Govt enhancing capacity in dam safety

The World Bank-assisted Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) is working on 225 dams in seven States which are experiencing different levels of distress.

Owners of these dams require technical support for the investigation of dam conditions and supporting rehabilitation efforts, said a note from the Press Information Bureau on 30 August 2017.

Following up the efforts, the Indian Government has decided to enhance the capability of selected premier academic institutes in dam safety areas so that they, in turn, carry out field investigations and material testing, and provide training and consulting services to the dam owners in their dam rehabilitation efforts.

For this, the Central Water Commission (CWC) has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with NIT Calicut and NIT Rourkela to support dam rehabilitation efforts of various implementing agencies and CWC.

Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has taken on board selected premier academic and research institutes, for capacity building in the areas of dam safety through DRIP.

The scope includes strengthening the testing laboratories, enhancing analytical capabilities, exposure visits to best global institutions and on ground exposure to dam safety concerns to the faculty of these institutions.

CWC had also signed MoUs with IIT Madras and IISc Bengaluru in January 2017 while Ministry is supporting these institutes for the procurement of specified equipment and software for enhancing their testing and modeling capabilities. fii-news.com