CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has reconstituted the State Committee on Dam Safety (SCDS), tasked with ensuring the safe operation and maintenance of all dams under its jurisdiction.

The reconstitution exercise was carried out under Section 11 of the Dam Safety Act, 2021, and has been formally notified in the state gazette, according to an official order issued by the secretary of the Water Resources Department, J Jayakanthan.

Officials said the committee is responsible for ensuring the safety and structural integrity of dams through regular inspections and supervision. The committee will periodically review the work executed by the State Dam Safety Organisation and issue necessary recommendations for the upkeep and health monitoring of the dam infrastructure. The committee's tenure began on July 1 and will continue for three years.

The 15-member committee will be chaired by the Engineer-in-Chief and Chief Engineer (General) of the Water Resources Department. Members include the Chief Engineer of the WRD's Operation and Maintenance wing and the State Dam Safety Organisation, as well as the Chief Engineers of the Chennai, Madurai, and Tiruchy regions. Nominees from the Central Water Commission and the Central Electricity Authority are also part of the committee.

Other members include the Chief Engineer (Irrigation Project-II) of the Kerala government, the Chief Engineer from Puducherry (Vidur Dam), and experts and academicians from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, the Centre for Water Resources at Anna University, and the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchy. The Superintending Engineer of the State Dam Safety Organisation will serve as the committee's Member Secretary.