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 October 2014 India: Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project Restoration Work of following Motor Roads in Chamoli District under UEAP: (1) Karanprayag-Nauti-Paithani Motor Road (2) Karanprayag Nainisen Motor Road (3) Gauchar-Sidholi Motor Road (4) Birhi-Gauna Motor Road (5) Pokhri-Gopeshwer Motor Road 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 GMVN - Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam GoI - Government of India GRM - Grievance Redressal Mechanism IA - Implementing Agency IEE - Initial Environmental Examination IST - Indian Standard Time KMVN - Kumaun Mandal Vikas Nigam LPG - Liquid Petroleum Gas MDR - Major District Road MoEF&CC - Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change NAAQS - National Ambient Air Quality Standards NDBR - Nanda Devi Biosphere 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 Kmph - Kilometer per hour Lpd – liters per day M – Meter mg/l – milligrams per liter Mm – Millimeter MSL - Mean sea level µ - Microgram =10-6 meter µg/m3 – Micrograms per cubic meter µS/cm - Micro Siemens per centimeter NTU - Nephalometric turbidity unit ppm – Parts per million iii TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 I INTRODUCTION 4 A. Project background/rationale 4 B. The Uttarakhand emergency assistance project 4 (UEAP) C. Purpose of the environmental assessment 5 D. Extent of IEE 5 E. IEE contents 5 F. Methodology 5 G. Public consultation 6 II POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 7 III DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 10 A. Project location 10 B. Proposed category of the project 18 C. Key rehabilitation and reconstruction activities 19 D. Project implementation schedule 19 IV DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 22 A. Physical environment 22 1. Geography 22 2. Geology 23 3. Physiography 25 B. Pedology 25 C. Climate and meteorology 26 D. Air and noise quality 27 E. Hydrology 28 1. Water drainage 28 2. Water quality 29 F. Mineral resources 29 G. Seismology 30 H. Ecology 30 1. Forestry 30 2. Biodiversity 33 3. Biosphere reserves 36 4. Fishery 37 I. Socio-economic 37 1. Social and cultural development 37 2. Land use and land use pattern 38 J. Health 38 K. Literacy 39 L. Cultural and archaeological resources 40 M. Economic development 41 1. Transportation and communication 41 2. Industrial development 42 3. Agriculture, forestry and fishery 42 N. Fisheries 46 O. Energy and electric power potential 47 P. Aesthetic and tourism 47 V ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 48 5.1 Negative impacts related project location, preliminary planning and design 48 A. Impact and mitigation measure during planning and design phase 48 B. Impacts during construction phase 48 a. Impacts on the physical environment and mitigation measures 49 i. alteration of surface water hydrology of waterways crossed by roads, 49 iv resulting in increased sediment in streams affected by increased soil erosion at construction site. ii. Impacts on water quality 49 iii. Disfiguration of landscape by road embankments, cuts, fills and quarries. 49 iv. Loss of productive soil 50 v. Compaction and contamination of soil 50 b. Impacts on environmental quality 50 i. Increase in local air pollution due to rock crushing, and filling works and 50 chemicals from asphalt processing. ii. Noise and vibration from civil works 51 C. Impacts on the socio-economic 52 i. Encroachment on historical and cultural areas 52 ii. Impacts on occupational health and safety 52 iii. Impacts on community health and safety 52 VI INFORMATION DISCLOSURE, CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION 54 A. Public participation during the preparation of the IEE 54 B. Future consultation and disclosure 58 C. Consultation during detailed design 58 D. Consultation during construction 58 6.1 Project disclosure 59 6.2 Public disclosure 59 VII ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING PLAN & GRIEVANCE 60 AND REDRESS MECHANISM A. Environment management plan 60 B. Institutional arrangement 60 I. SDMA/UEAP (PMU and PIU) 61 II. Project implementation unit/project management unit (PIU/PMU) 61 III. The Engineer (DSC) 61 IV. Environmental expert of engineer (DSC) 61 V. The Contractor 62 C. Environmental monitoring programme 91 D. Performance indicators 91 E. Grievance and redress mechanism 92 F. Environmental budget 94 VIV CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 99 v LIST OF TABLES TABLE II-1 : Applicable environmental national and state requirements for UEAP 7 TABLE III-1 : Distribution of road sections to be improved by district 19 TABLE IV-1 : Availability of important minerals (million tonnes) 29 TABLE IV-2 : District-wise forest cover, Uttarakhand 31 TABLE IV-3 : Predominant top-canopy (tree) species according to altitude 33 TABLE IV-4 : Wildlife in Uttarakhand 33 TABLE IV-5 : National parks in Uttarakhand 34 TABLE IV-6 : Wildlife sanctuaries in Uttarakhand 34 TABLE IV-7 : List of major flora 34 TABLE IV-8 : List of major fauna 35 TABLE IV-9 : Land utilization in Uttarakhand 38 TABLE IV-10 : Demographic, Socio-economic and Health profile of Uttarakhand 39 State as compared to India figures TABLE IV-11 : Health infrastructure of Uttarakhand 39 TABLE IV-12 : Transportation of Uttarakhand State 41 TABLE IV-13 Industrial development of Uttarakhand 42 TABLE IV-14 : Area under principal crops and productivity in Uttarakhand 44 TABLE IV-15 : Ecological sub-regions and altitude-wise major agriculture crops 45 TABLE IV-16 : Mode of irrigation and drainage system in Uttarakhand 46 TABLE VII-1 : Environmental management and monitoring plan 64 TABLE VII-2 : Performance indicator for EMMP 91 TABLE VII-3 : Environmental monitoring for Air, Water, Noise and Soil 93 TABLE VII-4 : Environmental Budget for Karanprayag-Nauti-Paithani Motor Road 94 TABLE VII-5 : Environmental Budget for Karanprayag Nainisen Motor Road 95 TABLE VII-6 : Environmental Budget for Gauchar-Sidholi Motor Road 96 TABLE VII-7 Environmental Budget Birhi-Gauna Motor Road 97 TABLE VII-8 Environmental Budget Pokhari-Gopeshwer Motor Road 98 vi LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX A Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA) 100 APPENDIX B Public consultation and stakeholders analysis 125 APPENDIX C Site photographs 139 APPENDIX 1 Disposal site management 142 APPENDIX 2 Environmental standards 145 APPENDIX 3 Oil inceptors 151 APPENDIX 4 Typical bituminous disposal pit 152 APPENDIX 5 Work safety in common operation and in construction 153 APPENDIX 6 Tree plantation strategy 162 APPENDIX 7 Enhancement measures 166 APPENDIX 8 Guidelines for management of road section through forest area 168 APPENDIX 9 Arrangement of traffic during construction 170 APPENDIX 10 General guidelines for contractor construction water management plan 174 APPENDIX 11 Environmental friendly construction methodology 175 APPENDIX 12 Borrow area management 179 APPENDIX 13 Soil erosion and sedimentation control 183 APPENDIX 14 Locating quarries, rehabilitating quarries and guidelines of stone 185 crushers APPENDIX 15 Storage, handling, use and emergency responses for hazardous 188 chemical APPENDIX 16 Site and management of construction camp 190 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 05 existing motor road sections Karanprayag-Nauti-Paithani, Gauchar-Sidholi, Karanprayag-Nainsen, Birhi-Gauna and Pokhri-Gopeshwer with a total length of 263.53 km out of which 89.80 km needs to be restored. The key road upgrading components includes restoration of disaster affected roads in hilly