The Dam Safety Act, 2021
Administered Ministry: Ministry of Jal Shaktri / Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
Section
Section 1 Short title, extent and commencement.
(1) This Act may be called the Dam Safety Act, 2021.
(2) It extends to the whole of India.
(3) It shall come into force on such date1 as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
(2) It extends to the whole of India.
(3) It shall come into force on such date1 as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
30th December, 2021, vide notification No. S.O.5422(E), dated 30th December, 2021, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3 (ii).
Section 2 Declaration as to expediency of Union control.
It is hereby declared that it is expedient in the public interest that the Union should take under its control the regulation of uniform dam safety procedure for specified dam to the extent hereinafter provided.
Section 3 Application.
Save as provided under this Act, it applies to the owner of every specified dam, —
(a) being a public sector undertaking or institution or a body owned or controlled by the Central Government or a State Government or jointly by one or more Governments, as the case may be; and
(b) being an undertaking or company or institution or a body other than those owned or controlled by the State Government or the Central Government, as the case may be.
(a) being a public sector undertaking or institution or a body owned or controlled by the Central Government or a State Government or jointly by one or more Governments, as the case may be; and
(b) being an undertaking or company or institution or a body other than those owned or controlled by the State Government or the Central Government, as the case may be.
Section 4 Definitions.
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,---
(a) "alteration" of dam means alterations or repairs as may directly affect the safety of the dam or reservoir;
(b) "annual report" means a report giving the activities of the Authority and the State Dam Safety Organisation and the safety status of the specified dams falling under their jurisdiction during each financial year;
(c) "appurtenant" structure means the structure being---
(i) spillways, either in the dam or separate therefrom;
(ii) low level outlet structure and water conduits such as tunnels, pipelines or penstocks, either through the dam or its abutments or reservoir rim;
(iii) hydro-mechanical equipment including gate, valve, hoist, elevators;
(iv) energy dissipation and river training structure; and
(v) other associated structures acting integrally with the dam or its reservoir or reservoir rim;
(d) "Authority" means the National Dam Safety Authority established under section 8;
(e) "dam"means any artificial barrier and its appurtenant structure constructed across rivers or tributaries thereof with a view to impound or divert water which also include barrage, weir and similar water impounding structures but does not include---
(a) canal, aquaduct, navigation channel and similar water conveyance structures;
(b) flood embankment, dike, guide bund and similar flow regulation structures;
(f) "dam failure" means any failure of the structure or operation of a dam which leads to uncontrolled flow of impounded water resulting in downstream flooding, affecting the life and property of the people and the environment including flora, fauna and riverine ecology.
Explanation.---For the purposes of this clause, failure in the operation shall mean such faulty operations of the dam which are inconsistent with the operation and maintenance manual;
(g) "dam incident" means all such problems occurring to a dam that have not degraded into a dam failure, and includes---
(i) any structural damage to the dam and the appurtenant structure;
(ii) any unusual reading of any instrument in the dam;
(iii) any unusual seepage or leakage through the dam body;
(iv) any unusual change in the seepage or leakage regime;
(v) any boiling or artesian condition noticed below the dam;
(vi) any sudden stoppage or unusual reduction in seepage or leakage from the foundation or body of the dam or any of its galleries;
(vii) any malfunction or inappropriate operation of gates;
(viii) occurrence of flood, the peak of which exceeds the available flood discharge capacity of the dam or seventy per cent. of the approved design flood;
(ix) occurrence of flood, which resulted in encroachment on the available freeboard, or the approved design freeboard;
(x) any unusual erosion in the near vicinity up to five hundred metres downstream of the spillway or waste-weir; and
(xi) any other occurrence which a prudent dam engineer may relate to dam safety concerns;
(h) "dam safety unit" means a dam safety unit of any specified dam referred to in section 30;
(i) "distress condition" means the occurrence or potential development of such conditions in the dam or appurtenance structure or its reservoir or reservoir rim, which if left unattended to, may impede the safe operation of dam for its intended benefits or may pose serious risks to the life and property of people and the environment including flora, fauna and riverine ecology;
