Environmental Assessment Report

Summary Environmental Impact Assessment Project Number: 37266 March 2006

Nepal: Proposed Road Connectivity Sector I Project

Prepared by Department of Roads, Ministry of Physical Planning and Works for the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The summary environmental impact assessment 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.

CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (As of 28 February 2006)

Currency Unit – Nepalese rupee/s (NRe/NRs) NRe1.00 = $0.0142 $1.00 = NRs70.3

ABBREVIATIONS

ADB – Asian Development Bank DDC – District Development Committee DOF – Department of Forests DOR – Department of Roads EIA – environmental impact assessment EMP – environmental management plan EMOP – environmental monitoring plan GEU – Geological and Environment Unit GTS – Galchi–Trisuli–Syaphrubesi (road) HMGN – His Majesty’s Government of Nepal IEE – initial environmental examination LNP – Langtang National Park MOEST – Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology MPPW – Ministry of Physical Planning and Works NAAQS – National Ambient Air Quality Standards NGO – nongovernment organization NTP – National Transport Policy PIU – project implementation unit PT – Phidim–Taplejung (road) RAP – resettlement action plan ROW – right-of-way SIA – social impact assessment SRN – strategic road network TA – technical assistance TMK – Tamakoshi-Manthali-Khurkot (road) TP – Tenth National Development Plan (TP 2002–2007) TSPM – total suspended particulate matter VDC – Village Development Committee

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

cm – centimeter dB(A) – decibels measured in the audible human range ha – hectare km – kilometer m – meter m3 – cubic meter

NOTES

(i) The fiscal year (FY) of the Government ends on 15 July. (ii) In this report, “$” refers to US dollars.

CONTENTS

Page

MAPS

I. INTRODUCTION 1

II. OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT ACTIVITIES 1

III. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE SECTOR 2

IV. SUMMARY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE SAMPLE SUBPROJECTS 3 A. Description of the Project 3 B. Description of the Environment 3 C. Alternatives 10 D. Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures 10 E. Economic Assessment 16 F. Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan 16 G. Public Consultation and Information Disclosure 19 H. Conclusions and Recommendations 19

V. ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA FOR SUBPROJECTS 20

VI. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW FRAMEWORK 20 A. Environmental Assessment Requirement 20 B. Review Procedure for Environmental Assessment of Subprojects, Responsibilities, and Authorities 21 C. Monitoring and Due Diligence 22 D. Public Consultation and Information Disclosure 22 E. Staffing Requirements and Budget 22

VII. CONCLUSION 23

APPENDIXES

1. Environmental Management Plan 24 2. Monitoring Plan for the Performance Indicators 38

82 o 00'E 88 o 00'E Syaphrubesi-Trishuli Core Road NEPAL Syaphrubesi PROPOSED NEPAL ROAD CONNECTIVITY Samdang S I Dhunche N SECTOR I PROJECT D

H RASUWA U Three Sample Subprojects P A Tamakoshi-Manthali-Khurkot Core Road L N C

H O Jiri K Charikot 0 20 40 60 80 100 NUWAKOT Phidim-Taplejung Core Road Trisuli Kiratichhap Kilometers DOLAKHA Bidur Pipaltar Ghyan BHAKTAPUR TAPLEJUNG PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC Bhaktapur OF CHINA Kathmandu Patan Katuwalgaon RAMECCHAP Taplejung LALITPUR KATHMANDU Manthali PANCHTAR Parewadanda Lyanlyan Basantapur 30 o 00'N Phidim 30 o 00'N FARWESTERN DEVELOPMENT MIDWESTERN Landi TERHATHUM REGION MAHAKALI DEVELOPMENT Sartap REGION SINDHULI Terhathum Ilam Patan Kolti Majuwa KARNALI Sindhulimadi Magalbare Dadeldhura I N D I A Jumla ILAM Silgarhi SETI Ringmo Mahendranagar Dhankuta Diliket Dunai Limbu Khandrun Atariya DHANKUTA BHERI Dhangadhi WESTERN Birendranagar DHAWALAGIRI DEVELOPMENT CENTRAL REGION DEVELOPMENT RAPTI Salyan GANDAKI REGION

Patan Baglung Pokhara Basihar Tulsipur Pyuthan EASTERN Gorahi Tamghas Syabrubensi Nepalganj Gorkha DEVELOPMENT Sandikharka Trisuli REGION Mugling BAGMATI Lamahi Tansen LUMBINI Narayangarh Kathmandu Butwal Naubise Charikot Taulihawa NARAYANI Kiratichhap Jiri MECHI Bhairawa Bhaktapur Salleri Bhimpedi Lumbini Taplejung Hetauda Manthali Okhaldhunga KOSHI National Capital Other Road Pathlaiya Sindhulimadi I N D I A o JANAKPUR Diktel Phidim o 27 00'N Zone Capital Track Road Birganj Terhathum 27 00'N District Capital River I N D I A Bardibas SAGARMATHA Dhankuta Ilam Dharan Other Town District Boundary Janakpur Itarhi Core Road Zonal Boundary Chandragadhi Biratnagar ADB RNDP Loan Project Road Regional Boundary 0

6 National Road International Boundary - M 1 2 3 Boundaries are not necessarily authoritative. a 0 p a

H o o 82 00'E

88 00'E 1 R 82 o 00'E 88 o 00'E FARWESTERN DEVELOPMENT REGION MIDWESTERN o o 30 00'N DEVELOPMENT 30 00'N NEPAL MAHAKALI REGION PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC ROAD CONNECTIVITY SETI Kolti OF CHINA

SECTOR I PROJECT Silgarhi Jumla KARNALI Location of Langtang National Park WESTERN Mahendranagar DEVELOPMENT Dunai and Land Use Atariya REGION BHERI CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT Birendranagar DHAWALAGIRI REGION GANDAKI Baglung Location of Langtang EASTERN RAPTI Pokhara National Park Syabrubensi DEVELOPMENT N REGION Lamahi Trisuli BAGMATI Butwal LUMBINI 0 5 10 15 Jiri MECHI Bhairawa Kathmandu Salleri Hetauda Taplejung KOSHI Kilometers NARAYANI JANAKPUR Diktel Ilam o I N D I A Bardibas o 27 00'N SAGARMATHA 27 00'N 82 o 00'E Dharan

Biratnagar

88 o 00'E

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Cultivated Land Syaphrubesi LANGTANG NATIONAL PARK Forest/Grassland Other (rock/ice) National Capital Dunche City/Town Prioritized Road National Road River Zone Boundary Regional Boundary International Boundary Boundaries are not necessarily authoritative. Betrawati 0 6 M -

