**Executive Summary**
The 12th meeting of the National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS) was held on July 17, 2026, to evaluate the implementation of the Dam Safety Act, 2021, and address emerging infrastructure threats. The committee reached agreements on new safety regulations, technical guidelines, and academic collaborations for capacity building. A critical statutory deadline of December 2026 was set for states to complete mandatory safety evaluations and emergency action plans.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Regulatory and Technical Frameworks**
* Development of a new regulation focusing on the surveillance and security of specified dams.
* Amendment of safety inspection checklists and the inclusion of dam safety chapters in Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).
* Establishment of an accreditation system for agencies involved in dam investigation, design, and construction.
* Finalization of technical guidelines for hazard classification, risk assessment, and reservoir rule curves.
* **Capacity Building and Education**
* Continued nomination of engineers for postgraduate programs at IIT Roorkee and IISc Bengaluru to ensure sustainable expertise.
* Expansion of training initiatives through regional institutions, including NIT Surat, NIT Calicut, NIT Nagpur, IIT Guwahati, and NIT Shillong.
* Encouragement for dam owners to pursue independent collaborations with academic institutions for customized training and support services.
* **Operational Challenges and Case Studies**
* Emphasis on addressing reservoir sedimentation and the potential for new regulations to manage this issue.
* Technical presentations and reviews of recent dam failures, including Luti Tank, Rajadera, Teesta Stage-III, and Madhopur barrage.
* Review of ongoing dredging activities at Bisalpur Dam to maintain reservoir capacity.
**Impact Analysis**
**States and State Dam Safety Organisations (SDSOs)**
**Impact:** These entities are under increased pressure to meet statutory requirements and strengthen their organizational capacity to implement the Dam Safety Act.
**Action Required:** They must expedite mandatory compliances, specifically comprehensive safety evaluations and risk assessment studies, for all specified dams before the December 2026 deadline.
**Dam Owners**
**Impact:** Owners are responsible for the ongoing surveillance, maintenance, and technical upskilling of their personnel.
**Action Required:** Owners must prepare Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) manuals, nominate engineers for specialized degree programs, and explore technical collaborations for safety services.
**Academic and Technical Institutions**
**Impact:** Institutions such as IITs and NITs are positioned as primary partners in providing the technical foundation and specialized training for dam safety.
**Action Required:** They are expected to provide customized training and support services to dam owners and continue facilitating postgraduate education in dam safety.
Key Entities Referenced
National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS): The primary committee responsible for evolving policies and recommending regulations regarding dam safety standards and their implementation across India.
Dam Safety Act, 2021: The central legislation providing the legal framework for the surveillance, inspection, operation, and maintenance of specified dams to ensure their safe functioning.
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The nodal ministry responsible for dam safety initiatives, including capacity building and overseeing the implementation of the Dam Safety Act.
Central Water Commission: The technical body whose Chairman leads the NCDS and which provides technical expertise for dam safety regulations and evaluations.
State Dam Safety Organisations: State-level entities responsible for the field implementation of dam safety protocols and ensuring compliance with the Dam Safety Act within their jurisdictions.
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
12th Meeting of the National Committee on Dam
Safety (NCDS) held in New Delhi
प्रव तथ: 17 JUL 2026 7:33PM by PIB Delhi
12th Meeting of the National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS) was held on July 17, 2026 under the
Chairmanship of Chairman Central Water Commission, at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, Janpath,
New Delhi. The meeting was attended by official members of ten central ministries/departments, seven
States, two dam safety experts in addition to all Head of State Dam Safety Organisations and other special
invitees.
In the inaugural remarks, the Chairman, NCDS highlighted the significant progress made in implementing
the Dam Safety Act, 2021 through the notification of regulations, issuance of technical guidelines, and
development of key dam safety documents, while stressing the need to expedite critical activities such as
Emergency Action Plans, Comprehensive Dam Safety Evaluations, O&M Manuals, and Risk Assessment
studies etc. The Chair also emphasised addressing emerging challenges related to reservoir sedimentation
and dam surveillance and security, strengthening State Dam Safety Organisations, and ensuring timely
implementation of the Act through constructive deliberations on the agenda items.
Detailed deliberations were held and Committee finally agreed to work on new regulation on surveillance
and security of specified dams keeping in view emerging threats to this water infrastructure, amendment in
regulation dealing with safety inspection check lists for specified dams, finalisation of chapter on dam
safety to be include in the Guidelines for preparation of Detailed Project Report under the Section of the
Act regarding construction or alteration of dams, accreditation of agencies dealing with investigations,
design, construction and quality control, finalisation of framework for report preparation of dam failure
and constitution of expert panels, preparation of technical guidelines on hazard classification of dams, risk
assessment of dams, instrument of specified dams and its catchment, emergency action plan, operation and
maintenance manuals including finalisation of reservoir rule curves, regular nomination of working
engineers by dam owners for ongoing post graduate degree programs on dam safety by IIT Roorkee and
IISc Bengaluru to ensure sustainability of this initiatives of Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. It
was also decided to explore engagement of regional institutions such as NIT Surat, NIT Calicut, NIT
Nagpur and IIT Guwahati along with NIT Shillong as a part of capacity strengthening of dam owners etc.
the Committee also asked the dam owners to explore the independent collaborations with the technical and
academic institutions especially for customised training and dam safety support services. The Commiteee
also deliberated whether there is any requirement to bring the new regulation to deal with this challenge of
reservoir sedimentation.
Detailed technical presentations were also made before the Committee on recent dam failures by
concerned dam owners which include Luti Tank and Rajadera dam failures by Chhattisgarh Water
Resources Department, Teesta Stage-III dam failure by Sikkim Urja Limited, Madhopur barrage failure by
Punjab Water Resources Department, and ongoing reservoir dredging activities being undertaken at
Bisalpur Dam by Rajasthan Water Grid Corporation.At the conclusion of the meeting, Chairman requested all the States to expedite the mandatory
compliances especially comprehensive dam safety evaluation, preparation of emergency action plan and
risk assessment study of every specified dams within the stipulated statutory deadlines (i.e. upto
December 2026).*******
ND/HM
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