A Neutral Assessment of the Chashma Right Bank Irrigation Project for the Asian Development Bank

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Published July, 2001
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David Fairman

 

In July 2001 the Asian Development Bank (ADB) asked the Consensus Building Institute (CBI) to undertake an independent and neutral process of social assessment for the Chashma Right Bank Irrigation Project (CRBIP), Stage III with the goal of initiating a multi-stakeholder dialogue on the subject. This irrigation project is the final part of a major initiative by the government of Pakistan (with loan funding from the Asian Development Bank) to provide irrigation, hydroelectric power and flood control in the region bordering the Indus river in northern Pakistan. Residents in the project area, regional and national NGOs have raised concerns about the process of land acquisition, flood risk, involuntary relocation, and current strategies for mitigation and compensation.

CBI does not have a stake in the issues under discussion. Our aim is to assist the CRBIP stakeholders in clarifying CRBIP social issues, and in developing a mutually acceptable resolution of those issues, using a process that all stakeholders would consider fair and effective.

To conduct the Assessment, CBI formed an independent Social Assessment Team including Dr. Adil Najam (CBI Senior Consultant and Professor of International Relations at Boston University) and Syed Ayub Qutub (President, Pakistan Institute of Environment-Development Action Research). CBI Managing Director David Fairman is the Senior Project Advisor.

The CBI team has:

  • Undertaken an initial fact-finding mission to identify and interview key stakeholders and assess the nature and scope of their social concerns related to CRBIP— particularly those of affected communities;
  • Produced a report summarizing the results of the fact-finding mission and suggesting institutional approaches that might be considered for resolving the issues to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.

 

The second phase of the process will include a multi-stakeholder workshop to discuss the report and explore institutional options for improving communication and consultation and addressing the underlying concerns.

 

For more information on this case, please contact Managing Director David Fairman.