1 to Trisuli and Galchi 2 a 3 0 p b

H

2 R I. INTRODUCTION

1. This document covers the general assessment of environmental impacts associated with the Road Connectivity Sector I Project in Nepal (the Project) and the summary of the detailed environmental assessments for the rehabilitation and improvement of three core sample subproject roads: (i) the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of Galchi–Trisuli–Syaphrubesi (GTS), (ii) the initial environmental examination (IEE) of Phidim–Taplejung (PT), and (iii) the IEE of Tamakoshi-Manthali-Khurkot (TMK). The EIA and IEE reports were prepared by the technical assistance consultants, Oriental Consultants Co Ltd (in association with ITECO and Nepal Development Research Institute), on behalf of the Department of Roads (DOR), Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MPPW). This summary environmental impact assessment (SEIA) has been prepared for the use of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

2. The Project will be implemented with a sector loan. On the basis of the three core sample subproject roads, the overall project is classified as an “A” project, according to ADB’s Environmental Assessment Guidelines (2003).1 An EIA had to be done because GTS passes through Langtang National Park (LNP). However, some subprojects may involve only insignificant physical interventions to improve the road conditions and will, therefore, need only an IEE report. The assessment studies for the core subproject roads were carried out from 1 February to 31 May 2005.

3. The Project is subject to the Government’s Environmental Protection Rules 1997 and requires environmental clearance before the civil works can begin. The Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MOEST) grants clearance for “A” subprojects (in this case, the GTS subproject). Environmental clearance for the “B” subprojects (the PT and TMK subprojects) will be granted by the MPPW. The environmental assessment reports on the three subprojects are now being reviewed by those ministries.

II. OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT ACTIVITIES

4. The Project aims to reduce poverty and deprivation of relatively isolated people in the mountainous northern part of Nepal, and support economic growth of rural communities by providing them enhanced road access to markets, employment opportunities, and social services, including health and education. The Project will involve improving and increasing overall capacity and efficiency on about 490 km of roads. Three of these roads, with a total length of about 227 km and designed to serve eight districts, were selected as sample roads (Table 1).

5. To improve road network connectivity, some roads will undergo minor widening, drainage will be improved, causeways will be built across streams and culverts, landslips will be stabilized, alignment will be improved, and bioengineering applications will be undertaken.

1 The Project was initially classified as a “B” project in June 2004, when the affected project areas had not yet been completely identified. Initial environmental reconnaissance and rapid environmental assessment (REA) by consultants under ADB guidelines in February 2005, however, indicated that one project road would go through Langtang National Park. 2

III. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE SECTOR

6. Road transport is the dominant mode of transport for passengers and freight in Nepal, but road density is low (10.4 km of road per 100 km2) and less than in neighboring countries. Nepal’s complex topography and insufficient resources severely limit access by road. This problem is particularly acute in remote areas and is believed to contribute to rural poverty. The strategic plans of the Government recognize the need to improve rural transport connectivity. His Majesty’s Government of Nepal (HMGN) has responded and prepared a National Transport Policy (NTP). To improve connectivity to district centers and centers of trade, industry, and tourism, the DOR has prepared draft 20-Year Roads Master Plan, under which the strategic road network (SRN), comprising 15 national highways and 51 feeder roads with a total length 4,861 km, will be increased to 12,087 km in the next 20 years.

7. ADB’s development assistance strategy (2005–2009)2 similarly recognizes the need to develop rural infrastructure (including roads) to alleviate poverty. This strategy is in line with a strategic priority in the Government’s 10-year plan for the promotion of pro-poor-based economic growth through increased access to markets and economic opportunities.

8. The SRN is badly maintained and in very poor condition. Travel is difficult, and the economic development of many regions has suffered as a result. The Project is expected to reduce this problem and to help improve the movement of goods and increase access to social service facilities. The Government plans to complete road connection to all districts in the next 10 years, particularly in the northern part of the country.

9. Nepal’s topography—mostly rugged and dominated by rivers flowing from north to south—presents significant technical and environmental challenges. The road improvement and construction works could lead to landslides; slope failures; soil erosion; loss of national park, forest, and agricultural lands; interference with water courses and irrigation facilities; runoff; and sedimentation. Recognizing the importance of minimizing these environmental problems, the DOR has adopted several guidelines, such as the Environmental Management Guidelines for Road Improvement (1999);3 the Environmental Assessment Guidelines (2000);4 the Reference Manual for Environmental and Social Aspects of Integrated Road Development (2003);5 and several related guidance and reference manuals on bioengineering.

10. It is therefore expected that the potential environmental impact will be minimized, even as the improvements in the road network in all five regions allow people and goods to move more freely across the country, and the economy thereby improves.

11. The original road alignments will be improved in anticipation of the likely traffic demand. Since traffic flows will only gradually increase into the hundreds per day, major realignments are not required. Therefore, no insurmountable environmental impacts are anticipated. Environmentally responsible designs have nonetheless been adopted, to avoid unnecessary disturbance to human and ecologically important communities and other resources, such as infrastructure. The design approach integrates technical, environmental, social, economic, and institutional priorities, and is in line with established sustainability principles and the Government’s and ADB’s environment policies. However, easier access could also lead to

2 ADB. 2004. Country Strategy and Program (2005–2009): Nepal. Manila. 3 Department of Roads (DOR). 1999. Environmental Management Guidelines for Road Improvement. Nepal. 4 DOR. 2000. Environmental Assessment Guidelines. Nepal. 5 DOR. 2003. Reference Manual for Environmental and Social Aspects of Integrated Road Development. Nepal. 3 increased exploitation of natural resources. To avoid this, the DOR, in coordination with the relevant agencies, should undertake effective monitoring.

IV. SUMMARY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE SAMPLE SUBPROJECTS

A. Description of the Project

1. Location of the Subprojects

12. The core subproject feeder roads will have a total length of about 227 km and will serve eight districts (Table 1).

Table 1. Core Road Subproject Packages Main Towns Districts Region Approximate Road Covered Connected (Zone) Length (km) Syaphrubesi Rasuwa Central 89 1 Trisuli Nuwarkot (Bagmati) Galchi Dhading Taplejung Taplejung Eastern 83 2 Phidim Panchthar (Mechi) Tamakoshi Dolakha Central 55 3 (Nyapul) Ramechap (Janakpur) Manthali Sindhuli Khurkot Source: ADB. 2004. Draft Final Report for Technical Assistance to Nepal for Preparing the Transport Connectivity Sector Project. Manila.

13. The civil works will involve: (i) widening existing roads to around 4.5 meter carriageway width including a hard shoulder; (ii) improving drainage in villages and other key areas; (iii) building causeways across streams and rehabilitating culverts; (iii) realigning and building geotechnical landslip stabilization works; (iv) building bus and truck stops; and (v) improving road alignment, bioengineering, landscape, and accessories.

