Initial Environmental Examination (Draft) IND: Rural Connectivity
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Initial Environmental Examination (Draft) August 2013 IND: Rural Connectivity Investment Program – Project II Chhattisgarh Prepared by Chhattisgarh Rural Road Development Agency for the Asian Development Bank. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS as of 16 August 2013 Currency unit – Indian rupee (Rs) Rs 1.00 = $ .01628 $1.00 = Rs 61.4250 ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank BIS – Bureau of Indian Standards CD – Cross Drainage CGWB – Central Ground Water Board CO – Carbon Monoxide COI – Corridor of Impact DM – District Magistrate EA – Executing Agency EAF – Environment Assessment Framework ECOP – Environmental Codes of Practice EIA – Environmental Impact Assessment EMAP – Environmental Management Action Plan EO – Environmental Officer FEO – Field Environmental Officer FGD – Focus Group Discussion FFA – Framework Financing Agreement GOI – Government of India GP – Gram panchyat GSB – Granular Sub Base HA – Hectare HC – Hydro Carbon IA – Implementing Agency IEE – Initial Environmental Examination IRC – Indian Road Congress LPG – Liquefied Petroleum Gas MFF – Multitranche Financing Facility MORD – Ministry of Rural Development MORTH – Ministry of Road Transport and Highways MOU – Memorandum of Understanding NAAQS – National Ambient Air Quality Standards NC – not connected NGO – Nongovernmental Organization NOx – Nitrogen Oxide NRRDA – National Rural Road Development Agency PIU – Project Implementation Unit PIC – Project Implementation Consultants PRIs – Panchyati Raj Institutions PMGSY – Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana POL – Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants PPTA – Project Preparation Technical Assistance ROW – Right-of-Way RPM – Respirable Particulate Matter RRP – Report and Recommendation of the President SRRDA – State Rural Road Development Agency SBD – Standard Bidding Documents SO2 – Sulphur di-Oxide SPM – Suspended Particulate Matter TA – Technical Assistance TOR – Terms of Reference TSC – Technical Support Consultants UG – Upgradation WBM – Water Bound Macadam CGRRA – Chhattisgarh Rural Road Development Agency ZP – Zilla Parishad WEIGHTS AND MEASURES km – kilometer m – meter NOTE In this report, "$" refers to US dollars. 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. 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. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION A. Project Background ..................................................................................................... 1 B. Project Roads Identification and Location .................................................................... 1 C. Rural Road Construction Proposal ............................................................................... 3 D. ADB Safeguard Policies and Category of the Project................................................... 3 E. Objectives and Approach for Environmental Assessment ............................................ 3 F. IEE Methodology and Content .................................................................................... 4 G. Legal Framework and Legislative Requirements ......................................................... 4 H. Acknowledgement ....................................................................................................... 6 II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT A. General........................................................................................................................ 7 B. Sample Roads Selected in Chhattisgarh State ............................................................ 7 C. Project Description ...................................................................................................... 7 III. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT A. Background ............................................................................................................... 12 B. Physical Environment ................................................................................................ 14 C. Ecological Resources ................................................................................................ 21 D. Socioeconomic Environment ..................................................................................... 27 E. Salient Environmental Features of Sample Roads ..................................................... 33 IV. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND ITS MITIGATION MEASURES A. Common Impacts during Design and Construction Phase ......................................... 37 B. Common Impacts during Post Construction and Operation Phase............................. 46 C. Road Specific Impacts ............................................................................................... 47 V. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN, INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND GRIEVANCE ADDRESS MECHANISM A. Environmental Management Plan .............................................................................. 49 B. Environmental Monitoring Plan .................................................................................. 49 C. Institutional Arrangements and Responsibilities ......................................................... 50 D. Institutional Environmental Responsibilities ............................................................... 50 E. Environmental Assessment and Review Framework ( EARF) for RCIP ..................... 54 F. Capacity Building ....................................................................................................... 55 G. Consultation and Information Disclosure .................................................................... 56 H. Grievance Redress Mechanism ................................................................................. 56 VI. PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE A. General...................................................................................................................... 57 B. Compliance with Relevant Regulatory Requirements ................................................ 57 C. Beneficiaries’ Comments ........................................................................................... 57 D. Addressal of Issues ................................................................................................... 58 VII. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. Conclusions ............................................................................................................... 60 B. Key Recommendations .............................................................................................. 61 List of Appendixes Appendix 1.1: Details of Roads in Chhattisgarh ........................................................................62 Appendix 2.3: Rural Roads: Environmental Checklist................................................................65 Appendix 3.1: Clearance from Forest Department .................................................................. 174 Appendix 4.1: Guidelines for Borrow Areas Management ....................................................... 176 Appendix 5.1: Environmental Management Plan ..................................................................... 180 Appendix 6.1: Public Consultation ........................................................................................... 202 I. INTRODUCTION A. Project Background 1. As one of the key features of the Government’s poverty reduction agenda for the rural sector, the Government of India (GoI) is implementing a nationwide rural road investment program, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). PMGSY aims to provide all-weather road connectivity to currently unserved habitations in India’s rural areas, where 70% of the population live. The Government of India (GOI) launched “The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) in year 2000 The objective of PMGSY is to provide all-weather road connectivity to all rural habitations with a population of more than 500 persons in plains and and 250 persons in hill states. This program is being implemented through National Rural Road Development Authority (NRRDA) under Ministry of Rural Development (MORD) at central level and through State Rural Road Development Authority/Agencies (SRRDA) at state level. 2. The Rural Connectivity Investment Program (RCIP) is continuation of Rural Road Sector II Investment Program (RRS IIP) and is a multitranche financing facility (MFF) that will construct or upgrade to the all-weather standard about 9,000 km of rural roads connecting around 4,800 habitations in the states of Assam, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal (RCIP states). The RCIP will also focus on improvement of institutional arrangements, business processes and associated capacity building. This will especially be done in relation with design, operation, safeguard, financial, road safety, and asset management matters. Investments in rural roads will improve connectivity, cut transport costs, and provide enabling infrastructure to areas currently with poor access to markets and urban towns, and thus contribute to growth and equity in the country’s largest sector. Project 1 (Loan 2881) totaling $252 million is currently ongoing. 3. The Government is now planning to submit to ADB the second Periodic Finance Request (PFR) that includes the proposal