As many as 16 dams under the Kerala State Electricity Board will soon come under a common surveillance network, which will be operated from a control and command centre in Kottayam.
Officials with the KSEB Dam Safety Wing said the project, being implemented under the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) at a cost of ₹15.46 crore, was slated to be operational from February 1.
“The decision to provide an advanced monitoring and surveillance system is part of enhancing the security cover to these key water installations, which are located in the interiors where not many people are allowed,” said a top official.
The project
As per the plan, every dam will have around eight to 12 cameras based on their respective area, which will be primarily located above the wall, sideways, at the site office and at power-generation units.
The data obtained through the cameras will be sent to the central command centre to be established at the Dam Safety Organisation at Pallom in Kottayam.
“The installation of cameras at the vulnerable areas of four dams under the Sabarigiri and Kakkad power projects have already been completed. Of this, the Kakki dam has 11 cameras while the remaining three dams of Moozhiyar, Anathodu and Pampa reservoirs have 12 each,” the official added.
The footages to be captured by these cameras will be also monitored round the clock at the local command centre to be established at the security outposts manned by the Kerala Police.
Data backup
The project was awarded to a Thiruvananthapuram-based agency last year. It has already completed about 50%. The 4k projection rear cameras have a warranty up to five years. The control centre will have a data backup capacity of 40 days.
Official sources said the installation of cameras comes in the backdrop of a warning by the Intelligence Bureau to the KSEBL.
Earlier, the Central Electricity Authority and the National Committee on Dam Safety too had called for perpetual surveillance of dams, based on which the Union Ministry of Power issued guidelines for physical security, technological and cyber/IT security of hydroelectric projects.
