Power Transmission Enhancement Investment Program, Tranche 1
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Environmental Assessment Report Initial Environmental Examination Project Number: 37192 August 2009 PAK: Multitranche Financing Facility Power Transmission Enhancement Investment Program, Tranche 1 Subproject No. 21 132kV Rohri Substation to Gambat Substation Transmission Line Subproject Prepared by National Transmission and Despatch Company for the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The initial environmental examination is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB’s Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of 30 May 2009) Currency Unit – Pakistan rupee/s (Pre/PRs) PRe1.00 = $.0080 $1.00 = PRs79.80 ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank DDC – Detailed Design Cell DDS – Detailed Design Stage EIA – environmental impact assessment EMP – environmental management plan ESIC – Environmental and Social Implementation Cell IEE – initial environmental examination LARF – land acquisition and resettlement framework LARP – land acquisition and resettlement plan MFF – Multitranche Financing Facility NWC – Nara Wetland Complex PCB – Polychlorinated biphenyls PEPA – Punjab Environmental Protection Agency PEPAct – Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 (as regulated and amended) ROW – right of way SIA – Social Impact Assessment TXL – transmission line WMP – waste management plan DEFINITIONS Barren Land – Land which has not been cultivated and was lying barren at the time of field survey for this IEE Cropped land – Land which was under agricultural crops at the time of field survey for this IEE. Landowner – Person(s) holding legal title to property on the electric transmission line route from whom the Company is seeking, or has obtained, a temporary or permanent easement, or any person(s) legally authorized by a landowner to make decisions regarding the mitigation or restoration of agricultural impacts to such landowner(s) property. Right-of-Way – Includes the permanent and temporary easements that the Company acquires for the purpose of constructing power transmission facilities. For IEE of this Subproject Right of Way was 100m on either side from the center line. Tenant or Hari – Persons cultivating the land on tenancy or share cropping basis. Topsoil – The soil that has the highest content of organic matter, more specifically defined as the "A" horizon. Transmission Line – Includes electric transmission and distribution lines, substations, and their associated components. Uncultivated Land – The land which was not cropped at the time of field survey for this IEE. CONTENTS Page I. INTRODUCTION 1 A. Overview 1 B. Background 3 C. Scope of the IEE Study and Personnel 4 D. Policy and Statutory Requirements in Pakistan 5 E. Structure of Report 8 II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 8 A. Type of Project 8 B. Categorization of the Project 10 C. Need for the Project 11 D. Location and Scale of Project 11 E. Alternatives 12 F. Proposed Schedule for Implementation 13 III. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 13 A. Project Area 13 B. Physical Resources 15 C. Ecological Resources 18 D. Economic Development 23 E. Social and Cultural Resources 25 IV. SCREENING POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 27 A. Project Location 27 B. Environmental Impacts During Detailed Design and Pre-construction Phase 28 C. Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures During Construction 34 D. Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures During Operation 43 E. Institutional Requirements and Environmental Management Plan 45 V. PUBLIC CONSULTATON AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE 48 A. Approach to Public Consultation 48 B. Public Consultation Process 49 C. Results of Public Consultation 49 VI. CONCLUSIONS 50 A. Findings and Recommendations 50 ATTACHMENTS 1. Pakistan EIA Process 52 2. Environmental Management Plan 53 3. Monitoring plan 62 4. Summary of public consultation 76 5. Preliminary Program for design, construction and commissioning 98 6. Trees affected by transmission line route 99 7. Trees and other infrastructures along RoW 102 8. Photographs 127 ANNEXURES 1. Drawings 131 2. Standards 139 I. INTRODUCTION A. Overview 1. This document is the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) for the construction of the new 132 kilovolt (kV) double circuit Transmission Lines (from 220 kV Rohri substation to existing 132 kV Gambat substation 63 kilometers (km) and in-out (interconnection of existing 132 kV Rohri to Gambat transmission line with Rohri New substation, 11.2 km) that forms subproject No. 2 (RGTLs) under Tranche 1 of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Multitranche Financing Facility (MFF) Power Transmission Enhancement Investment Program (the Program). This IEE