ADB releases resettlement planning document

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has released 'Resettlement planning document for "Earthquake emergency assistance project" to support the efforts of the Pakistan government in recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation of the earthquake-affected areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and NWFP.
According to document, the ADB would assist the rehabilitation of damaged or destroyed infrastructure of transport, power, health and education sectors, and would provide legal assistance for institutional building.
Reconstruction and rehabilitation of damaged or destroyed facilities would be done at their original sites. The government would try to use its own land if additional land was required for physical infrastructure, the document added. Private land would be acquired only if vacant government-owned land is not available.
Resettlement impacts of a specific subproject will be known only during the project implementation.
The resettlement framework will be part of the report and recommendation of the President and the legal agreements considered by the board at project approval. This resettlement framework, agreed between the government and ADB, sets out compensation and other entitlements of all affected people.
Among the earthquake-affected communities are several dominant tribes and sub-tribes that participate in mainstream economic and political activities and are represented in public institutions, civil services, and educational institutions.
Social inequalities and vulnerabilities in these communities usually arise from economic differentiation, as land is owned by a few large, powerful families, who rent it out to others to cultivate crops and raise livestock.
A social assessment will be conducted focusing on the vulnerabilities of all affected groups in the earthquake-affected areas. This is to ensure effective consultations and that culturally appropriate benefits will reach each affected group.
The executing agency of each subproject will examine the vulnerability of different groups in terms of potential exclusion from subproject benefits, negative subproject impacts, and the need for specific culturally compatible mechanisms for participation by women, the permanently disabled and other vulnerable groups.
If any of the above is found in a subproject area, the executing agency will incorporate adequate measures to address such vulnerabilities in project design. If land acquisition or relocation becomes necessary, people's entitlements will be ensured through the resettlement plan that will be prepared in accordance with the approved resettlement framework.
According to the main involuntary resettlement principles and procedures involuntary resettlement will be avoided. Where involuntary resettlement is unavoidable, affected persons will be assisted in re-establishing themselves and improving their quality of life.
Lack of formal legal land title is not a bar to compensation or rehabilitation assistance under the project. Replacement cost means the cost of replacing lost assets and income.