PNS|Hyderabad
Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu on Thursday chaired a high-level committee meeting at the secretariat and issued directions to officials for a state-wide action plan to beef up public preparedness and institutional coordination.
Emphasising the need to be ready for any eventuality, Bhatti asked police officials to prepare a comprehensive action plan. He suggested mock drills be held across the state to ensure people are informed and alert 24 hours in advance in case of emergencies. “Awareness today is safety tomorrow,” he said, stressing the importance of proactive public engagement.
Bhatti also directed Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao to ensure solidarity rallies are organised in all district centres, like the one held at Hyderabad’s Necklace Road by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. “That rally gave a strong message of unity. We need to replicate that all over Telangana,” he added.
He said that control rooms should be set up at the Telangana Bhavan to help people from other states. He also asked officials to install sirens across Hyderabad and procure equipment for early-warning mechanisms.
Strict vigilance over misinformation was a key focus of the meeting. Bhatti directed cyber teams to crack down on social media users spreading fake news, while also calling for coordination with media outlet heads to ensure responsible reporting during tense situations.
He directed that the leaves of all emergency department personnel should be cancelled and that they should remain at their headquarters for round-the-clock response.
Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao informed the gathering that civil defence drills have already been conducted as per Central guidelines and that security has been tightened at companies engaged in manufacturing military equipment. Hospitals have been asked to install prominent Red Cross symbols on their rooftops to aid aerial identification in emergencies.
DGP Jitender provided a detailed account of security measures across Telangana. “Three-tier security has been enforced at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, and surveillance has been strengthened at railway stations and bus terminals,” he said. High-security zones like DRDA, DRDO, and NFC in Hyderabad are under 24/7 CCTV surveillance, he added.
The DGP said that cybercrime units have intensified moves against fake news peddlers, and new protocols have been enforced to ensure that no SIM cards are issued without proper KYC verification. Surveillance has been increased in sensitive areas and on individuals with criminal records.
A control room has been activated in Hyderabad to constantly monitor developments. The DGP also revealed that a mobile application, like the one used during the Ukraine conflict, is being developed for Telangana to alert the public in real time.