presents the results and conclusions of environmental assessment for the proposed construction of Rohri to Gambat transmission line Subproject and is submitted by the Government of the Pakistan (the Government), Ministry of Water and Power and National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC). The Rohri to Gambat transmission line subproject (RGTL SP) is to be considered for early improvement under the Program and requires environmental assessment under ADB operating procedures. An IEE has been carried out to fulfill the requirements of ADB Guidelines (May 20031 2). This IEE study report is used to complete the Summary SIEE , the sub project along with the D.G.Khan to Loarlai Transmission Line sub project are being shifted from Tranche 3 of the MFF to Tranche 1 and as part of the request to ADB for this reallocation of sub projects a SIEE (Dated May 2009) has been prepared and submitted to ADB .3 2. The Investment Program is proposed to be approved by ADB in 2009. The total cost of the RGTL SP is estimated at US$ 10.88 million. ADB will fund the design, civil works and procurement of equipment. The Project involves the construction of new 132 kV 74 km double circuit transmission lines from the new 220 kV grid station (GSS) at Rohri to the existing 132 kV Gambat substation and interconnection with an exiting line. The proposed transmission lines are a part of the arrangement to disperse power from two independent power producers (IPP) gas based power plants. Figure 1 presents the arrangement of dispersal of power from the IPPs. 1 Initial project classification was carried out in 2008 and the Category is “B”. Most of the construction impacts will take place with only local impacts and there are no potential significant environmental impacts associated with the Tranche 1 subprojects construction. Initial environmental reconnaissance and Rapid Environmental Assessment carried out by consultants under ADB guidelines in June 2008 indicated that all the Tranche 1 subproject will be Category “B”. 2 ADB. 2003. Environmental Assessment Guidelines. Manila. 3 Category A projects that are deemed by ADB's chief compliance officer to be environmentally sensitive for the purposes of (i) the 120 day rule, and (ii) the environmental management plan requirement could involve projects that are near or in environmentally sensitive areas. At this stage no component of the Tranche 1 subprojects under consideration is actually within a critical area and therefore the MFF tranche as a whole is Category “B”. 2 Figure 1: Dispersal Arrangement of the IPPs 3. The environmental assessment requirements of the Government for power transmission projects are different to those of ADB. The environmental regulations of the Government categorize development projects into two schedules according to their anticipated potential environmental impact. The proponents of projects that have more adverse environmental impacts (Schedule II) are required to submit an environmental impact assessment (EIA). The Schedule 11 has gaps and it does not cover the entire range, policy is ambiguous and needs clarification. The consultants have initiated a dialogue with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Islamabad for review of the policy. EPA Islamabad has agreed to open discussions with provincial EPAs and other stakeholders to revise the schedules, so that study requirements are not related to voltage or length of facilities being proposed to be added, but are related to significance of impacts. 3 B. Background 4. The condition of the power transmission system in Pakistan is inadequate to meet rapidly growing demand for electrical power. This situation limits national development and economic growth. To enable the transmission system to deliver newly added generating capacity the existing network has to be expanded. The overall contribution of power infrastructure also requires institutional arrangements and capacity that support strategic management of the sector, and planning and management of investments. Overall, the proposed Program facility has been designed to address both investment and institutional aspects in the electrical power sector. Impacts from the Rohri–Gambat 132 kV Transmission lines subproject are potentially significant, although not insurmountable, and compensation for crops and trees will need to be paid for the land that will accommodate the transmission line towers and the land within the right of way (RoW). The design for Rohri-Gambat 132 kV Transmission Line Subproject and the 132 kV in-out (connecting) line is sufficiently complete (June 2008) to permit IEE (Category “B”). 5. The Government has requested the ADB to provide finance for the Subproject to cover the construction of 74 km of double circuit transmission lines, to help fulfill the overall objective of the MFF to encourage economic growth and improve transmission