International Conference on Dam Safety (ICDS) to Focus on Dam Maintenance and Governance

Summarize with:

Rajneesh De, Consulting Editor, APAC News Network

The two-day International Conference on Dam Safety-2023 will be organized in Jaipur on September 14-15, 2023 by the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India in collaboration with the Rajasthan Water Resources Department, Central Water Commission, National Dam Safety Authority, MNIT Jaipur, WAPCOS Ltd, World Bank and the AIIB. The Conference is supported by reputed organizing partners, academic partners, DRIP Implementing Agencies, sponsors and media partners.

“This will be a landmark event in bringing different countries together, their experts and practitioners to discuss about major issues in the field of dam safety. The focus will be on maintenance and operations of our water infrastructure and how we have to face coming challenges posed by climate change,” opined Pankaj Kumar, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation.

Debashree Mukherjee, Special Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation concurred that the conference should result in practices and outcomes that could be followed up by the respective participating countries and organizations. “In light of the climate change and the growing importance of water conservation, dam safety and maintenance is becoming critical. In this situation, the Indian Parliament has enacted the Dam Safety Act in 2021 under which the pace of risk assessments of banks and the necessary actions to be taken thereof has accelerated. This discussion will be at the forefront of the International Conference on Dam Safety in Jaipur,” she added.

Pankaj Kumar beautifully illustrated this risk assessment acceleration outcome of the Dam Safety Act. “Previously, about 1200 dams used to be assessed annually.”. Post the Act enactment, approximately 6,000 dams are assessed once in the pre-monsoon season and once again post-monsoon. “That means not only dam assessments are now being done twice a year, but the number of assessments too has increased ten fold to over 12,000,” he concluded.

India has a large population of ageing dams, most built immediately after Independence and some even earlier. As a result, most of our dams are either 100 years, 75 years or at least 50 years old and so they need to be looked after, emphasized Pankaj Kumar. “We have been pretty liberal with our rehabilitation and resettlement programs for people living on lands where dams are built, but this cost of rehabilitation has now gone up.” In addition, in case a dam is decommissioned, it is difficult to construct a new dam in that same land because of geological reasons, he asserted. All these points will come up for discussion at the International Conference on Dam Safety.

The Conference has invited all stakeholders including 22 state governments and other agencies who will have technical sessions to discuss on all aspects of dam safety and maintenance. As per Mukherjee, there will be overseas presence too including delegates from the likes of Nigeria who will take part in sharing of best practices in this field.

Under the World Bank funded Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project DRIP Phase-I program, which was implemented during April 2012 to March 2021, 223 existing dams located in 7 States have been comprehensively audited and rehabilitated at a cost of Rs. 2,567 crore. After completion of DRIP Phase- I programme, Government of India has taken up DRIP Phase-II & III scheme. The scheme envisages rehabilitation and safety improvement of 736 dams located in 19 States, with a budget outlay of Rs. 10,211 Crore. The scheme is of 10 years duration. DRIP Phase-II has become operational from 12th October 2021, and is being co-financed by the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank.

As per both Pankaj Kumar and Debashree Mukherjee, several good case studies were there during DRIP Phase I and more case studies are emerging during Phase II. In addition, some state governments have done exemplary work in dam safety and maintenance. At least 12 such case studies would be presented at the conference and their experiences and outcomes will be shared using the International Conference on Dam Safety as a platform.

The focus aspects of DRIP @ International Conference on Dam Safety 2023 include safe dams for a secure future, improving structural resilience, improving monitoring, preparing for emergencies, creating a new pool of dam professionals, greater focus on dam maintenance and mainstreaming new practices through legislation.

Debashree Mukherjee emphasized that the International Conference on Dam Safety will focus on best practices in dam safety management & governance, dam health assessment, best practices on dam rehabilitation, reservoir sediment management, operations, maintenance and emergency management, lessons from dam failures & dam incidents, risk assessment and dam rehabilitation techniques & materials.