RAJYA SABHA
‘The Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation Act 2003’ passed by the State legislature empowers the State Government to decommission a dam.
This Act provides for constitution of a Dam Safety Authority, which is to be headed by a retired Judge of the High Court. Other members of the Dam Safety Authority will be eminent specialist in the field, officers from the various State Government Departments and Chief Engineer, Central Water Commission, Government of India. Relevant provision of this Act regarding decommissioning of dam are as under 62(e) to advise Government to suspend the functioning of any dam if the public safety so demands; 62(f) to examine the precariousness of any dam, in public interest and to submit its recommendations including decommissioning of dam to the Government; and 62(5) the disbanding, construction or reconstruction of any dam shall be made only after obtaining a report in that regard from the Authority.
This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Water Resources, Smt. Bijoya Chakravarty in written reply to a question from Shri K. Rama Mohana Rao in the Rajya Sabha today.
(Release ID :457)