Provisions of the new Dam Safety bill 2018 has been inclined more towards centralization without ensuring transparency and accountability in dam management. Critically analyze. (200 Words )
Refer - Business Line
Enrich the answer from other sources, if the question demands.
Sandeep 6 years
Kindly review
IAS Parliament 6 years
Try
discussing about role of states in dam management, State Dam Safety Organization (SDSO) with
well defined duties and functions. Keep Writing.
IAS Parliament 6 years
KEY POINTS
Inclining more towards centralization
· The DSB 2018 has been brought under Entry 56 of the Union List provides ‘Regulation and development of Inter State rivers and river valleys to the extent to which such regulation and development under the control of the Union is declared by Parliament to be expedient in the public interest’.
· The whole dam safety mechanism is dominated by the Central Water Commission (CWC) with Chairperson of CWC being the chairman of National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS).
· CWC is also involved in policymaking about dams, in their approval, guiding designs, financing, monitoring, approving seismic parameters, flood forecasting, lobbying for dam projects and so on. However, Dam Safety is essentially a regulatory function and thus CWC has clear conflict of interest in being involved in the Dam Safety mechanism.
· The dams owned and operated by States would come under the purview of the National Dam Safety Organisation (NDSO) and that other states would also get access to the dam and information about it, opther States fear that the Centre may take control over all their dams.
Bill inline with co-operative federalism
· Dam Safety Bill 2018 will empower the dam safety institutional set-ups in both the Centre and States.
· The bill will constitute National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS), National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), and State Dam Safety Organization (SDSO) with well defied duties and functions.
· The Bill provides for comprehensive safety evaluation (CSE) by independent panel of expert. First CSE within 5 years, and thereafter at regular intervals specified by NCDS.
· The Bill provides for punishment / penalty if the dam safety provisions are not followed.
Zonal council centres needs to be effectively utilized to further the discussions on Dam Safety bill and allay the fears of states thereby ensuring transparency and accountability in dam management.
Nandadeep 6 years
Kindly review.thanks
IAS Parliament 6 years
Try focusing on provisions of the bill related with centralization. Keep writing
