In a proactive move to ensure the robustness and security of its vital water infrastructure, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has officially established a dedicated seven-member expert panel. This initiative is a direct response to the Dam Safety Act, 2021, a pivotal legislation introduced by the Union government aimed at significantly enhancing dam safety standards nationwide.
This newly formed committee boasts an impressive array of specialists, led by the distinguished former Central Water Commission member, J. Chandrashekhar Iyer. Its diverse composition includes top-tier experts in critical fields such as geophysical and geotechnical safety, hydraulic systems, hydro-mechanics, electrical safety, structural engineering, advanced instrumentation, and earthquake safety. This comprehensive expertise ensures a holistic approach to dam integrity assessments.
Under the stringent Central regulations, a thorough, comprehensive safety evaluation for every dam is mandated within five years of the Act’s implementation. Subsequent evaluations are then required every decade, or sooner if deemed necessary by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), ensuring continuous oversight and preventive maintenance.
These exhaustive evaluations will delve deep into the existing data related to each dam’s design, construction, operational history, maintenance records, and overall performance. Furthermore, the assessment will meticulously examine hydrologic and hydraulic conditions, conduct a broad review of seismic safety, and, where critical, undertake detailed, site-specific studies of seismic parameters to guard against potential earthquake risks.
The KSEB has confirmed that all experts appointed to this crucial panel were carefully selected from an authoritative list provided by the NDSA. This selection adheres strictly to the Dam Safety Act, 2021, which explicitly requires that “the owner of a specified dam shall make or cause to be made Comprehensive Dam Safety Evaluation of each specified dam through an independent panel of experts constituted as per regulations for the purpose of determining the conditions of the specified dam and its reservoir.”
Ultimately, the Act underscores the necessity of establishing a robust, multi-tiered institutional framework, both at the national and state levels, to meticulously oversee and ensure the safe, efficient operation of all dams, safeguarding communities and resources.