The news this week that the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) has issued a show cause notice possibly on Sept 29-30 2025 to the Member (Engg) of Narmada Valley Development Authority (NVDA) regarding violation of the Dam Safety Act (DSA) 2021 in operation and maintenance of the Bargi Dam, pointing out “serious” and “gross” negligence and threatening action under sections 41 and 42 of the DSA.
Continue reading “DRP 120126: NDSA notice to NVDA on Bargi Dam Safety exposes India’s Dam Safety Mess”Category: Dam Safety
2025: Corruption in Dams and Hydro Projects in India
(Feature Image: Washed out Teesta III dam in Sikkim. Credit: Save the Hills)
In May 2025, Sikkim Vigilance Police conducted raid in several cities to probe allegations of financial corruption and fraud in 1200 Mw Teesta III HEP dam project claiming that the material gathered could unearth massive scandal that compromised the dam’s safety and led to its structural failure in Oct. 2023. The Assam GST department in Sept. 2025 has uncovered ₹8.2 cr irregularities in tax filings and transactions by the company involved in constructing the dam of 2000 Mw Subansiri Lower HEP.
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2025: Silt accumulation in Indian Dams: Reducing entry of silt is the only viable option
(Feature Image: Luhri-I HEP muck dump along Satluj river. Credit HNA, Aug 2024)
This annual overview highlights the critical issue of siltation in dams across India. Silt accumulation is defeating the very ‘multi-purposes’ for which they were built. While the reduced storage has been hampering dam-based water supplies, it is also leading to their fast filling up and untimely releases in monsoon season thus creating avoidable floods. It is in some case has also been resulting in plans to construct additional reservoirs and increase in dam height.
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Kaleshwaram Project 2025: Inquiries Done, Actions Missing
(Feature Image: Wide crack in Medigadda (Lakshmi) barrage of Kaleshwaram. Credit: Nagara Gopal)
The year 2025 has seen revealing information on three inquiry reports highlighting how the Kalewshwaram project have become a massive failure on all fronts be it designing or implementing the dam project or even acting on probe reports. While govt seems to reverify liability of officials indicted in V&E report, it ended up seeking CBI investigation after tabling Ghose panel report in state assembly in Aug 2025. Similarly, the NDSA report is being followed only for fixing the damages while action against the responsible govt officials and private players is clearly missing.
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2025: Polavaram Project Developments
(Feature Image: Godavari river in flood spate at Polavaram project site in Aug 2025. Source)
Amid concerns over safety and construction quality, the Polavaram project work has moved during 2025 to achieve Dec. 2027 completion target. However, not much progress has been made regarding the backwater study and addressing the issues of affected tribals and areas in Telangana, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Meanwhile, after failing to push PBLP (Polavaram Banakacherla Link Project), the Andhra govt has proposed another contentious PNLP to divert Godavari River waters. The Stop Work order issued by the MoEF in 2011 remains suspended for all these years, making a mockery of the MoEF regulations. Wrapping up the available information, this overview shares the year-round updates on safety, progress, backwater study and linking plans related to the controversial Polavaram dam project in 2025. Our previous overview on the project can be seen here.
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2025: Govts, Judiciary Actions on Dam Safety in India
(Feature Image: Experts visit Srisailam dam to assess its structural safety in May 2025. Source)
At national level, the NDSA has carried safety audit of 1853 large dams out of 6545 as of Nov. 25, 2025. In July 2025, the Central govt announced to reconstitute NCDS for a period of three years. Before this the NDSA in April 2025 organized a symposium on Dam Safety Act 2021. It has also released the updated version of National Register on Specified Dams 2025. At state level, the Tamil Nadu govt in July 2025 has planned to set up separate dam safety wing. The Punjab govt in May 2025 moved resolution in state assembly to annul Dam Safety Act and planned to enact its own dam safety bill.
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2025: Dam Safety Issues in India
(Feature Image: A worn out portion of Singur dam embankment. Source)
This annual overview presents top ten reports highlighting the dam safety issues in India. Worryingly, the central govt in Oct. 2025 itself has revealed that safety audit of about 5000 large dams is pending. Before this, the NHRC in Feb. 2025 sought a report on safety of the dams across the country. The plea rightly demanded a transparent, accountable and participatory dam safety mechanism to prevent disasters. Indeed, the aging infrastructure, inadequate maintenance, slow progress of rehabilitation and fast changing climate are among the key issues putting our dams under threats.
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Sept. 2025: Six Killed in Luti Dam Flood Disaster in Chhattisgarh
(Feature Image: Damaged Sadsa Luti dam in Balrampur)
A flash flood disaster caused by a significant breach in Luti dam bund has killed six people while one remained missing in Dhaneshpur village near Vishram Nagar under Balrampur district of Chhattisgarh. Six of the flood victims are members of a single family living about 500 meter downstream from the dam area. About eleven villagers were swept away by strong current of waters. Some of them managed to save their lives by holding on to trees and swimming to their safety. Three persons also suffered injuries in this dam induced flood incident.
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DRP 010925: Punjab floods need independent inquiry
(Feature Image: Punjab WRD minister Barinder Kumar Goyal asserted that the timely release of water by the BBMB in June could have significantly reduced the damage caused by the floods.)
It is clear from the following details that the massive floods that Punjab experienced and parts continue to experience even now has a lot to do with the way Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams were operated. There was sufficient actionable information that was available to take advance water release action. Had these actions been taken, the proportions of the disaster could have been reduced. The risk of further floods remains considering the IMD forecast of heavy rains in catchments of these dams during the remaining weeks of SW Monsoon 2025.
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Aug 2025: Ravi Flood Damages Madhopur Barrage Gates in Punjab
(Feature Image: 2 gates of the Madhopur Barrage washed away on Aug 27, flooding parts of Pathankot & Gurdaspur.)
A severe flood spell in Ravi river has damaged at least three flood gates of Madhopur barrage in Pathankot district of Punjab. The incident occurred in the evening of Aug 27, 2025 amid an effort to open the jammed gates of the barrage. The situation became critical after 2.12 lakh cusecs of water discharged from the upstream Ranjit Sagar Dam (RSD) dangerously increased the flood level at the barrage on Aug. 26.
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SANDRP 