(j) "documentation" means all permanent records including electronic records concerning investigation, design, construction, operation, performance, maintenance, major repair, alteration, enlargement and safety of dams and includes design memorandum, construction drawings, geological reports, reports of specialised studies simulating structural and hydraulic response of the dam, changes made in design and drawings, quality control records, emergency action plan, operation and maintenance manual, instrumentation readings, inspection and testing reports, operational reports, and dam safety review reports and other similar reports;
(k) "enlargement of dam" means any change in the scope of an existing dam or reservoir, which raises water storage elevation or increases the volume of water impounded by the dam;
(l)"Government" means the Central Government or a State Government, as the case may be;
(m) "inspection" means on-site examination of any component of a dam and its appurtenant structure;
(n) "investigation" means collection of evidence, detailed examination, analysis or scrutiny of a specific problem pertaining to the dam and its appurtenant or a part thereof and includes laboratory testing, in-situ testing, geological exploration, model testing and mathematical simulation of the problem;
(o) "National Committee" means the National Committee on Dam Safety constituted under section 5;
(p) "notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette and the term notify shall be construed accordingly;
(q) "operation of dam" means elements of the use, control and functioning of the dam which may primarily affect the storage, release of water and the structural safety of the dam;
(r) "operation and maintenance manual" means the written instructions that provide operation procedures, maintenance procedures, emergency procedures and any other features necessary for the safe operation of dam;
(s) "owner of specified dam" means the Central Government or a State Government or jointly by one or more Governments or public sector undertaking or local authority or company and any or all of such persons or organisations, who own, control, operate, or maintain a specified dam;
(t) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made by the Central Government or, as the case may be, by the State Government;
(u) "regulations" means the regulations made by the Authority under this Act;
(v)"remedial measures" means such structural or non-structural measures, as may be required in relation to the specified dam or appurtenant structure or reservoir or reservoir rim or catchment area of reservoir for the purpose of removing or mitigating the distress condition of the specified dam;
(w) "reservoir" in relation to a dam shall mean any spread of water impounded by a specified dam;
(x) "specified dam" means a dam constructed before or after the commencement of this Act, which is,---
(i) above fifteen metres in height, measured from the lowest portion of the general foundation area to the top of dam; or
(ii) between ten metres to fifteen metres in height and satisfies at least one of the following, namely: ---
(A) the length of crest is not less than five hundred metres; or
(B) the capacity of the reservoir formed by the dam is not less than one million cubic metres; or
(C) the maximum flood discharge dealt with by the dam is not less than two thousand cubic metres per second; or
(D) the dam has specially difficult foundation problems; or
(E) the dam is of unusual design;
(y) "State Committee" means the State Committee on Dam Safety constituted under sub-section (1) of section 11;
(z) "State Dam Safety Organisation" means the State Dam Safety Organisation established under section 14; and
(za) "vulnerability and hazard classification" means the system or systems of classifying dams on the basis of their condition, location, damage or hazard potential.
(a) "alteration" of dam means alterations or repairs as may directly affect the safety of the dam or reservoir;
(b) "annual report" means a report giving the activities of the Authority and the State Dam Safety Organisation and the safety status of the specified dams falling under their jurisdiction during each financial year;
(c) "appurtenant" structure means the structure being---
(i) spillways, either in the dam or separate therefrom;
(ii) low level outlet structure and water conduits such as tunnels, pipelines or penstocks, either through the dam or its abutments or reservoir rim;
(iii) hydro-mechanical equipment including gate, valve, hoist, elevators;
(iv) energy dissipation and river training structure; and
(v) other associated structures acting integrally with the dam or its reservoir or reservoir rim;
(d) "Authority" means the National Dam Safety Authority established under section 8;
(e) "dam"means any artificial barrier and its appurtenant structure constructed across rivers or tributaries thereof with a view to impound or divert water which also include barrage, weir and similar water impounding structures but does not include---
(a) canal, aquaduct, navigation channel and similar water conveyance structures;
(b) flood embankment, dike, guide bund and similar flow regulation structures;
(f) "dam failure" means any failure of the structure or operation of a dam which leads to uncontrolled flow of impounded water resulting in downstream flooding, affecting the life and property of the people and the environment including flora, fauna and riverine ecology.
