The Requesters allege that they are suffering harm due to the Project’s failure to follow World Bank safeguard policies and occupational health and safety guidelines. They allege that due to the poor implementation of drainage works under the project, wastewater is overflowing inside their house. As a result, the Requesters claim, the concrete in their house is corroding; moisture, fractures and cracks have appeared on the walls, floor tiles have loosened, and the house is threatened with collapse. They further allege that sewerage pipes were positioned above water pipes, leading to pollution, odor and health risks.
After conducting its due diligence, the Panel noted the absence of a plausible link between the alleged harm in the Request and the Bank-financed project. The Panel noted that the flooding is not attributable to the Project, there is no visible damage to the Requesters’ property that can be linked to the Project, and Management has made significant efforts over the course of the last two years to work with the Requesters to address their concerns, even though Management believed that these concerns are not linked to the Project. The Panel did not register the Request and issued a Notice of Non-Registration on November 29, 2022.
The Panel’s decision not to register the Request does not preclude the possibility of a future Request for inspection based on new evidence or circumstances not known at the time of the current Request.
