Initial Environmental Examination Project Number: 47229-001 December 2014 IND: Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project Submitted by Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (Roads & Bridges), Government of Uttarakhand, Dehardun This report has been submitted to ADB by the Program Implementation Unit, Uttarkhand Emergency Assistance Project (R&B), Government of Uttarakhand, Dehradun and is made publicly available in accordance with ADB’s public communications policy (2011). It does not necessarily reflect the views of ADB. Initial Environmental Examination July 2014 India: Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project Restoration Work of (1) Pilkhi-Gadoliya Motor Road (Package No: UEAP/PWD/C13) and (2) Reconstruction of Inspection House approach road under Nagar Panchayat Devprayag (Package No: UEAP/ PWD/ C13) Prepared by State Disaster Management Authority, Government of Uttarakhand, for the Asian Development Bank. i ABBREVIATIONS ADB - Asian Development Bank ASI - Archaeological Survey of India BOQ - Bill of Quantity CTE - Consent to Establish CTO - Consent to Operate DFO - Divisional Forest Officer DSC - Design and Supervision Consultancy DOT - Department of Tourism CPCB - Central Pollution Control Board EA - Executing Agency EAC - Expert Appraisal Committee EARF - Environment Assessment and Review Framework EC - Environmental Clearance EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment EMMP - Environment Management and Monitoring Plan EMP - Environment Management Plan GoI - Government of India GRM - Grievance Redressal Mechanism IA - Implementing Agency IEE - Initial Environmental Examination IST - Indian Standard Time LPG - Liquid Petroleum Gas MDR - Major District Road MoEF - Ministry of Environment and Forests NAAQS - National Ambient Air Quality Standards NDBR - Nanda Devi Biospher Reserve NDNP - Nanda Devi National Park NH - National Highway ODR - Other District Road OM - Operations Manual PIU - Project Implementation Unit PMU - Project Management Unit PWD - Public Works Department REA - Rapid Environmental Assessment RSPM - Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter SDMA - State Disaster Management Authority SH - State Highway SPCB - State Pollution Control Board SPM - Suspended Particulate Matter SPS - Safeguards Policy Statement SRTC - State Road Transport Corporation UCADA - Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority UEAP - Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project UEPPCB - Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board UJS - Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan VR - Village Road ii WEIGHTS AND MEASURES cm - centimeter Crore – 100 lakhs = 10,000,000 Lakh – 100 thousand = 100,000 Km – Kilometer Kph - Kilometer per hour Lpd – liters per day M – Meter mg/l – milligrams per liter Mm – Millimeter MSL - Mean sea level - 10-6 meter g/m3 – micrograms per cubic meter S/cm - micro Siemens per centimeter NTU - Nephalo turbidity unit Ppm – parts per million iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapters Contents Page No. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 I INTRODUCTION 4 A. Project background/rationale 4 B. Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (UEAP) 4 C. Purpose of the environmental assessment 5 D. Extent of IEE 5 E. IEE contents 5 F. Methodology 6 G. Public consultation 6 II POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 7 III DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 11 A. Project location 11 B. Proposed category of the project 12 C. Key rehabilitation and reconstruction activities 12 D. Project implementation schedule 12 IV DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 14 A. Physical environment 14 1. Geography 14 2. Geology 15 3. Physiography 16 B. Pedology 16 C. Climate and meteorology 16 D. Air and noise quality 18 E. Hydrology 18 1. Water drainage 18 2. Water quality 19 F. Mineral resources 20 G. Seismology 20 H. Ecology 21 1. Forestry 21 2. Biodiversity 23 3. Biosphere reserves 27 4. Fishery 28 I. Socio-economic 28 1. Social and cultural development 28 2. Land use and land use pattern 29 J. Health 30 K. Literacy 31 L. Cultural and archaeological resources 31 M. Economic development 32 1. Transportation and communication 32 2. Industrial development 33 3. Agriculture, forestry and fishery 33 N. Fisheries 37 O. Energy and electric power potential 37 P. Aesthetic and tourism 37 V ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION 38 MEASURES 5.1 Negative impacts related project location, preliminary planning and Design 39 A. Impact and mitigation measure during planning and design phase 39 B. Impacts during construction phase 39 a. Impacts on the physical environment and mitigation