{"id":150875,"date":"2025-01-09T19:36:10","date_gmt":"2025-01-09T14:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=150875"},"modified":"2025-01-09T19:37:39","modified_gmt":"2025-01-09T14:07:39","slug":"sc-on-dam-safety-act","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/sc-on-dam-safety-act","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court Observation on Dam Safety Act, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court noted that the Union government has not fully implemented the Dam Safety Act, 2021, which was enacted nearly five years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A three-judge Bench criticized the Act for being<\/span><b> &#8220;existing on paper,&#8221; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">following Kerala\u2019s argument that no substantial actions, including the constitution of a <\/span><b>National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS),<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have been taken.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About Dam Safety Act 2021<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Purpose: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><b> Dam Safety Act, 2021,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> aims to ensure the proper surveillance, operation, and maintenance of specified dams to prevent dam failures.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Obligation of Dam Owners: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dam owners are responsible for the safe construction, operation, maintenance, and supervision of dams.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each dam must have a dam safety unit to inspect:<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before and after the monsoon season.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During and after earthquakes, floods, calamities, or any signs of distress.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>4-Tiered Institutional Mechanism for Dam Safety<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><b>National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS)<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Constituted by:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Central Government.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Headed by:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Chairman of the Central Water Commission (Ex-officio Chairman).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Mandate:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Formulates policies and recommends regulations to enhance dam safety standards.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA)<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Constituted by:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Central Government.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Headed by:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> An officer not below the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government of India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Mandate:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Acts as a regulatory authority to implement policies, guidelines, and standards devised by the NCDS.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>State Committee on Dam Safety (SCDS)<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Constituted by:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> State Governments.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Mandate:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Supervises state-level dam rehabilitation programs, reviews the work of the SDSO, and oversees progress on dam safety measures.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>State Dam Safety Organisations (SDSO)<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Constituted by:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> State Governments.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Mandate:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Conduct perpetual surveillance, inspections, and monitoring of dams.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Major Dams in India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.65%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; width: 23.7448%;\"><b>Dam<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; width: 39.749%;\"><b>Location<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; width: 41.23%;\"><b>Purpose<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 23.7448%;\"><b>Bhakra Nangal Dam<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 39.749%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Himachal Pradesh, Sutlej River<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 41.23%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Power generation and irrigation<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 23.7448%;\"><b>Hirakud Dam<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 39.749%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Odisha, Mahanadi River<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 41.23%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flood control, irrigation, and power<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 23.7448%;\"><b>Tehri Dam<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 39.749%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uttarakhand, Bhagirathi River<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 41.23%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Power generation and water supply<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 23.7448%;\"><b>Sardar Sarovar Dam<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 39.749%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gujarat, Narmada River<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 41.23%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Irrigation, drinking water, and power<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 23.7448%;\"><b>Nagarjuna Sagar Dam<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 39.749%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Telangana\/Andhra Pradesh, Krishna River<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 41.23%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Irrigation and drinking water<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 23.7448%;\"><b>Indira Sagar Dam<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 39.749%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Madhya Pradesh, Narmada River<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 41.23%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Power generation and irrigation<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 23.7448%;\"><b>Mullaperiyar Dam<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 39.749%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kerala, Mullayar and Periyar Rivers<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 41.23%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Water diversion for irrigation<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Need Of Dam Safety<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Large dams are<\/span><b> high-risk structures,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as their structural and\/or operational failure has the potential of uncontrolled and sudden release of impounded water, and in turn, this will have catastrophic consequences on life, property, and the ecology, particularly on the downstream of the dam.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the recent years, there has been a growing concern about the structural and earthquake safety of the aging dams in India.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To ensure the high standards and uniform policy in the implementation of dam safety measures across the country, the Union Parliament has enacted The Dam Safety Act, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-modules?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Provision to Regulate Dams in India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Dam Regulation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has various regulations and guidelines for dam safety, including those issued by the<\/span><b> Central Water Commission<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>individual state governments.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> These cover aspects like design, construction, operation, and maintenance<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aimed to improve the safety and operational performance of existing dams in India. Focuses on structural upgrades, instrumentation, and institutional strengthening.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>National Centre for Earthquake Safety of Dams<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:It is an Initiative of the<\/span><b> Ministry of Jal Shakti, GoI, Towards Effective Implementation of The Dam Safety Act, 2021.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Established to conduct research and provide technical expertise on earthquake-resistant design, construction, and maintenance of dams in seismic zones.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 111.19%; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Also Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Editorials<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Current Affairs Quiz<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Main Answer Writing<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-previous-year-papers?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Previous+Year+Papers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out Previous Years Papers From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-test-series-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Test Series<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-modules?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Supreme Court noted that the Union government has not fully implemented the Dam Safety Act, 2021, which was enacted nearly five years ago.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":150853,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2084],"subject":[2124],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/150875"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150875"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/150875\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":150880,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/150875\/revisions\/150880"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150875"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150875"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=150875"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=150875"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}