Initial Environmental Examination
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Initial Environmental Examination Document Stage: Draft Project Number: 45224-004 (IND) October 2016 India: Rajasthan Renewable Energy Transmission Investment Program (Tranche -2) Prepared by Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited (RVPN), Government of Rajasthan Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION 2 1.1 Background 2 1.2 Scope of Work and Methodology Adopted 2 2.0 POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 4 2.1 Indian - National, Local, Other Applicable Environmental Laws, Regulations, and Standards as applicable to the project. 4 2.2 India and Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) 7 2.3 Technical Standards, Rules and Regulations for Indian Power Sector 8 2.4: Asian Development Bank’s Safeguards Policies 8 3.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 12 3.1 The Project 12 3.2 Justification of the Project 13 3.3 Location 15 3.4 Size and Magnitude of Operation 28 4.0 DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENT (Baseline Data) 30 4.1 Jodhpur District 30 4.2 Jaisalmer District 32 4.3 Bikaner District 34 4.4 Ajmer 36 4.5 Nagaur 37 4.6 Barmer District 38 4.7 Pali District 40 4.8 Seismology in Rajasthan 41 4.9 Ecological Resources 42 4.10 Forest Cover 42 4.11 Protected areas in Rajasthan 44 4.12 Baseline Data of Environmental Parameters: Air Quality, Noise, and Ground Water Quality. 47 4.13 Economic Development 49 4.14 Historical, Cultural and Archaeology Sites/Places 50 5.0 ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 52 5.1 Environment Impacts and Mitigation Measures 52 6.0 ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 64 6.1 RVPN Approach for Planning of a subproject 64 6.2 Methodology for selection of route: environmental view 64 6.3 Alternatives for Subproject Components 65 7.0 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 81 7.1 Mitigation 81 7.2 Monitoring 88 7.3 Institutional Arrangements 89 8.0 INFORMATION DISCLOSURE, CONSULTATION, AND PARTICIPATION 95 8.1 Information Disclosure 95 8.2 Consultation and Participation 95 8.3 Consultation Details 96 9.0 GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM 100 9.1 Potential Grievance Channels (Framework) 100 9.2 Time Frame 100 9.3 The Grievance Redress Mechanism 100 10.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 103 Annexure – 1: Inventorisation of Transmission Lines/Substations 105 Annexure – 2: Environment Management Plan (EMP) 126 Annexure – 3: Environment Monitoring Plan (Environmental Parameters) 135 Annexure – 4: Letters from Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited (RREC) to Ministry of New and Renewable Energy 137 Annexure – 5: Sample Environment Monitoring for Air, Water, Noise and Soil Sampling for Similar ADB funded Road Project April 2016 143 Annexure - 6: Sample Environment Monitoring Report 153 Annexure - 7: Details of Public Consultation (Environment) 171 Annexure - 8 : Details of National Park/Sanctuary/Important Bird Area near Project area 189 Abbreviations ADB : Asian Development Bank ASEI : Asia Solar Energy Initiative ASI : Archaeological Survey of India CAZRI : Central Arid Zone Research Institute DC or D/C : Double Circuit DPR : Detailed Project Report EA : Executing Agency EHV : Extra High Voltage EIA : Environmental Impact Assessment EMoP : Environmental Monitoring Plan EMP : Environmental Management Plan GoI : Government of India GoR : Government of Rajasthan GRM : Grievance Redress Mechanism GSS : Grid Sub Station IA : Implementing Agency IEE : Initial Environmental Examination IGNP : Indira Gandhi Nahar Pariyojna (Indira Gandhi Canal Project) IMD : India Metrological Department JNNSM : Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission MOEF : Ministry of Environment and Forests MOP : Ministry of Power MSL : Mean Sea Level NIT : Notice of Inviting Tender PGCIL : Power Grid Corporation of India Limited PIU : Project Implementing Unit PLF : Plant Load Factor Ppm : Parts per million PTCC : Power Telecom Co-ordination Committee R & D : Research and Development Ramgarh GTPS : Ramgarh Gas Thermal Power Station RE : Rural Electrification RIICO : Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation ROW : Right of Way RRECL : Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited RVPN : Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited RSPCB : Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board Weights and Measures 1 Bigha : Measurement of land area (1 Bigha =1618 sq m in western Rajasthan) 1 Cusec : Measure of flow rate (28.317 litres per second) 1 ha. (hectare) : 10,000 sq m 1 Giga Watt : 1 Giga watt = 1000 Megawatt 1 km (kilometre) : 1,000 m 1 kV : kilovolt (1,000 volts) 1 kW : kilowatt (1,000 watts) 1 kWh : 1 kilowatt-hour = 1000 watts 1 MW : 1000 Kilowatt This 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. Your attention is directed to the “terms of use” section on ADB’s website. 