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South Asia

This section covers ADB-related updates in the following countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

ADB Releases Environmental Assessment Report on LNG Project in India

7 August 2006, India. The ADB recently uploaded the Environmental Assessment Report on Dahej Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal Expansion Project. An LNG terminal is considered hazardous. Risks to the LNG terminal under the Project are collision of LNG tankers with other ships; an LNG leak during unloading; an LNG leak from safety valves at the
top of the storage tanks; and (iv) major earthquakes.. Read the report

Attention Safeguard Watchers - India Asks for Softer Loans from the ADB

30 July 2006, New Delhi, India. India wants the ADB to change the safeguard norms to enable projects to go on even with corruption cases. Read more

ADB May Rethink Melamchi Water Supply Project

25 July 2006, Kathmandu, Nepal. Due to continuous protests, the Melamchi project may face a high risk of non-implementation according to the ADB. “If the authorities fail to pave way for the smoother implementation of the project, all that I can say is that the project could come under high risk (of non-implementation),” ADB's Country Chief Dr. Sultan Hafeez Rahman said. Read more

From July 18 to 19, an adhoc committee (composed of leaders of political parties, social workers, teachers, and project officials) held talks with youth protesters who padlocked all project offices last July 17. However, locals threatened to padlock even the quarters of project officials after project officials said that they could not fulfill their demands. The 10-point demand includes employment for a member from each of the affected families by the project, guarantee of employment to youths in affected areas, blacktopping of roads and other development facilities in the affected areas. On July 20, all field staff left the project site for fear of their safety. Read more

The Norwegian Agency for International Development (NORAD) and Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) pulled out from the project in July 2005 and April 2006, respectively, due to concerns on Nepal's situation regarding democracy and human rights.

Khulna Raises Voice Against Tipaimukh Dam Project

16 July 2006, Khulna. At about 10 AM ,the south western city of Khulna in Bangladesh, which is surrounded by Sundarbans - a great treasure of natural heritage, experienced  a stormy protest against the Tipaimukh Dam built in Manipur India. It is adjacent to the north eastern district of Sylhet. A "human chain" was organized where hundreds of civil society members participated. Angikar Bangladesh and CDP jointly organized the event.

ADB Management Did Not Comply with CRP Report

12 July 2006, Manila. After having the monitoring investigation on the Southern Transport Development Project (STDP) in Sri Lanka in June 2006, the ADB Compliance Review Panel reports that the ADB management has not complied with most of the proposed remedial action in the CRP report prepared in July 2005 to solve the problems of the STDP. Read more

Read the CRP report on STDP

Regional News