(a) the number and names of the Dams in the country which are more than hundred
years old, State-wise;
(b) whether the Government has conducted any study regarding the safety of these
Dams;
(c) if so, the findings thereof; and
(d) the follow-up action taken thereon?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES
(SHRI JAI PRAKASH NARAYAN YADAV)
(a) As per latest information available in ‘National Register of Large Dams’ there
are 98 large dams in India which are more than 100 years old. The State-wise list
of such dams is enclosed as Annex I.
(b) Yes Sir. As per the “Dam Safety Procedure†laid down by the Standing Committee for
Dam Safety in India, all large dams (irrespective of their age) are required to be
inspected twice a year during pre and post monsoon periods. These inspections are to
be carried out by the “Dam Safety Organizations†of respective states / owners of
dams; and the consolidated information is to be submitted in the form of annual reports
to “Dam Safety Monitoring Directorate†of Central Water Commission (CWC). As on date,
the consolidated reports for the years 2005 and earlier period have been received from
13 states and from National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) and Damodar Valley
Corporation (DVC).
(c) From the consolidated reports made available to CWC by state governments/ owners
of dam, the major deficiencies observed in case of large dams are as under:
(a) longitudinal cracks on top of dams,
(b) seepage of water through dam body,
(c) sweating of downstream slope.
(d) Chocking of drainage holes,
(e) erosion and damage of concrete in buckets/ stilling basins/ end-seal wall
etc,
(f) scouring downstream of bucket and end seal,
(g) Erosion/ damage to apron floor,
(h) Opening of joints of abutments, transition walls, end-seal walls etc.
(d) At the level of Central Government, a Standing Committee on Dam safety under the
Chairmanship of the Chairman, Central Water Commission was constituted in August 1982.
The Standing Committee finalized the Dam Safety Procedures in July 1986, for periodic
inspection and monitoring of safety status of large dams. This Committee was
reconstituted as the National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS) in October 1987.
The main function of the Committee is to monitor the implementation of action
points on Dam Safety Procedures at the Centre and at the State level. The Committee
also oversees dam safety activities in various States/ Organizations and suggests
improvements to bring these in line with the latest state-of-the-art consistent with
the Indian conditions. It acts as a forum for exchange of views on techniques adopted
for remedial measures for dams in distress.
Since dam owners in India are mostly State Governments with limited financial resources
for rehabilitation of dams, the Dam Safety Assurance & Rehabilitation Project (DSARP)
Phase-I was taken up with the assistance of the World Bank. This project, implemented
in 4 States of Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu under overall guidance
of Central Water Commission, was completed in September 1999 at a cost of Rs.422.95 crore;
and 33 dams were rehabilitated.