Will soon have own dam safety Act: Punjab CM

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday told the state Assembly that his government would soon draft a state dam safety Bill.

The statement came after the House unanimously termed the central Dam Safety Act, 2021, an attack on the rights of the state.

Congress legislator Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa had made the demand, terming water issues a state subject.

Mann assured the Congress MLA that a separate Act would be drafted soon. The central Act was promulgated to ensure the safety of dams and prevent disasters.

It establishes a comprehensive framework for surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of dams. It ensures that all stakeholders are aware of their responsibilities and that dams are operated and maintained as per laid down standards and protocols. It also provides for protecting downstream habitations and the environment from the consequences of dam failure.

The central Act applies to specified dams, especially those more than 15 metres in height.