The Lok Sabha on Friday took up discussion on Dam Safety Bill, 2019 which seeks to provide uniform safety procedures for specified dams in the country with Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat stating that the Centre had no intention to take rights or powers of states and the bill was aimed at ensuring better safety and maintenance of dams.Moving the Dam Safety Bill, 2019 for passage, Shekhawat said India had the third-largest number of dams in the world. He said of nearly 5700 dams, 293 were more than 100 years old and about 20 per cent were between 50 to 100 years old.He said there was no direct correlation between the age of dam and possibility of a rupture but if a dam breaks it can lead to huge loss of life and flora and fauna.Shekhawat said 92 per cent of dams in the country were built on inter-state river basins.He said a draft dam safety bill was prepared in 2002 and expressed concern that a bill for passage had come to Parliament after 17 years.Shekhawat said the bill
