Bhopal: CCTV cameras to be installed for safety of dams in MP, says Silawat

Bhopal: Water resources minister Tulsiram Silawat has instructed for installation of CCTV cameras for safety and security of dams in Madhya Pradesh. The minister was presiding over a meeting on dam safety at Mantralaya on Monday.

He said that a report regarding the safety of all dams in the state should be prepared before the rainy season. For this, divisional level inspection committees should be constituted, which should prepare and present audit reports related to the safety of all the main dams.

He discussed the report of the inquiry committee on the safety of Gandhi Sagar Dam and directed action on the report. Departmental officers including Chief Engineer, Chief Engineer Dam Safety were present.

He also directed to implement the provisions of the New Dam Safety Act-2021 passed by the Government of India in relation to the safety of dams, and to implement them soon. Along with this, he was asked to comply with the instructions given earlier regarding dam safety and submit the report of the action taken by the department in five days.

He said that a new technology in dam safety is the Real Time Data Acquisition System (RTDAS) system. This is a warning system, which will help in opening the gates and taking other necessary steps in view of the inflow of water into the dam at the time of heavy rains. Madhya Pradesh is a leading state regarding the safety of dams. In the first phase of the Dam Strengthening and Upgradation Project, 25 dams have been rehabilitated in the last five years on priority basis. In the second phase, 26 dams are proposed to be strengthened at an expenditure of Rs 551 crore.