measures 39 iv i. alteration of surface water hydrology of waterways crossed by 39 roads, resulting in increased sediment in streams affected by increased soil erosion at construction site. ii. Impacts on water quality 40 iii. Disfiguration of landscape by road embankments, cuts, fills and 40 quarries. iv. Loss of productive soil 41 v. Compaction and contamination of soil 41 b. Impacts on environmental quality 41 i. Increase in local air pollution due to rock crushing, and filling works 41 and chemicals from asphalt processing. ii. Noise and vibration from civil works 42 C. Impacts on the socio-economic 43 i. Encroachment on historical and cultural areas 43 ii. Impacts on occupational health and safety 43 iii. Impacts on community health and safety 43 VI INFORMATION DISCLOSURE, CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION 45 A. Public participation during the preparation of the IEE 45 B. Future consultation and disclosure 47 C. Consultation during detailed design 47 D. Consultation during construction 48 E. Public disclosure 48 F. Project disclosure 48 VII ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING PLAN AND 49 GRIEVANCE AND REDRESS MECHANISM A. Environment management plan 49 B. Institutional arrangement 49 I. UEAP, SDMA (PMU) 50 II. UEAP, IA, FPIU 50 III. The Engineer (DSC) 51 IV. Environmental expert of engineer (DSC) 51 V. The Contractor 51 C. Environmental monitoring programme 79 D. Performance indicators 79 E. Environmental budget 82 F. Grievance and Redress Mechanism 84 VIII CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 85 v LIST OF TABLES Table 0-1. Applicable Environmental National and State Requirements for UEAP 7 Table I0-1 Distribution of Road Sections to be upgraded under UEAP, by Hierarchy and 12 Length Table 0-1. Availability of Important Minerals (million tonnes) 20 Table IV-2. District-wise Forest Cover, Uttarakhand 22 Table IV-3. Predominant Top-Canopy (Tree) Species According to Altitude 23 Table IV-4. Wildlife in Uttarakhand 24 Table IV-5. National Parks in Uttarakhand 24 Table IV-6. Wildlife Sanctuaries in Uttarakhand 25 Table IV-7. List of Major Flora 25 Table IV-8. List of Major Fauna 26 Table IV-9 Land Utilization in Uttarakhand 29 Table IV-10. Health Indicators of Uttarakhand 30 Table IV-11. Health Infrastructure of Uttarakhand 31 TableIV-12. Transportation of Uttarakhand state. 32 Table IV-13. Area under Principal Crops and Productivity in Uttarakhand 35 Table IV-14. Ecological Sub-Regions and Altitude-wise Major Agriculture Crops 36 Table IV-15. Mode of Irrigation and Drainage System in Uttarakhand 37 Table VII-1. Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan 53 Table VII-2. The Performance Indicators and monitoring plans. 79 Table VII-3. Environmental monitoring for Air, Water, Noise and Soil. 81 Table VII-4. Environmental Budget for Pilkhi-Gadoliya Motor Road. 82 Table VII-5. Environmental Budget for Inspection house Devprayag Motor Road. 83 vi LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX A Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA) 86 APPENDIX B Public consultation record 96 APPENDIX C Site photographs 101 APPENDIX D MoEF issued specific guidelines in July 2013 for State of 102 Uttarakhand for expediting forest clearances to carry out the emergency work in forest areas (excluding works in national parks and sanctuaries) APPENDIX 1 Disposal site management 105 APPENDIX 2 Environmental standards 108 APPENDIX 3 Oil inceptors 114 APPENDIX 4 Typical bituminous disposal pit 115 APPENDIX 5 Work safety in common operation and in construction 116 APPENDIX 6 Tree plantation strategy 125 APPENDIX 7 Enhancement measures 129 APPENDIX 8 Guidelines for management of road section through forest area 131 APPENDIX 9 Arrangement of traffic during construction 133 APPENDIX 10 General guidelines for contractor construction water 138 management plan APPENDIX 11 Environmental friendly construction methodology 139 APPENDIX 12 Borrow area management 143 APPENDIX 13 Soil erosion and sedimentation control 146 APPENDIX 14 Locating quarries, rehabilitating quarries and guidelines of stone 148 crushers APPENDIX 15 Storage, handling, use and emergency responses for hazardous 151 chemical APPENDIX 16 Site and management of construction camp 154 This initial environmental examination is a document of the State Disaster Management Authority, Government of Uttarakhand. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has Undertaken Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (UEAP), financed by the ADB. The total estimated cost of the program is about US $205 millions, out of which $96.75 million will be allotted for road and bridge sector. The Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (UEAP) involving 2 existing