New Delhi: The Government of India has instructed news channels to immediately stop using air raid siren sounds in their programming, except for educational purposes. This directive aims to prevent the public from becoming desensitised to the actual air raid sirens and potentially missing critical alerts in an emergency.
The Directorate General Fire Service, Civil Defence & Home Guards has directed media channels to avoid using Civil Defence Air Raid Sirens in their programming, except for educational purposes. This measure aims to prevent public desensitization to the siren sounds, which may lead civilians to disregard actual emergency alerts.
The notice issued by the Ministry states the following terms:
Notice to all Media Outlets to avoid using Civil Defence Air Raid Sirens sounds in their broadcasts except for community awareness initiatives. In utilization of the authority granted by Section 3 (1) (w) (1) of the Civil Defence Act, 1968, all media outlets are requested to avoid using Civil Defence Air Raid Siren sounds in their broadcasts except for purposes of community education.
Frequent use of sirens might diminish civilians' awareness of Air Raid Sirens, potentially leading them to perceive it as a common occurrence, used by media outlets, during real air raids. Eagerly anticipating your generous assistance in enhancing the Civil Defence readiness as outlined in the Civil Defence Act, 1968.
Given the increased security threats from neighboring countries, the government emphasises the importance of the public remaining vigilant and responsive to genuine alerts. The directive allows the siren sound to be used solely for familiarising the public with its purpose and urgency, amid concerns that repeated exposure on television could diminish its significance when real emergencies arise. Maintaining awareness is crucial during this period of heightened alert.
