Pakistan War Of 1971 Marked Last Air Raid Sirens
There are barely any such sirens, except possibly at a few defence related establishments.
Hyderabad:When the last time air rain warning sirens sounded over Hyderabad, it was during the 1971 war with Pakistan. With Hyderabad considered vulnerable to attacks by the enemy, Wednesday’s air raid drills are expected to not only test the preparedness of government agencies’ response but has also sent officials into making plans for installing air raid sirens across the city.
There are barely any such sirens, except possibly at a few defence related establishments. There are sirens at some industries, but on Wednesday’s first air raid drill, it will be the police sirens that will sound the alarm across Hyderabad. Though some religious establishments too have sirens, a decision has been taken for now not to put them to use.
The absence of air raid sirens — and the sudden need for them which brought the prospect of war to the city’s doorsteps — which were not required after the 1971 war, was also discussed at a meeting in the city of top government officials from various departments on Tuesday.
"We have already started looking for sources from where the sirens can be procured. In the past they used to be hand cranked and now there but now there are electronic ones. One issue that was also discussed was the number that may be needed for the city, and where exactly to install them. We hope to put all of these issues in place in the next few days,” a senior government official said.