2. Project Schedule

14. The improvement of each core road will take about 36 months. The civil works will start in the last quarter of 2007. Contracts will undergo international and local bidding, and the works will use local labor and labor-based construction methods in line with government policy. The three subproject core roads are expected to be completed by the end of 2010.

3. Need for the Project

15. All three subproject roads meet a common need. Farmers, tourists, companies, and the general public in the three regions need reliable transportation.

B. Description of the Environment

16. The three subproject roads all run north to south between the middle hills and mountainous areas of Nepal. Each road runs near a major river and is now 3 m- to 4 m-wide fair-weather earth track for most of its length.

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17. The three subproject roads show considerable similarities in physical geography, topography, geology, climate, and socioeconomic conditions. The ecological conditions for the GTS (Bagmati) road are better preserved in the LNP. Elsewhere, all three roads pass through areas of agricultural land, forest, congested village and market areas, and other areas of human habitation, with isolated hamlets and smaller settlements. The following description deals first with the features common to the areas and then points out the unique elements of each subproject.

1. Climate

18. The hot summer season in these areas starts in April and continues to September; July, August, and September are the rainy months, when more than 70% of rainfall occurs (although rainfall patterns are not always reliable). The cold season lasts from the middle of November to February.

19. As each road passes to higher altitudes, from 420 m to over 2,000 m, there is a significant variation in the local climate. The climate is subtropical in the lower regions and more alpine at higher altitudes. In the areas in between the climate is warm temperate to cold temperate. The maximum rainfall can go below 10 mm; and in summer, it can exceed 2,000 mm. Winter temperatures vary from 1°C to 24°C in the alpine areas but are much higher (4.5°C to 35.5°C) at lower altitudes in the river valleys.

2. Topography, Geology, Seismology, and Soils

20. The three subproject areas all have a mixture of flatter grazing and agricultural land with slopes no greater than 10° to 25° and lower hills with gentle valleys nearer the rivers. Slopes of less than 10° are rare. The three areas are mostly mid-hills and valleys with terraced fields, and with hardwood, coniferous or mixed forests, shrubs, and sloping terraces in hill-slope cultivation areas. Farther away from the main rivers in each subproject area are mountainous areas like LNP, parts of which are covered by snow all year round.

21. All of Nepal is in a high-risk earthquake zone in the Himalayas and stands on several thrust and fault zones. Each year, there are several earthquakes. On 3 January 2004, two earthquakes measuring 5.5 and 4.5 on the Richter scale (at Listikot in the Sindhupalchowk district, 80 km east of Kathmandu) rocked central and eastern Nepal close to the border with Tibet. Large and damaging earthquakes have been experienced in Nepal as far back as 1255 A.D. The deadliest earthquake in recent history, in 1988, had its epicenter across the border in the Indian state of Bihar. That earthquake killed more than 750 people in Nepal and caused heavy damage in the central and eastern regions, including Kathmandu.

22. The geological formations under the Bagmati (GTS) and Janakpuri (TMK) subprojects are of the Ranimatta, with phyllite, gritstone, and conglomerates, as well as white quartzite. The Mechi subproject (PT) is over the Seti formation, with phyllite, quartzite, and minor conglomerates. The soils can be broadly grouped into two classes. Gravelly sandy to clay loam is present on hills and eroded areas, and is shallow. Deeper soil, with good fertility, is found in valleys and plains and ranges from sandy loam to clay loam to clay. Along the rivers, deep alluvial deposits are also found.

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3. Surface and Groundwater Quality

23. The project areas are drained by four perennial major rivers. Many other smaller perennial and transient tributaries and rivers will be crossed by the subject roads. Surface flow is continuous in the main rivers, but some streams have little residual flow or only static water in the dryer months. There are few lakes or other water bodies close to roads, but some small fish- rearing ponds have been established in the hills. Standpipes and small water tanks near villages were observed to provide essential potable water and washing facilities for most people. The streams are the main water holes for cattle and wildlife, and the main rivers act as corridors for migrating birds.

24. In rural areas, the population mostly relies on spring sources, gravity-fed standpipes, and surface water for daily use. Local initiatives and programs of NGOs, supported by state authorities, have encouraged the improvement of water supply, and water supply points have risen in number in the villages. The environmental surveys indicate that there are over 30 water supply points near the Bagmati road and the Janakpur road, but only about 10 near the Mechi road. These are mostly standpipes less than 5 m from the road and fed from springs and tanks uphill. These water supply points are vital resources that must be protected. There are also many other sources within walking distance from the present alignments. Most surface-water streams have water all year and are used for irrigation, but groundwater, which feeds the standpipes, is also essential for potable supplies.

25. Quality standards for drinking and ambient water have yet to be established in Nepal. Arsenic has been identified in deep tube wells in the southern plains (terrai) but is not a problem in the waters of the hilly areas. The analysis of surface-water samples against drinking-water standards of the World Health Organization (WHO) (drinking-water sources without conventional treatment) showed the water to be oligotrophic and typical of upland streams. WHO water quality criteria were not exceeded, except for coliform bacteria, probably from human waste or residual contamination from animals feeding at the water. Water quality is generally within the desirable limits, but the WHO standards dictate disinfection before drinking. Groundwater quality was gauged through sampling from spring-fed common taps.

4. Air Quality and Noise

26. Six parameters used as national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) were measured at several representative locations. The three gaseous parameters—sulfur dioxide (SO2), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and carbon monoxide (CO)—were within the NAAQS limits. Dust, measured as total suspended particulate matter (TSPM) and respirable suspended particulate matter (PM10), exceeded the NAAQS limits.

27. The road in most locations is not sealed and is in variable condition. On either side is an unsealed earth surface often used by pedestrians, motorcycles, buses, and heavy vehicles transporting goods, generating more dust at both sides of the road areas.

28. There are no national standards for noise exposure in Nepal. However, the expected traffic on the prioritized roads will be only a few hundred vehicles, spread over the whole day. Spot measurements, as well as professional judgment and standard acoustic principles, indicate that noise levels are not likely to increase significantly during the day or night.

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5. Biological Environment

29. Roadside Trees. The three road packages all run mostly through agricultural and forest land with many settlements. Most villages and towns have trees with religious significance, planted in strategic parts of the village. These are usually pipal or boo trees (Ficus religiosa) often planted next to banyan trees (Ficus benghalensis). Many of these trees have chautari (resting places for travelers) and are therefore very near the road. All in all, 29 such trees have been recorded along the three subproject alignments. There are no such trees along the GTS road in the LNP, but many other trees in the LNP will require protection.