Explanation.---For the purposes of this clause, failure in the operation shall mean such faulty operations of the dam which are inconsistent with the operation and maintenance manual;
(g) "dam incident" means all such problems occurring to a dam that have not degraded into a dam failure, and includes---
(i) any structural damage to the dam and the appurtenant structure;
(ii) any unusual reading of any instrument in the dam;
(iii) any unusual seepage or leakage through the dam body;
(iv) any unusual change in the seepage or leakage regime;
(v) any boiling or artesian condition noticed below the dam;
(vi) any sudden stoppage or unusual reduction in seepage or leakage from the foundation or body of the dam or any of its galleries;
(vii) any malfunction or inappropriate operation of gates;
(viii) occurrence of flood, the peak of which exceeds the available flood discharge capacity of the dam or seventy per cent. of the approved design flood;
(ix) occurrence of flood, which resulted in encroachment on the available freeboard, or the approved design freeboard;
(x) any unusual erosion in the near vicinity up to five hundred metres downstream of the spillway or waste-weir; and
(xi) any other occurrence which a prudent dam engineer may relate to dam safety concerns;
(h) "dam safety unit" means a dam safety unit of any specified dam referred to in section 30;
(i) "distress condition" means the occurrence or potential development of such conditions in the dam or appurtenance structure or its reservoir or reservoir rim, which if left unattended to, may impede the safe operation of dam for its intended benefits or may pose serious risks to the life and property of people and the environment including flora, fauna and riverine ecology;
(j) "documentation" means all permanent records including electronic records concerning investigation, design, construction, operation, performance, maintenance, major repair, alteration, enlargement and safety of dams and includes design memorandum, construction drawings, geological reports, reports of specialised studies simulating structural and hydraulic response of the dam, changes made in design and drawings, quality control records, emergency action plan, operation and maintenance manual, instrumentation readings, inspection and testing reports, operational reports, and dam safety review reports and other similar reports;
(k) "enlargement of dam" means any change in the scope of an existing dam or reservoir, which raises water storage elevation or increases the volume of water impounded by the dam;
(l)"Government" means the Central Government or a State Government, as the case may be;
(m) "inspection" means on-site examination of any component of a dam and its appurtenant structure;
(n) "investigation" means collection of evidence, detailed examination, analysis or scrutiny of a specific problem pertaining to the dam and its appurtenant or a part thereof and includes laboratory testing, in-situ testing, geological exploration, model testing and mathematical simulation of the problem;
(o) "National Committee" means the National Committee on Dam Safety constituted under section 5;
(p) "notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette and the term notify shall be construed accordingly;
(q) "operation of dam" means elements of the use, control and functioning of the dam which may primarily affect the storage, release of water and the structural safety of the dam;
(r) "operation and maintenance manual" means the written instructions that provide operation procedures, maintenance procedures, emergency procedures and any other features necessary for the safe operation of dam;
(s) "owner of specified dam" means the Central Government or a State Government or jointly by one or more Governments or public sector undertaking or local authority or company and any or all of such persons or organisations, who own, control, operate, or maintain a specified dam;
(t) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made by the Central Government or, as the case may be, by the State Government;
(u) "regulations" means the regulations made by the Authority under this Act;
(v)"remedial measures" means such structural or non-structural measures, as may be required in relation to the specified dam or appurtenant structure or reservoir or reservoir rim or catchment area of reservoir for the purpose of removing or mitigating the distress condition of the specified dam;
(w) "reservoir" in relation to a dam shall mean any spread of water impounded by a specified dam;
(x) "specified dam" means a dam constructed before or after the commencement of this Act, which is,---
(i) above fifteen metres in height, measured from the lowest portion of the general foundation area to the top of dam; or
(ii) between ten metres to fifteen metres in height and satisfies at least one of the following, namely: ---
(A) the length of crest is not less than five hundred metres; or
(B) the capacity of the reservoir formed by the dam is not less than one million cubic metres; or
(C) the maximum flood discharge dealt with by the dam is not less than two thousand cubic metres per second; or
(D) the dam has specially difficult foundation problems; or
(E) the dam is of unusual design;
(y) "State Committee" means the State Committee on Dam Safety constituted under sub-section (1) of section 11;
(z) "State Dam Safety Organisation" means the State Dam Safety Organisation established under section 14; and
(za) "vulnerability and hazard classification" means the system or systems of classifying dams on the basis of their condition, location, damage or hazard potential.
