Initial Environmental Examination

Updated 2 Project Number: 49107- 006 October 2020

IND: Drinking Water Sector Improvement Project – Water Distribution Systems for Bhangar II Block, (OHR Zones: 4,10,12 13 and 15 Pipe line Zones: 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,16 and 17)

(Package No: WBDWSIP/DWW/N24P/02B)

Prepared by Public Health Engineering Department, Government of West Bengal for the Asian Development Bank

CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of 11 July 2018) Currency Unit – Indian rupee (₹) ₹1.00 – $0.014 $1.00 = ₹68.691

ABBREVIATIONS

ADB – Asian Development Bank DSISC – design, supervision and institutional support consultant EAC – expert appraisal committee EHS – environmental health and safety EIA – environmental impact assessment EMP – environmental management plan GESI – gender equality and social inclusion GRM – grievance redress mechanism GOWB – Government of West Bengal HSGO head, safeguards and gender officer IEE – initial environmental examination O&M – operation and maintenance OHS – occupational health and safety OHR – overhead reservoir MOEFCC – Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change WBPCB – West Bengal Pollution Control Board NOC – No Objection Certificate PHED – Public Health Engineering Department PIU – project implementation unit PMC – Project Management Consultant PMU – Project management unit PPTA – Project preparatory technical assistance REA – Rapid environmental assessment ROW – right-of-way SEMP – site environmental management plan SGC – safeguards and gender cell SPS – Safeguard Policy Statement WHO – World Health Organization WBDWSIP – West Bengal Drinking Water Sector Improvement Project

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WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

dia diameter C degree Celsius g/km gram per kilometer g/kmhr gram per kilometer per hour kl kiloliter km kilometer kph kilometer per hour lpcd liter per capita per day msl mean sea level m meter mbgl meter below ground level µg/m3 microgram per cubic meter mg/l milligrams per liter mm millimeter ppb parts per billion ppm parts per million km2 square kilometer

NOTE In this report, "$" refers to United States dollars.

Initial Environment Examination covers

OHR Zones: 4,10,12 13 and 15 Pipe line Zones: 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,16 and 17

This initial environmental examination is a document of the borrower and has been updated by including the zones where construction has commenced by 31st August 2020 in the Bhangar-II Block of South 24-Parganas. 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.

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List of Participants in Consultation: Bhangar

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Stakeholder Consultations

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Public consultation, Uttar Rajapur village, Zone-16, Bhangar II Date & No of Block Zone Concerns/ Issues Discussed Photographs Place Participants Bhangar Date: 16 Total - 10 Discussion: II 26.12.2019 Male - 09 • Discussion on Benefits of project, how the project works, why the project At Uttar Female - 01 is taken by the Govt. Rajapur • 70 lpcd potable water through metered house connections on a 24/7 village, basis. Chaltaberia • The main goal of the project is to supply safe drinking water to every GP person. • All educational, commercial, religious, health etc. institutions will also get the same potable water from this project.

• In Bhangar II block 18 Overhead Reservoirs (OHRs) will be constructed and from those OHRs water will be supplied to the houses and other community & government institutions. • The project is to supply safe Arsenic free drinking water to reduce health problem and use surface water to save ground level water. • Water quality issue was also discussed - Arsenic in ground water is a big issue in Bhangar II block, hence in entire Bhangar II block surface water will be supplied after proper treatment. • Reduce time for women to fetch water. • Operation & Maintenance (O&M) - the project will be finally handed over to the Gram Panchayats for maintenance and distribution of water. • People can write their grievances/ suggestions/ opinions and ask questions to know specific things about the project and Grievance Registers should be available with the supervisor working at the site. • People don’t need to pay anything to anybody for pipeline distribution work now. At their premises pipelines and meters will be installed by PHED.

• Safety & security of the labors has been taken care off in the project. At all sites, handholding training programs on First Aid were organized for the labors. Concerns of the Participants: • Capacity of Gram Panchayat to maintain the project of this kind properly is insufficient. They wanted to know who will take responsibility of training for capacity building. They wanted to know how much may have to be paid by them for drinking water?

