District Level Project Implementation Unit Grant Management and Local Infrastructure Chautara, Sindhupalchok

Government of Nepal National Reconstruction Authority Central Level Project Implementation Unit District Level Project Implementation Unit Grant Management and Local Infrastructure Chautara, Sindhupalchok

EARTHQUAKE HOUSING RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT (EHRP)

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP) Sub Project Name: Compensatory Plantation at Saprala Pakha Leasehold Forest Sub Project Location: Selang-1, Banskharka, Jugal Rural Municipality

Fiscal Year: 2075/076 Salient Feature of Sub Project SN Particulars Description

1. Name of Project Compensatory Plantation at Saprala Pakha Leasehold Forest 2. Type of Project Compensatory Plantation 3. Location Banskharka, Selang-1, Jugal Rural Municipality 4. District Sindhupalchok 5. No. of Earthquake Beneficiary 117 6. No. of HHs used Timber from 29 CF/plantation site 7. Is there any official decision No of CF to provide timber to Earthquake Beneficiary HHs? 8. Major Works Site clearance, land preparation, plantation and management 9. Total Area of Plantation Site 1 ha

10. Total Estimated Cost (NRs.) 571414 Project Contribution 488198 User Contribution 83216 Other Contribution 00 11. Per Capita Cost (NRs.) 4884 12. Rationality of Site Selection Encroachment of forest area and illicit (Is there official letter from felling of trees of community managed CF?) forest i.e. community and leasehold forest by the earthquake displaced communities at Banskharka, Selang for the construction of temporary shelter 13. How does the Proposed Approximately 350 HHs from Jugal Rural Project Fulfill the Provision of Municipality -2, Lidhi and 25 HHs from EHRP-ESMF? Chautara Sangachokgadi Municipality 1 and 2, Syaule & Batase established temporary settlement at Banskharka, Selang. Thus, creating large need for poles and other forest products for building temporary shelters and space for people to shelter in. Consequently, the earthquake displaced household constructed temporary houses/shelter using the poles of nearby national, community and leasehold forest. The huge demand of timber for settlement

level house reconstruction significantly increased pressure on forest as well.More than 200 pine trees were cut down during the period which has reduced the forest cover area of the Saprala Pakha Leasehold forest. 14. Is ESSR Approved? (if Not Applicable applicable) 15. Is Separate ESMP Prepared? Yes

16. Earthquake and Safeguard Perspective of the Proposal: Encroachment of forest area and illicit felling of trees of community managed forest by the displaced people created the issue of deforestation at Banskharka, Selang whichmight not only created an ecological imbalance, but also created social conflict between displaced communities and the members i.e. 29 HHs (beneficiaries) of Saprala Pakha Leasehold forest group.

The issue of deforestation of Selang was found to be project induced. Thus, it isimportant to restore damaged forest area in order to maximize the multiple benefit associated with increment in forest coverage i.e. natural resource provision, clean water source, controlling soil erosion, reducing the risk of landslides/flooding, disaster risk reduction, community disaster preparedness and climate change mitigation. Hence, compensatory plantation as per the provision of revised ESMF and prevailing GoN rules and regulation, at Saprala Pakha Leasehold forest is recommended for the implementation. 17. Technical Data 1. Number of Cut Trees 200 2. Benefited HHs NA 3. Distributed Timber NA (Cft/HHs) 4. Total Number of 1600 Seedlings 5. Type of Species Pine 6. Source of Seedlings DFO and privately managed nurseries 7. Management of Leasehold Forest Group (Saprala Pakha Plantation Site Leasehold Forest Group , Banskharka, Selang-01 of Jugal RM)

Abbreviations and Acronyms CBS Central Bureau of Statistic CLPIU Central Level Project Implementation Unit DFO Division Forest Office DLPIU District Level Project Implementation Unit EHRP Earthquake Housing Reconstruction Project ESMF Environmental and Social Management Framework ESMP Environmental and Social Management Plan FECOFUN Federation of Community Forest Users Group GMaLI Grant Management and Local Infrastructure GoN Government of Nepal GPS Global Positioning System HDPE High Density Polyethylene MIS Management Information System NRA National Reconstruction Authority PDNA Post Disaster Needs Assessment PPE Personal Protective Equipment PVC Polyvinyl Chloride RM Rural Municipality UC User Committee VDC Village Development Committee

Units and Symbols amsl Above Mean Sea Level ◦C Degree Celsius Ha Hectare Km Kilometer LS Lump sum Ltr. Liter m. Meter m3 Cubic Meter Nos. Number

