A new draft law on dam safety, consisting of 10 parts, nine chapters and 72 articles, which is expected to be a better legal tool for regulating dams in Laos, was presented at the ongoing 3rd Ordinary Session of the National Assembly on July 5.
Members of the National Assembly actively exchanged points of view on the draft law to ensure it is consistent with current requirements of socio-economic development.
Mrs. Chansavath Boupha, Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines, defended the draft law noting that for many years the management of the safety of dams has not been based on any specific rules.
“The Electricity Law, the Construction Law and the Environmental Law, among others, do not provide detailed and specific guidance on dam safety.As a result, investors violate or ignore, neglect, fail to pay attention to the safety requirements. These result in dam disasters like that one in Xieng Khuang years ago, and the collapse of the saddle dam of the Sepian-Senamnoi project in 2018, which caused significant loss to lives, health, property of people and the environment,” said Mrs. Chansavath.
Source: Lao News Agency