Rajya Sabha passes the Dam Safety Bill, 2019 on December 2, 2021. Earlier, the bill was passed by Lok Sabha on August 2, 2019 and has now cleared by the Rajya Sabha with two official amendments through a voice vote. One of the amendments relates to the change in the year mentioned in the bill title from 2019 to 2021. The bill will now go back to the Lok Sabha.
Key Highlights:
- The bill seeks to establish an institutional mechanism to ensure the safe functioning of specific dams in the country.
- It provides for the surveillance, inspection, operation, and maintenance of all specified dams across the country. These are dams with height more than 15 meters, or height between 10 meters to 15 meters with certain design and structural conditions.
- There would be two national bodies: the National Committee on Dam Safety and the National Dam Safety Authority.
- The National Committee on Dam Safety would deal with evolving policies and recommending regulations regarding dam safety standards.
- The National Dam Safety Authority would deal with implementing policies of the National Committee, providing technical assistance to State Dam Safety Organisations (SDSOs), and resolving matters between SDSOs of states or between a SDSO and any dam owner in that state.
- There would also be two state bodies: State Committee on Dam Safety, and State Dam Safety Organisation. They will be responsible for the surveillance, inspection, and monitoring the operation and maintenance of dams within their jurisdiction.
- Contravention of provisions of the bill can lead to imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine, or both.