NEW DELHI: The government on Saturday advised all media channels to refrain from using civil defence air raid sirens sounds in their programmes other than community awareness drive.

In an advisory, the Directorate General Fire Service, Civil Defence and Home Guards said exercising the powers conferred under the Civil Defence Act, 1968, all media channels were requested to refrain from using civil defence air raids sirens sounds in their programmes other than for educating the community.

It said that the routine use of sirens may likely to reduce the sensitivity of civilians towards the air raids sirens and civilians may misunderstood it as routine matter, used by the media channels, during the actual air raids.

The advisory came amidst the heightened tension due to the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict.