Law stated in this book is as updated till 1st December, 2025
Published by : Taxmann Publications (P.) Ltd.
Sales & Marketing : 59/32, New Rohtak Road, New Delhi-110 005 India
Phone : +91-11-45562222
Website : www.taxmann.com
E-mail : sales@taxmann.com
Regd. Office : 21/35, West Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi-110 026 India
Printed at :
Tan Prints (India) Pvt. Ltd.
44 Km. Mile Stone, National Highway, Rohtak Road Village Rohad, Distt. Jhajjar (Haryana) India
E-mail : sales@tanprints.com
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to avoid errors or omissions in this publication. In spite of this, errors may creep in. Any mistake, error or discrepancy noted may be brought to our notice which shall be taken care of in the next edition. It is notified that neither the publisher nor the author or seller will be responsible for any damage or loss of action to any one, of any kind, in any manner, therefrom. It is suggested that to avoid any doubt the reader should cross-check all the facts, law and contents of the publication with original Government publication or notifications.
No part of this book may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means [graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information retrieval systems] or reproduced on any disc, tape, perforated media or other information storage device, etc., without the written permission of the publishers. Breach of this condition is liable for legal action.
For binding mistake, misprints or for missing pages, etc., the publisher’s liability is limited to replacement within seven days of purchase by similar edition. All expenses in this connection are to be borne by the purchaser. All disputes are subject to Delhi jurisdiction only.
13.
CHAPTER III
14.
16.
17.
19.
CHAPTER IV
49. Allocation of funds by Ministries and Departments 44
50. Emergency procurement and accounting 44
CHAPTER X
OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
51. Punishment for obstruction, etc. 45
52. Punishment for false claim 47
53. Punishment for misappropriation of money or materials, etc. 47
54. Punishment for false warning 48
55. Offences by Departments of the Government 49
56. Failure of of cer in duty or his connivance at the contravention of the provisions of this Act 49
57. Penalty for contravention of any order regarding requisitioning 51
58. Offence by companies 51
59. Previous sanction for prosecution 53
60. Cognizance of offences 53
60A. Power of Central Government or State Government to take action in relation to nature of hazard and punishment for its contravention 54
CHAPTER XI
MISCELLANEOUS
61. Prohibition against discrimination
62. Power to issue direction by Central Government
63. Powers to be made available for rescue operations
64. Making or amending rules, etc., in certain circumstances
65. Power of requisition of resources, provisions, vehicles, etc., for rescue operations, etc.
66. Payment of compensation
67. Direction to media for communication of warnings, etc.
68. Authentication of orders or decisions
69. Delegation of powers
70. Annual report
71.
72.
73.
74.
75. Power of
76.
76A.
77.
78.
79.
DAM SAFETY ACT, 2021
CHAPTER I PRELIMINARY
1.
2.
3. Application
4. De nitions
CHAPTER II NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON DAM SAFETY
5. Constitution of National Committee
6. Functions of National Committee
7. Meetings of National Committee
CHAPTER III NATIONAL DAM SAFETY AUTHORITY
8. Establishment of National Dam Safety Authority
9. Functions of Authority
10. Of cers and Employees of Authority
CHAPTER IV
11. Constitution of State Committee on Dam Safety
12. Functions of State Committee
13. Meetings of State Committee
CHAPTER V
14. Establishment of State Dam Safety Organisation
15. Of cers and employees of State Dam Safety Organisation
CHAPTER VI
DUTIES
16. Surveillance and inspection
17. Vulnerability and hazard classi cation of
18. Maintenance of log books
19. Records of dam failures and dam incidents
20. Instructions on safety of speci ed dams
21. Funds for maintenance and repairs
22. Technical documentation
23. Quali cations and experience of individuals responsible for safety of speci ed dams
24. Jurisdiction of State Dam Safety Organisation and Authority
25. Cost of investigation
26. Construction or alteration of dams
27. Initial lling of reservoirs
28. Operation and maintenance
29. Responsibility of owner of speci ed
CHAPTER VII
32. Instrumentations to be installed in every speci ed dam 87
33. Establishment of hydro-meteorological station 87
34. Installations of seismological station 87
CHAPTER VIII
EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT
35. Obligation of owner of speci ed dam 87
36. Emergency action plan 88
37. Assistance to other disaster management authorities 89
CHAPTER IX
COMPREHENSIVE DAM SAFETY EVALUATION
38. Comprehensive dam safety evaluation 89
39. Compulsory evaluation in certain cases 89
40. Reports of comprehensive evaluation 90
CHAPTER X OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
41. Punishment for obstruction, etc. 90
42. Offences by Departments of Government 92
43. Offence by companies 92
44. Cognizance of offences 94
CHAPTER XI MISCELLANEOUS
45. Annual report of safety status of speci ed dam 94
46. Safety measures in respect of dams other than speci ed dams 95
47. Safety measures in respect of dams located outside territory of India 95
48. Act to have overriding effect 95
49. Power to amend Schedules 95
50. Power of Central Government to give directions 95
51. Vacancies, etc., not to invalidate proceedings of National Committee on Dam Safety Authority and State Committee on Dam Safety 96
52. Power of Central Government to make rules 96
53. Power of State Government
54.
