Dear Mr. Roche,
This is with
reference to my previous correspondence. I would like to ask you
to furnish me with the additional information on the following:
1: Relationship
between Chashma Environmental Plan and National Drainage Sector
Project: You told that the environment management plan was prepared
under ADB's TA 1629-PAK: Strengthening Environment Management for
Water Resource Development in WAPDA Project, approved on 17 December
1991. First question is whether TA 1629-PAK was funded by ADF or
anyother source? Secondly, according to my information, the implementation
of the environmental management plan will be financed as one of
the sub-projects of the National Drainage Sector Project (NDSP).
My question is what is the specific legal relationship between the
environmental management plan and NDSP? Are the social and environmental
guidelines under the NDSP applicable to the environmental management
plan and the CRBIP or not? If not, why are not these applicable?
2: TA and Inspection
Functions: As many of the project components are financed by TAs,
it seems me relevant to ask whether TAs are included in the scope
of the inspection functions or not? More specifically, whether TA
No. 4127 approved recently to support the activities of the GRSC
will be included in the overall scope of the inspection or not?
3: Final Report
of the GRSC: The GRSC was supposed to file the final report to the
ADB and Government of Pakistan by 31st December, 2003. If it is
already filed, I would like to get the copy of that report. If not
yet filed, let me know specifc time when we will be able to receive
it.
4: Photocopying
of the complaints: I have talked to Mr. Sohail Sober to get the
copies of the complaints and asked him to tell me how I should pay
the cost of photocopying? From our side, this is very important
and urgent matter. I am copying this email to Sohail so that he
should be aware of the urgency in this regard.
5: Extension
of the loan closing date: As the loan was supposed to be closed
by 31st December, 2003. That date has already past. It was told
by you that ADB requested to extend the loan closing date and the
government principally agreed to extend the closing date. Let me
know the latest status in this regard.
6: Use of undisbursed
loan balance: You told that about 19% of the total loan ($40,812,483)
is undisbursed and the ADB and the government would jointly plan
the use of that undisbursed amount. We would like to ask that the
inspection requesters should be fully and timely informed prior
to the finalization of any such plan.
7: Hiring of
water and other specialists: According to the GRSC recommendations,
the ADB and Government of Pakistan were supposed to hire water specialists
in order to look at the issue of future water management system
at the canal and distributaries level. What is the latest status
in this regard? How they will be paid? Is there any plan to approve
new TA or the undisbursed loan amount will be used for this purpose.
Secondly, we would like to make it clear that any effort to forcibly
impose the institutional reforms of the NDSP shall be fully resisted
by the requesters and local communities. We demand that the decision-making
in this regard should be transparent and all information should
be fully and timely disclosed.
8: Water Charges:
We came to know that the government is thinking to impose flat water
charges in the future. According to our information, water charges
will be imposed upon landholding regardless of the fact whether
the land is being irrigated or not. The fact is that about 60 percent
of the command area under Contract 68 is not yet receiving irrigation
water because of many factors. Moreover, I came to know that water
charges would be imposed from 2001. I would like to know the latest
situation/decision in this regard.
9: Conflict
with Mr. Abdul Wahab: You said that as far as the ADB was concerned,
there was no conflict with Mr. Abdul Wahab, the former land acquisition
expert for the GRSC. However, I came to know that his services were
terminated from 18th August, 2003, and his dues have not yet been
cleared. It seems there are definitely some issues but the ADB is
not prepared to disclosed those issues. I would like to demand that
transparency and information disclosure should be ensured in this
regard.
I hope to receive
your prompt response.
Regards,
Mushtaq Gadi
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