According to the National Register of Large Dams (NRLD-2023 edition), compiled jointly by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and Central Water Commission(CWC), there are 6,138 constructed and 143 under construction dams which aggregate to a total of 6,281 large dams. Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary said the government enacted the Dam Safety Act, 2021 to address the challenges posed by ageing dams and to prevent disasters arising from dam failures
New Delhi: India has 1,065 large dams that are between 50 and 100 years old while 224 are over a century old, the Jal Shakti Ministry said on Monday.
There are a total of 6,138 constructed and 143 under-construction dams in the country.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary said the government enacted the Dam Safety Act, 2021 to address the challenges posed by ageing dams and to prevent disasters arising from dam failures.
He said dams, apart from serving irrigation and power generation purposes, play a significant role in mitigating floods.
According to the National Register of Large Dams (NRLD-2023 edition), compiled jointly by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and Central Water Commission(CWC), there are 6,138 constructed and 143 under construction dams which aggregate to a total of 6,281 large dams.
Of these numbers, only 224 dams are more than 100 years old and there are 1065 large dams which are 50 to 100 years old.
Choudhary said the government enacted the Dam Safety Act and is also implementing the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Phase II and III, aimed at rehabilitating 736 dams across 19 states and three central agencies.
The CWC’s monthly monitoring reports are publicly accessible, providing transparency and up-to-date information on glacial lake conditions.
The Ministry of Power has identified 47 dams, including 38 commissioned and nine under-construction dams, as potentially affected by GLOFs from glacial lakes in Indian territory. GLOF studies have been completed for 31 of these projects.
Additionally, the Ministry of Earth Sciences, through the National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), has been monitoring two pro-glacial lakes in the Chandra Basin since 2013, contributing to ongoing scientific research in the region.
In the Teesta River Basin, the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS), has prepared a comprehensive status report on glacial lakes in the Sikkim Himalayas.
This study is crucial in understanding the impact of climate change on the region’s glaciers and rivers.
These initiatives underscore the government’s commitment to enhancing disaster preparedness and mitigating the risks associated with GLOFs, particularly in the vulnerable Himalayan region.
The government earlier had said it would review the design of all existing and under-construction dams vulnerable to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, ensuring these dams have adequate spillway capacity to handle extreme flood scenarios.
A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) is a type of outburst flood caused by the failure of a dam containing a glacial lake.
Moreover, conducting GLOF studies has been made mandatory for all new dams planned in areas with glacial lakes.
Choudhary had said the CWC’s measures include monitoring 902 glacial lakes and water bodies across the Himalayan region from June to October each year.
“Subsequent to Teesta-III Hydroelectric dam collapse in October, 2023, Central Water Commission has decided to review the design flood of all the existing and under construction dams vulnerable to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) to ensure their adequate spillway capacity for a combination of Probable Maximum Flood/Standard Probable Flood and GLOF,” he said.
This initiative helps detect changes in the water spread area, particularly focusing on lakes that have expanded significantly, posing potential disaster risks.