The concept of Civil Defence owes its origin to erstwhile
ARP Organisation raised and operated during World War
II (1939-45) to safeguard the life and property of the
civilian population and also to maintain the continuity
of productive and economic activity of the nation during
war time crisis. The ARP Organisation worked commendably
during World War II. After the end of the war in 1945,
the Organisation was winded up.
The Civil Defence concept once again
got a proper thrust immediately after Sino-Indian conflict
during October, 1962. The post of DGCD was created and
first DGCD was appointed on 14th November, 1962.
Civil Defence aims at saving life,
minimising damage to the property and maintaining continuity
of industrial production in the event of an hostile
attack.
The Civil Defence Policy of the Government
of India till the declaration of emergency in 1962,
was confined to making the States and Union Territories
conscious of the need of civil protection measures and
to ask to them to keep ready civil protection paper
plans for major cities and towns under the then Emergency
Relief Organisation (ERO) scheme. Chinese aggression
in 1962 and Indo-Pak conflict in 1965 led to a considerable
re-thinking about the policy and scope of Civil Defence.
As a result, the Civil Defence Policy as it exists today,
was evolved and Civil Defence legislation was enacted
in the Parliament in 1968. The country was subjected
to further hostile attacks from Pakistan in December,
1971 when the Civil Defence Organisation acquitted itself
commendably.