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Attendance Sheet

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SUMMARY OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION DURING CONSTRUCTION Date & No of Sl. Block Zone Concerns/ Issues Discussed Photographs Place Participants 1 Bhangar Dated 9 & Total - 27 Discussions: II 11.07.19 17 Male - 15 • Discussed on what is the project, how it benefited the peoples, who will at Female - 12 operate & maintained the project, what is the role & responsibility of GP Bhogali-I and VWSC (Village Water & Sanitation Committee). • Goals of the Project: 1) The project is to supply safe Arsenic free drinking water to reduce health problem. 2) Use the surface water to save the ground level water. 3) This project also generates the livelihood for the poor & marginalized sections of the society. 4) Provision for Income augmentation as an attempt to stop migration. 5) Women empowerment is a key component. • For Operation & Maintenance training will be given to selected persons nominated by GP/VWSC. • Target is to provide purified water 70 liters per capita per day through metered house connection on 24/7 basis. Also, this project will give the safe water to all Commercial, Educational Religious and Health institutions. • All participants are informed about the roles & responsibilities of all stakeholders right from PHED and its consultants to the VWSCs. • PHED should bear all cost of pipe line distribution and meter connection of each house. • VWSC formation or reformation is very important for the project. The appointed NGO will give training to strengthen the VWSCs and finally PHED will hand over all assets to the Gram Panchayats. • 33% of the Members of VWSC should be female as per Institutional set up, • ADB wants to give special emphasis to women’s empowerment & their livelihood issues. Women members of the VWSC in the Gram Panchayat can take leadership training and other training to perform their envisaged role. • Detail discussion on GRM and how to register Complaints/ Questions/ Comments/ suggestions was elaborated to the GP members and participants. Organogram of GRM provided to GP. And asked them to distribute in public with phone no of Pradhan & GP member in every Gram Sansad. • It was informed that one grievance register should be available with site supervisor at all sites. People can write down their comments/

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Date & No of Sl. Block Zone Concerns/ Issues Discussed Photographs Place Participants suggestions/ complains in that. Many problems can be resolved through discussions with the contractor’s people in the site. • Connection of pipeline will be one in every single structure, even the brothers are separated. • Pipelines will be installed in government land beside the road. And It will be Underground. • Soft copy of the National Population Register of the GP is necessary for same unique ID of every household. • DISCS specialist asked the participants to look after the safety of the worker. If they are not following the rules then public can complain in Grievance Register. And also ask for cooperation to the project because the project will not be completed without support of villagers/GP members. Concerns of the Participants: • Who will take responsibility for Income Generation activities training? • Two or three brothers are in one house, but all are separated now. Will they get separate water pipeline connections for each one of them? • After preparing the National Population Register many families have been separated and new families are not enrolled. In this case what will be the Unique ID of those families? • About the pipeline laying on the road or underground? • About the pipeline laying middle of the road or one side of the road?

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No of Date & Sl. Block Zone Participant Concerns/ Issues Discussed Photographs Place s 2 Bhangar Date: 4 & 7 Total - 21 Discussions: II 25.07.19 Male - 15 • Goals of the Project: 1) The project is to supply safe Arsenic free at Polerhat Female - 6 drinking water to reduce health problem. 2) Use the surface water to I save the ground level water. 3) This project also generates the livelihood for the poor & marginalized sections of the society. 4) Provision for Income augmentation as an attempt to stop migration. 5) Women empowerment is a key component. • Target is to provide purified water 70 liters per capita per day through metered house connection on 24/7 basis. Also, this project will give the

safe water to all Commercial, Educational Religious and Health institutions. • Connection of pipeline will be one in every single structure, even the brothers are separated. • Village Water & Sanitation Committee (VWSC) of Gram Panchayat is the most important committee to this project. Because Government will hand over the assets and operations & maintenance will be the responsibilities of the GPs. • According to ADB norms 33% members of the VWSC should be females. • Women members of the VWSC in the Gram Panchayat can take leadership training and other training to perform their envisaged role.

