Section 38. Comprehensive dam safety evaluation.

(1) The owner of a specified dam shall make or cause to be made comprehensive dam safety evaluation of each specified dam through an independent panel of experts constituted as per regulations for the purpose of determining the conditions of the specified dam and its reservoir: Provided that the first comprehensive dam safety evaluation for each existing specified dam shall be conducted within five years from the date of commencement of this Act, and thereafter the comprehensive dam safety evaluation of each such dam shall be carried out at regular intervals as may be specified by the regulations. (2) The comprehensive dam safety evaluation shall consists of, but not be limited to,--- (a) review and analysis of available data on the design, construction, operation, maintenance and performance of the structure; (b) general assessment of hydrologic and hydraulic conditions with mandatory review of design floods as specified by the regulations; (c) general assessment of seismic safety of specified dam with mandatory site specific seismic parameters study in certain cases as specified by the regulations; (d) evaluation of the operation, maintenance and inspection procedures; and (e) evaluation of any other conditions which constitute a hazard to the integrity of the structure.