55. Rules and regulations to be laid before
56.
FIRST
SECOND SCHEDULE: Functions of
THIRD SCHEDULE:
SUBJECT
DISASTER MANAGEMENT NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (PROCEDURE AND ALLOWANCES) RULES, 2006
1.
2.
3. Procedure to the followed by the National Executive Committee
4. Allowances to be paid to a person associated as an expert with a sub-committee of the National Executive Committee
DISASTER MANAGEMENT (TERM OF OFFICE
CONDITIONS OF
1.
2.
3.
5. Resignation
5A.
6. Vacancies
7. Allowances to be paid to a member of the Advisory Committee constituted by the National Authority
DISASTER MANAGEMENT (NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT) RULES, 2006
1. Short title and commencement
2. De nitions
3. Composition of the institute
4. Filling up of
5. Meetings of the institute
6. Governing body of the institute
7. Executive Director of the
8. Powers and functions of the
DISASTER
MANAGEMENT (ANNUAL REPORT OF NATIONAL AUTHORITY) RULES, 2006
1.
2.
DISASTER
MANAGEMENT (NOTICE OF ALLEGED OFFENCE) RULES, 2007
4. Superintendence, direction and control of Force
5. The responsibility, training, skill, duties, etc.
6. Conditions of service
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS, 2006
1. Short title and commencement
2. De nitions
3. Composition of the institute and the governing body
4. Meetings of the institute
5. Transaction of business by circulation of papers
6. Recording of business
7. Delegation of functions to governing body or Executive Director
8. Term of of ce
9. Powers and functions of the governing body
10. Time and place of meeting of the governing body
11. Notice for meeting of governing body
12. Quorum
13. Presiding over the meetings of governing body
14. Transaction of business by circulation of papers
15. Voting
16. Recording of business
17. Allowances to the members of the institute and the governing body
18. Powers and functions of Executive
DISASTER MANAGEMENT NATIONAL CRISIS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (PROCEDURE) RULES, 2025
1. Short title and commencement
2. De nitions
3. Procedure to be followed by National Crisis Management Committee
DISASTER MANAGEMENT (REMOVAL OF DIFFICULTIES) ORDER, 2006
Disaster Management (Removal of Dif culties) Order, 2006 130
NOTIFICATIONS 131
SAMPLE CHAPTER
Disaster Management Act, 2005 [53
OF 2005]1
An Act to provide for the effective management of disasters and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Fifty-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—
CHAPTER I PRELIMINARY
Short title, extent and commencement.
1. (1) This Act may be called the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
(2) It extends to the whole of India.
(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette appoint; and different dates2 may be appointed for different provisions of this Act and for different States, and any reference to com-
1. Dated 23-12-2005.
2. S.O. 1216(E), dated 28-7-2006.—In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 1 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (53 of 2005), the Central Government hereby appoints the 28th day of July, 2006 as the date on which the provisions of sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 75, 77 and 79 of the said Act shall come into force.
S.O. 1861(E), dated 30-10-2006.—In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 1 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (53 of 2005), the Central Government hereby appoints the 30th day of October, 2006 as the date on which the provisions of sections 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 35, 36, 37, 42, 43, 49, 50, sub-section (1) of section 70 and section 76 of the said Act shall come into force.
S.O. 722(E), dated 7-5-2007.—In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 1 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (53 of 2005), the Central Government hereby appoints the 1st August, 2007 as the date on which the provisions of sections 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 48, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, sub-section (2) of section 70, sections 71, 72, 73, 74, 78 and 79 of the said Act shall come into force in the whole of India.
S.O. 517(E), dated 17-3-2008.—In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 1 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (53 of 2005), the Central Government hereby appoints the 17th day of March, 2008 as the date on which the provisions of sections 44 and 45 of the said Act shall come into force.
(Contd. on page 2)
mencement in any provision of this Act in relation to any State shall be construed as a reference to the commencement of that provision in that State.
Definitions
32. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) “affected area” means an area or part of the country affected by a disaster;
(b) “capacity-building” includes—
(i) identification of existing resources and resources to be acquired or created;
(ii) acquiring or creating resources identified under sub-clause (i);
(iii) organisation and training of personnel and coordination of such training for effective management of disasters;
(c) “Central Government” means the Ministry or Department of the Government of India having administrative control of disaster management;
(d) “disaster” means a catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence in any area, arising from natural or man made causes, or by accident or negligence which results in substantial loss of life or human suffering or damage to, and destruction of, property, or damage to, or degradation of, environment, and is of such a nature or magnitude as to be beyond the coping capacity of the community of the affected area;
4[Explanation.—For the removal of doubts, it is hereby clari ed that the expression “man made causes” does not include any law and order related matter or situation, or any situation arising from a law and order related matter or situation;]
4[(da) “disaster database” means a database which includes disaster assessment, fund allocation detail, expenditure, preparedness and mitigation plan, risk register according to type and severity of risk and such other relevant matters, in accordance with such policy, as may be determined by the Central Government;]
(
e) “disaster management” means a continuous and integrated process of planning, organising, coordinating and implementing measures which are necessary or expedient for—
(Contd. from page 1)
S.O. 2397(E), dated 18-10-2011.—In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 1 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (53 of 2005), the Central Government hereby appoints the 18th day of October, 2011 as the date on which the provisions of sub-section (1) and sub-section (2) of section 46 of the said Act shall come into force.