• Detail discussion on GRM and how to register Complaints/ Questions/ Comments/ suggestions was elaborated to the GP members and participants. Organogram of GRM provided to GP. And asked them to distribute in public with phone no of Pradhan & GP member in every Gram Sansad. • It was informed that one grievance register should be available with site supervisor at all sites. People can write down their comments/ suggestions/ complains in that. Many problems can be resolved in field through discussions with the contractor’s people in the site. • All the working labours are given training on First aid for the safety & security of them. There have to kept First aid box in every work site for their safety.

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No of Date & Sl. Block Zone Participant Concerns/ Issues Discussed Photographs Place s • Soft copy of the National Population Register of the GP is necessary for same unique ID of every household. • It is essential that needs to support of all communities to complete the project. Concerns of the Participants: • Who will bear the cost of tap with metered connection? • The pipe line didn’t reach some places. • The road damaged when JCB excavate the road edge. So the road has been inadequate for walking in rain. • Najrul Islam, Ex GP member of Polerhat GP informed that Bagdi para after crossing to polarhat bazaar, during the pipeline laying the entire stretch (Width) was occupied. People could not even move with their bi- cycles & Motor cycles. Requested to the contractor's people to work from one side of the road, but the contractor's people used abusive languages. • Mr. Sirajul Islam, Sansad member of Swastyengachhi village informed that there is no survey from house of Saidul Master’s house to Abdar Rahim Molla’s house. • Mr. Mijanur Alam, Member of Panchayat Samiti informed that from Anantapur More to Pakapol Bazaar (approx 3.5 km) piling was done by the Jila Paroshad for preparation of the new road construction. But the contractor is working from inside the pilling, which maybe causes the weakness of the new road.

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Attendance sheet Public Consultation - Bhogali GP

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Public consultation at Bijoyganj school, Chaltaberia GP, Bhangar II Date & No of Block Zone Concerns/ Issues Discussed Photographs Place Participants Bhangar Dated 13, Total - 47 Discussions: II 14.01.2020 15 & Male - 5 • As a result of conducting regular awareness activities village women at 16 Female - 43 has become totally conversant on the activities under this project. In the Chaltaberia presence of ADB Safeguard Consultant, NGO workers and Bijoyganj representatives of DSISC one woman excellently described a chart School containing all components of the Project. • ADB Safeguard Consultant appreciated the activity highly. He cleared all apprehensions of the village women on the availability of per capita water per day. • Representatives of DSISC explained about grievance redressal

mechanism created under the project. • All the discussions were on interactive mode and village women seem to be very articulate and active on different aspects of the ongoing drinking water project. • All women were assured by the team that all the households in the village will get water from this project. • Participants are well-known about the project. They know why the West Bengal Government chose this project. What are the benefits of this project. • They described the role of VWSC and why this project is primarily focused on women. • Participants are concern about the Taxes, if they have to pay in future. ADB consultant, Mr. Kali Sankar Ghosh briefly describe to them that till now as per the Government rule there is no charges and we will discuss again if any order/policies comes in the future from Government. • Participants are asking whether they can use 70ltr on the head daily or they can use this water as drinking water only. • Why meter connections have to install if there are no charges applied for water use. And they have been persuaded that the meter is not intended to collect water tax, it's for monitor the water flow and uses.

• Participates are interest about the Training programs which will be provided by this project.

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Attendance Sheet

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Public consultation at Chaltaberia GP, Bhangar II No of Block Date & Place Zone Concerns/ Issues Discussed Photographs Participants Bhangar II Dated 13, 15 Total - 35 Discussions: 14.01.2020 at & 16 Male - 15 • Meeting was held in Gram Panchayat (GP) office with members Chaltaberia Female - 20 of Sangsads and other common villagers. Gram • ADB Safeguard Consultant were present in the meeting along Panchayat with NGO and DSISC Safeguard team. • A few members had raised grievance on quality of back filling after the pipe laying work is finished by the Contractor. • Representative of DSISC Safeguard Team had assured that the matter will be immediately raised at proper level and a field verification will take place next day where Engineer from

implementation team will also accompany DSISC Safeguard Team.

