Why in News
The main wall of the Bhakra Dam in Himachal Pradesh is reportedly deflecting about 1.77 inches against a permissible limit of about 1.03 inches, prompting the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to commission an emergency structural-safety study by IIT-Roorkee. The development has renewed national attention on the safety of India’s large and ageing dams, governed by the Dam Safety Act, 2021.
About Bhakra Dam
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| River | Sutlej |
| Location | Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh |
| Type | Concrete gravity dam |
| Reservoir | Gobind Sagar |
| Managed by | Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) |
| Significance | One of India’s tallest dams; a foundation of the Green Revolution in north India |
Bhakra is among India’s most important multipurpose dams, providing irrigation to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan and generating hydropower. A deflection beyond the safe limit, while not an immediate failure, is a signal that warrants careful structural assessment.
What Is Being Done
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Emergency study | Commissioned from IIT-Roorkee |
| Broader assessment | Bhakra and Pong dams under the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) |
| Oversight | National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) under the Dam Safety Act, 2021 |
The Dam Safety Framework
India has one of the world’s largest stocks of dams, and many are ageing past their design life. The Dam Safety Act, 2021 created a national framework:
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) | National-level regulator for dam safety |
| National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS) | Evolves dam-safety policies |
| State Dam Safety Organisations (SDSOs) | State-level safety oversight |
The Act mandates regular inspection, risk classification, and emergency action plans for specified dams. The Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP), supported by the World Bank, funds the repair and strengthening of dams across states.
Why It Matters
India operates over 6,000 large dams, a significant share of which are decades old. Structural ageing, sedimentation that reduces reservoir capacity, and more frequent extreme rainfall under climate change together raise the risk of dam distress or failure, with potentially catastrophic downstream consequences. Robust dam safety is therefore both an infrastructure and a disaster-management priority.
UPSC Relevance
Prelims
- Bhakra Dam: on the Sutlej river; Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh; reservoir Gobind Sagar; managed by BBMB
- Safety study commissioned from IIT-Roorkee; broader work under DRIP (World Bank-aided)
- Dam Safety Act, 2021 created the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and State Dam Safety Organisations
- India has over 6,000 large dams
Mains Angles
- GS3 Disaster Management: Examine the risks posed by India’s ageing dams and the adequacy of the Dam Safety Act, 2021.
- GS3 Infrastructure: Discuss the role of the NDSA and DRIP in ensuring dam safety, and the challenge of sedimentation and climate-driven extreme rainfall.
- GS1 Geography: Analyse the role of multipurpose dams like Bhakra in India’s water and power security.
Facts Corner
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dam | Bhakra Dam |
| River | Sutlej |
| Location | Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh |
| Reservoir | Gobind Sagar |
| Managed by | Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) |
| Safety study | IIT-Roorkee |
| Rehabilitation programme | DRIP (World Bank-aided) |
| Law | Dam Safety Act, 2021 |
| Regulator | National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) |
| India’s large dams | Over 6,000 |
Sources: The Tribune, Ministry of Jal Shakti, PIB
Source: Bhakra Dam Tilt Renews Focus on India's Ageing Dam Safety — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