Section 5 Constitution of National Committee..
(1) With effect from such date as the Central Government may, by notification, appoint, there shall be constituted, for the purposes of this Act, a National Committee to be known as the National Committee on Dam Safety consisting of the following members, namely:---
(a) the Chairman, Central Water Commission---Chairperson, ex officio;
(b) not exceeding ten representatives of the Central Government not below the rank of Joint Secretary to that Government or equivalent dealing with matters relating to dam engineering or dam safety, nominated by the Central Government---Members, ex officio;
(c) not exceeding seven representatives of the State Governments of the level of Engineer-inChief or equivalent by rotation, nominated by the Central Government---Members, ex officio; and
(d) not exceeding three specialists in the field of dam safety and allied fields nominated by the Central Government---Members.
(2) The National Committee shall be constituted within a period of sixty days from the date of commencement of this Act, and shall be reconstituted for every three years thereafter.
(a) the Chairman, Central Water Commission---Chairperson, ex officio;
(b) not exceeding ten representatives of the Central Government not below the rank of Joint Secretary to that Government or equivalent dealing with matters relating to dam engineering or dam safety, nominated by the Central Government---Members, ex officio;
(c) not exceeding seven representatives of the State Governments of the level of Engineer-inChief or equivalent by rotation, nominated by the Central Government---Members, ex officio; and
(d) not exceeding three specialists in the field of dam safety and allied fields nominated by the Central Government---Members.
(2) The National Committee shall be constituted within a period of sixty days from the date of commencement of this Act, and shall be reconstituted for every three years thereafter.
Section 6 Functions of National Committee.
(1) The National Committee shall discharge such functions as specified in the First Schedule as may be necessary to prevent dam failure related disasters and to maintain standards of dam safety.
(2) The National Committee may, in discharge of its functions, constitute such sub-committees as it may consider necessary to assist it and the secretarial assistance to the National Committee and the sub-committees shall be provided by the Authority.
(3) The knowledge and information collected or generated by the National Committee shall be disseminated to all stakeholders by the Authority.
(2) The National Committee may, in discharge of its functions, constitute such sub-committees as it may consider necessary to assist it and the secretarial assistance to the National Committee and the sub-committees shall be provided by the Authority.
(3) The knowledge and information collected or generated by the National Committee shall be disseminated to all stakeholders by the Authority.
Section 7 Meetings of National Committee.
(1) The National Committee shall meet at such times and places and shall observe such rules of procedure in regard to the transaction of business at its meetings in the manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government:
Provided that the National Committee shall meet twice in a year and one meeting shall be held before the onset of the monsoon season.
(2) The National Committee may invite the representative of the owner of any specified dam and such other experts in dam safety (including international experts) as it may consider appropriate for the discharge of its functions.
(3) The expenditure incurred on the National Committee shall be in such manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
Provided that the National Committee shall meet twice in a year and one meeting shall be held before the onset of the monsoon season.
(2) The National Committee may invite the representative of the owner of any specified dam and such other experts in dam safety (including international experts) as it may consider appropriate for the discharge of its functions.
(3) The expenditure incurred on the National Committee shall be in such manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
Section 8 Establishment of National Dam Safety Authority.
(1) With effect from such date as the Central Government may by notification, appoint, there shall be established for the purposes of this Act, a National Dam Safety Authority, within a period of sixty days from the date of commencement of this Act.
(2) The Authority shall be headed by an officer not below the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government of India or equivalent to be appointed by the Central Government who have knowledge of, and adequate qualification, experience and capacity in, dealing with problems relating to the dam engineering and dam safety management.