Table of Contents

CONTENTS Salient Feature of Sub Project ...... 2 Abbreviations and Acronyms ...... 4 Units and Symbols ...... 4 Table of Contents ...... 5 Lists of Figures ...... 5 Lists of Tables ...... 5 1. Introduction ...... 6 1.1 Background ...... 6 1.2 Earthquake and Forest ...... 6 2. Objectives of ESMP ...... 7 3. Description of Sub-Project ...... 7 3.1 Site Description ...... 7 3.2 Environmental and Social Issues ...... 8 3.3 Rationale of Sub-Project ...... 8 4. Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) ...... 9 5. ESMP Estimated Cost/Budget ...... 10 6. Occupational Health and Safety ...... 10 7. Implementation and Monitoring of ESMP ...... 11 8. Expected Outcomes ...... 12 9. Conclusions ...... 12 10. References ...... 12 Annexes ...... i Photographs ...... xv

Lists of Figures Figure 1: Sub Project Location ...... 7 Figure 2: Environmental and Social Monitoring Mechanism...... 11

Lists of Tables Table 1: Environmental and Social Management Plan ...... 10 Table 2: ESMP Budget ...... 10 Table 3: Safeguard Work Implementation Plan ...... 11

1. Introduction 1.1 Background On Saturday, 25 April 2015, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake (Nepal’s National Seismological Centre), struck Barpak, Gorkha, about 76 km northwest of Kathmandu. Ever since the first recorded earthquake of 1255 AD that killed one- third of the population of the Kathmandu Valley and its King, Abhaya Malla, Nepal has experienced a major earthquake every few generations (PDNA, 2015). The last great earthquake (of magnitude 8.4) in 1934 AD resulted in more than 10,000 deaths in the Kathmandu Valley.

After the Nepal Earthquake of April 2015 and subsequent aftershocks including of May 2015, had left wide spread damaged residential houses, heritage sites, water supply system, government building, schools, rural road, hospitals, health posts, agricultural land, trekking routes, hydropower plants etc. To date, there are over 8,790 casualties and 22,300 injuries (PDNA, 2015). It is estimated that the lives of eight million people, almost one-third of the population of Nepal, have been impacted by these earthquakes. The disaster also emphasized aspects of inequities in Nepali society across geography, income and gender. Poorer rural areas have been more adversely affected than towns and cities due to their inferior quality of houses. More women and girls died than men and boys, partly because of gendered roles that disproportionately assign indoor chores to women (PDNA, 2015).

Thirty-two of the country’s 77 districts have been affected, out of which 14 district were severely affected while 18 district were partially affected.Sindhupalchok district was identified by the Government of Nepal (GoN) as one of the most severely affected districts by the earthquake with around 3,500 deaths which is the highest total number of casualties in a district i.e. around 40 per cent of the total in Nepal and 1,569 cases of injury (District Disaster Relief Committee, Sindhupalchok). Similarly, the damage to infrastructure was quite severe with destruction individual houses. Many health posts and schools, public infrastructures, security posts, trekking routes, hydropower plants etc. were also severely affected and many of those were completely destroyed.Of the estimated 288,000 people in the district, 99 per cent were affected by the earthquake (Nepal Earthquake, 2015).

1.2 Earthquake and Forest Forests play important roles in reducing disaster risk, and inproviding resources and services for disaster relief, recoveryand reconstruction. In the immediate aftermath of a serious disaster if manypeople are displaced in rural areas there will likely be alarge need for poles and other forest products for buildingtemporary shelters, and space for people to shelter in. Therewill probably also be an increased need for firewood anddrinking water from forests.

In case of Sindhupalchok,the impact of earthquake on forests and biodiversity was first by habit destruction due to the landslides and second by cutting the poles for temporary or permanent shelter. Many forests in the steep mountainswere destroyed due to earthquake triggered landslides. Large areas ofnatural forests that were destroyed, compromisedthe capacity of natural forest ecosystemsto deliver important ecosystem services (PDNA, 2015). Similarly, earthquake sparked numerous large landslides, mudflows and other large-scaledislocation of hillsides which inflicted damage in forestareas. Likewise, temporary houses constructed soon after the earthquake using the poles of nearby national, community and leasehold forest were also reported in various place like Selang, Helambu, Attarpur and Indrawati (FECOFUN, Sindhupalchok).

