INLAND WATERWAYS AUTHORITY OF INDIA Ministry of Shipping, Government of India ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN AND RESETTLEMENT ACTION PLAN FOR “CAPACITY AUGMENTATION OF NATIONAL WATERWAY-1” BETWEEN HALDIA AND ALLAHABAD (JAL MARG VIKAS PROJECT) (DRAFT) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT MAY, 2016 EQMS India Pvt. Ltd. In JV with IRG Systems South Asia Pvt. Ltd. Abnaki Infrastructure Applications & Integrated Development Pvt. Ltd. 304 -305, Rishabh Corporate Tower, Plot No. 16, Community Center, Karkardooma, Delhi – 110092, Phone: 011-30003200; E-mail :
[email protected]; Website : www.eqmsindia.com Executive Summary of Environmental Impact Assessment Report of NW-1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.0 Background The cargo movement through waterway is considered one of the cheapest mode of transportation internationally which is very low in India compared to the international scenario. To augment the capacity of waterways transportation in India, Govt. of India has constituted Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) in 1985. IWAI has identified 5 river stretches as National priority and notified these stretches as National Waterways 1 to 5. Amongst the five notified waterways, the national waterways on Ganga (NW-1 between Haldia to Allahabad) is the longest waterways and is of prime importance considering its locational advantages. IWAI since long has been maintaining the least available depth (LAD) of 3m between Haldia and Farakka (560km), 2.5m in Farakka – Barh (400km), 2m between Barh – Ghazipur (290km) and 1.2 to 1.5m in Ghazipur – Allahabad (370km). Even currently this waterway (NW-1) is being used for various cargo movements, as well as tourists.