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. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. In 2015, the government announced at the Conference of Parties (COP) 21 in Paris that it aims to increase to 40 percent the share of installed electric power capacity from non- fossil fuel- based energy resources by 2030. This includes plans to quadruple the country’s renewable energy capacity to 175 GW by 2022 and revise the target of grid-connected solar power from 20 GW to 100 GW by 2022. Due to its tropical location, some regions in India benefit from solar irradiation ranging from 4–7 kilowatt-hours per square meter of area. The solar irradiation available in the western regions, particularly in the desert regions of Rajasthan, is at the higher end of this spectrum. India also has significant wind potential in its western region. These advantages have led to India’s decision to invest in renewable energy particularly in the state of Rajasthan. 2. The multitranche financing facility will finance the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Transmission Investment Program to support accelerated development of long-term sustainable renewable energy sources in Rajasthan (India) in a cost-effective manner. The Project outcome is the development of reliable public sector transmission infrastructure capacity to support renewable energy development in the state of Rajasthan. 3. The proposed tranche 2 (the Project) will undertake investments in transmission network strengthening for 5 GW solar generation and wind generation to be connected by FY 2021 to FY 2022. Table below gives the list of project Tranche 2 components and summary of key environmental features of these subprojects. Tranche 2 Components and Summary Environmental Issues No Sub-Project components Key features of sub-project Environmental features * component A Transmission Lines: 1 765 kV double circuit 210 km Line has no land issue - no Passes through Aravalli range area and transmission line from Korna to forestland conversion/private land dry Luni riverbed (which is seasonal). No Ajmer (210 km) acquisition required. sanctuary/reserve forest within 10 km vicinity of the line alignment. 2 LILO of 400 kV Raj West – 10 km Line has no land issue - no No sanctuary/reserve forest within 10 km Jodhpur at Korna (10 km) forestland conversion/private land vicinity of the line alignment. acquisition required. 3 LILO of 400 kV Akal – Jodhpur 4 km Line has no land issue - no No sanctuary/reserve forest within 10 km at Korna (4 km) forestland conversion/private land vicinity of the line alignment. acquisition required. 4 400 kV double circuit 115 km Line has no land issue - no No sanctuary/reserve forest within 10 km transmission line from Korna – forestland conversion/private land vicinity of the line alignment. Pokaran (115 km) acquisition required. 5 400 kV double circuit 135 km Line has no land issue - no No sanctuary/reserve forest within 10 km transmission line from Korna – forestland conversion/private land vicinity of the line alignment. The route Jaisalmer II (135 km) acquisition required. passes through the wind farm area. 6 220 kV double circuit 50 km Line has no land issue - no No sanctuary/reserve forest within 10 km transmission line from Sheo – forestland conversion/private land vicinity of the line alignment. Undoo (50 km) acquisition required. 7 LILO of 220 kV Akal – Barmer 25 km Line has no land issue - no No sanctuary/reserve forest within 10 km at Sheo (25 km) forestland conversion/private land vicinity of the line alignment. acquisition required. 8 132 kV LILO double circuit 5 km Line has no land issue - no No sanctuary/reserve forest within 10 km transmission line from Sheo – forestland conversion/private land vicinity of the line alignment. 2 Undoo (5 km) acquisition required. 9 132 kV LILO ouble circuit 5 km Line has no land issue - no No sanctuary/reserve forest within 10 km transmission line from Sheo – forestland conversion/private land vicinity of the line alignment. Jaisalmer line (5 km) acquisition required. 10 220 kV double circuit 65 km Line has no land issue - no No sanctuary/reserve forest within 10 km transmission line from forestland conversion/private land vicinity of the line alignment. Baithwasia – Khinvsar (65 km) acquisition required. 11 LILO 2 km D/C Jaislamer-Sheo 2 km Line has no land issue - no No sanctuary/reserve forest within 10 km Line (at Sangarh 132 kV GSS, forestland conversion/private land vicinity of the line alignment. Jaisalmer) acquisition required. 12 LILO 20 km D/C line 132 kV 20 km Line has no land issue - no No sanctuary/reserve forest within 10 km Tinwari-Osian Line (at Bana Ka forestland conversion/private land vicinity of the line alignment. Bas 132 kV GSS, Jodhpur acquisition required. 13 LILO 3 km D/C of 132 kV 3 km Line has no land issue - no No sanctuary/reserve forest within 10 km Sridungarh-Ratangarh Line (at forestland conversion/private land vicinity of the line alignment.