Abstract

This publication presents observations on common safeguard challenges in development projects, and suggests how to make the safeguard process in South Asia (and elsewhere) more meaningful.

The report presents the (i) safeguard systems of Bhutan, India and Nepal; (ii) differences in national safeguard laws and institutional processes with the Asian Development Bank’s safeguards policy; (iii) issues with safeguard design, implementation, and monitoring at the project level; (iv) effectiveness of safeguard training; and (v) capacity needs of project staff, government agencies, consultants, nongovernment organizations, contractors, and local communities involved with infrastructure projects.

A review of the comparative analysis of case studies and the institutional capacity assessment, isolates the environmental and social safeguard shortcomings, and proposes long- and short-term remedies to these shortcomings.