86 dams in Tamil Nadu, including Mettur and Vaigai, to come under the scanner of independent panels of experts
The Tamil Nadu government has mandated independent expert panels to inspect 86 dams and reservoirs for safety and structural integrity. This initiative aligns with the National Dam Safety Act of 2021 and involves experts from various engineering and geological disciplines.
Why it matters
Ensuring the structural safety of critical water infrastructure is vital for disaster prevention and long-term water security in the region.
Mettur, Bhavanisagar, Amaravathy and Vaigai are among 86 dams and reservoirs in the State which will come under the scrutiny of independent panels of experts in the next six months.
The experts will examine 19 dams from the angles of safety, design, seismology, hydro mechanics, geology, hydrology and instrumentation. Former chairmen of the Central Water Commission (CWC) J. Chandrashekhar Iyer and A.K. Bajaj; former chiefs of the Krishna River Management Board Yoginder Kumar Sharma and Shailesh Kumar Srivastava; former Chief Engineer (CE) in the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department R. Selvam; former CE in the CWC T.K. Sivarajan; former deputy director general of the Geological Survey of India R. Srinivasan and BIS [Bureau of Indian Standards] Chair Professor, National Institute of Technology in Tiruchi K Muthukumaran are among the experts. The superintending engineer concerned will function as member-secretary of each such panel.
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