(3) The headquarters of the Authority shall be at the National Capital territory of Delhi and the Authority may establish offices at other places in India.
(4) The Authority shall comply with such directions as may, from time to time, be given to it by the Central Government.
(2) The Authority shall be headed by an officer not below the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government of India or equivalent to be appointed by the Central Government who have knowledge of, and adequate qualification, experience and capacity in, dealing with problems relating to the dam engineering and dam safety management.
(3) The headquarters of the Authority shall be at the National Capital territory of Delhi and the Authority may establish offices at other places in India.
(4) The Authority shall comply with such directions as may, from time to time, be given to it by the Central Government.
Section 9 Functions of Authority.
(1) The Authority shall discharge such functions as specified in the Second Schedule as may be necessary to implement the policy, guidelines and standards evolved by the National Committee for proper surveillance, inspection and maintenance of specified dams and for such purposes, it shall have the power to enforce the attendance of any person and call for any information as may be necessary.
(2) Without prejudice to the provisions contained in sub-section (1), the Authority shall make all endeavours to resolve any issue between the State Dam Safety Organisations of States or between a State Dam Safety Organisation and any owner of a specified dam in that State.
(3) Every decision of the Authority taken in respect of matters under this Act shall be final and binding upon all the parties to the issue.
(2) Without prejudice to the provisions contained in sub-section (1), the Authority shall make all endeavours to resolve any issue between the State Dam Safety Organisations of States or between a State Dam Safety Organisation and any owner of a specified dam in that State.
(3) Every decision of the Authority taken in respect of matters under this Act shall be final and binding upon all the parties to the issue.
Section 10 Officers and Employees of Authority.
(1) The Central Government shall, for the purpose of enabling the Authority to perform functions under this Act, provide such number of officers and other employees as it may consider necessary:
Provided that the officers and other employees shall have such qualifications and experience in the field of dam safety including dam-design, hydro-mechanical engineering, hydrology, geo-technical investigation, instrumentation, dam-rehabilitation or such other fields as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
(2) The functions, powers, terms and conditions of service of the officers and other employees appointed under sub-section (1) shall be such as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
Provided that the officers and other employees shall have such qualifications and experience in the field of dam safety including dam-design, hydro-mechanical engineering, hydrology, geo-technical investigation, instrumentation, dam-rehabilitation or such other fields as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
(2) The functions, powers, terms and conditions of service of the officers and other employees appointed under sub-section (1) shall be such as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
Section 11 Constitution of State Committee on Dam Safety.
(1) With effect from such date as the State Government may, by notification, appoint, there shall be constituted, for the purposes of this Act, a State Committee on Dam Safety consisting of the following members, namely:--
(a) the Engineer-in-Chief or equivalent officer of the Department of the State responsible for Dam Safety--Chairperson, ex officio;
(b) technical and scientific officers of the rank of Chief Engineer, not exceeding six persons, from such Departments as may be decided by the State Government or from such other organisations owing specified dams--Members;
(c) the Chief Engineer or equivalent level officer of each such upstream States in cases where reservoir area of any of the specified dam of the State extends to another State--Members;
(d) the Chief Engineer or equivalent level officer of each such downstream State in cases where flood release of any of the specified dam of the State flows to a neighbouring State Members;
(e) one representative of the Central Water Commission not below the rank of Director to be nominated by the Chairman, Central Water Commission--Member;
(f) experts in the field of hydrology or dam designs, not exceeding three, from engineering institutes--Members; and
(g) one representative of the Central Electricity Authority not below the rank of Director to be nominated by the Chairman, Central Electricity Authority--Member.
(2) The State Committee shall be constituted within a period of hundred and eighty days from the date of commencement of this Act, and reconstituted for every three years thereafter.
