Overview

• The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory prohibiting media channels from using civil defence air raid sirens in programming, except for community education purposes.
• The directive, issued under Section 3(1)(w)(o) of the Civil Defence Act, 1968, seeks to maintain the effectiveness of warning systems for emergencies.
• Officials expressed concerns that routine use of sirens in media could desensitise civilians and lead to misinterpretation during actual air raids.
• The Directorate General Fire Service, Civil Defence and Home Guards issued the advisory, emphasizing the strategic importance of unambiguous alert systems.
• The advisory comes during ongoing India-Pakistan tensions, with authorities urging media cooperation to bolster civil defence preparedness.