Punjab rolls out Drone Emergency Response System

Following a recent visit by the state governor to drone infiltration affected border areas of Punjab the Punjab police today rolled out a Drone Emergency Response System (DERS). The system soon to be implemented across the border was started today at the border district of Pathankot which has recorded one of the highest number of infiltrations. The system shall foil attempts to smuggle drugs and weapons from across the border using unmanned aerial vehicles. According to police under DERS, police will coordinate with village-level defense committees in areas along the India-Pakistan border for a faster response to instances of smuggling of narcotics and arms and ammunition from the neighbouring country. Speaking to India Narrative, Pathankot Senior Superintendent of Police Harkamal Preet Singh said the DERS has been implemented in 14 susceptible villages of the district on pilot basis and it will be replicated in other border districts of the state.

“Two village police officers have been deployed in each of the 14 villages. The village police officers (VPOs) are local residents and will work in tandem with village-level defense committees (VLDCs) to keep a check on any suspicious movement in their villages. Whenever any drone movement is noticed in a village, the VPO will activate the VLDC and will also inform the police control room, he said. Till the time a police team reaches the spot, the VPO along with the VLDC will cordon off the area where any contraband or weapon has been dropped off by a Pakistani drone to prevent its retrieval by any miscreant or smuggler,” said Singh. As per plan the initial response will be triggered without any delay, followed by a secondary response within a span of five to 10 minutes, and a tertiary response within 15 to 20 minutes, resulting in the swift apprehension of individuals involved in unlawful activity.

The other major border district Gurdaspur too has started work towards implementation of a response system. According to Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggawal VLDCs have already been made in 265 villages which are located within 15 km of the international border. WhatsApp groups of VLDCs have been formed to share information and a joint command and control centre has been set up in the deputy commissioner’s office.

“We are motivating them (VLDC members) to be the defenders of their villages. The resident’s support is the biggest weapon in this war against drones, arms and drugs. Ninety-four cameras have been installed across the district, especially in the border areas, and the live feed of these cameras is jointly monitored by police and civil officials,” he added.

Prior to this Punjab Police had declared a reward of Rs 1 lakh on information of drone movement leading to the recovery of weapons and narcotics. The state government has sanctioned Rs 20 crore for installation of CCTV cameras at strategic locations in the border villages to keep a strict vigil on the movement of drones and cross-border smugglers.

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on his recent visit had highlighted the need and importance of village level committees to counter cross border smuggling and drones infiltration. He targeted Pakistan for pushing drugs into India and said that surgical strikes should be conducted against the neighbouring nation to teach it a lesson. He recently announced a cash reward of 3 lakh, 2 lakh and 1 lakh respectively to the top three informers in each of six border districts apart from honouring them at the Republic Day event.

Also read: Punjab governor calls for surgical strikes against Pakistan following drone infiltrations