Jurisdiction of State Dam Safety Organisation and Authority

Section 24 of the Dam Safety Act, 2021 deals with jurisdiction of State Dam Safety Organisation and Authority. Without prejudice to the provisions of this Act, all specified dams, shall fall under the jurisdiction of the State Dam Safety Organisation of the State in which such dam is situated in matters relating to dam inspections, analysis of information, investigation reports or recommendations regarding s The Act came into force on 30 Dec 2021.

(1) Without prejudice to the provisions of this Act, all specified dams, shall fall under the jurisdiction of the State Dam Safety Organisation of the State in which such dam is situated in matters relating to dam inspections, analysis of information, investigation reports or recommendations regarding safety status, and remedial measures to be undertaken to improve dam safety; and in all such matters, full co-operation shall be extended by the owner of the specified dam:

Provided that where a specified dam is owned by a Central Public Sector Undertaking or where a specified dam is extended over two or more States, or where the specified dam in one State is owned by another State, then the Authority shall be construed as the State Dam Safety Organisation for the purposes of this Act:

Provided further that in all such dams where the Authority takes up the role of State Dam Safety Organisation, the Governments of the States within the jurisdiction of which such dams are located shall have access to all information relating to these specified dams as available with the Authority.

(2) The authorised representative of the Authority or concerned State Dam Safety Organisation for the purposes of making any inspection or investigation necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this Act, may enter upon any part of the specified dam or its site as and when required and apply such investigation methods, as may be considered necessary.

(3) After making inspection or investigation under sub-section (2), the representative referred to in that sub-section is of the opinion that certain remedial measures are required to be taken, he shall report such remedial measures to the officer-in-charge of such specified dam and to the concerned State Dam Safety Organisation.

(4) The Authority and concerned State Dam Safety Organisation, in cases of specified dams being found to be distressed on account of their age, degeneration, degradation, structural or other impediments, shall suggest such remedial measures on such operational parameters (including maximum reservoir level, maximum spillway discharge and maximum discharges through other outlets) as it may consider necessary.

(5) Nothing contained in sub-sections (1), (2), (3) and (4) shall absolve the owner of specified dam or any other authority or person from any of the responsibilities or obligations entrusted upon it under the provisions of this Act and the provisions of sub-sections (1), (2), (3) and (4) shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, any other provision of this Act.

Section 24, The Dam Safety Act, 2021 (Act 41 of 2021).