Answer:

Introduction:

Dams, being critical reservoirs of water, play an indispensable role in agriculture, power generation, and regional development. However, they are also potential hazards when their integrity is compromised. With the escalating challenges of climate change, the need to ensure dam safety is paramount, given the severe consequences for people, property, and the environment when dam systems falter.

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Challenges of Dam Safety and Infrastructure:

• Prerequisites for Dam Safety: High safety standards involve designing and constructing dams with sufficient safety margins, operating them effectively, and having contingency plans for emergencies. However, many dams lack these safety standards.
• Classification and Hazard Potential: The Central Water Commission (CWC) has initiated guidelines for classifying the hazard potential of dams. Still, the on-ground effectiveness and monitoring of these classifications leave much to be desired.
• Transparency and Information Management: A robust dam safety infrastructure not only relies on the physical structure but also on transparent information management. The lack of public availability of dam-related data, including Dam Break Analysis and inundation maps, is a significant concern.
• The Dam Safety Act 2021 (DSA): While this act was a step in the right direction, there are gaps. It does not provide for all information related to dam safety to be promptly available in the public domain. The focus on structural safety overshadows operational safety.
• Non-compliance with Dam Safety Norms: The case of Himachal Pradesh, where a majority of the dams did not adhere to safety norms, highlights the challenges at the state level.
• Dam Failures and its Consequences: Events like the failure at Malana exemplify the grave outcomes when dams do not operate properly, leading to uncontrolled water flow and downstream flooding.

Implications of Climate Change and Urbanization on Dam Safety:

• Hazard Creep: This issue, where new downstream development increases the hazard rating of a dam, is amplified by climate change. It requires robust floodplain regulations.
• Floodplain Zoning and Its Importance: Effective floodplain zoning can minimize the consequences of floods by dictating permissible developments in flood-prone zones. However, the lack of enforcement and policy coherence at both the central and state levels has rendered this strategy ineffective.
• Changing Rainfall Patterns: The unpredictability of rainfall, combined with extreme events, mandates a revision of floodplain zoning policies.
• Responsibilities of Dam Owners: While dam owners have an obligation to ensure safety, there’s a lack of clarity about their responsibilities regarding unregulated developments in downstream areas. The changing climate, with its unpredictable rainfall patterns, makes it even more imperative for authorities to act.

Conclusion:

The concerns surrounding dam safety and the compounded challenges brought about by climate change call for immediate, robust, and sustained actions. The experience in Himachal Pradesh stands as a cautionary tale, underlining the urgent need for proactive measures, improved guidelines, and effective enforcement. Transparent data, improved infrastructure, and an inclusive approach involving stakeholders at all levels are essential to ensure that the twin goals of development and safety can coexist harmoniously.

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