National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA)

Context

Rakesh Kashyap, Chief Engineer, Central Water Commission (CWC), has been appointed Chairman of the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) with Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approval. The NDSA has also directed time-bound dam safety evaluation and rehabilitation of Category-II dams in Jharkhand.

About NDSA

1. Statutory Authority: Established under the Dam Safety Act, 2021 and notified in 2022 under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
2. Headquarters: New Delhi.
3. Composition: Headed by a Chairman, assisted by five Members overseeing Technical; Policy & Research; Regulation; Disaster & Resilience; and Administration & Finance.
4. Regional Presence: Has four regional offices covering North, East & North-East, West, and South India.

Key Functions

1. Policy Implementation: Implements policies, guidelines and standards framed by the National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS).
2. Inspection & Monitoring: Sets guidelines for dam inspection, investigation and safety assessment.
3. Dispute Resolution: Resolves issues between State Dam Safety Organisations (SDSOs) and between SDSOs and dam owners.
4. Technical Support: Provides technical assistance to SDSOs and dam owners.
5. Accreditation: Accredits agencies involved in dam investigation, design, construction and alteration.
6. Safety Oversight: Maintains a national dam-safety database, investigates major dam failures and prescribes standards for hazard classification, instrumentation and qualified personnel.

Significance

1. National Coordination: Provides a common dam-safety framework and coordinates with State-level institutions.
2. Risk Reduction: Promotes regular inspections, risk assessment and early identification of structural and operational risks.
3. Disaster Preparedness: Strengthens Emergency Action Plans and rehabilitation measures to reduce downstream risks.
4. Large Dam Network: Its role is important given India’s 6,281 specified dams, including 6,138 operational and 143 under construction, as per the National Register of Large Dams, 2023.

FAQs

Q1. What is the National Dam Safety Authority?
Ans: NDSA is a statutory authority under the Dam Safety Act, 2021. It regulates and oversees implementation of national dam-safety standards.

Q2. Where is the headquarters of NDSA?
Ans: Its headquarters is in New Delhi.

Q3. Who develops the policies implemented by NDSA?
Ans: The National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS) evolves dam-safety policies and recommends regulations.

Q4. What is the role of State Dam Safety Organisations?
Ans: SDSOs function at the State level for dam-safety oversight. NDSA coordinates with them, provides technical support and resolves certain inter-institutional issues.