By IANS
New Delhi : Although 99 large-sized dams in the country are over 100 years old, there are no concerns about their safety, Minister of State for Water Resources Jai Prakash Narayan said here Tuesday.
The minister was replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian parliament.
“It cannot be said that the time limit of utility for most of them has expired, as they are still being utilised for the purpose for which they were built,” he said, dispelling apprehensions raised about the safety of old dams in the country.
Any properly engineered and maintained dam has no limit of life with regard to its safety, said the minister, adding that according to records available with the Central Water Commission, no dam has been reported weak.
The minister pointed out that maintenance of the dams was the responsibility of the dam owners and respective state governments.
At national level, a dam safety organisation (DSO) was established in the Central Water Commission in May 1979 to develop guidelines for safety of dams.
These guidelines have been provided to all states for their field engineers, the minister said.
The ministry has prepared a draft legislation on dam safety, which has been circulated to all states for their inputs, the minister said.