**Executive Summary**
This document, released on December 4, 2025, provides the status of de-silting of dams in Haryana, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh based on the National Register of Specified Dams 2025. It highlights the dam rehabilitation efforts and includes the extent of silt accumulation compared to the original design capacity in these states. The data was provided in a written reply in Lok Sabha.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Dam Inventory:**
* Haryana has 3 specified dams.
* Punjab has 15 specified dams.
* Himachal Pradesh has 24 specified dams.
* A breakdown of current gross storage capacity versus original gross storage capacity is available in the Annexure.
* **State Responsibilities and Government Support:**
* Water resource projects are primarily managed by State Governments.
* The Department of Water Resources provides technical and financial assistance.
* Assistance includes Repair, Renovation, and Restoration (RRR) and Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP).
* **DRIP Phase-II & III Scheme:**
* Provision for de-siltation of selected dams in participating States/agencies is subject to techno-economic viability.
* Punjab Water Resources Department and Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) are implementing agencies under DRIP-II & III.
* Haryana and Himachal Pradesh are not part of this scheme.
* **Punjab's De-Silting Efforts:**
* Punjab has undertaken de-siltation of 13 dams in the Kandi area using its own funds.
* De-siltation is in progress at four dams: Chohal, Siswan, Saleran, and Thana.
* Punjab has submitted proposals for forest clearance for the remaining nine dams.
* **Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) Initiatives:**
* BBMB has not yet initiated de-siltation in Bhakra and Pong reservoirs.
* BBMB is planning a pilot project for de-siltation of the Bhakra reservoir under the DRIP Phase-II & III Scheme, envisaged as a revenue-generating mode.
* **Himachal Pradesh Silt Removal:**
* Most dam-owning agencies in Himachal Pradesh remove silt through periodic flushing operations as per the Operation & Maintenance (O&M) Manual, typically during the monsoon season.
* **Dam Rehabilitation:**
* Punjab and BBMB are participating in DRIP Phase-II & III for dam rehabilitation.
* Punjab is rehabilitating 12 dams with an allocation of Rs. 442 Crore.
* BBMB is rehabilitating 2 dams with an allocation of Rs. 230 Crore.
* Both agencies formally joined the DRIP Phase-II & III Scheme in October 2025.
* **Dam Safety Act and Regulations:**
* The Dam Safety Act was enacted in December 2021.
* The Act provides a framework for surveillance, inspection, operations, and maintenance of large dams.
* The goal is to ensure safe functioning and avoid dam failure disasters.
* **Monitoring and Information Access:**
* The Central Water Commission monitors 166 major reservoirs via the Reservoir Storage Monitoring System (RSMS).
* A weekly bulletin is issued and uploaded on the RSMS portal for public access.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments (Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh)**
* **Impact:** They are responsible for planning, executing, operating, and maintaining water resources projects and ensuring dam safety within their respective states. They may receive technical and financial assistance from the Department of Water Resources.
* **Action Required:** Continue managing their dam operations, implement de-silting programs, and ensure compliance with the Dam Safety Act. The Government of Punjab should follow up on its forest clearance proposals.
**Punjab Water Resources Department**
* **Impact:** They are an implementing agency under DRIP-II & III, which affects their dam rehabilitation and de-silting efforts.
* **Action Required:** Continue implementing the DRIP-II & III Scheme and progress with the de-siltation works at the four dams currently in progress.
**Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB)**
* **Impact:** They are an implementing agency under DRIP-II & III and are contemplating a pilot project for de-silting.
* **Action Required:** Progress with the planned pilot project for de-silting of the Bhakra reservoir and continue to manage their other reservoirs.
**Central Water Commission**
* **Impact:** Responsible for monitoring reservoir storage capacity and disseminating information to the public.
* **Action Required:** Continue monitoring reservoirs and issuing weekly bulletins via the RSMS portal.
Key Entities Referenced
Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP): A Government of India scheme aimed at the rehabilitation and safety enhancement of dams.
Dam Safety Act: A Union Government act to provide a framework for proper surveillance, inspection, operations and maintenance of large dams.
Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB): An organization involved in the management of dams and participating in the DRIP.
Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh: States where de-silting of dams is taking place.
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The ministry responsible for water resources management, which issued the report.
Ministry of Jal Shakti
STATUS OF DE-SILTING OF DAMS IN HARYANA,
PUNJAB AND HIMACHAL PRADESH
प्रव तथ: 04 DEC 2025 6:13PM by PIB Delhi
According to the National Register of Specified Dams, 2025 compiled by the National Dam Safety
Authority, Haryana has 3 specified dams, Punjab has 15, and Himachal Pradesh has 24. The current gross
storage capacity of 24 reservoirs across these states, as assessed through recent surveys, is given at
Annexure.
'Water' being a state subject; planning, execution and operation and maintenance of water resources
projects are carried out by the State Governments from their own resources and as per their own
requirements and priority. In order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments, the Department of
Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation provides technical and financial assistance
to encourage sustainable development and efficient management of water resources through various
schemes and programmes such as Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of water bodies and Dam
Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) etc.
