Dam Safety Bill 2018 aims at improving Dam safety practices

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : The Union Cabinet, at its meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi on June 13, 2018,   approved the proposal for introduction of Dam Safety Bill, 2018, in the Parliament. The objective of this Bill is to help develop uniform countrywide procedures for ensuring the safety of dams.

Over the last fifty years, India has invested substantially in dams and related infrastructures, and ranks third after USA and China in the number of  large dams. Altogether 5,254 large dams are in operation in the country currently and another 447 are under construction. In addition to this, there are thousands of medium and small dams.

While dams have played a key role in fostering rapid and sustained agricultural growth and development in India, there has been a long felt need for a uniform law and administrative structure in the country for ensuring dam safety. The Central Water Commission (CWC), through the National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS), Central Dam Safety Organization (CDSO) and State Dam Safety Organizations (SDSO), has been making constant endeavours in this direction, but these organizations do not have any statutory powers and are only advisory in nature.

This can be a matter of concern especially as about 75 percent of the large dams in India are more than 25 year old and about 164 dams are more than 100 year old. A badly maintained, unsafe dam can be a hazard to human life, flora and fauna, public and private assets and the environment. India has had 36 dam failures in the past – 11 in Rajasthan, 10 in Madhya Pradesh, 5 in Gujarat, 4 in Maharashtra, 2 in Andhra Pradesh and one each in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu and Odisha, according to a PIB release.

The provisions of the Dam Safety Bill 2018 will empower the dam safety institutional set-ups in both the Centre and States and will also help standardizing and improving dam safety practices across the country. The Dam Safety Bill 2018 addresses all issues concerning dam safety including regular inspection of dams, Emergency Action Plan, comprehensive dam safety review, adequate repair and maintenance funds for dam safety, Instrumentation and Safety Manuals. It lays the onus of dam safety on the dam owner and provides for penal provisions for commission and omission of certain acts.

The institutional framework for dam safety as provided under the dam safety bill 2018 includes the following: National Committee on Dam Safety(NCDS) which shall evolve dam safety policies and recommend necessary regulations as may be required for the purpose, and National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA). The Bill provides for establishment of National Dam Safety Authority as a regulatory body which shall discharge functions to implement the policy, guidelines and standards for dam safety in the country.

The Bill provides for constitution of a State Committee on Dam Safety by State Government. It will ensure proper surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of all specified dams in that State and ensure their safe functioning. The Bill also provides that every state having specified number of dams will establish a State Dam Safety Organization which will be manned by officials with sufficient experience in the field of dam safety.