More than two years after Lok Sabha passed the Dam Safety Bill, the legislation on Thursday sailed through in Rajya Sabha on December 2, 2021 despite strong objections from opposition parties. The legislation will create a National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA). The new system will have power to impose penalties. A clause has been added to the Bill to impose punishment on the states or people if the norms are not adhered to. The Bill was passed in Lok Sabha in August 2019.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE BILL
As per the PRS website the following are the highlight of the Bill:
- The Bill provides for the surveillance, inspection, operation, and maintenance of all specified dams across the country. These are dams with height more than 15 metres, or height between 10 metres to 15 metres with certain design and structural conditions.
- It constitutes two national bodies: the National Committee on Dam Safety, whose functions include evolving policies and recommending regulations regarding dam safety standards; and the National Dam Safety Authority, whose functions include implementing policies of the National Committee, providing technical assistance to State Dam Safety Organisations (SDSOs), and resolving matters between SDSOs of states or between a SDSO and any dam owner in that state.
- It also constitutes two state bodies: State Committee on Dam Safety, and State Dam Safety Organisation. These bodies will be responsible for the surveillance, inspection, and monitoring the operation and maintenance of dams within their jurisdiction.
- Functions of the national bodies and the State Committees on Dam Safety have been provided in Schedules to the Bill. These Schedules can be amended by a government notification.
- An offence under the Bill can lead to imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine, or both.
