Summary of the Request

The complainants allege that the due to the Bank´s failure to comply with the Environmental and Safeguards Compliance Policy (OP-703) in relation to a waste site by the Pitama Reservoir was constructed without the proper environmental protection measures required to ensure the proper operation of the reservoir and safety of the water contained in it.  As a result of this, the walls of the waste site collapsed, blocking the water flow and reducing the level of the reservoir to inoperative levels. According to the complainants this has affected 105 agricultural properties and their productive capacity that depended on the irrigation from that reservoir. 

Recent actions

On August 2, 2016, the MICI Director determined that the Request is not eligible because it does not meet one of the eligibility criteria set out in paragraph 22 of subsection (d) of the ICIM Policy. In particular by not having evidence of efforts by the applicants to address issues with Management prior to submitting the Request to MICI. After notifying the parties, the process was terminated.

Past actions

On June 30, 2016 the Bank's Management submitted their Response to the Request, and as per MICI's Policy; an Eligibility Process is being carried out to determine whether the Request is eligible or not.

On June 1st, 2016 the Requesters representative sent to MICI the required documents, following which the MICI registered the Request and notified the Parties.

As there was some information missing in relation to the representativeness, the MICI granted the Complainants a 10 business days extension to provide the information which ends on June 13th, 2016.

The Request was sent initially to the IDB Country Office Representative in Chile who transferred it to the MICI and on May 25th, 2016 finally direct contact was made with one of the lawyers that represent the Association.