RAS question
As per the Dam Safety Act, 2021, which of the following correctly identifies a 'specified dam' that must be registered for periodic safety inspection?
Correct answer: (C) A dam with height above 15 metres, or above 10 metres with reservoir capacity exceeding 1 million cubic metres.
Under the Dam Safety Act, 2021, a specified dam is one above 15 metres in height, or one between 10 and 15 metres in height whose reservoir capacity is not less than 1 million cubic metres.
Explanation
The Dam Safety Act, 2021 defines a specified dam by objective size thresholds, not by the dam's use, date of construction, or region. Section 4(x) covers a dam constructed before or after the Act if it is above 15 metres in height. It also covers a dam between 10 and 15 metres in height when at least one listed condition is met, including reservoir capacity of not less than 1 million cubic metres. Once a dam falls in this category, the Act's dam-safety framework applies: the owner must provide a dam safety unit, and section 31 requires pre-monsoon and post-monsoon inspections every year, with additional inspections after floods, earthquakes, calamities, distress signs, or unusual behaviour.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The Act does not classify every irrigation dam as a specified dam; it uses height and listed technical thresholds, including reservoir capacity, to decide coverage.
- (B) The definition expressly covers dams constructed before or after the commencement of the Act, so it is not limited to dams built after 2021.
- (D) The Act extends to the whole of India and does not restrict specified dams to the Himalayan states.
Concept
This tests statutory definitions in infrastructure safety regulation, a recurring RAS theme because one phrase in an Act can decide institutional duties, inspection triggers, and administrative jurisdiction. For Rajasthan exams, dam safety also links science and technology with disaster management and public infrastructure governance.