Enacted in December 2021, the Dam Safety Act mandates that every dam owner, typically state governments, including some private owners, must complete three key safety activities: a detailed Risk Assessment Study, the preparation of an Emergency Action Plan (EAP), and a Comprehensive Dam Safety Evaluation (CDSE). The NDSA, which has the legal mandate to enforce the Act, has repeatedly pressed dam owners to accelerate these tasks, emphasizing the non-negotiable nature of the December 2026 cut-off. The compliance is directly linked to securing the lives and property of millions residing downstream of these vital structures. 

Capacity Constraints and Resource Gap: 

Despite the clear legal imperative, dam owners cite significant on-ground hurdles. The primary bottlenecks flagged are a severe lack of requisite technical expertise and financial resources needed to execute the large-scale, specialized studies mandated by the Act. Reportedly, the NDSA views this "lackadaisical attitude" and resource constraint as a serious threat to the national effort to modernize dam safety protocols. The Authority stresses that bureaucratic delays cannot supersede the paramount imperative of public safety and the clear legal requirements of the DSA. The completion of these safety requirements is not merely administrative; it is an essential public safety measure that carries significant economic and humanitarian implications, potentially differentiating between routine operations and catastrophic failure. Immediate and decisive action by dam owners and state governments to allocate the necessary expertise and capital is crucial to meet the deadline.