ECNEC sends back Tk 12.69b 'haors' project

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday declined to give its nod to an infrastructure-development project in 'haors' of greater Sylhet and Mymensingh, fearing environmental impact.

The ECNEC, the highest government authority for approving development projects and policies, endorsed 13 other projects including seven revised ones at its meeting with the Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus in the chair.

Taking the plea of Considering the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Advisor into consideration, it did not approve the "Haor Infrastructure and Livelihood Improvement Project", involving an estimated cost of Tk12.69 billion.

However, the ECNEC asked the Local Government Division to consult with the Department of Haor and Wetlands Development on the possible environmental and ecological impacts of the proposed project and revise it accordingly before placing it again to the ECNEC.

Of the proposed Tk 12.69-billion cost, Tk 3.05 billion was to be available from the government's internal resources, Tk 8.54 billion from the development partner IFAD and Tk 1.098 billion from the Danish International Development Agency (Danida).

According to the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED)'s project proposal, it was to develop infrastructure in the Haor and Barind regions, including 141 kilometres (kms) of village roads in haor and 193km in the Barind in greater Rajshahi district.

Besides, the LGED proposed development of 58 village markets, construction of 72 temporary crop storage and shelter facilities, 72km of internal haor pathways, 480 toilets and 720 tube-wells, and 280 village protection structures in the haor areas.

A senior Planning Commission (PC) official said although the project was placed before the ECNEC, Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan observed that the building of roads and other infrastructures could damage the ecosystem at haor. So, the project was sent back without approval, said the official.

Meanwhile, the ECNEC approved a total of 13 projects, involving an aggregate cost of Tk 19.88 billion.

Of them, three are fresh projects and seven revised ones while three others have been granted extension of their tenure.

Of the proposed cost, Tk 18.85 billion would come from the government's internal resources, Tk 530.2 million as project assistance from external development partners, and the remaining Tk 500 million from the implementing agencies' own funds.

However, neither the Planning Advisor nor any other responsible person from the Planning Commission briefed newsmen after Tuesday's ECNEC meeting.

The meeting endorsed revision of seven projects including 'Sustainable Rural Mud Roads through Herringbone Bond (HBB) Construction (2nd Phase) (3rd revised)' extending the cost by Tk 7.7-0 billion to Tk 51.04 billion, the Khulna Division Rural Infrastructure Development Project (3rd revised)' increasing the cost by Tk 880 million to Tk 27.53 billion, 'Renovation of Urban Landscape and Cultural Center Development Project in Jamalpur City (3rd revised)' reducing the cost by Tk 451.5 million to Tk 1.88 billion, the 'Construction of Internal Roads, Drains, and Footpaths in Zones 01 to 05 of Gazipur City Corporation (3rd revised) project' reducing the cost by 15.9 million to Tk 15.97 billion, the 'Rehabilitation and Quality Improvement of Level Crossing Gates in the Western Zone (4th revised) of Bangladesh Railway' increasing the cost by Tk 289.5 million to Tk 1.59 billion and 'Eastern Zone (5th revised) project of Bangladesh Railway' project extending the cost by Tk 288.8 million to Tk 1.736 billion; and the 'Construction of Bangladesh Chancery Building in Canberra, Australia' project increasing the cost by Tk 1.14 billion to Tk 2.61 billion.

The 'Uttara Lake Development (1st revised) Project'; the 'Upgradation of Kishoreganj (Binnati)-Patuaria-Mirzapur Jalkal Highway to appropriate standard (1st revised)' project; and the 'Ghorashal 3rd Unit Re-powering Project (2nd revised)' projects were revised without changing the cost.

In addition, the ECNEC approved the 'Conversion of the Mental Hospital, Pabna into an International Standard Mental Health Institute and Hospital' project at Tk 13.65 billion, 'PRO-ACT Bangladesh-Resilience Strengthening through Agri-Food Systems Transformation in Cox's Bazar' at Tk 530.16 million cost, the 'Expansion and Modernization of Physical and Chemical Testing Laboratories of BSTI' project at Tk 8.52 billion cost.

Meanwhile, Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud gave his approval to 12 other fresh projects, each having the cost below Tk 500 million, which were placed before the ECNEC meeting for its kind information.

Planning Advisor has the capacity to approve projects worth Tk 500 million or below. Such projects need not get approval from the ECNEC.

Those projects include development of the Light Engineering Sector and creation of e-waste processing facilities, capacity building of BGD e-Gov CIRT, establishment of schools for children and projects aimed at increasing irrigation through the elimination of water logging in the Bhavdaha area.

Other notable pre-approved projects include a pilot project for deep sea fishing, a vaccine invention project to prevent freshwater fish disease, and projects related to the modernization of jute production.

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