National Dam Safety Authority

Description

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Connected to: Prelims, GS 1 and GS 3

Context: Government constituted National Committee on Dam Safety

Details:

The Union Government constituted a National Committee on Dam Safety under the Chairmanship of the Central Water Commission.

National Dam Safety Authority:

Water is under the state list, but the Union government has made Dam safety law under Article 246 of the Constitution. Article 246 empowers Parliament to legislate on matters listed in the state list under certain conditions.
The Dam Safety Act, passed by Parliament, provides an institutional mechanism for ensuring dam safety in India.
The Act established a National Dam Safety Authority to maintain standards related to dam safety, prevent dam-related disasters and address inter-State concerns related to dams.
The National Dam Safety Authority will be headed by a chairman and assisted by five members having working experience in: Policy and research, technical, regulation, disaster and resilience and administration and finance.
Special Provisions for Surveillance, Inspection, Operation and Maintenance of all large dams of the Country to Prevent Dam Failure Related Disasters.
The act also has penal provisions, list of offenses and penalties, for ensuring compliance of the Act.
The Headquarters of the authority will be in the national capital region and will be supported by four regional offices.

Dam safety need of the hour:

Union Jal Shakti Minister informed the parliament that nearly 40 dams have collapsed in India since Independence. Dam collapsed, resulting in the loss of thousands of lives.
There are more than 5700 large dams in India, of which nearly 300 are over 100 years old, and around 1,100 dams are between 50 and 100 years old.
In addition to large dams, there are thousands of medium and small dams, and the population growth is becoming a serious challenge for water security.
Utilization of dam Water has become a core issue of disputes between various State Governments.
Dams play a key role in the development of the country, also provide water during non-monsoon sessions, and ensure food and energy security.
According to the Central Water Commission (CWC), the aging of dam assets poses a serious concern related to the sustainability of food and energy security of the country and could create water scarcity in large parts of India.
Safety of dams is important for protecting public investment, and also for ensuring continuity of benefits derived from dam projects.