Chairman of the Dam safety Review Panel for Sardar Sarovar project calls Medha Patkars statement of no significance

pAB Pandya Chairman DSRP of the Sardar Sarovar Project and former Chaiman Central Water Commission added ldquoSeepage through concrete is a usual phenomenon for any dam and accordingly the maintenance of dams is doneppSardar Sarovar Dam has been storing water for a long period and any man-made concrete structure requires maintenance and repair at the end of such a long periodppThe seepage is well within the permissible limits and normal maintenance of the same has been taken up in time by the dam authorities as per recommendations of the DSRP and no endangerment to safety has ever been noticedppActually the DSRP has advised lowering of the reservoir level for maintenance of dam surface from upstream side which is a normal practice in any such dam DSRP has been regularly monitoring the health of the dam and there is no need to make a fuss of itrdquoppThe DSRP comprises of eminent engineers of various fields like Dam Engineering Hydrology Mechanical Engineering Geotechnology Geology Seismology Instrumentation etc The present Sardar Sarovar Dam has been last inspected on 24th to 26th July 2021by DSRP and it has been found ldquoPrimarily Saferdquo ie in category II as per the latest Dam safety standards promulgated by the Central Water CommissionppldquoSardar Sarovar Dam has been under constant criticism by some lobbies but the fact is that the dam has proven the life line of Gujarat since last two decades and in the time of crisis due to lean monsoon like this year survival of the people of the state depend solely of Narmada waterrdquo a senior engineer from the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited commentedppHe further said ldquoSince DSRP has advised to lower the reservoir level for regular and routine upstream surface maintenance the agenda has been included in the meeting of the Narmada Control Authority for operation of the IBPTrdquop