Lok Sabha passes Dam Safety Bill, 2019 to maintain & prevent dam failure related disasters

Lok Sabha passes Dam Safety Bill, 2019 to maintain & prevent dam failure related disasters

New Delhi: In order to focus on the setting up a uniform safety standard of all the specified dams across the country, Lok Sabha on Friday passed the Dam Safety Bill, 2019.

As per history, India stands third in the world after the US and China to have as many as 5,344 big dams across various states and around 470 under construction. However, over 293 of them are more than 100 years old and nearly 1,000 over 50 years old which raises risks for potential future disasters.

“There is an urgent need for a common protocol to safeguard these important structures, which are not only critical for fulfilling the water requirements of people, but also for energy needs. Any damage to them, not only causes massive loss of life and property but causes major international embarrassment," said G S Shekhawat, Union Minister for Jal Shakti.

Reports also state that the country has witnessed as many as 36 disasters related to dams in the past, out of which 11 took place in Rajasthan. The most severe disaster took place in 1979 when the breach in Machchhu dam in Gujarat lead to loss of several thousand lives.

The Bill further proposes to set up a National Committee on Dam Safety headquartered in New Delhi for maintaining standards of dam safety and prevention of dam failure related disasters, evolving dam safety policies and recommend necessary regulations.

It would be led by Chairperson of the Central Water Commission (CWC), ten representatives of the Centre government, seven representatives of the state government and three experts in the field of dam safety.

Also, there will also be a regulatory National Dam Safety Authority headed by an officer not below the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government and State Committees on Dam Safety to be formed by the state governments for implementing policies formulated by the national committee.

It may also be mentioned that the Bill, however, received criticism from few of the members of the Opposition parties who alleged that the Bill attempts to encroach upon the rights of the states in the guise of dam safety.

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