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Central Water Commission in collaboration with Odisha Water Resources Department and World Bank has organized the International Dam Safety Conference in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

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• International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) and National Committees on Large Dams were among the organizing partners for this conference.
• Dam Safety Conferences are being organized as an annual event in different Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Programme (DRIP) States in collaboration with the Implementing Agencies and leading academic institutes to provide a common platform for all stakeholders including non-DRIP States.
• Conference aims on deliberate all aspects related to dam safety and the solutions that worked best in addressing dam safety concerns.

Why is Dam rehabilitation and dam safety necessary?

• India ranks third globally with 5264 large dams in operation and about 437 are under construction. In addition, there are several thousand smaller dams.
• According to National Register of Large Dams (NRLD) maintained by Central Water Commission (CWC) 209 dams are 100 years or more old in India.
• Dams are vital for ensuring the water security of the country therefore constitute a major responsibility in terms of asset management and safety.

Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Programme (DRIP)

• In 2012, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation embarked upon the six year DRIP with World Bank assistance.
• The objective was to improve safety and operational performance of selected dams, along with institutional strengthening with system wide management approach.
• The project originally envisaged the rehabilitation and improvement of 223 dam projects in four states namely, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu.
• Later Karnataka, Uttarakhand (UJVNL) and Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) joined the DRIP and presently 198 dam projects are being rehabilitated.
• DRIP has been successful in bringing together dam owners, engineers, scientists, academicians, industries, World Bank as well as renowned dam safety professionals.
• In addition to rehabilitation of dams, other important activities include activities such as development of Dam Health And Rehabilitation Monitoring Application (DHARMA) etc.
• It also developed Seismic Hazard Mapping along with development of Seismic Hazard Assessment Information System (SHAISYS).
• Under DRIP, capacity building in dam safety area of eleven academic institutions is being done.
• Also, capacity building of two Central Agencies i.e. Central Soil and Material Research Station (CSMRS) as well as Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), is also one of the activities.
• Collaboration with few renowned international agencies for capacity building includes Deltares Netherlands, Bureau of Reclamation USA, and Japan Water Agency Japan, Entura.
• The overall supervision and coordination has been entrusted to Central Water Commission, and is being assisted by Egis Eau, Engineering and Management Consultant.