Decision 14 BUR IV.A.26

Royal Chitwan National Park (Nepal)

The Bureau was informed that a US $30 million irrigation project, to be implemented with the assistance of a Japanese company and the Asian Development Bank, could divert about 75 per cent of the waters of the Rapti River which forms the northern boundary of the park and that no study on the environmental impact of this irrigation project had so far been undertaken. The Bureau recalled that a sum of US $80,000 had been provided during 1988-1989 from the World Heritage Fund for this site and was concerned whether the implementation of these projects was effectively ensuring the conservation of this national park. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to (a) contact the Nepalese authorities as well as the Asian Development Bank to express its concerns regarding the negative impacts which the proposed irrigation project could have on the integrity of this site; (b) seek necessary clarifications about the implementation of world heritage technical co-operation projects; and (c) encourage the State Party to nominate this site for inclusion in the List of World Heritage in Danger.