-55. About 500 schools actively participated. Most of the important Districts were covered, but a few important ones from vulnerability angles were left out.Those close to the country’s capital should not have been left out.

ASSISTANCE OF ARMY

When the Army is called during specific circumstances or not so normal situations, Defence forces have to assist the D.C. THEY DO NOT TAKE OVER. The principle of Civilian supremacy shall always prevail in such a situation. Public morale has to be maintained, channels of communication be clear and there should not be any communication gap.

TO SUM UP

Competence and effectiveness of an officer and manpower available at his disposal is put to a litmus test in an abnormal situation.Things have improved tremendously in terms of quantity and quality. One should make optimum use of what is available and what can be pulled in, in an emergency like low intensity war. Such challenges have surfaced, these would confront us in future also. A foolproof documentation may therefore, be resorted to for posterity, in the name of humanity.

(The author is former Chief Secretary, Sikkim)