Environment

New report on Bank’s role in controversial dam

5 April 2011

In a March briefing, US NGO Bank Information Center (BIC) detailed major risks surrounding the construction of the Rogun mega-dam in Tajikistan, for which the Bank is funding environmental and social impact assessments (see Update 74). It warns that the project, which would be built on a geological fault-line, could harm water supplies and agricultural production in the region, and lead to the involuntary resettlement of at least 30,000 people. BIC called on the Bank to ensure the project would directly address poverty and energy access, give full consideration to alternatives and engage with local stakeholders.

Tamina Juraeva, of Tajik NGO Bureau of Human Rights and Rule of Law, said: “Our project aims to promote and protect interests of displaced people in construction of Rogun hydro power plant. Development of new hydro projects should be carried out in accordance with international regulations and standards, meet the interests of all the countries in the region and undergo an independent international auditing. Organizations such as the World Bank and the UN have a great role to play in this process. We see the Bank’s role in our project is in providing information support and involving members of the civil society in all processes related to resettlement.”