Under the ongoing externally funded DRIP Phase-II & III Scheme, provision has been made for de-
siltation of selected dams in participating States/agencies, subject to the techno-economic viability of the
proposals. At present, the Punjab Water Resources Department and the Bhakra Beas Management Board
(BBMB) are the implementing agencies under DRIP-II & III, whereas Haryana and Himachal Pradesh are
not part of this Scheme.
The Government of Punjab has conveyed that it has undertaken the de-siltation of 13 dams located in the
Kandi area using its own financial resources. At present, de-siltation works are in progress at four dams
namely Chohal, Siswan, Saleran, and Thana. For the remaining nine dams, the Government of Punjab has
submitted proposals to the Government of India seeking forest clearance.
Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has, till date, not initiated de-siltation activities in its two major
storage reservoirs, namely Bhakra and Pong. However, BBMB has contemplated a pilot project for de-
siltation of the Bhakra reservoir under the DRIP Phase-II & III Scheme. This initiative is envisaged in a
revenue-generation mode; accordingly, no separate fund requirement for the de-siltation of the Bhakra
reservoir is anticipated.
In Himachal Pradesh, most dam-owning agencies undertake silt removal from reservoirs through periodic
flushing operations, carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Operation & Maintenance (O&M)
Manual, typically during the monsoon season.Further, the Government of Punjab and BBMB are participating in the DRIP Phase-II & III Scheme for the
rehabilitation of their dams. Under this Scheme, Punjab is undertaking rehabilitation of 12 dams with an
allocation of Rs. 442 Crore, while BBMB is rehabilitating 2 dams with an allocation of Rs. 230 Crore.
These two agencies formally joined the DRIP Phase-II & III Scheme recently in October 2025.
As per the Compendium on Sedimentation of Reservoirs in India – Vol. II: Details of Individual
Reservoirs, published by the Central Water Commission in 2024, along with information furnished by the
respective States, the extent of silt accumulation in these dams relative to their original design capacity has
been assessed through recent surveys conducted in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana. The detailed
findings are enclosed as Annexure.
Responsibility for safety of dams, including its operation and maintenance rests primarily with dam
owners which are mostly the State Governments and Central/State Public Sector Units.
In order to address the dam safety issues holistically, Union Government has enacted the Dam Safety Act
in December 2021. The Act provides a comprehensive frame work for proper surveillance, inspection,
operations and maintenance of all the large (specified) dams of the country for ensuring their safe
functioning and to avoid dam failure related disasters.
In addition to this regulatory reform, the Government of India is implementing the Dam Rehabilitation
and Improvement Project (DRIP), Phase-II & III with external funding support. The scheme aims at the
rehabilitation and safety enhancement of 736 dams across 19 States, with a total budget outlay of Rs.
10,211 crore and a duration of 10 years. Notably, DRIP Phase-II became operational on 12th October
2021.
Moreover, the Central Water Commission monitors the live storage capacity of 166 major reservoirs
across the country including three in Himachal Pradesh and one in Punjab through the Reservoir Storage
Monitoring System (RSMS) and issues a weekly bulletin. This bulletin is also uploaded on the RSMS
portal for public access. Such open availability of information supports informed decision-making,
enabling better planning for irrigation, drinking water supply, flood management, and drought
preparedness.
The information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI SHRI RAJ
BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
***
ND
(Lok Sabha US Q717)ANNEXURE
ANNEXURE REFERRED IN QUESTION NO. 717 ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 04.12.2025
REGARDING “STATUS OF DE-SILTING OF DAMS IN HARYANA, PUNJAB AND HIMACHAL
PRADESH”
Extent of silt accumulation in the dams compared to their original design capacity,
based on recent surveys
S.No. State Name of Dam Original Gross Current Gross Loss of Storage
Storage Storage Capacity Capacity
Capacity (MCM) (MCM)
(MCM)
1. Ranjit Sagar 3280 3090 190
Dam
2. Shahpurkandi 120.71 120 0.71
Dam
3. Maili 4.811 2.46 2.351
Punjab
4. Dholbaha 13.321 9.51 3.811
5. Janauri 2.1 0.94 1.16
6. Damsal 6.69 3.18 3.51
7. Perch 1.25 0.01 1.24
8. Mirzapur 4.3 1.13 3.17
9. Jainti 2.872 2.21 0.662
10. Siswan 4.8 2.9 1.9
11. Patiari 7.92 1.73 6.19
12. Thana 3.827 2.79 1.037
13. Nara 1.96 1.66 0.3
14. Nangal 25.22 19 6.2215. Bhakra 9868 7300 2568
16. Beas 8570 7380 1190
Himachal
17. Pandoh 41 41 0
Pradesh
18. ADHPL 0.224 0.224 0
19. Baira 3.75 0.70 3.05
20. Chamera-I 391 195.10 195.9
21. Chamera-II 2 1.68 0.32
22. Chamera-III 5 2.97 2.03
23. Parbati-III 2 1.21 0.79
24. Haryana Kaushalya Dam 13.68 12.42 1.26
(रलीज़ आईडी: 2198928) आगंतुक पटल : 266
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