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| 8 years on, 8 big dams await Emergency Action Plan | | Out of 16 big dams, NHPC, JKSPDC prepare EAPs of only 6 | | Akshay Azad
ET Report
JAMMU, Dec 22: It seemed that the devastating floods in valley have also failed to wake up state government and National Hydel Project Corporation (NHPC) from deep slumber, to develop Emergency Action Plan for big dams, even after the lapse of nearly eight years, since guidelines were issued by Union government agencies.
Sources informed Early Times that no heed was paid so far towards the strength of dams as still there are eight such big dams' structures in Jammu and Kashmir, which are operating without any "Emergency Action Plan", rendering huge area and property vulnerable to cascading effects of dam failure.
They further informed that the Central Water Commission (CWC) had issued guidelines in May 2006 for development and implementation of the EAP for large dams in states but state government owned Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) and National Hydel Project Corporation (NHPC) have so far failed to adhere the guidelines after lapse of nearly eight years.
In Jammu and Kashmir there are 16 big dams majority of which are under the control of National Hydel Project Corporation besides few under Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) control.
"Out of total 16 dams, only six have prepared EAP which renders huge area and property left vulnerable to cascading affects of dam failure," said sources adding that each state was required to establish a Dam Safety Organization (DSO) to address safety issues of large dams but so far in Jammu and Kashmir no such organization has been established.
Sources further informed that National Hydel Project Corporation (NHPC) has prepared EAP and Disaster Management Plan (DMP) for five big dams, while JKSPDC has prepared EAP for only one big dam project.
NHPC is major stake holder and owned majority of major dam projects in Jammu and Kashmir including Salal-690 MW, Uri-I 480 MW, Dulhasti 390 MW, Sewa 120 MW, Uri-II 240 MW and upcoming project Kishenganga 330 MW etc, besides JKSPDC owned few including Baglihar of 450 MW.
According to International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) specifications, a large dam is classified as one with a maximum height of more than 15 metres from its deepest foundation to the crest.
A dam between 10 and 15 metres in height from its deepest foundation is also included in the classification of a large dam provided the length of crest of the dam is not less than 500 metres or capacity of the reservoir formed by the dam is not less than one million cubic metres.
Sources further said, "When a dam fails, due to unprecedented rainfall, earthquake, landslide, poor maintenance and/or sabotage; the huge volume of water stored transforms into a flood wave, which may cause severe damages to the lives and properties situated downstream. The effect of such a disaster can be mitigated to a great extent, if the resultant magnitude of flood peak and its time of arrival at different locations downstream of the dam could be estimated, facilitating planning of the emergency action measures", sources said.
They further added that it was therefore, necessary to have a thorough and consistent planning for any such eventuality to help save lives and reduce property damage in areas that would be affected by dam failure and to put in place an action plan to cope with such an emergency.
Pertinently, the EAP contains procedures and information to assist the dam owner in taking necessary actions in time to moderate or alleviate the problems, in addition to issuing early warning and notification messages to responsible emergency management authorities, viz., District Magistrate / Collector, Armed forces, Paramilitary forces, Project Authorities and other Central/ State Agencies.
EAP contains inundation maps to show the emergency management authorities of the critical areas for necessary relief and rescue actions in case of an emergency. |
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