The 11th meeting of the National Committee on Dam Safety was recently held in New Delhi, bringing together central ministries, technical agencies, state authorities and domain experts to review dam safety policies and emerging challenges.

Chaired by Anupam Prasad, Chairman of the Central Water Commission, the meeting reviewed progress under the Dam Safety Act, 2021, and highlighted capacity gaps among dam-owning agencies. Participants included representatives from the National Dam Safety Authority, National Disaster Management Authority, India Meteorological Department and Geological Survey of India, along with officials from seven states and three Union Territories.

Key agenda items included standard operating procedures for Comprehensive Dam Safety Evaluation, pre-initial filling plans, risk assessment frameworks and approval mechanisms for new and existing dam projects. The Committee recommended strengthening draft frameworks, constituting expert panels for national-level risk assessment and enhancing coordination between Centre and States to ensure effective implementation of dam safety regulations.