Emergency action plan

Section 36 of the Dam Safety Act, 2021 deals with emergency action plan. Every owner of a specified dam, in respect of each of specified dam, shall,--- (a) prepare emergency action plan before allowing the initial filling of the reservoir and thereafter update such plans at regular intervals; The Act came into force on 30 Dec 2021.

(1) Every owner of a specified dam, in respect of each of specified dam, shall,---

(a) prepare emergency action plan before allowing the initial filling of the reservoir and thereafter update such plans at regular intervals;

(b) in respect of the dam which is constructed and filled before the commencement of this Act, prepare emergency action plan within five years from the date of commencement of this Act and thereafter update such plans at regular intervals as may be specified by the regulations.

(2) The emergency action plan referred to in sub-section (1) shall,---

(a) set out the procedures to be followed for the protection of persons and property upstream or downstream of the specified dam in the event of an actual or imminent dam failure or to mitigate the effects of the disaster;

(b) include therein,---

(i) the type of emergencies which are likely to occur in the operation of any reservoir;

(ii) identification of the likely catastrophic flood in the event of any dam failure, along with probable areas, population, structures and installations likely to be adversely affected due to flood water released from the reservoir;

(iii) warning procedures, inundation maps and advance preparations for handling efficiently and in the best possible manner the likely adverse situations especially to avoid loss of human life;

(iv) such other matters which may having regard to the geographical conditions, size of the dam and other relevant factors as may be necessary.

(3) The emergency action plan under this section shall be put into action as and when conditions arise which are hazardous or likely to be hazardous to a specified dam or potentially hazardous to public safety, infrastructure, other property or to the environment.

(4) Every owner of the specified dam shall, while preparing and updating the emergency action plan, undertake a consultation process with all disaster management agencies and other Departments of the State entrusted with disaster management and relief in the area likely to be affected and owners of other dams in the immediate vicinity likely to be affected, so as to bring coordination and transparency and allay any unwarranted fear on dam safety issues.

Section 36, The Dam Safety Act, 2021 (Act 41 of 2021).