(THE NEWSMAN OF INDIA.COM)
Following the norms laid down under Dam Safety Act – 2021, A Stakeholders Consultation Meeting on the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for the Tilaiya Dam was successfully conducted today under the leadership of Chairman, Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), S. Suresh Kumar, IAS. The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, DVC representatives, and local community members, to discuss and refine the EAP to ensure the safety and well-being of the region. Program started with the welcome note by Executive Director (Civil). Wherein he outlined the EAP in brief and lucid language for the stakeholders. S. Suresh Kumar, IAS, Chairman, DVC, addressed the stakeholders, emphasizing the critical importance of a well-structured and effectively communicated Emergency Action Plan. He highlighted DVC’s commitment to safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of the communities residing in the vicinity of the Tilaiya Dam, and stressed the need for close cooperation among all stakeholders. He also advised to conduct regular mock drills in this regard to keep the concerned officials prepared for the adverse situations. Among the distinguished attendees were the representatives of District Administration of Koderma and Hazaribag, Member Secretary DVRRC, CWC, representative from NDRF (9th Bn.), representative of IMD, AIR and other press media houses. The Member Technical, DVC, Executive Directors (Civil, Projects, Operations, Systems, Commercial). were among the distinguished attendees. Their presence further reinforced the importance of the meeting and the collaborative efforts required to ensure the successful implementation of the EAP. Member (Technical) addressed the stakeholders citing importance of EAP and involvement of stakeholders for it’s finalisation. Abhishek Shukla, Manager (Civil), provided a detailed explanation of the draft EAP, outlining the key components, potential risks, and the proposed response strategies. His presentation aimed to ensure that all attendees had a comprehensive understanding of the plan and its implications. The presentation included five step response detection process in EAP, three levels of emergencies. Roles of concerned authorities was also shown during the presentation along with exercises carried out for the development of EAP for Tilaiya dam. Various important matters like ‘Flood hazard Mapping process’, ‘Typical notification flowchart’ and ‘Affected areas’ etc. were also shown during the presentation. The meeting witnessed active participation from representatives of nearby villages, who provided valuable inputs and expressed their concerns regarding the plan. Their involvement underscored the significance of community engagement in the planning and execution of safety measures. Draft Emergency Action Plan was distributed to the attendees for their ready reference. Inundation and evacuation map were also made available for reference. The consultation meeting marks a significant step forward in strengthening the preparedness and resilience of the region against potential emergencies. DVC remains committed to working closely with all stakeholders to finalize and implement a robust Emergency Action Plan for the Tilaiya Dam. The meeting was concluded with vote of thanks by CGM(Civil), S. K. Sinha.