Chashma “Action Plan” still undecided; ADB unable to get agreement from Government and Affectees

Asian Development Bank’s South Asia Regional Department has to date not made progress on finalizing the draft “Action Plan” developed after approval of the Chashma Inspection Panel Report by its Board in August 2004.

The ADB’s South Asia Regional Department has to date not made progress on finalizing the draft “Action Plan” developed after approval of the Chashma Inspection Panel Report by its Board in August 2004. The draft “Action Plan”, to be finalized in consultation with the Government of Pakistan and all relevant stakeholders, will serve as the basis for remedial measures that would need to be implemented to bring the project back into compliance. It is hoped the implementation of the Action Plan will offer material redress to affected communities.

ADB Management drafted the “Action Plan” in August 2004 and fielded a Mission to Pakistan to discuss it with GoP and relevant civil society stakeholders in October. While the ADB had a series of meetings with GoP on the draft Action Plan, they did not meet with civil society members or with affected communities to discuss the draft. The precise outcome of the ADB’s October Mission is unknown but it is clear that the ADB must make greater efforts to convene GoP, affectees, and other relevant stakeholders to seek their inputs on the draft Action Plan prior to finalizing it.

The ADB’s Compliance Review Panel has been authorized by the Board of Directors to monitor the implementation of the Board’s decisions with regard to the Chashma Inspection and submit a report by August 2005. To read the Board Inspection Committee’s report documenting remedial measures, see:

Board Inspection Committee’s report on inspection request on Chashma project, ADB Board Inspection Committee, July 2004 (Acrobat pdf 245 KB) (ADB website)