Jaipur to have centre on structural safety of dams

Jaipur to have centre on structural safety of dams

Subject :Polity

Section: Legislation in news

Concept :

• Malviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) in Jaipur has been identified as the National Centre for Earthquake Safety of Dams, the first centre of its kind in the country.
• The centre will develop indigenous capabilities in making the country self-reliant in handling technology issues related to structural and earthquake safety of dams.
• Earthquake shaking is considered the most significant threat to the safety of dams.
• Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), functioning under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, the new centre will work intensively with dam engineers, regulators and policy makers.

About Dam Safety Act 2021

• Applicability : It applies to all specified dams in the country. These are dams with:
  • height more than 15 metres
  • height between 10 metres to 15 metres and subject to certain additional design and structural conditions.
• National Committee on Dam Safety: The National Committee on Dam Safety will be constituted and will be chaired by the Chairperson, Central Water Commission. All other members will be nominated by the central government, and include:
  • Up to 10 representatives of the central government,
  • up to seven representatives of the state governments (by rotation)
  • up to three dam safety experts.
• Functions of the Committee include:
  • formulating policies and regulations regarding dam safety standards and prevention of dam failures
  • analysing causes of major dam failures and suggesting changes in dam safety practices.
• National Dam Safety Authority:
  • The National Dam Safety Authority will be headed by an officer, not below the rank of an Additional Secretary, who will be appointed by the central government. Functions of the Authority include:
  • implementing the policies formulated by the National Committee on Dam Safety,
  • resolving issues between State Dam Safety Organisations (SDSOs), or between a SDSO and any dam owner in that state,
  • specifying regulations for inspection and investigation of dams,
  • providing accreditation to agencies working on construction, design, and alteration of dams.
• State Committees on Dam Safety have been provided in Schedules to the act. It specifies that the central government can amend these Schedules through a notification, if deemed necessary.
• Obligations of dam owners: Owners of specified dams are required to provide a dam safety unit in each dam. This unit will inspect the dams:
  • before and after the monsoon session
  • during and after every earthquake, flood, or any other calamity or sign of distress.
• Dam owners will be required to prepare an emergency action plan, and carry out risk assessment studies for each dam at specified regular intervals.
• Dam owners will also be required to prepare a comprehensive dam safety evaluation of each dam, at regular intervals, through a panel of experts.
• The evaluation will be mandatory in certain cases such as major modification of the original structure, or an extreme hydrological or seismic event.