30. Forest. There are also several stretches of national, community, and other forests in each package, and the roads run next to or through areas of mature plantation. Mixed forests (with sal and oak) predominate within the lower areas, the pine species being more prominent at higher altitudes.

31. Fisheries. The water in the major rivers is clean and sustains fish populations. The fishing industry nationwide reportedly produces about 33,000 metric tons of fish per year.6

32. Along the GTS road, commercial fish farming is well developed in Nuwakot district and some small commercial operations are present in Rasuwa. The major spots for fish culture are converted terraces of paddy fields, ponds, and natural water bodies such as rivers, streams, and lakes. No fish farming in the Tamakoshi (TMK) area is reported, but wild fish are commonly sold on the roadside in villages near the river such as Khimti/Devitar. In the PT area, fish production has been targeted for improvement in Panchetar, but the reports from Taplejung district do not mention significant fish farming or fish production. However, the fisheries are not close enough to the roads to be significantly affected by the improvement works.

33. Fauna. Wildlife is occasionally encountered in agricultural areas but particularly in forested sections near the alignments.

34. GTS, Bagmati. Outside the LNP, there are at least 46 species of common mammals, 345 species of birds, 58 butterfly species, 11 reptiles and amphibians, and 40 fish species, for a total of more than 510 species.

35. North of Betrawati the subject road passes through the buffer to LNP (Map 2) and continues north through the LNP as far as Syaphrubesi. The GTS road runs through the western edge of the LNP where there is cultivated land and much human activity. Major encroachment on habitats and wildlife is not anticipated because there will be no road widening, only essential tree cutting, and limited workers’ activities. The LNP is the national park nearest to Kathmandu and extends 32 km north of Kathmandu to the Nepal–China (Tibet) border. In the LNP are the catchments of two major river systems: one draining west into the Trisuli Ghanga Nadi river and the other east to the Sun Koshi river. Very good examples of graded climatic conditions typical of the central Himalayas are found in the national park. The complex topography and geography, together with the varied climatic patterns, have allowed the establishment of a wide range of vegetation. These include small areas of subtropical forest (below 1,000 m), temperate oak and pine forests at mid-elevations, and alpine scrub and grasses giving way to bare rocks and snow higher up. Oak, chir pine, maple, fir, blue pine, hemlock, spruce, and various species of rhododendron are the main forest species. The variations in altitude and topography, along with the forest cover (about 25% of the total area),

6 World Bank. 2005. Little Green Data Book 2005. Washington, DC. 7 provide the habitat for a wide range of animals, some of which are endangered, vulnerable, rare, or threatened. The wild dog (Cuon alpinus), red panda (Ailurus fulgens), muntjak (Muntiacus muntjak), musk deer (Moschus spp.), Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus), Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus), ghoral (Nemorhaedus goral), serow (Nemorhaedus sumatraensis), rhesus monkey (Macaca mulata), and common langur (Presbytis entellus)7 are all represented. However, the major habitats of these protected animals are farther east and well away from the road. The valley corridor of the Trisuli Ghanga Nadi river and the Trisuli Bhote Koshi farther north, together form an important migration corridor for birds between India and the protected areas farther north in China, particularly in the spring and autumn.

36. About 45 villages are within the LNP boundaries. Although they rely on local resources for their livelihood, they are not under jurisdiction of the park. In all, about 3,000 households (about 16,200 people) depend on the national park’s resources for wood fodder and firewood. Culturally, the area is mixed; it is the home of several ethnic groups who have influenced the natural environment over the centuries.

37. The existing road passes through the LNP forest, and detailed ecological surveys have been carried out in this area. The road is within the migration corridor for some species of wildlife, but the local park wardens have given no indication that animals are being killed on the road, probably because of the low traffic and slow speeds. However, park authorities and the Department of Forests have said that they would like to keep the road at its current width and are urging everyone to refrain at all costs from cutting trees in the forest areas. After the MOEST grants environmental clearance, permission must be sought from the senior warden for civil works in the park.

38. TMK, Janakpur. The variation in altitude in the Dolakha and Ramechhap districts creates significant ecological variation. A variety of mammals are found in the broader study area, including leopard (Panthera pardus), jackal (Canis aereus), barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), and black bear (Ursus tibetanus), and birdlife is not uncommon, but there is no national park or protected area. The species are similar to those in the Bagmati zone but not as common as some of the protected species in the LNP.

39. PT, Mechi. The District Agricultural Development Office has identified numerous wild mammals, birds, and reptiles but there is no national park or protected area near the road.

6. Ecological Surveys

40. The areas on either side of the GTS road were examined in detail in May 2005. The ecological surveys focused on areas between Ramche and Syaphrubesi in the LNP, to assess the species ground cover, species composition, tree cover, and biodiversity. Sample quadrates were selected near the road and control quadrates were selected 1 km away from the road, in areas with substantial tree cover to allow the available habitat types to be represented. The EIA contains the complete results of the ecological survey.

41. Tree Stratum. Although the ecology of the LNP is very diverse, having a road running through the park gives rise to concern about the possibility of forest timber exploitation. The largest trees were in quadrate Q1; several large specimens had trunks wider than 1 m and taller

7 Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC). 2005. Description of the Conservation Areas. Official website: http://www.dnpwc.gov.np.

8 than 35 m. The biomass of trees was compared on the basis of tree diameter at breast height (dbh). The basal area in the control quadrates was greater than 60 m2/ha. In the road quadrates, the basal area was significantly lower. This indicates that areas nearer the road have already been significantly degraded, possibly by the taking of timber and the grazing of cattle near the road. The road quadrates did, however, have a fairly diverse representation of tree species, indicating the potential for recovery if other pressures are removed. Orchids are abundant throughout the LNP, and not uncommon in the wetter areas on steep banks close to the roadside.

42. Rare and Valuable Species. Many orchids species of the family Orchidaceae (designated by CITES,8 e.g., Coelogyne cristata, Coelogyne ochracea, Calanthe tricarinata, Vanda cristata) were often seen on the steeper banks along the road in the LNP, but none actually occurred in the quadrates. Orchids are also protected under the Forest Act 1993 and must be identified and transplanted before construction begins. Wintergreen (Gaultheria fragrantisium) and rockfoil (Berginia ciliata) have medicinal value and were also in large numbers along the roadside in the LNP. The works should avoid these plants.

43. Walnut (Juglans regia) is a rare protected species in Nepal seen along the roadside in the LNP. There are also several good specimens of mature trees including alder (Alnus nepalensis), champac (Michelia kisopa), and chir pine (Pinus roxburghii), along the roadside. These are to be avoided during construction. In the design stage, they should be clearly identified for protection through explicit reference in the contractor’s bidding documents, and marked and protected before the works begin.

