Lok Sabha Question No. 4741 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-30
Subject: Safety of Dams
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4741

ANSWERED ON 30.03.2017

## SAFETY OF DAMS

## 4741.     SHRI RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO

Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the existing policy of the Government for safety of very old dams;
- (b) whether the Government is aware that 170 dams in the country are more than 100 years old and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the efforts made/proposed to be made by the Government to ensure their safety?

## ANSWER

THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  &  GANGA REJUVENATION

(DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

- (a) National Water Resource Council chaired by Hon'ble Prime Minister adopted National Water Policy 2012 in its 6 th meeting on 28.12.2012. Clause 8.8 of the National Water Policy 2012 mentions that 'Legally Empowered Dam Safety Services needs to be ensured in the States as well as at the Centre. Appropriate safety measures, including downstream flood management, for each dam should be undertaken on top priority''.
- (b) Central Water Commission (CWC) maintains the National Register of Large Dams (NRLD) as per information received from State Governments. As per latest information, total numbers of dams more than100 years old are 196. The detailed state wise summary is at annexure-I.
- (c) Safety  of  dams  rests  primarily  with  dam  owners  which  are  generally  state  governments/central agencies such as NHPC, BBMB. In order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation provides technical and financial assistance to encourage  sustainable  development and  efficient  management  of  water  resources  through  various  schemes and programmes such as Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Programme (DRIP).

DRIP was started in April 2012 and is scheduled to be completed in June 2018 with the financial assistance of World Bank for the rehabilitation of about 225 dam projects from the point of view of safety across the seven States of India, namely Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Jharkhand (DVC) and Uttarakhand (UJVNL). The total project cost is Rs. 2100 Crore.

Government  of  India  vide  OM  dated  19.10.1987  constituted  National  Committee  on  Dam  Safety (NCDS)  under  chairmanship  of  Chairman,  CWC    with  representatives  from  State  Governments  with  the objective  to  oversee  dam  safety  activities  in  the  country  and  suggest  improvements  to  bring  dams  safety practices in line with the latest state-of-art consistent with Indian conditions. 37 meetings of this committee have been conducted so far.

Draft Cabinet Note on the proposal for the enactment of Dam Safety Bill was circulated to Central Ministries, along with NITI Aayog, on 18.05.2016. NITI Aayog suggested fresh consultations with the States as the present Bill has national level applicability. Accordingly, the draft Dam Safety Bill was circulated to all the States and Union Territories vide DO letter dated 09.08.2016. Further, 37 th meeting of NCDS held  on 17 & 18 th February, 2017 discussed the draft Dam Safety Bill.

In accordance with the comments received from various States and outcome of the 37 th Meeting of NCDS, some changes in the Bill are envisaged and the matter has been referred to Ministry of Law & Justice for incorporating the proposed changes in the Bill.

The  purpose  of  Dam  Safety  Bill  is  to  ensure  safety  of  dams  and  the  life  &  property  of  people downstream. The Bill will be applicable to all large dams in India.

*****

Annexure referred to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.4741 on 'Safety of Dams' for answer on 30.03.2017.

## Statewise details of large dams more than 100 years old as per NRLD (as on January 2017).

| Sl. No.   | State          |   No. of Dams (more than 100 years old) |
|-----------|----------------|-----------------------------------------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh |                                       2 |
| 2         | Bihar          |                                       1 |
| 3         | Chhattisgarh   |                                       5 |
| 4         | Gujarat        |                                      29 |
| 5         | Karnataka      |                                      15 |
| 6         | Kerala         |                                       1 |
| 7         | Madhya Pradesh |                                      45 |
| 8         | Maharashtra    |                                      39 |
| 9         | Odisha         |                                       3 |
| 10        | Rajasthan      |                                      26 |
| 11        | Tamil Nadu     |                                       1 |
| 12        | Telangana      |                                      14 |
| 13        | Uttar Pradesh  |                                      15 |
|           | GRAND TOTAL    |                                     196 |