Bhakra Nangal dam safe, says Parliamentary panel chief after safety review

The Bhakra Nangal Dam is safe, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy Chairman Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne said on Monday (September 7) after members of the committee sought an assessment of its safety during a meeting of the panel.

Barne said the committee sought information on the condition and safety of the dam and also raised the issue of its audit. “Bhakra Nangal Dam should be audited, considering how long it has been since it was built. We sought information about its safety. The Chairman of the Board told us that the Bhakra Nangal dam is safe,” he told news agency ANI.

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He said the committee specifically asked the Bhakra Beas Management Board about its assessment of the dam amid speculation over its safety. “We asked them what their assessment was and whether the dam was safe, particularly in view of the speculation that had emerged earlier,” he said.

The committee's discussion comes days after the government debunked a fake video circulating on social media that falsely claimed the wall of the Bhakra Nangal Dam had developed a 1.77-inch tilt.

Barne said members of the committee also referred to recent flash floods in Nepal and asked whether similar risks could arise in India. “Members raised several questions and information was provided on those issues,” he said after the meeting.

Apart from dam safety, the committee discussed the progress in the power sector and the steps being taken to strengthen domestic capabilities.