(a) the Engineer-in-Chief or equivalent officer of the Department of the State responsible for Dam Safety--Chairperson, ex officio;
(b) technical and scientific officers of the rank of Chief Engineer, not exceeding six persons, from such Departments as may be decided by the State Government or from such other organisations owing specified dams--Members;
(c) the Chief Engineer or equivalent level officer of each such upstream States in cases where reservoir area of any of the specified dam of the State extends to another State--Members;
(d) the Chief Engineer or equivalent level officer of each such downstream State in cases where flood release of any of the specified dam of the State flows to a neighbouring State Members;
(e) one representative of the Central Water Commission not below the rank of Director to be nominated by the Chairman, Central Water Commission--Member;
(f) experts in the field of hydrology or dam designs, not exceeding three, from engineering institutes--Members; and
(g) one representative of the Central Electricity Authority not below the rank of Director to be nominated by the Chairman, Central Electricity Authority--Member.
(2) The State Committee shall be constituted within a period of hundred and eighty days from the date of commencement of this Act, and reconstituted for every three years thereafter.
Section 12 Functions of State Committee.
(1) The State Committee shall discharge such functions as specified in the Third Schedule as may be necessary to prevent dam failure related disasters under this Act as per guidelines, standards and other directions on dam safety issued by the Authority.
(2) The State Committee, in discharge of its functions, shall be assisted by such sub-committees as it may consider necessary, and the secretarial assistance to the State Committee as well as its subcommittees shall be provided by the concerned State Dam Safety Organisation.
(2) The State Committee, in discharge of its functions, shall be assisted by such sub-committees as it may consider necessary, and the secretarial assistance to the State Committee as well as its subcommittees shall be provided by the concerned State Dam Safety Organisation.
Section 13 Meetings of State Committee.
(1) The State Committee shall meet at such times and places and shall observe such rules of procedure in regard to the transaction of business at its meetings as may be prescribed by the State Government:
Provided that the State Committee shall meet twice in a year and one meeting shall be held before the onset of the monsoon season.
(2) The State Committee may invite the representative of the owner of any specified dam and such other experts in Dam Safety as it may consider appropriate, for the discharge of its functions.
(3) The expenditure incurred on the meetings of the State Committee shall be in the manner as may be prescribed by the State Government.
(4) The specialist members and other expert invitees who attend the meetings of the State Committee or its sub-committees shall be paid such fees and allowances as may be prescribed by the State Government.
Provided that the State Committee shall meet twice in a year and one meeting shall be held before the onset of the monsoon season.
(2) The State Committee may invite the representative of the owner of any specified dam and such other experts in Dam Safety as it may consider appropriate, for the discharge of its functions.
(3) The expenditure incurred on the meetings of the State Committee shall be in the manner as may be prescribed by the State Government.
(4) The specialist members and other expert invitees who attend the meetings of the State Committee or its sub-committees shall be paid such fees and allowances as may be prescribed by the State Government.
Section 14 Establishment of State Dam Safety Organisation.
(1) The State Government shall, for the purposes of this Act, by notification, establish in the Department dealing with dam safety, a separate organisation, to be known as the State Dam Safety Organisation, within a period of hundred and eighty days from the date of commencement of this Act:
Provided that in States having more than thirty specified dams, the State Dam Safety Organisation shall be headed by an officer not below the rank of Chief Engineer or equivalent, and in all other cases, the State Dam Safety Organisation shall be headed by an officer not below the rank of Superintendent Engineer or equivalent.
(2) The State Dam Safety Organisation shall be responsible to, and report to, the technical head of the Department dealing with Dam Safety.
(3) The organisational structure and work procedures of the State Dam Safety Organisation shall be such as may be prescribed by the State Government.
(4) The administrative and other expenses of the State Dam Safety Organisation shall be borne by the respective State Government.
Provided that in States having more than thirty specified dams, the State Dam Safety Organisation shall be headed by an officer not below the rank of Chief Engineer or equivalent, and in all other cases, the State Dam Safety Organisation shall be headed by an officer not below the rank of Superintendent Engineer or equivalent.
(2) The State Dam Safety Organisation shall be responsible to, and report to, the technical head of the Department dealing with Dam Safety.
(3) The organisational structure and work procedures of the State Dam Safety Organisation shall be such as may be prescribed by the State Government.
(4) The administrative and other expenses of the State Dam Safety Organisation shall be borne by the respective State Government.