44. Wandering colonies of rhesus monkey are reported to cross the road in the LNP but were not seen during the surveys. A mature specimen of the common langur was observed during the surveys.

7. Social and Cultural Environment

45. Land Use. The land along the core subprojects is predominantly agricultural and forest land. This is typical of all the mid-hill areas. In some cases, the road will come close to or run through protected, reserved, or unclassified forests in the project areas.

46. Demographic Profile. The households average five to six persons, for a total population in the three project areas of about 1.7 million and increasing (by 20% over the past decade).

47. Literacy. The literacy rate in the district areas is about 70% in towns but below 50% in villages. Typically, female literacy in the rural areas is lower; however, trends indicate this is improving.

48. Cultural and Historical Sites. Altogether, about 10 religious structures are very near the project roads and will probably be within the likely works areas. Thirty other temples and shrines are within short walking distance, on either side of the road.

49. Community Facilities and Utilities. There are several community facilities and public utilities, like water standpipes, hand pumps and taps, bus stops, and shelters, near the roads.

8 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), 2005. The CITES Species (Appendix II). Official website: http://www.cites.org.

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Electricity utility lines and telephone lines are on poles. Water supply lines generally lead from the standpipes along the project corridor. Since the Project does not involve widening, the impact is expected to be mostly minor and manageable. The impact of the proposed activity on the sociocultural environment has been assessed in the social impact assessment and a resettlement action plan specifying measures to mitigate the expected social effects has been proposed.

8. Economic Environment

50. There are isolated manufacturing industrial activities in all the districts except Ramechap (Janakpur). There are occasional stone crushing and quarrying activities, as well as extraction of gravel from riverbeds along the project corridors. The proposed road improvements will improve the local economy by generating direct employment on the roads and indirect income through better transport connectivity. The rural areas have further potential to develop as agricultural areas, as the soil quality, particularly in the valleys, is very good.

51. Bagmati (GTS). The 2001 census indicates that about half the population in the three districts is economically active. About 65–80% of the population is employed in the predominant sectors of employment—agriculture fisheries, and forestry. There is also employment in tourism and industry, but less in the professional, services, and other craft and trade sectors. There are, however, more than 100 employees in mines, hydropower, water, gas, and construction.

52. Over 1,000 cottage industries based on agriculture and livestock have been registered in the three districts. Other registered operations include forestry, clothing, hosiery, and soap manufacture, and many hotels and restaurants in Dunche and Langtang serve visitors to the national park. There are also two cheese factories in Langtang and a spring-water bottling plant in Dunche. Estimates indicate significant investments of more than NRs50 million.

53. Janakpur (TMK). Agriculture is also the main economy in this zone, with some cottage industries, but less than half of the population is economically active. The predominant sectors—agriculture, fisheries, and forestry—employ about 70% of the active population. There is little employment in the professions or in tourism, but employment in industry, services, and other craft and trade sectors is significant.

54. Over 1,000 small cottage-type operations are active in rice milling and in the manufacture or processing of dairy products, medicinal herbs, ice cream, cheese, biscuits and bread, noodles, and fruits and juices. There are also tea development, poultry, and bee farms. Products are very varied; among these are household utensils, chalk, cement and tiles, garments, handmade stationery, carpets, distilled products, and soap. Dolakha has many historic and religious sites, which are well visited by tourists. There is an airport in Manthali, Ramechap, but agricultural and other industrial products that need reliable transport to market generally have to be taken north by road via Charikot.

55. In Mechi (PT) tea production and other agriculture-related occupations are the main livelihood of people living near the roads in the project area. Panchthar is one of five districts recognized for tea production, with over 400 ha planted to the crop (annual production of 484 metric tons). In Taplejung, the focus is on other agricultural products such as rice and cereals, oilseeds, livestock, fruits and vegetables, cotton, livestock, and dairy. The tourism sector in Panchthar is not well developed, but there are potential attractions including the natural environment and religious and historic places. Tourism is becoming important economically in Taplejung; its airport is the closest to the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, Pathibhara Temple,

10 other religious places, and natural attractions. Records show that 700 tourists visited Taplejung in 2001. The Road Network Development Project will build a road south of Phidim in Panchetar and the combined proposals will provide improved links between these districts and with other roads farther south. In summary, the impact on Mechi will be very positive, with the potential to stimulate sectors like tourism, a major earner of foreign exchange.

C. Alternatives

1. Without the Project

56. Without the road improvements, the socioeconomic development potential of the districts will be adversely affected in the medium and long term. Roads are poor and average traffic speed is less than 20 km/hr. In the short term, the alignment, surface, and drainage improvements in the geometry of the road will result in better and safer travel and provide employment.

2. Alternative Routes

57. No alternative routes were considered; existing roads will merely be improved. Alternative routes would involve new construction and environmental disruption, and would also not be as near the major centers of habitation they are meant to serve. In many cases, they would require the building of bridges and other roads. Thus, although new roads could be built, they would not serve connectivity objectives as well as the current alignments, and would also have a much greater impact during construction and operation. The proposals for a modest scale of resurfacing and other supporting works should present a much more acceptable alternative, with no insurmountable environmental impact.

3. Alternative Transport Modes

58. There is no alternative rail or navigable waterway in the subproject districts. Small airports in Manthali (TMK) and Taplejung (PT) provide alternative links to Kathmandu and other regional centers but are too small to serve the demand for transport at the district level. There is no airport in the vicinity of GTS. Therefore, no alternative transport mode will meet district connectivity needs.

D. Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures

1. Environmental Impact Associated with the Project Location

59. Alignment. The environmental impact on the subproject locations will not be very significant because most of the road sections will either follow the existing alignment or pass through uninhabited areas. The major part of the land to be acquired is in a landslide area and most of the affected land is reportedly abandoned. About 91 residential and 70 commercial structures will be affected, but only a few of these will be completely demolished; most will lose only fencing or attachments. Land acquisition and demolition will directly affect 168 households with 796 persons. About 50% of dwellings are brick-wood and earth-wood structures. To ensure that the income and livelihood of affected people are restored to their level before the Project, the people will be given adequate compensation, and rehabilitation assistance will be provided.

60. Minimizing environmental impact through good design is a legitimate approach and the improvements have been minimized wherever possible to reduce their impact. The alignment 11 design prescribes only minor widening by adding 0.5 m to the hard shoulder on either side. The vast majority of sensitive receivers are set back from these areas, and to minimize impact, the alignment will generally follow the existing alignment through uninhabited areas or minor settlements. This approach avoids significant environmental impact. However, several sections must pass through forest land, and one section through the LNP. In the construction phase, the most significant environmental impact would be associated with any tree cutting and temporary disturbance from other construction work. In the operating phase, mitigation measures and the low volume of traffic will avert disruption in the movement of wildlife within the forests.

