Himachal Pradesh to review dam safety Act to check excess outflow

Tribune News Service

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, September 23

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said the Himachal Pradesh Government had issued notices to 21 dams for causing inundation of low-lying areas in Kangra and Una districts following heavy rain recently.

Replying to a question asked in the Vidhan Sabha by BJP MLA Vipin Parmar, Sukhu said the Dam Safety Act, 2021, would be reviewed to prevent flooding in the future. “There are provisions in the dam Act for a safety plan in catchment areas, but there are none for belts downstream,” the CM said during the question hour.

The residents of villages under Indora and Fatehpur blocks in Kangra had suffered losses after water was released from Pong Dam by the Bhakra Beas Management Board. “Notices have been issued to 21 dams for releasing massive volume of water,” he said. Himachal was getting Rs 1,800-crore royalty annually by tapping 11,000 MW of power even as the state had hydropower potential of 25,000 MW, he said.

Parmar pointed out that though power generation was taking place in 173 hydel projects in the state, only 23 dams fell within the ambit of the dam safety Act.

Move after flooding

• HP to review dam safety Act to prevent inundation of low-lying areas in the future
• There are no safety provisions in the Act for areas lying downstream of any dam
• Villages in Indora and Fatehpur in Kangra were flooded after release of water from Pong Dam

#Kangra #Shimla #Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu #Una