Section 15 Officers and employees of State Dam Safety Organisation.
(1) The State Government shall, having regard to the number of specified dams in that State, provide such number of officers and employees to the State Dam Safety Organisation as it may consider necessary for the efficient functioning of the said Organisation:
Provided that the officers and employees shall have such qualifications and experience in the field of dam safety including dam-design, hydro-mechanical engineering, hydrology, geo-technical investigation, instrumentation, dam-rehabilitation or such other field as may be prescribed by the State Government.
(2) The functions and powers of the officers and employees appointed under sub-section (1) shall be such as may be prescribed by the State Government.
Provided that the officers and employees shall have such qualifications and experience in the field of dam safety including dam-design, hydro-mechanical engineering, hydrology, geo-technical investigation, instrumentation, dam-rehabilitation or such other field as may be prescribed by the State Government.
(2) The functions and powers of the officers and employees appointed under sub-section (1) shall be such as may be prescribed by the State Government.
Section 16 Surveillance and inspection.
(1) Every State Dam Safety Organisation shall,---
(a) keep perpetual surveillance;
(b) carry out inspections; and
(c) monitor the operation and maintenance,
of all specified dams falling under their jurisdiction to ensure continued safety of such specified dams and take such measures as may be necessary to address safety concerns that are noticed with a view to achieve satisfactory level of dam safety assurance as per such guidelines, standards and other directions on dam safety as may be specified by the regulations.
(2) The State Dam Safety Organisation, for the purpose of enabling it to make decisions compatible with public safety, shall make or cause to be made such investigations and shall gather or cause to be gathered such data as may be required for proper review and study of the various features of the design, construction, repair and enlargement of dams, reservoirs and appurtenant structures under their jurisdiction.
(a) keep perpetual surveillance;
(b) carry out inspections; and
(c) monitor the operation and maintenance,
of all specified dams falling under their jurisdiction to ensure continued safety of such specified dams and take such measures as may be necessary to address safety concerns that are noticed with a view to achieve satisfactory level of dam safety assurance as per such guidelines, standards and other directions on dam safety as may be specified by the regulations.
(2) The State Dam Safety Organisation, for the purpose of enabling it to make decisions compatible with public safety, shall make or cause to be made such investigations and shall gather or cause to be gathered such data as may be required for proper review and study of the various features of the design, construction, repair and enlargement of dams, reservoirs and appurtenant structures under their jurisdiction.
Section 17 Vulnerability and hazard classification of dams.
The State Dam Safety Organisation shall classify each dam under their jurisdiction as per such vulnerability and hazard classification criteria as may be specified by the regulations.
Section 18 Maintenance of log books.
(1) Every State Dam Safety Organisation shall maintain a log book or database for each specified dam under their jurisdiction recording therein all activities related to the surveillance and inspection and all important events related to dam safety and with such details and in such form as may be specified by the regulations.
(2) Every State Dam Safety Organisation shall furnish all such information to the Authority as and when required by them.
(2) Every State Dam Safety Organisation shall furnish all such information to the Authority as and when required by them.
Section 19 Records of dam failures and dam incidents.
(1) Every State Dam Safety Organisation shall report the event of any dam failure under their jurisdiction to the Authority, and furnish any information as and when required by them.
(2) Every State Dam Safety Organisation shall maintain the records of major dam incidents of each specified dams under their jurisdiction, and furnish all such information to the Authority as and when required by them.
(2) Every State Dam Safety Organisation shall maintain the records of major dam incidents of each specified dams under their jurisdiction, and furnish all such information to the Authority as and when required by them.
Section 20 Instructions on safety of specified dams.
(1) Every State Dam Safety Organisation shall render its instructions to the owner of a specified dam on the safety or the remedial measures required to be taken with respect to it.
(2) Every owner of the specified dam shall comply with the instructions issued by the State Dam Safety Organisation with regard to safety or remedial measures in relation to any specified dam owned by it.
(2) Every owner of the specified dam shall comply with the instructions issued by the State Dam Safety Organisation with regard to safety or remedial measures in relation to any specified dam owned by it.