The Directorate General of Fire Services, Civil Defence & Home Guards under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a formal advisory to all media houses, warning them not to use Civil Defence Air Raid Siren sounds in any of their programs unless it is part of an official community awareness campaign.
The unauthorized or casual use of Air Raid Sirens in news, dramas, or advertisements can desensitize the public. During real emergencies, this could cause confusion and panic, or worse, ignorance of genuine alerts.
The circular, signed by Umesh Sharma, ADG (Civil Defence Communication), invokes Section 3(1)(w)(i) of the Civil Defence Act, 1968, emphasizing that such sirens should only be used for public education and awareness purposes.
“Routine use of sirens may reduce the sensitivity of civilians… civilians may misunderstand it as a routine media sound,” the advisory noted.
The Ministry looks forward to the support of media organizations in upholding the spirit and discipline of the Civil Defence Act, contributing to a stronger national preparedness against emergencies and wartime scenarios.
The circular is also copied to Dr. Rajesh Gupta, Joint Secretary, Disaster Management, MHA, for wider dissemination and monitoring.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
