Water does not recognise political boundaries: CM Siddaramaiah at int'l conference on dam safety

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Friday stressed the need for an urgent, systematic safety evaluation, modernisation and risk-informed operation of dams, noting that nearly 70 per cent of them are over 25 years old. The chief minister said, ''Water does not recognise political boundaries, nor should safety standards,'' underscoring the need for cooperative federalism in water governance. Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the two-day international conference on Dam Safety–2026 at the Indian Institute of Science, the chief minister said dam safety is not the responsibility of a single department but a shared national obligation that requires coordinated institutional action. ''We face climate-driven hydrological extremes. Seismic vulnerabilities, reservoir sedimentation and the stresses of ageing infrastructure create complex, interlinked risks. Dam safety is no longer a technical afterthought; it is a national security imperative,'' he said. According to him, India has 6,628 specified dams, making it the third-largest dam-owning nation in the world. Karnataka, with 231 specified dams, ranks sixth in the country. ''Nearly 70 per cent of these dams are over 25 years old, underscoring the urgent need for systematic safety evaluation, modernisation and risk-informed operation,'' he said. Describing dams as embodiments of collective aspiration, Siddaramaiah recalled that India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, had called them the ''Temples of Modern India'', emphasising their role in agricultural prosperity and industrial progress. He said that as dams become digitally operated, cybersecurity and protection against technological sabotage must be treated as core elements of national infrastructure security. The chief minister underlined that critical water infrastructure remains vulnerable to terrorism and strategic disruption, requiring constant vigilance and coordinated intelligence mechanisms. In a world of rising water stress, he said, interstate and transboundary river governance demands cooperation, data sharing and diplomatic maturity. ''Recognising these multidimensional challenges, our response must be equally comprehensive, rooted in science, strengthened by institutions and guided by a long-term vision of safety, sustainability and shared responsibility,'' he said. Siddaramaiah suggested that union and state governments must move beyond mere compliance to build a comprehensive safety culture, ensuring that periodic inspections, safety audits and Emergency Action Plans are not treated as formalities but as dynamic instruments of risk governance. ''Second, regulatory bodies and technical agencies must institutionalise risk-informed decision-making. Data from instrumentation, remote sensing and structural health monitoring systems must be integrated into real-time dashboards,'' he said. Third, he said, academic and research institutions must deepen multidisciplinary collaboration to anticipate compound risks arising from climate variability and ageing infrastructure. Fourth, financial institutions and development partners must prioritise long-term sustainability by supporting modernisation, sediment management and capacity building rather than episodic repairs. Finally, local administrations and communities must be empowered through awareness and preparedness, he said. ''Only when policy, science, engineering, finance and community participation converge can we ensure that our dams remain not sources of vulnerability but enduring pillars of national prosperity and public trust,'' he said. As India aspires for progress, Siddaramaiah said Karnataka remains committed to cooperative federalism in water governance. ''Our collaboration today-between the Government of India, Government of Karnataka, the Central Water Commission, the World Bank, IISc and international partners-reflects a shared commitment to public safety above politics,'' he added. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who also addressed the gathering, said the conference was being held at a critical juncture. He said dam safety has become a national priority. He highlighted the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Programme (DRIP), launched in 2012 by the Government of India with assistance from the World Bank, as a strong example of Centre–State partnership. ''Karnataka is implementing DRIP Phase II and Phase III, covering 58 dams with an approved outlay of Rs 1,500 crore, focusing on structural strengthening, surveillance and long-term resilience,'' he said. Referring to major projects, Shivakumar said the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and Drinking Water Project had achieved a milestone with a favourable Supreme Court judgment, and the State was pursuing statutory clearances. The project, he said, aims to meet Bengaluru's drinking water needs while ensuring stipulated Cauvery water deliveries and generating around 400 MW of power. He also said a consent award mechanism had been formulated under the Upper Krishna Project–Stage III to ensure transparent land acquisition, adding that the government had created irrigation potential for over 1.72 lakh acres up to December 2025. The Deputy CM also sought reconsideration of the blanket 500-metre restriction under the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) guidelines, advocating for flexibility. He said tourism activities downstream of dams contribute to local economic development and can coexist with uncompromised safety standards. Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary and Johannes Zutt, the World Bank's Vice President for the South Asia Region, were among the other dignitaries present.