2. Objectives of ESMP The objective of the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) are:  To identify and address the site-specific environmental and social issues of earthquake housing reconstruction project.  To recommend measures for minimization and mitigation of adverse impacts.

3. Description of Sub-Project 3.1 Site Description Location and Terrain The sub project (geographic location: 27◦ 50.088′ N and 085◦ 43.106′),is located at Banskharka of Jugal Rural Municipality, Ward Number 1at an elevation of 2120 amsl. It is 18 km from Chautara Sangachokgadi Municipality of Sindhupalchok, Province Number 3 and104 Km from Kathmandu, Federal capital city of Nepal.

Climate and Vegetation The sub project site is in Indian Compensatory Plantation monsoon region and climate can be at Saprala Pakha Leasehold Forest Sub divided into three distinct season’s viz. Project Location winter from November-March, summer from April-May and rainy from May- October with mean annual temperature of 18°C, withmaximum temperature of 32.5°C and minimum of 5°C and annual Figure 1: Sub Project Location rainfall of 1615 mm. The sub-tropical

7 forest species vegetation including Pinus (Pinusroxburghii), Rhodondron (Rhododendron arboreum), Utis (Alnusnepalensis), Chilaune (Schimawallichii) etc. are found in the sub project site.

Human Population and Occupation The total population of Ward number 1, Selang was 2613 (Male: 1298 Female: 1315) and the total households was526 (CBS, 2011). Agriculture, foreign employment etc. are the major sources of income of the people. Potato, maize, millet etc. are the major crops grown and Tamang, Dalit’s etc. are the major ethnic groups.

In Ward No. 01 of Jugal Rural Municipality, former Selang VDC the total housing reconstruction beneficiaries are 865 of which 850, 773 and 505 have already received 1st tranche, 2nd tranche and 3rd tranche respectively as of 2019/01/07 EHRP-MIS data.

3.2 Environmental and Social Issues Jugal Rural Municipality being hilly rural municipality and due to shifting of water spring/source because of devastating earthquake, most of the issues in Jugal RM were related to the slope instability and water unavailability. However in case of Selang-1, Banskharka, the issue was related to loss of tress. Approximately 350 HHs from Jugal Rural Municipality -2, Lidhi and 25 HHs from Chautara Sangachokgadi Municipality 1 and 2, Syaule &Batase established temporary settlement at Banskharka. Thus, creating large need for poles and other forest products for building temporary shelters and space for people to shelter in. Consequently, the earthquake displaced household constructed temporary houses/shelter using the poles of nearby national, community and leasehold forest. The huge demand of timber for settlement level house reconstruction significantly increased pressure on forest as well.More than 200 pine trees were cut down during the period which hasreduced the forest cover area of the Saprala Pakha Leasehold forest and reduced the carbon sequestration capacity of the forest and associated ecosystem services i.e.clean water supply, controlling soil erosion, reducing the risk oflandslides.

Since most of the displaced communities shifted back to their homeland after completion of housing reconstruction, 45 HHs are still residing in the existing temporary shelter which will probably lead to an increased need for firewood and drinking water from forests and social conflict between displaced communities and the members of Saprala Pakha Leasehold forest group.

3.3 Rationale of Sub-Project Forests play important roles in reducing disaster risk, and inproviding resources and services for disaster relief, recoveryand reconstruction. The 2015 earthquakes

8 damaged over 600,000 houses, leaving many Nepali homeless and in need of wood to help rebuild their houses.In case of Banskharka, Selang, in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake many people were displaced in Jugal Rural Municipality and around 375 HHs migrated to Banskharka for temporary settlement whichresulted large demand for poles and other forest products for buildingtemporary shelters. Encroachment of forest area and illicit felling of trees of community managed forest by the displaced people created the issue of deforestation at Banskharka, whichmight not only created an ecological imbalance, but also created social conflict between displaced communities and the members i.e. 29 HHs (beneficiaries) of Saprala Pakha Leasehold forest group.

4. Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) To identify and assess physical, biological, socio-economic and cultural issues and to recommend measures for avoidance, minimization and mitigation of adverse impacts due to Earthquake Housing Reconstruction Project (EHRP), one day orientation and consultation program was held at office of rural municipal executive of Jugal rural municipality.

The ESMP includes mitigation measure for loss of trees i.e. compensatory plantation at Saprala Pakha Leasehold Forestto mitigate the issue of forest degradation or deforestation, which was raised during orientation and consultation meeting (Annex II) and verified/validated during field visit.

