Why in news?
A recent Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution demands that the Centre keeps the Dam Safety Bill 2018 in abeyance.
What is the Bill on?
- The objective is to help all states and Union Territories adopt uniform dam safety procedures.
- The Bill is to address all issues concerning dam safety including
- regular inspection of dams
- emergency action plan
- comprehensive dam safety review
- adequate repair and maintenance funds for dam safety
- Instrumentation and Safety Manuals
- It proposes a National Committee and State Committees on Dam Safety.
- The National Committee will formulate policies and regulations on Dam Safety.
What is the NDSA?
- The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) will mediate with the state organisations and dam owners.
- It works for standardisation of dam safety-related data and practices.
- Besides, it -
- gives dam safety assistance
- maintains a national-level database of dams with records of failures
- looks after design or construction of new dams
- eliminates inter-state disputes
What is the need?
- Most dams in India are constructed and maintained by the states.
- Some of the bigger ones are managed by autonomous bodies.
- E.g. Damodar Valley Corporation or Bhakra Beas Management Board
- There is lack of legal and institutional architecture for dam safety in India.
- This has kept the dam safety an issue of concern for long.
- Unsafe dams are a hazard and dam break may cause disasters.
- The Centre has come up with the Bill when about 450 dams are being constructed.
Why is Tamil Nadu opposing?
- The TN resolution proposed that the Bill had contentious clauses.
- The Bill allows the NDSA to inspect dams situated across intra-state rivers.
- This is being viewed as an attempt to encroach on the state’s powers and rights.
- This is especially with respect to Dams constructed by the State Government in the neighbouring State.
- It is said to cause various problems in their maintenance and operation.
- It wants the Centre to arrive at a consensus with the states.
- Till then, it asks the Centre to keep in abeyance the process of legislating on the Bill.
What is the Mullaperiyar issue?
- Tamil Nadu owns dams in Mullaperiyar, Parambikulam, Thunakadavu and Peruvaripallam in Kerala.
- The two states have engaged in dispute over the Mullaperiyar dam.
- Tamil Nadu government wants to raise the water level to 142 feet and carry out repair.
- But Kerala has opposed it citing safety threats.
- Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation (Amendment) Act 2006 limits the full reservoir level to 136 feet.
- The Supreme Court had struck down the Act, and the order went against Kerala.
- Eventually, an SC team inspected the dam and confirmed that the dam was safe.
- Given this, the latest move by the Centre has made Tamil Nadu cautious about its authority and assets.
- More objections are likely to follow from other states as well.
Source: Indian Express