S.O. 564(E), dated 5-2-2021.—In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 1 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (53 of 2005), the Central Government hereby appoints the 5th day of February, 2021 as the date on which the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 47 of the said Act shall come into force.
3. Enforced with effect from 28-7-2006.
4. Inserted by the Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025, w.e.f. 9-4-2025.
(i) prevention of danger or threat of any disaster;
(ii) mitigation or reduction of risk of any disaster or its severity or consequences;
(iii) capacity-building;
(iv) preparedness to deal with any disaster;
(v) prompt response to any threatening disaster situation or disaster;
(vi) assessing the severity or magnitude of effects of any disaster;
(vii) evacuation, rescue and relief;
(viii) 5[rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction];
6[Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause, the expression “disaster management” is inclusive of “disaster risk reduction”, that is, the practice of reducing disaster risk through systematic effort to analyse and manage the causal facts of disaster through—
(i) reduced exposure to hazard;
(ii) reduced vulnerability of people, infrastructure, economic activity, environmental and natural resource; and
(iii) improved preparedness, resilience and capacity to manage and respond to adverse event;]
6[(ea) “disaster risk” means the potential loss of life, injury, destroyed or damaged property, infrastructure and assets, economic and social disruption and environmental degradation, which could occur to a system, society or a community in a specific period of time, determined probabilistically as function of hazard, exposure, vulnerability and capacity.
Explanation.—For the purpose of this Act, expression “infrastructure” refers to physical structures, facilities, networks, systems and assets, which provide services that are essential to the social, ecological and economic functioning of a community or society;]
(f) “District Authority” means the District Disaster Management Authority constituted under sub-section (1) of section 25;
(g) “District Plan” means the plan for disaster management for the district prepared under section 31;
6[(ga) “evacuation” means moving people or assets temporarily to safer places before, during or after the occurrence of a hazardous event;
(gb) “exposure” means the situation of people, buildings, infrastructure, production capacities and other tangible human assets, the environment and natural resources located in hazard-prone areas.
5. Substituted for “rehabilitation and reconstruction” by the Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025, w.e.f. 9-4-2025.
6. Inserted, ibid
DISASTER MANAGEMENT ACT 2005 –BARE ACT WITH SECTION NOTES
AUTHOR : Taxmann's Editorial Board
PUBLISHER : Taxmann
DATE OF PUBLICATION : January 2026
EDITION : 2026 Edition
ISBN NO : 9789371269988
NO. OF PAGES : 152
BINDING TYPE : Paperback
Rs. 195
DESCRIPTION
Disaster Management Act 2005 [Bare Act with Section Notes] by Taxmann is an authoritative statutory publication presenting India's core legal framework governing disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, and reconstruction. The Act establishes a coordinated, multi-tier disaster management system. It provides the statutory basis for national, state, district, and urban disaster management authorities, as well as enforceable emergency powers during disasters of national or regional importance. This 2026 Edition is updated to incorporate the Disaster Management (Amendment) Act 2025, reflecting the modern legal approach to disaster risk reduction, resilience, climate-linked risks, urban disaster governance, and structured recovery. The Bare Act is supplemented with precise section-wise explanatory notes to aid statutory interpretation and administrative application. This publication is essential for a wide range of professional, academic, and institutional users, including:
• Advocates & Legal Practitioners
• Judges & Judicial Officers
• Government Officials & Administrators at the Central, State, District, and Urban Levels
• Policy Makers & Regulators
• Disaster Management Professionals & Consultants
• Academicians, Researchers & Students
The Present Publication is the 2026 Edition, covering the amended and updated text of the Disaster Management Act [Act No. 53 of 2005] and Rules, with the following noteworthy features:
• [Comprehensive Text with Section Notes] Complete and updated statutory text supported by concise section-wise notes and case-law references
• [Updated Amendments] Incorporates all amendments up to date, including the Disaster Management (Amendment) Act 2025
• [Pre-amendment Provisions] Includes pre-amendment texts through statutory footnotes for historical and transitional reference
• [Allied Rules, Regulations & Orders] Consolidates all applicable rules, regulations, notifications, and removal of difficulties orders
• [Dam Safety Act 2021] Includes the complete text of the Dam Safety Act 2021, linking disaster management with infrastructure safety
• [Judicial Interpretations] Covers important judicial pronouncements clarifying statutory powers and limitations
• [Structured Indexing] Comprehensive subject index for efficient navigation and quick reference