During the preparation of ESMP, various documents such as district profile, former VDC profile, CBS publication and publication of line agencies at district level and other project related reports were reviewed. Likewise, Google Earth map was also used as references for the overview of the sub project area.GPS (Garmin) was used to determine location of sub project. Similarly, field verification/validation, measurements and consultation with ward chairperson, ward secretary, beneficiaries and localswere also carried out.

Table 1: Environmental and Social Management Plan

Environmental Environmental Impact/Aspects Potential Likely Impact Location Mitigation Measures Cost Mitigation Beneficiaries Time of action Responsibility

Loss of The clearing of the Selang- Compensatory NRs. 29 Jestha- User’s trees pole sized tree has 01, Jugal plantation i.e. 571414 HHs Ashar, Committee decreased the forest RM 1600 sapling at 1 2075/76 cover area, loss of ha Rural ecosystem service Municipality associated with forest DL-PIU, and social conflict GMaLI

The final ESMP document will be shared and implemented in the consultation and coordination with rural municipality, ward of rural municipality, CL-PIU, DL-PIU, GMaLI and other related government and non-governmental line agencies.

5. ESMP Estimated Cost/Budget The ESMP identified compensatory plantation at Saprala Pakha Leasehold Forest to mitigate the issue of forest degradation or deforestation. The summary of ESMP cost/budget is presented in Table 2. Table 2: ESMP Budget S.N. Description of work Amount Remarks 1 Site Clearance, pit alignment work and pitting works 47770 Procurement of plant sapling (Lautsalla, Pate Salla, 2 78700 Timur and Kagati) 3 Transportation of plant sapling 10000 4 Plantation works 13300 Bamboo cage for protection of plant sapling and 5 405000 project information board 6 Total Amount 554770 7 Users Committee Contribution Amount 83216 8 DL-PIU, GMaLI Contribution Amount 488198 9 Grand Total 571414

6. Occupational Health and Safety DL-PIU, GMaLI will ensure that workers are provided with a safe and healthy working environment, taking into account to risks and hazards in the subproject. The members of UC and workers will be made aware ofpotential hazards, accidents and injuries associated with sub project,identifying, minimizing the causes of potential hazards and how to manage these risks and hazards.

7. Implementation and Monitoring of ESMP The implementation of mitigation measure will be carried out through Saprala Pakha Leasehold Forest Group. During compensatory plantation, 1600 (1400 Pine, 100 Lemon and 100 Timur, Nepali pepper) plant sapling will be planted in 1 hectare area and the plant sapling will be managed from 3 nursery managed by Division Forest Office and 2 privately managed nursery located at Melamchi and Chautara Sangachokgadi Municipality. The work implementation plan is presented in Table no. 3

Table 3: Safeguard Work Implementation Plan Activity/Months Month Falgun Chaitra Baisakh Jestha Ashar ESMP Consultation Meeting, Field Verification, ESMP Preparation Agreement with Saprala Pakha Leasehold Forest Group Implementation of Work Monitoringand Evaluation Work Completion The monitoring mechanism will be as per the revised Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF). However, the District Environment and Social Safeguard Unit will develop its field monitoring plan and will monitor the compliance of the ESMP and progress of sub project activities accordingly and submit monitoring report. The proposed organogram for the implementation and monitoring of ESMP is presented in figure 2

NRA World Bank

CLPIU/GMaLI Environment & Social Safeguard Unit (Environment and Social Development Specialist)

DL-PIU(GMaLI)  Environment Specialist  Rural Municipality  Social Development Specialist  Rural Municipal Ward Office  User’s Committee  Monitoring Committee

Monitoring of Compensatory Plantation Works at Banskharka, Selang-01, Jugal RM

Figure 2: Environmental and Social Monitoring Mechanism

8. Expected Outcomes The expected outcomes of ESMP implementation are as follows:  Increase in forest cover area  Climate change mitigation  Livelihood improvement of Leasehold Forest Group members  Increase in ecosystem services associated with forest i.e. i.e. clean water supply, controlling soil erosion, reducing the risk of landslides

9. Conclusions During consultation, the ward chairperson of Selang raised the issue of loss of tress due illicit felling of trees for temporary settlement by the earthquake displaced HHs at Jugal Rural Municipality-1. After environmental and social verification, the issue was found to be project related. Reviewing various documents, field verification/validation, measurements and consultations with different stakeholders, site specific ESMP was prepared which identified compensatory plantation at Saprala Pakha Leasehold Forest to mitigate the issue of forest degradation or deforestation.

