The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the International Dam Safety Conference themed “Safe & Secure Dams Ensure Nation’s Prosperity” in Jaipur today. Shri Dhankhar also flagged off the vinyl-wrapped Kamakhya Express from Varanasi station through video conferencing. Under the ‘Pani Ki Rail’ initiative of the National Water Mission, two trains, the Himsagar Express & Kamakhya Express have been vinyl wrapped in collaboration with Ministry of Railways, to amplify the message of water conservation, river rejuvenation, and the significance of clean drinking water and sanitation. As these trains traverse across the length and breadth of the nation, they will act as a moving billboard for promoting the vital message of water conservation and management. The VP also unveiled a National Register of Large Dams which is a compilation of the large dams in the country prepared in consultation with the concerned State Government/Authority.
Addressing the inaugural session, Vice-President elaborated on the importance of dams by referring to them as “silent sentinels that ensure our access to the lifeblood of our planet”. “Dams are monuments to human ingenuity, perseverance, and the spirit of cooperation”, he added. Highlighting the intrinsic connection of India with water management, the Vice-President expounded that the Indian civilization has thrived for thousands of years on the banks of rivers, deriving life and sustenance from their waters. Shri Dhankhar also noted that ancient texts, including the Vedas and Arthashastra, mention the systematic management of water resources through the construction of dams and reservoirs to combat water scarcity. Shri Dhankhar commended the enactment of the Dam Safety Act (DSA) 2021, which strengthens India’s commitment to safeguarding its dams. He also praised the successful completion of Phase I of the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) and expressed hope that the recently launched Phase-II & III would further enhance dam safety across several states in India.
Vice President’s Secretariat Press Release: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1957410
Addressing the august gathering, the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat highlighted the diverse benefits of the dams and how they have been instrumental in India’s water management, electricity generation, and flood control. Elucidating on the importance of dam safety, Shri Shekhawat spoke about the enactment of the Dam Safety Act in 2021 under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to ensure key regulatory institutional framework and set of unified protocols for all dam owners.
The Union Minister further stated that in India there are about 280 dams which are almost 100 years old and out of them more than 80% are 25 years old. He expressed confidence that this conference will serve as a platform to deliberate and share knowledge on Dam safety measures among various stakeholders. He also thanked all the states for providing support to the ministry of Jal Shakti in Dam Safety management. The Union Minister also inaugurated the National Centre for Earthquake Safety of Dams at MNIT Jaipur, earlier today. The centre will enhance the Structural and Earthquake Safety of Dams in India.
The Secretary, Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Shri Pankaj Kumar, explained the roles and functions of various organisations like National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS), State Committee on Dam Safety (SCDS) and State Dam Safety Organisation (SDSO) involved in Dam Safety aspects. He also shared achievements of the Dam Rehabilitation & Improvement Project (DRIP -Phase I) and elaborated on the key features of ongoing Phase II and Phase III of DRIP. He spoke about establishment of Centre of Excellence at IIT Roorkee & IISc Bengaluru and launch of M- Tech courses for the Capacity Building of the concerned stakeholders in Dam Safety.
The event started with the traditional ‘Jal Kalash’ ceremony. A 1-minute silence was observed for the tragedy and destruction which has happened in Libya. An exhibition has been organised on the sidelines of the conference, where various government and private organisations displayed products, charts, banners and photographs showcasing the latest developments, technological interventions, innovations and solutions in various areas of dam safety. The exhibition was also inaugurated today.
Other dignitaries who graced the inaugural session were Shri Manik Saha, Chief Minister of Tripura; Shri D. K. Shivakumar, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka; Shri Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya, Water Resources Minister of Rajasthan; Smt. Usha Sharma, Chief Secretary of Rajasthan; and Shri Pankaj Kumar, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti. Foreign and national delegates and senior officers from various concerned departments were also present on the occasion.
The conference is being attended by more than 800 delegates from the central and state governments, academicians, officials from the World Bank, representatives from foreign countries, public and private sectors, and other dam proprietors. Approximately 40 international delegates from 15 countries are also participating in the event.
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