Lok Sabha Question No. 274 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-08
Subject: Old Dams
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Sougata Ray, Y. S. Avinash Reddy

## 274

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 274

## ANSWERED ON 08.12.2022

## OLD DAMS

## PROF. SOUGATA RAY SHRI Y.S. AVINASH REDDY

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government is concerned about the damage of century old dams in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the details of existing century old dams in the country;

(c) whether the Government has conducted study on the safety of structure and strength of such dams and if so, the details thereof, State-wise;

(d) whether any periodical verification is being carried out about the safety of check dams in the State of Andhra Pradesh and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) & (c) Yes, the Central Government is concerned about the safety of the old dams in the country.  However,  age  of  the  dam  is  not  the  only  factor  to  judge  a  dam's  stability  or possibility of structural failure. These superstructures have a valid lifespan as long as they are technically safe and operational.

Further, responsibility for ensuring safety of dams, including its operation and maintenance, rests  primarily  with  the  dam  owners;  which  are  mostly  the  State  Governments  and Central/State  Public  Sector  Units.  Details  regarding  dam  safety  assessment,  maintenance, repair and renovations are available with the concerned dam owners. Further, generally dam owners  themselves  carry  out  the  safety  audit  of  their  dams,  in  terms  of  periodical  premonsoon and post-monsoon inspection.

Union Government has enacted the Dam Safety Act (DSA) 2021 with the intent to provide surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of all the specified dams of the country for prevention of dam failure related disasters and to provide for institutional mechanism to ensure  their  safe  functioning.  Pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  the  DSA-2021,  the  newly constituted  29  State  Dam  Safety  Organisations  have  conducted  pre-monsoon  and  post- monsoon  inspections  of  the  dams  falling  within  their  respective  jurisdiction  through  their dam safety units.

Govt.  of  India  has  implemented  the  Dam  Rehabilitation  and  Improvement  Project  (DRIP) with  external  funding  for  improving  their  safety  and  operational  performances.  Under  the World  Bank  funded  DRIP  Phase-I  programme,  implemented  during  April  2012  to  March 2021; 223 dams located in 7 States and prioritized by them for taking these dams under this program;  have  been  comprehensively  audited  and  rehabilitated.  Out  of  these  223  dams,  2 dams  are older than 100 years. Phase II of this project is under implementation at present.

(b) As per the National Register of Large Dams (2019 edition) compiled by the Central Water Commission based on the information provided by the project/dam authorities, there are 227 functional large dams which are more than 100 years old (constructed in or before 1921). State-wise numbers of these dams is enclosed as Annexure.

(d)  &  (e) 'Water'  being  a  State  subject,  construction,  operation  and  maintenance  of  water resources projects including check dams (which is primarily a soil conservation and water recharging small structure) are primarily States' responsibilities. The information related to check  dams,  their  functionality and  their upkeep  etc.  lies with  the respective State Governments.

## ANNEXURE AS REFERRED TO IN PART  (b) OF REPLY OF LOK SABHA USQ NO. 274 FOR ANSWER ON 08/12/2022 REGARDING 'OLD DAMS'

State wise list of 100 years Old Dams as per National Register of Large Dams (NRLD) 2019

| S.N.   | State/UT          | No. of large dams more than 100 years old (constructed in or before 1921)   |
|--------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1.     | Adman and Nicobar | -                                                                           |
| 2.     | Andhra Pradesh    | 5                                                                           |
| 3.     | Arunachal Pradesh | -                                                                           |
| 4.     | Assam             | -                                                                           |
| 5.     | Bihar             | 1                                                                           |
| 6.     | Chhattisgarh      | 7                                                                           |
| 7.     | Goa               | -                                                                           |
| 8.     | Gujarat           | 30                                                                          |
| 9.     | Haryana           | -                                                                           |
| 10.    | Himachal Pradesh  | 0                                                                           |
| 11.    | Jammu and Kashmir | 0                                                                           |
| 12.    | Jharkhand         | 0                                                                           |
| 13.    | Karnataka         | 15                                                                          |
| 14.    | Kerala            | 1                                                                           |
| 15.    | Madhya Pradesh    | 62                                                                          |
| 16.    | Maharashtra       | 42                                                                          |
| 17.    | Manipur           | -                                                                           |
| 18.    | Meghalaya         | 0                                                                           |
| 19.    | Mizoram           | -                                                                           |
| 20.    | Nagaland          | -                                                                           |
| 21.    | Odisha            | 3                                                                           |
| 22.    | Punjab            | 0                                                                           |
| 23.    | Rajasthan         | 25                                                                          |
| 24.    | Sikkim            | -                                                                           |
| 25.    | Tamil Nadu        | 1                                                                           |
| 26.    | Tripura           | -                                                                           |
| 27.    | Uttar Pradesh     | 17                                                                          |
| 28.    | Uttarakhand       | 0                                                                           |
| 29.    | West Bengal       | 0                                                                           |
| 30.    | Telangana         | 18                                                                          |
|        | Total             | 227                                                                         |

*****