3.

Who this Act Applies to: This law applies to the owner of specific dams in two cases:

 If the dam is owned by a government organization or institution, or a body

controlled by the Central or State Government.
 If the dam is owned by a company, organization, or institution not controlled by the
Central or State Government.

4. Definitions in this Act: In this law, unless the situation is different:

 "Alteration of dam" means changes or fixes that directly affect the dam's safety or
the safety of the reservoir.
 "Annual report" is a report about the activities of the National Dam Safety Authority
and State Dam Safety Organizations. It also tells about the safety status of specific
dams they oversee each year.
 "Appurtenant structure" means parts related to the dam, like spillways, outlets, and
mechanical equipment.
 "Authority" is the National Dam Safety Authority created by section 8.
 "Dam" means a man-made barrier and its related parts built across rivers to store or
redirect water. This includes barriers like barrages and weirs but not things like
canals or embankments.
 "Dam failure" means when a dam breaks or doesn't work right, causing uncontrolled
flooding downstream. This affects people, property, and the environment.
 "Dam incident" is any issue with a dam that hasn't turned into a full failure yet. This
includes things like damage, unusual readings, leaks, and changes in water flow.
Chapter II: National Committee on Dam Safety

5. Formation of the National Committee on Dam Safety: Starting from a specific date decided by the
Central Government, a group called the National Committee on Dam Safety will be set up as part of this
law. It will have the following members:

 The head of the Central Water Commission will be the Chairperson.

 Up to ten people from the Central Government, at the level of Joint Secretary or similar, who
deal with dam engineering or safety. They will be nominated by the Central Government.
 Up to seven representatives from State Governments, at the level of Engineer-in-Chief or
equivalent, on a rotation basis. They will also be nominated by the Central Government.
 Up to three experts in dam safety and related fields, nominated by the Central Government.

This Committee will be formed within sixty days of this law starting, and it will be remade every three
years.

6. Roles of the National Committee: The National Committee will do the tasks listed in the First
Schedule. This is to prevent disasters caused by dam failures and maintain safety standards. If needed,
the Committee can create smaller groups (sub-committees) to help it. The National Committee and its
sub-committees will get assistance from the National Dam Safety Authority in handling their work. The
information they gather will be shared with everyone involved.

7. Meetings and Procedures of the National Committee: The National Committee will meet at times
and places set by the Central Government's rules. It must meet at least twice a year and have one
meeting before the rainy season starts. The Committee can invite the owner of a specified dam and dam
safety experts, even from other countries, to its meetings. The expenses for the Committee will be
managed according to the Central Government's guidelines.

Chapter III: National Dam Safety Authority

8. Formation and Leadership of the National Dam Safety Authority: Starting from a certain date
chosen by the Central Government, a National Dam Safety Authority will be established within sixty days
of this law starting. The Authority will be led by an officer not lower than the rank of Additional
Secretary to the Government of India or an equal position. This leader should have knowledge,
qualifications, experience, and skills related to dam engineering and safety management. The
headquarters of the Authority will be in Delhi, and it can have offices in other parts of India. The
Authority must follow the directions given by the Central Government.

9. Responsibilities of the National Dam Safety Authority: The Authority will do the tasks mentioned
in the Second Schedule. These tasks include making sure the guidelines and standards set by the
National Committee are followed. The Authority has the power to gather information and make people
attend if necessary. Additionally, it will try to solve problems between State Dam Safety Organizations or
between these organizations and dam owners in their respective states. Any decisions made by the
Authority regarding matters in this law will be final and everyone involved must follow them.