Initial Environment Examination Project Number: 47229-001 May 2016 IND: Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (UEAP) Package: UEAP/PWD/C-100 & UEAP/PWD/C-101 Submitted by Project implementation Unit –UEAP (Roads and Bridges), Dehradun This initial environment examination report has been submitted to ADB by the Project implementation Unit – UEAP (Roads and Bridges), Dehradun and is made publicly available in accordance with ADB’s public communications policy (2011). It does not necessarily reflect the views of ADB. This initial environment examination report 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. 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. Initial Environmental Examination April 2015 India: Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project Restoration & Reconstruction of 1- Panchachuli Trek Route (UEAP/PWD/C-100) District Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand. 2- Gunji Adikailash Trek Route (Napalchu, Ronkong, Kuti, Parvati Sarovar, Singlapass) (UEAP/PWD/C-101) District Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand. 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 Redress Mechanism IA - Implementing Agency IEE - Initial Environmental Examination IST - Indian Standard Time LPG - Liquid Petroleum Gas MDR - Major District Road MoEF&CC - Ministry of Environment and Forests & 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 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 µ - 10-6 meter µg/m3 – micrograms per cubic meter µS/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 5 A. Project background/rationale 5 B. Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (UEAP) 6 C. Purpose of the environmental assessment 6 D. Extent of IEE 6 E. IEE contents 7 F. Methodology 7 G. Public consultation 8 II POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 9 III DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 13 A. Project location 13 B. Proposed category of the project 13 C. Key rehabilitation and reconstruction activities 14 D. Project implementation schedule 14 IV DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 16 A. Physical environment 16 1. Geography 16 2. Geology 16 3. Physiography 17 B. Pedology 17 C. Climate and meteorology 18 D. Air and noise quality 19 E. Hydrology 20 1. Water drainage 20 2. Water quality 20 F. Mineral resources 21 G. Seismology 22 H. Ecology 22 1. Forestry 22 2. Biodiversity 25 3. Biosphere reserves 28 4. Fishery 29 I. Socio-economic 30 1. Social and cultural development 30 2. Land use pattern 32 J. Health 32 K. Literacy 33 L. Cultural and archaeological resources 33 M. Economic development 34 1. Transportation and communication 34 2. Industrial development 35 3. Agriculture, forestry and fishery 35 N. Fisheries 36 O. Energy and electric power potential 37 P. Aesthetic and tourism 38 V ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION 40 MEASURES 5.1 Negative impacts related project location, preliminary planning and Design 41 A. Impact and mitigation measure during planning and design phase 41 B. Impacts during construction phase 41 a. Impacts on the physical environment and mitigation measures 41 iv i. alteration of surface water hydrology of waterways crossed by 41 roads, resulting in increased sediment in streams affected by increased soil erosion at construction site. ii. Impacts on water quality 42 iii. Disfiguration of landscape by road embankments, cuts, fills and 42 quarries. iv. Loss of productive soil 42 v. Compaction and contamination of soil 42 b. Impacts on environmental quality 43 i. Increase in local air pollution due to rock crushing, and filling works 43 and chemicals from asphalt processing. ii. Noise and vibration from civil works 43 C. Impacts on the socio-economic 44 i. Encroachment on historical and cultural areas 44 ii. Impacts on occupational health and safety 44 iii. Impacts on community health and safety 44 VI INFORMATION DISCLOSURE, CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION 46 A. Public participation during the preparation of the IEE 46 B. Future consultation and disclosure 49 C. Consultation during detailed design 49 D. Consultation during construction 49 E. Public disclosure 49 F. Project disclosure 49 VII GRIEVANCE AND REDRESS MECHANISM 50 VIII ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING PLAN 51 A. Environment management plan 51 B. Institutional arrangement 51 I. UEAP, SDMA (PMU) 52 II. UEAP, IA, FPIU 52 III. Assistant Environment Officer (PIU) 53 V. The Contractor 53 C. Environmental monitoring programme 80 D. Performance indicators 80 83 E. Environmental budget IX CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 85 v LIST OF FIGURES SL. NO FIGURES PAGE NO. FIGURE-1 Process flow for carrying out IEE 7 FIGURE- III.1 Location of Project site 15 FIGURE- G-1 Seismic Zone of India 22 FIGURE- H-1 Forest Cover of State 22 FIGURE- H-2 Uttarakhand Forest Cover 23 LIST OF TABLES TABLE II-1 : Applicable environmental national and state requirements for UEAP 9 TABLE III-1 : Distribution of road sections to be upgraded under UEAP, by hierarchy 14 and length TABLE IV-1 : Average annual surface flow of the rivers of district Pithoragarh. 20 TABLE IV-8 : District-wise forest cover, Uttarakhand 23 TABLE IV-9 : Predominant top-canopy (tree) species according to altitude 24 TABLE IV-10 : Wildlife in Uttarakhand 25 TABLE IV-11 : National parks in Uttarakhand 26 TABLE IV-12 : Wildlife sanctuaries in Uttarakhand 26 TABLE IV-13 : List of major flora 26 TABLE IV-14 : List of major fauna 27 TABLE IV-16 : Health indicators of Uttarakhand 32 TABLE IV-17 : Health infrastructure of Uttarakhand 33 TABLE IV-9 : Category wise description of road in district Pithoragarh. 34 TABLE IV-10 : Total Agricultural production in district Pithoragarh 36 TABLE IV-11 : Details of Electric generation and distribution in district Pithoragarh 37 TABLE IV-12 : Number of Tourist and tourist facilities available in district Pithoragarh 39 TABLE VIII-1 : Environmental Management & Monitoring Plan 55 TABLE VIII-2 : The Performance Indicators & Monitoring Plan 80 TABLE VIII-3 : Environmental Monitoring for Air, Water, Noise & Soil 82 TABLE VIII-4 : 1. Environmental Budget for Panchachuli Trek Route 82 TABLE VIII-5 : Environmental Budget for Gunji Adikailash Trek Route 83 vi LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX A NOC given by DFO Pithoragarh 85 APPENDIX B Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA) 87 APPENDIX C Public consultation record 97 APPENDIX D Site photographs 100 APPENDIX E Grievance Redressed Cells 102 APPENDIX 1 Disposal site management 103 APPENDIX 2 Environmental standards 106 APPENDIX 3 Oil inceptors 112 APPENDIX 4 Work safety in common operation and in construction 113 APPENDIX 5 Tree plantation strategy 122 APPENDIX 6 Enhancement measures 126 APPENDIX 7 Guidelines for management of road section through forest area 128 APPENDIX 8 Arrangement of traffic during construction 130 APPENDIX 9 General guidelines for contractor construction water 135 management plan APPENDIX 10 Environmental friendly construction methodology 136 APPENDIX 11 Borrow area management 140 APPENDIX 12 Soil erosion and sedimentation control 144 APPENDIX 13 Locating quarries, rehabilitating quarries and guidelines of stone 145 crushers APPENDIX 14 Storage, handling, use and emergency responses for hazardous 148 chemical APPENDIX 15 Selection And Management Of Construction Camp 151 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