Letters: Neglect of dams

With reference to “Dams in troubled waters” (March 7), it has been rightly pointed out that a majority of the dams in India has now become obsolete in terms of construction and technology. In India dams have always been shrouded with some controversy or the other, mostly related to their construction and the displacement caused to the neighbouring habitats. What had been termed as “temples of the modern India” by former PM Jawaharlal Nehru have transformed into “ancient” temples with the passage of time. Primarily, two attempts have already been made by the government of India to come up with a Dam Safety Bill, once under the United Progressive Alliance in 2010 and the other under the ruling National Democratic Alliance regime in 2014. However, the two efforts have not fruitioned till date. Once passed, this Bill would fix accountability in case any disaster strikes. Moreover, it will help create a mechanism for surveillance, inspection and operation of all dams to ensure their safe functioning.

In addition to getting a law on safety of dams, India has been implementing a Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project, a World Bank-assisted programme started in 2011 and implemented in Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. This project involves rehabilitation work of 223 dams, of which 68 cases have already been cleared for rehabilitation. The present situation should be taken serious note of as the aftermath of dam failure is already known to Indian citizens. For instance, Bhakra dam, which is located in Himachal Pradesh and is one of the biggest in India and the third largest reservoir, is more than half a century old. This region lies in the seismic zone 4, which is a highly earthquake prone. Thus, in case of any natural calamity the dam has the potential to practically wash out the cities of Chandigarh and Ludhiana and parts of Haryana and Delhi. Thus, the situation warrants serious government attention.

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