Alleging that developmental projects implemented with funds from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other international financial institutions (IFIs) have caused human rights violations, loss of livelihood and environmental destructions, various social organisations held a rally here on Saturday as a mark of protest against the week-long 50th year celebration of the ADB.
Members of the Indian Social Action Forum(INSAF), the All India People’s Forum (AIPF), the lokshakti Abhijan, the Bhumi Adhikar Andolan and the National Hawkers Federation participated.
“Poor vendors, whose day’s sale doesn’t cross `500, are asked to pay `500 in Smart Cities and cities where beautification works are being implemented with the funds of the ADB and other IFIs. These institutes are pushing for these development model projects, which takes away livelihood of poor vendors and causes heavy environmental losses,” said protestors.
Social and environmental activists like Narendra Mohanty, Prafulla Samantara, Suresh Panigrahi, Jayant Das, Mahendra Parida, Kalyan Anand, Amiya Pandab, Nitu Chakia, Pradipta Nayak, lingaraj, Dr Sricharan, Biswapriya Kanungo, Srimant Mohanty, Radhakant Sethi, Simanchal Nahak, Tapan Padhi, Pradeep Sahu, Bansidhar Parida, Rajnarayan Dalua, Sandeep Pattnayak, Chitta Barik, Soumen Ray, Bansidhar Parida, Manohar Chouhan, Biswanath Patra led the rally.