letter - Accountability Counsel
letter - Accountability Counsel
letter - Accountability Counsel
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JAL-‐ JUNGLE-‐ JAMIN SURAKYA MANCH, SUNDARGARH. <br />
(Girdhai, Hamirpur, Rourkela 769003, Orissa, India) <br />
Roberto Zagha <br />
Country Director, India <br />
rzagha@worldbank.org <br />
April 19, 2012 <br />
Binyam Reja <br />
Sector Manager <br />
breja@worldbank.org <br />
Rajesh Rohatgi <br />
Orissa State Roads Project Task Team Leader <br />
rrohatgi@worldbank.org <br />
The World Bank <br />
New Delhi Office <br />
70 Lodi Estate <br />
New Delhi – 110 003 <br />
India <br />
RE: Inquiry on current status of the proposed four lane road from Rourkela to Sambalpur <br />
(IBRD India Orissa State Roads Project, Project ID: P096023) <br />
Dear Mr. Zagha, Mr. Reja, and Mr. Rohatgi, <br />
We, the following representatives of the Water, Forest, and Land Protection Committee from <br />
Sundergarh, Orissa, in the name of (Jal Jungle Jamin Surakhya Manch, Sundargarh) write to you today <br />
with concerns about developments in the IBRD’s Orissa State Roads Project (ID: P096023). We met with <br />
representatives from your offices several times last year regarding community concerns about the <br />
Project. The final communication we received from your office was on July 13, 2011, stating that the <br />
World Bank had advised Project authorities to put land acquisition on hold, and that you would keep us <br />
informed about your dialogue with the Government of Orissa (GoO). <br />
We are concerned that project authorities have restarted land acquisition for the Project, but have not <br />
informed affected landholders and communities. The project is already causing imminent harm to <br />
locally affected people. <br />
On March 20, 2012, the local newspaper Samaja carried a notice stating that the GoO would be <br />
acquiring 3.95 acres of land in Kontiamara Village (Badgaon Police Station, Rajganpur Tehsil, Sundergarh <br />
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District) for the Rourkela-‐Sambalpur 4-‐lane highway project. We would appreciate any updated <br />
information you have on the status of this Project, including any plans for consultations, particularly <br />
with tribal peoples, environmental impact studies, mitigation plans, and safeguard documents. <br />
On behalf of community members who have land located on the periphery of the current Rourkela-‐<br />
Sambalpur highway, we ask that you advise project authorities to immediately remove the cement <br />
markers from their fields that indicate the expected width of the 4-‐lane highway project. These cement <br />
markers prevent the use of plows, which will be necessary as the plowing and planting season is quickly <br />
approaching. These farmers have not been consulted or compensated for the use of their land or the <br />
loss of productivity created by the cement markers. Please remove these markers as soon as possible to <br />
avoid imminent harm to these farmers’ livelihoods. <br />
We hope to hear from you soon and for your prompt cooperation with our requests. <br />
Sincerely Yours, <br />
Cc: Mr. Peter Lallas, World Bank Inspection Panel <br />
Cc: Natalie B. Fields, <strong>Accountability</strong> <strong>Counsel</strong> <br />
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