Context
Recently, Parliament has cleared the Dam Safety Bill, 2019 which provides for the surveillance, inspection, operation, and maintenance of specified dams across the country. It provides for an institutional mechanism to ensure the safety of such dams.
Provisions of the dam safety bill, 2019
Important Organizations under the Bill
National Committee on Dam Safety:
- The National Committee on Dam Safety will be constituted and will be chaired by the Chairperson, Central Water Commission. All other members will be nominated by the central government.
- Functions-
- Formulating policies and regulations regarding dam safety standards and prevention of dam failures.
- Analysing causes of major dam failures and suggesting changes in dam safety practices.
National Dam Safety Authority:
- The National Dam Safety Authority will be headed by an officer, not below the rank of an Additional Secretary, who will be appointed by the central government.
- Functions-
- Implementing the policies formulated by the National Committee on Dam Safety.
- Resolving issues between State Dam Safety Organisations (SDSOs), or between a SDSO and any dam owner in that state.
- Specifying regulations for inspection and investigation of dams.
- Providing accreditation to agencies working on construction, design, and alteration of dams.
State Dam Safety Organisation:
- State governments will establish State Dam Safety Organisations (SDSOs). All specified dams situated in a state will fall under the jurisdiction of that state’s SDSO.
- Functions:
- Keeping perpetual surveillance, inspecting, and monitoring the operation and maintenance of dams.
- Keeping a database of all dams.
- Recommending safety measures to owners of dams.
State Committee on Dam Safety:
- The Bill provides for the constitution of State Committees on Dam Safety by state governments.
- Functions of the Committee include-
- Reviewing the work of the SDSO.
- Ordering dam safety investigations.
- Recommending dam safety measures and reviewing the progress on such measures.
- Assessing the potential impact on upstream and downstream states. These states will also have their representatives on the State Committee.
Dams in India
- India ranks third in the world, after the US and China, when it comes to having large dams.
- There are currently 5,745 large dams in India, of which 293 are over 100 years old.
- Besides, 1,041 dams are between 50 and 100 years old.
- Dam accidents
- Some 40 dams have collapsed in India since Independence.
- One of the worst disasters took place in Gujarat in 1979 when the Machhu dam collapsed resulting in the loss of thousands of lives.
- Some 18 states and five dam-owning organisations —
- National Hydroelectric Power Corporation
- Bhakra Beas Management Board
- Damodar Valley Corporation
- Kerala State Electricity Board
- Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam
- In the absence of a central law, however, the safety regulations vary from state to state.
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