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Attendance Sheet

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SAMPLE PUBLIC CONSULTATION DURING CONSTRUCTION PHASE

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Photographs of Public Consultation

-14-Pipeline (Langal beki village under Zone -18-OHR (Joth bhim)-13.02.20 Pithpukheria Mouza )6.12.19

Zone -16-Pipe line work-26.12.19 Zone -13-Pipe line work-11.12.19

Zone -02 OHR(Chatra kanthal beria)- 13.02.20 Zone -15-OHR-Kachua Bazar-22.06.20

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APPENDIX 11: SAMPLE GRC FORM SAMPLE GRIEVANCE REGISTRATION FORM

(To be available in Bengali and English) Blank form - English

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Blank form - Bengali

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Sample fill up form

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SAMPLE COPY OF GRIEVANCE REGISTER and RECORD

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Action Date of Unique Date of Name of Contact Designation/ Complains/ Suggestions/ Registered Addressed Informed GP Action taken taken Address no. registration Person details Social Status Comments/ Questions by by through disclosed ed B-04-O- 05-01-20 Swastay Prashanta 78726575 Shop keeper Kept bamboo for Niten Sub- Bamboo removed and kept Yes 05-01-20 Face to face 04 an Biswas 55 construction work near my contractor within OHR site Gachhi shop causing entrance of public to enter the shop B-04-O- 05-01-20 Swastay Anjali 97355497 Shop keeper Vehicle parked at front of Niten Sub- Within one-hour Vehicle Yes 05-01-20 Face to face 05 an Biswas 26 my shop. Please remove contractor removed Gachhi B-04-P- 08-01-20 Polerhat Mithu Sk 95938937 Local Person Pedestrian & vehicle Saradindu Sub- Soil is removed from the road Yes 08-01-20 Face to face 09 I 56 movement getting problem Gain contractor after rain as some mud scatter on the road B-04-O- 08-01-20 Swastay S Ghosh 98361198 Shop keeper Construction Rods kept at Niten Sub- Roads removed Yes 08-01-20 Face to face 06 an 69 front of my shop and contractor Gachhi customers are facing problem B-D-22 14-01-20 Chaltab 1) 1) 1) Pradhan, Bad quality of back filling Rekha Sraboni Letter was addressed to the Yes 15.01.202 Site Visit & eria Pradhan; 97326850 2) Member causing difficulty in daily Dubay Senguta, PD and it is submitted to the 0 Meeting 2) Ajgar 77; 2) Kachua movement. Pipe laid along DSISC concerned authority. DSISC Molla 97326688 the narrow bank of the pond safeguard team with 08 without bamboo piling construction manager visited causing damage to the different areas under road. Chaltaberiya GP relating to the Complaint. B-D-37 21-01-20 Chaltab Najmul 86959619 Local Pipe layed along the narrow Rekha Srabani A meeting was held on Yes 22.01.202 Meeting eria Ishlam 62 bank of the pond without Dubay Sengupta 22.01.2020 with Mr. S. Kundu 0 bamboo piling causing land DSISC and DSISC team led by Dr. S, slide on the bank. Sengupta where he informed that bamboo piling will start first week of February. It is pending due to an approval from the Authority which will be obtained by the end of this month. B-D-38 28-01-20 Bankach Hafijul 93398333 Local Not received rent from the Dilip Roy Srabani A meeting was held on Yes 03.02.202 Meeting ua Ishlam 67 month of July which agreed Sengupta February 3 with Mr. S, Kundu 0 Gazi by the NCC for using of his DSISC of NCC on this issue where he land to build the labor camp has informed that payment will be made next week and it will be communicated to the complainant

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APPENDIX 12: GRC NOTIFICATION State & District Level Steering committee

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PMU LEVEL

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PIU Level – North 24 pgs

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Field Level – North 24 pgs

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APPENDIX 13: SAMPLE SITE SPECIFIC EMP (SEMP)

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