Emergency action plans updated for 735 of 6,598 specified dams: Centre

New Delhi: The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) has prepared and updated emergency action plans (EAPs) for 735 of the country's 6,598 completed and operational specified dams as on July 30, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.

Raising the issue of emergency action plans for major dams in the Rajya Sabha, MP Mohammed Nadimul Haque sought to know from the Minister of Jal Shakti C R Patil the number of major dams in the country without updated emergency action plans as on date, along with the state-wise details.

In a written reply, Patil said, "As per the information available on the DHARMA Portal maintained by the NDSA, there are 6,598 completed and operational specified dams in the country. Out of these, EAPs have been prepared and updated for 735 dams as on July 30, 2026."


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The minister said the National Dam Safety Authority, in pursuance of its statutory mandate under the Dam Safety Act, 2021 (DSA) maintains a comprehensive database of all specified dams in the country based on information furnished by the respective state governments and other dam owners.

He said the information is available on the DHARMA (Dam Health and Rehabilitation Monitoring Application) portal maintained by the NDSA.

"As per the provisions of the DSA, 2021, the responsibility for the preparation, periodic review and updating of Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) rests with the respective dam owners," he said.

The state and Union Territory-wise status tabled by the minister showed that Maharashtra has 2,713 specified dams, of which 65 have EAPs, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 1,370 specified dams and 33 EAPs, Gujarat with 524 dams and 39 EAPs, Chhattisgarh with 317 dams and four EAPs, and Rajasthan with 313 dams and 164 EAPs.

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Assam has prepared EAPs for all its three specified dams, while Nagaland and Tripura have updated EAPs for their lone specified dam each, according to the statement.1