61. Noise. Although many noise-sensitive receivers—settlements, temples, schools, and health facilities—will be close to the alignment, no direct noise mitigation measures at source (such as barriers or earth beams) will be required, because the traffic flows will be modest. But noise mitigation will be required in the construction stage.

62. Air Quality. In the areas of habitation closest to the carriageway, despite the expected increase in traffic, the prescribed air quality standards can be achieved during the operating phase because enough distance is allowed in the design for traffic fumes to disperse. Improvements in road surface will also reduce dust levels. Environmental monitoring is proposed as an assurance measure. Clean air is a practicable goal; however, to achieve the expected improvements, settlements should be kept from encroaching back into the right-of-way during the implementation and operating stages. These aspects are dealt with in the social assessment and the resettlement action plan.

63. Other Impacts such as those on water quality and those due to waste disposal will not appear in the design stage. Mitigation measures have been included to keep such impacts within acceptable levels in the construction and operation of the Project.

2. Environmental Impact Associated with Construction

64. Rock-based Materials. The existing fair-weather earth track surfaces are mostly about 3 m–4 m wide. Some land may need to be cleared to adjust the road geometry. The other earthworks involve scarifying the granular sub-base layer, excavating for road foundations and road shoulders, compacting ground, and constructing the slope protection walls, drains, and embankments. Several hundred thousand cubic meters of excavated rock materials will be needed to construct walls and stabilize slopes on each road (altogether, about 3 million m3 may be required for the core road sections). Excavation wastes will also have to be disposed of. Soil and slope erosion is the most significant impact associated with general earthworks; besides, many of the project areas are known to be erosion-prone.

65. The following erosion measures will be provided during and after construction:

(i) The contractor will be required to balance the amounts of cutting and fill to reduce excavation waste. Wherever earth and rock materials are cut, care will be taken in terrain with a slope of more than 25%, and the cut sides should have gentler slopes if possible. Methods will follow the guidance given in the Environmental Management Guidelines (1999) of DOR and any of its other initiatives and reference manuals. (ii) A watching brief will be kept for heavy rain, and runoff will be minimized through measures such as sandbagging and the use of tarpaulins to cover loose materials. Before the rainy season, all excavated and constructed slopes will be stabilized. Embankments will be provided with chutes and drains to collect

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surface water and minimize soil erosion. Stone retaining walls and gabions will be provided on steep embankment areas. (iii) In areas prone to slope collapse and soil erosion, engineering measures must be undertaken. Grass (hydro seeding) and shrubs will be planted and other hard works will be implemented to stabilize the slopes in line with the bioengineering proposals (DOR guidelines). In some extent, realignment to avoid landslide prone areas maybe needed (e.g., along Dunche). (iv) Spoil materials will be reused as far as possible for landscaping, and will not be dumped in the forests, on agriculture lands, near stream channels, or near other bodies of water. Bituminous wastes will be disposed of in sites identified by the authorities as suitable for such purposes.

66. Sources of Materials. The improvements on the roads, retaining walls, and drainage for core roads will require up to about 3 million m3 of rock, sand, and gravel. The sources of the materials will be determined during detailed design. Because base and walling materials can, to some extent, be taken from many landslide areas along the roadside and rock cuts on the roads, the impact associated with the transportation of borrow materials can be reduced. Technical surveys have identified plenty of material sources near the road alignments. Priority sites within reasonable distances that will create less environmental degradation during excavation and require less compensatory planting and rehabilitation have been identified.

67. To minimize the environmental impact associated with raw-material quarrying, borrow-pit extraction, and rock winning, the following selection criteria will be adopted:

(i) Borrow-pit, riverbed, and rock excavation will conform to the DOR Environmental Management Guidelines (1999) and give preference to target areas that will require less rehabilitation. (ii) Contractors will be required to present their material extraction plans and permissions for extraction to the engineer one month before the start of works. (iii) Borrow-pit and rock excavation will not be done on cultivable land. However, if earth must be removed or borrowed from cultivable land, the excavation should not be deeper than 45 cm. (iv) In all borrow areas, the top 15 cm of soil will be stripped and set aside for rehabilitation. (v) Excavation areas will generally be riverbed tributaries, rocky areas of open scrubland, and wasteland and will ideally be at least 500 m from the road and 800 m from residential areas. (vi) Immediately after use, borrow sites will be rehabilitated. The topsoil will be replaced and cover vegetation will be planted. (vii) If a new quarry must be dug, all the statutory requirements for establishing a new quarry must first be met, and the quarry can be operated only after the necessary licenses and permissions are granted. (viii) The depth of the borrow soils will be regulated; the sides of the excavation will therefore have a slope not steeper than 25%.

68. Air Quality. Earthwork and rock-crushing activities will give off dust, and the pavement works will generate gas from the asphalt hot-mix plant and odor from the compaction of pavement. The Project will require at least 10,000 m3 of bitumen. Although the air quality in the project area is good, except for TSP and PM10, the following mitigation measures will be needed:

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(i) The cement batching and aggregate mixing plants will be located more than 500 m away from settlements. (ii) Dust suppression equipment will be installed in the cement and aggregate mixing plants. (iii) Construction areas on the roads will be kept damp by watering. (iv) If there is no water, tarpaulins will be strung outside sensitive receivers to trap dust. (v) Construction materials and spoil materials will be transported in covered trucks. (vi) Storage sites, mixing plants, and asphalt (hot mix) plants will be at least 1 km downwind of the nearest human settlements. (vii) All vehicles (trucks, equipment, and other support machinery) will comply with the Motor Vehicles and Transportation Management Act of 1993. (viii) All hot-mix plants, crushers, and batching plants will be installed only after approval for the installation is received from the authorities concerned.

69. Noise. Powered mechanical equipment (generators, excavators, bulldozers, stabilizers, drills, stone crushers, concrete-mixing plants, and screening plants) can generate significant noise. Although some machines may be designed to produce little noise individually, several machines together can cause significant noise and nuisance. To minimize such impact, and in line with usual practice in Nepal, local hand labor will be used as far as possible and the following mitigation measures will be adopted:

(i) No work will be done at night. (ii) The contractor will maintain and service all equipment to minimize noise. (iii) Equipment will be located to minimize nuisance, and portable noise barriers will be put up to limit noise at sensitive receivers such as schools and hospitals. (iv) Insulation will also be provided to minimize noise in residential areas and keep the noise level at less than 45dB(A) at night (9 pm to 6 am) and 55dB(A) the rest of the day. (v) The contractor will agree with the principals of nearby schools on the time to operate the machines and stop using the machines near schools during examination period.