After the implementation of ESMP it is expected to increase forest cover area of Saprala Pakha Leasehold forest along with climate change mitigation and increase in ecosystem services associated with forest.

10. References The landslide handbook—A guide to understanding landslides, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2008 National Population and Housing Census, Central Bureau of Statistics, 2011 Post Disaster Needs Assessment, National Planning Commission, Government of Nepal, 2015 Building Back Safer and Greener Building Back Safer and Greener - A Guide to Sound Environmental Practices for Disaster Recovery in Nepal, WWF Nepal, 2016 Sindhupalchok District Profile, Central Bureau of Statistics, 2018 Environmental and Social Management Framework, Government of Nepal, 2018

Annexes Annex I: Detail Cost Estimate

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Annex II: Rural Municipal Level ESMP Consultation Meeting Minute

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Annex III: Rural Municipality Recommendation

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Annex IV: Rural Municipality Ward Recommendation

Annex V: Meeting Minute of Saprala Pakha Leasehold Forest Group

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Annex VI: List of Sub Project Beneficiaries S.N Name of Previous Present Tole Slip Gender PA number . Beneficiary VDC VDC name Number Purna Bahadur Selang - 1 M Batase Khasre 553393 23-8-9-0-1 Thapa 1 Krishna Selang - 2 M Batase Khasre 553394 23-8-9-0-2 Bahadur Thapa 1 Selang - 3 Gopal Thapa M Batase Khasre 553395 23-8-9-0-3 1 Selang - 4 Dipak Thapa M Batase Khasre 553396 23-8-9-0-4 1 Indra Bahadur Selang - 5 M Batase Khasre 553397 23-8-9-0-5 Thapa 1 Yam Bahadur Selang - 6 M Batase Khasre 553398 23-8-9-0-6 Thapa 1 Narayan Selang - 7 M Batase Khasre 553399 23-8-9-0-7 Bahadur Thapa 1 Khagendra Selang - 8 M Batase Khasre 553400 23-8-9-0-8 Thapa 1 Selang - Khasre 9 Rebati Thapa M Selang 531537 23-60-2-0-1 1 Gaun

Daal Bahadur Selang - Khasre 10 M Selang 531538 23-60-2-0-2 Thapa 1 Gaun

Bhimsen Selang - Khasre 11 M Selang 531540 23-60-2-0-3 Thapa 1 Gaun

Purna Maya Selang - Khasre 12 F Selang 531541 23-60-2-0-4 Thapa 1 Gaun

Ben Bahadur Selang - Khasre 13 M Selang 531542 23-60-2-0-5 Thapa 1 Gaun

Shinga Bahadur Selang - Khasre 14 M Selang 531544 23-60-2-0-6 Thapa 1 Gaun

BholaKumari Selang - Khasre 15 F Selang 531546 23-60-2-0-7 Thapa 1 Gaun

Selang - KhasreG 16 Arjun Thapa M Selang 531547 23-60-2-0-8 1 hau

Ishwor Bahadur Selang - Khasre 17 M Selang 531549 23-60-2-0-9 Thapa 1 Gaun

Min Bahadur Selang - Khasre 18 M Selang 531550 23-60-2-0-10 Thapa 1 Gaun

Padam Bahadur Selang - Khasre 19 M Selang 397676 23-60-2-0-11 Thapa 1 Gaun

Duryodhan Selang - Khasre 20 M Selang 397679 23-60-2-0-12 Thapa 1 Gaun

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Tika Bahadur Selang - Khasre 21 M Selang 397680 23-60-2-0-13 Thapa 1 Gaun

Surya Bdr Selang - Khasre G-23-60-2-0- 22 Male Selang 531538 Thapa 1 Gaun 018

Purna Maya Selang - Khasre G-23-60-2-0- 23 Female Selang 531541 Thapa 1 Gaun 001

Selang - Khasre G-23-60-2-0- 24 Gyanu Thapa Male Selang 531542 1 Gaun 006

NetraBdr Selang - Khasre G-23-60-2-0- 25 Male Selang 531545 Thapa 1 Gaun 008

Selang - Khasre G-23-60-2-0- 26 Subas Thapa Male Selang 531547 1 Gaun 009

Selang - Khasre G-23-60-2-0- 27 Kopila Thapa Male Selang 397676 1 Gaun 010

Selang - Khasre G-23-60-2-0- 28 Binod Thapa Male Selang 397678 1 Gaun 003

Chhabilal Selang - Khasre 29 M Batase Thapa 1 Gaun

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Photographs