The government on Monday introduced the Dam Safety Bill, 2019 which provides for surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of the specified dam for prevention of failures related to disasters.
Introducing the Bill, Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the Bill would go a long way in ensuring safety for the dams. The draft law also provides for institutional mechanism to ensure their safe functioning and for matters related to any incident.
Among others opposition members Manish Tewari, Shashi Tharoor, Gaurav Gogoi (all Congress), N K Premachandran (RSP) and Saugata Roy (Trinamool) opposed the introduction of the draft law.
Objecting the introduction of the Bill, Congress MP Tharoor said the draft law does not define the term ‘stakeholder’. Bhartruhari Mahtab also objected to the introduction saying the centre was encroaching on the rights of the states by bringing this draft legislation.
“There is a conflict of interest….Through this Bill, the centre is appropriating the rights of the states,” he said adding this should not happen. He said the government should withheld the Bill and consult states in details.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the centre’s intention is to impose this law on the states. A Raja of DMK also objected to the introduction of the draft law. Jal Shakti Minister Mr Shekhawat said the Bill has been studied by the Standing Committee earlier. He also denied that the government is taking control of operationalising and maintenance of the dams from the states.
