92% Of Gujarat’s Specified Dams Lack Updated Emergency Action Plans, Jal Shakti Ministry Data Reveals
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
More than 92% of Gujarat’s completed and operational specified dams lacked updated Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) as of July 30, 2026, according to data shared by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti in the Rajya Sabha.
Of the state’s 524 specified dams, only 39 had updated EAPs, while the remaining 485 were without the plans. The figures point to a substantial gap in emergency preparedness under the Dam Safety Act (DSA), 2021.
Emergency Action Plans are intended to establish procedures for responding to dam-related emergencies. The responsibility for preparing, reviewing and updating these plans rests with dam owners and the respective state administrations under the statutory framework.
Gujarat Among States With Large EAP Gaps
The ministry’s data highlights considerable differences among states in the preparation and updating of emergency plans for specified dams.
Rajasthan had updated EAPs for 164 of its 313 specified dams, while Telangana reported 101 covered dams out of 164. Tamil Nadu had updated plans for 86 of its 123 specified dams.
In contrast, Gujarat had updated EAPs for just 39 of its 524 dams, leaving 485 without the plans as of the reported date.
Maharashtra, which has the country’s largest inventory of completed specified dams, reported updated EAPs for only 65 of its 2,713 dams. The remaining 2,648 lacked updated plans.
Madhya Pradesh also reported a substantial shortfall. Of its 1,370 specified dams, only 33 had updated EAPs, leaving 1,337 without them.
Nearly 5,900 Dams Across India Lack Updated Plans
The gap extends beyond Gujarat. According to the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) database on the DHARMA portal, India had 6,598 completed and operational specified dams as of July 30, 2026.
Of these, 735 had prepared and updated Emergency Action Plans, while 5,863 did not have updated plans.
The figures underline the scale of the preparedness challenge across states and Union Territories, with only a limited share of the country’s specified dams covered by updated emergency protocols.
Dam Owners, State Administrations Responsible Under Law
The Ministry of Jal Shakti has stated that the Dam Safety Act, 2021, places the responsibility for formulating, periodically reviewing and updating Emergency Action Plans on the respective dam owners and state administrations.
The National Dam Safety Authority monitors information submitted to the DHARMA database to track compliance across jurisdictions.
For Gujarat, the reported figures mean that 485 of its 524 completed and operational specified dams were without updated EAPs as of July 30, 2026. The data does not, by itself, establish the physical condition or structural safety of individual dams, but it identifies a significant gap in documented emergency preparedness.