70. Water Supply. No significant effect on groundwater is expected from construction or operation. However, construction works should not use the groundwater without prior permission from the local water authority. Where wells or standpipes fed from groundwater have to be disturbed or access to wells is blocked by construction activity, the contractor will provide alternative or additional wells or standpipes with easy access before the start of construction, to the satisfaction of the local water user group and end users. All public standpipes and washing places will be provided with temporary screens for privacy.

71. Surface Water. The main concerns about surface water conditions during construction relate to the construction of walls (as part of causeway and pipe culvert construction works), the construction or expansion of culverts, runoff from unprotected slopes, spillage and leakage from storage sites and machines, and domestic sewage from the temporary camps for workers. To address these concerns, the following mitigation measures will be adopted:

(i) No storage for toxic, hazardous, and harmful construction materials (e.g., asphalt, acidic and caustic substances, and petroleum products) will be allowed near rivers, drainage channels to rivers, other bodies of water, or forests.

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(ii) Storage areas will be bonded to contain 110% of the materials stored and will be maintained and checked to avoid leakage and spillage. (iii) To avoid contamination from fuel and lubricants, all vehicles and equipment used during construction will be properly maintained and refueled in dedicated areas. Refueling stations will be bonded, constructed, and maintained to prevent oil spillage or leakage. (iv) Drip trays will be used under equipment during maintenance. (v) Residues of lubricating oil and other waste petroleum products will be collected, stored in steel or polyethylene drums, and reused, if possible. (vi) A sewage system will be properly designed for temporary worker camps. All the toilet facilities will be at least pit latrines that are maintained and removed according to a defined schedule. (vii) The slopes of embankments leading to water bodies will be properly designed such that a buffer zone prevents the surface flow (possibly containing contaminants) from entering bodies of water directly and provides at least a vegetative filter for drainage from construction areas. (viii) Bridges and particularly gabions and other structures near bodies of water will be prefabricated. Residual contamination, particulates, and surface treatments will be washed from the prefabricated elements before they are located near the riverbeds. (ix) Surface drainage and irrigation channels affected by causeway construction will be diverted to avoid disrupting water flows and maintain the irrigation pattern to the satisfaction of the end users. (x) Temporary diversion channels for irrigation water must be built and approved before culverts or other structures are built.

72. Flora and Fauna. Whereas most tree cutting can be avoided, some trees may have to be cleared, particularly if they are in embankments or enveloped by landslide run-out. To minimize the impact associated with tree cutting during construction, trees should be replanted in sections on the roadside as soon as construction work allows it, so that a greenbelt develops. Planting during the rainy season will favor establishment, and new trees must be tended and watered until they are established.

73. In the forests and other areas, keeping to the existing alignment will minimize the removal of trees and ensure the least disturbance to trees. This is important, particularly to preserve good specimens, and old and valuable trees. Trees can be cut and removed only with prior approval from the Department of Forests (DOF). The DOF requires three new trees to be planted for each one cut. The environmental management plan and the DOR reference manual recommend appropriate indigenous species for roadside plantation. However, compensatory tree planting in areas designated by the DOF will need to be coordinated closely with the relevant forestry divisions. The following mitigation measures will minimize impact on fauna and flora:

(i) No temporary worker camps will be allowed within any forest area or the LNP without the approval of the LNP warden. (ii) No workers will be allowed to enter the forest areas or the LNP for any purpose other than construction in the appropriate areas of the alignment. (iii) Rare and protected species such as orchids and walnut trees near the alignment will be transplanted at least two weeks before the start of works in the LNP, in line with a program agreed on with the LNP warden. 15

(iv) No asphalt plants, mixing plants, or rock crushers will be put up within forest areas or the LNP without the approval of the LNP warden. (v) Specimen trees or trees with religious significance should not be removed. Where communities have made a request to that effect, the road alignment will be fine-tuned to accommodate the request.

3. Environmental Impact Associated with the Operational Phase

74. Environmental concerns related to the operation of the road involve noise, air pollution, and water pollution. The road with its improved surface will attract modest traffic, but it will not be much wider than it is now. The separation distance should be enough to allow traffic fumes to disperse and accepted environmental standards for air quality to be met.

75. Air Pollution. The ambient air quality will not deteriorate significantly. In the project area, which is dry, the levels of TSP and PM10 already exceed the standards in some places. Improving the road surface should reduce the dust from the road itself. Mitigation measures to increase precipitation for particulate pollution will include putting up tarpaulins if water is unavailable during construction, to reduce the level of TSPM and PM10. Strict enforcement of vehicle emission standards will significantly minimize TSP and PM10. Further use of electrical vehicles, at least for short-haul trips within the flatter valleys where hydroelectric power is abundant, will also help lessen adverse impact on air quality.

76. Water pollution will result mostly from runoff or drainage into water bodies, maintenance of erosion protection work, inadequate management of wastewater from facilities along the roadsides, and inadequate management of spill and leakage accidents. To minimize such pollution, runoff should be channeled to a vegetative filter, such as a grassy area, before they can reach bodies of water, and erosion protection works must be inspected and maintained regularly to ensure that they are functioning.

77. Noise. Noise levels were measured in rural areas with roads similar to the subproject road with its expected improvements. Although the road will pass close to sensitive receivers, the proposed noise criteria are not likely to exceed. There are no areas where such noise- sensitive receivers will be close enough to the improved road to require direct noise mitigation measures (barriers, etc.), but this will have to be reconfirmed when actual traffic flows are known. If required, noise mitigation measures can then be designed on the basis of good acoustic principles.

78. Ecological Environment. Providing the width of the LNP road stays the same, no long- term ecological impact is expected from the operation of the road. The LNP warden himself has not faulted the plans. However, if the road is to be widened later on, the environmental impacts of the widening should be fully reexamined. For the subprojects as planned, trees should continue to line the roadside. Tree should be planted to compensate for the trees cut, and target replanting areas should include degraded forest areas, so that forest resources and habitat can increase over the long term.

79. Warning signs and slower driving speeds in the LNP will help reduce disturbance to animals. Where possible, the culverts and bridges along the road in forest areas should be designed to facilitate the passage of animals. Stopping facilities should be provided only outside forested areas, but vehicles are generally not permitted to stop along the road near the LNP or forests. The provision of some off-road stopping facilities for vehicle breakdowns and other

16 emergencies, with the acceptance of the LNP warden, would reduce the chances of collision or worse accidents. These facilities should be away from the migratory pathways of animals.

