The World Bank will send its fact finding mission in May next to investigate the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) project thoroughly in Sindh. This was disclosed by the panel of the World Bank in response to the questions from 'Friends of the River Indus' organisation on Friday in Washington. Giving details of the damage done by the WB-funded projects in Sindh, Ishaq Tunio, founder of the 'Friends of the River Indus', demanded of the World Bank panel to arrange another exclusive hearing and discussion on the issues of the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD), Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD) and other WB-funded projects in Pakistan.
He also urged the WB authorities for conducting inquiry and investigation, especially of the projects initiated in Sindh province.
Talking from Chicago through telephone with a group of journalists here on Sunday, the World Bank Panel assured for further co-ordination and appropriate action in near future.
The Friends of the River Indus had submitted a request to the Inspection panel of the World Bank to put LBOD, RBOD, National Drainage Projects (NDP), and other WB-funded water projects on the agenda of the discussion.
The WB panel during the open discussion accepted the request with Edith Brown-Weiss, Chairperson and Eddo Abbot, Executive, Secretary.
The Inspection panel made a brief presentation on their current work, opportunities, and challenges in strengthening the project accountability at the World Bank.
Tunio informed the WB panel about the Hamal Lake disaster with request to send a fact-finding mission to investigate the tragedy.
Last year contaminated water of the RBOD was drained into Manchar lake, the largest lake of Asia and later drained into Indus river, resulting many deaths and hundreds of people, including women and children hospitalised in Hyderabad hospitals.
Tunio offered that a team of Friends of the River Indus willing to join the independent fact finding mission and wants to assist the World Bank, said a message received from Washington.
They further said that the investigation panel must probe the misappropriation of the World Bank loans.
In September 2004, Mustafa Talpur of Action Aid, Mohammad Ali Shah of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and other stakeholders had submitted a request for the investigation into the LBOD that had been approved after first phase of the investigation.
In this connection, member of the investigation team Serge Selwan said that his investigation team would leave in May 2005 to visit Kotri.
Selwan further said that probe had been ordered to investigate into violations of six policies and procedures- those are environmental assessment, natural habitats, indigenous people, involuntary resettlement, management of cultural property and disclosure of information.
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