INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Amid growing tensions between India and China along the Line of Actual Control, Chinese state-run media has reported that the government of
Lhasa city, the administrative capital of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, will conduct an air raid drill on September 19.China has been
holding air raid drills in major cities in September to mark the annual National Defense Education Day
However, the timing of this drill has raised many eyebrows as the last time such exercise was carried out in Lhasa was in 2009.In the
climate of fear among local Tibetans.The formal statement about the air defence alarm drill was carried by all local media and many Weibo
handles.The Chinese government in Lhasa city said that the siren will be played on September 19 in three different types
The first will be played for three minutes from 12 to 12.03pm sounding for 36 seconds with a gap of 24 seconds.The second one will be run
for three minutes from 12.06 to 12.09pm sounding for six seconds with a gap of six seconds
The third alarm will be broadcast for three minutes from 12:12 to 12:15pm for the complete duration without any gap.In a special
announcement.The first one is assessed to be a pre-raid siren suggesting that the population should switch off lights, the second one is for
actual raid indicating that the people move to air raid shelters and the third one possibly for informing that the air raid is over and
people can safely return to their routine work.The announcement ordered all citizens, government agencies, enterprises, institutions, and
social organisations personnel to pay attention to listening, distinguishing, and understanding different acoustic signals
announcement urged the locals not to panic when they hear the air defence alarm and ensure activities proceed as normal and are not
A satellite imagery analyst, he served in the Indian Army for over 33 years.)