E. Economic Assessment

1. Benefits

80. The main benefits resulting from the proposed subprojects are associated with the improvement of road conditions and links between districts and the SRN, leading to time and fuel savings and better access to social infrastructure. The road improvements will have an acceptable economic internal rate of return and will have a positive effect on socioeconomic development and poverty reduction in the medium and long term. The Project will help strengthen the institutional capacity of DOR and contribute to overall transport efficiency and safety. There will be immediate opportunities for local labor to be employed in construction and maintenance. Other expected benefits, arising from the implementation of environmental mitigation measures, are protection and preservation of ecological resources; improvement of vegetation cover after bioengineering and replanting; control of air, noise, and water pollution; and rehabilitation of borrow areas.

2. Cost of Mitigation Measures

81. Most of the technical measures proposed to mitigate adverse environmental impacts are related to the need to cope with natural phenomena that affect the subprojects’ physical structures. The costs of mitigation measures especially measures for providing additional cross- drainage and landslide controls are incorporated in the overall project costs.

82. The financial costs have been estimated at up to NRs11 million ($160,000) per kilometer, depending on the road. Roads like the GTS (Bagmati) road, which require extensive landslide stabilization in certain places, are the most costly. For other roads that require less extensive improvements, the financial costs have been estimated at up to NRs9 million ($130,000) per kilometer. The estimated environmental costs for the core subprojects will mostly cover slope improvement, drainage, and bioengineering (about $2 million) for landslide control. The detailed review of environmental mitigation measures during implementation and the audit of contract documents to verify the inclusion of these measures have been estimated to cost $150,000. Included in this amount, and in the total project costs, is any environmental monitoring in LNP, as well as measures taken to reconfirm and compensate for threats to protected, rare, and endangered plants and animals along the alignments. Monitoring cost estimates assume the use of local laboratory and professional expertise. About $30,000 will be required for the GTS (Bagmati) road, and up to $25,000 for the other two roads.

F. Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan

1. Environmental Management Plan (EMP)

83. The EMPs for all three subprojects (summarized in Appendix 1) describe detailed remedial measures and safeguards for all potential impacts identified during the assessment studies. Each EMP covers all the mitigation measures required in each subproject to ensure that any adverse impact at any stage is either averted or mitigated to an acceptable level through the most suitable technical and economic options.

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84. The EMP also requires consultation with local user groups during detailed design and with district and village committees. This is important in Nepal, where the powers for local control have been devolved through the Local Self Governance Act (1999). The act empowers local bodies engaged in the conservation of soil, forest, and other natural resources to implement environmental conservation activities, and also mandates the Village Development Committees (VDCs) to formulate and implement programs to protect the environment and biodiversity. Other sections of the act assign similar responsibilities to District Development Committees (DDCs) at the district level. Therefore, all efforts will be made to ensure that local values and cultural and religious sensitivities are respected, and that all subproject plans strictly adhere to national laws and environmental standards and regulations.

85. The EMP recommends maintaining the current road alignments, and providing efficient drainage networks, retaining structures, and slope protection measures, particularly for cross- drainage structures, including gabions, causeways, and revegetation of slopes. The emphasis is both on traditional engineering and on bioengineering solutions for landslip control, bridges, and culverts for stability of design. Where necessary, roadside irrigation canals will be improved. There are also requirements to review the EMPs and ensure that the subprojects avoid protected species (orchids and walnut trees) as required by law. Advance ecological enabling works are necessary to identify and mark the locations of protected species before construction. If disturbance is unavoidable, then the species must be transplanted and construction teams must be trained to avoid unnecessary disturbance. If changes in the detailed design cause significant deviations from the current plans, the DOR will consult those likely to be affected and take their concerns into account when preparing the final alignment.

86. The EMPs also cover the location of construction camps, the location and operation schedules of heavy equipment, the use of borrow sites, and procurement and excavation methods. The contractors’ requirement for both construction materials and consumables is addressed to avoid conflict with local resource users. Waste management plans are also described.

87. Safety measures, including design solutions, traffic signs, temporary diversions, and special actions to protect sensitive locations, are a major element throughout the EMPs. Because landslides cover an extensive area, stabilization measures are proposed. On certain stretches of road, environmental enhancement measures (such as roadside planting and embankment vegetation) are proposed to serve multiple functions such as controlling erosion, protecting shoulders, controlling emissions, maintaining roadside safety, absorbing traffic- induced emissions, and making visual improvements to facilitate compliance monitoring.

2. Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMOP)

88. An environmental monitoring plan for each subproject has been prepared to (i) check whether the mitigation and enhancement measures are adequate and effective, and whether all activities carried out during construction comply with legal and community obligations, including safety and health concerns; (ii) provide the means to address impacts that were unforeseen or uncertain at the time the EMP was prepared; and (iii) provide inputs to improve the planning and execution of similar highway projects in the future. Two monitoring approaches will be adopted as part of project implementation: (i) compliance monitoring, which checks, through visual observation, photographic documentation, and the use of checklists contained in the EMP, whether the actions proposed by the EMP have been carried out; and (ii) effects monitoring, which records the effects of program activities on the biophysical and social environment, if

18 necessary, through repeated measurement against the selected indicators. The monitoring of EMP implementation should be documented, and a semiannual report submitted to ADB.

89. The environmental monitoring plan for each subproject is detailed in Appendix 2. During the preconstruction period, the monitoring activities will focus on (i) checking the contractor’s bidding documents, particularly to ensure that it includes all the necessary environmental requirements; and (ii) checking that the required environmental mitigation measures referred to in the contract documents have been made part of the contractor’s assignment. Where detailed design is required (e.g., for transplanting rare and protected species or avoiding tree and water resources), the designs must be included and checked. During the construction period, the monitoring activities will aim at (i) ensuring that environmental mitigation measures are implemented, (ii) recording the environmental performance of the Project, and (iii) guiding any remedial action to address unexpected impacts. Monitoring activities during project operation will focus on (i) recording environmental performance, and (ii) proposing remedial actions to address unexpected impacts.

3. Authorities and Implementation Responsibilities

90. Before the Project can be implemented, the DOR needs to comply with the Government’s environmental requirements, such as obtaining MOEST clearance (approval under the Environmental Protection Rules of 1999) and securing a tree removal and replanting permit from the DOF. The DOR will also need to confirm that contractors have complied with all statutory requirements and have appropriate and valid permits for all powered mechanical equipment, as well as permission to use local water supplies and to construct and operate plants, such as hot-mix plants and concrete batching and rock crushing facilities, in line with all environmental requirements and conditions imposed by local authorities.

91. The overall implementation of the EMP will become the responsibility of the DOR. The Geological and Environment Unit (GEU) and the Project Department staff, working closely together, will review the EIA and IEE reports including the EMP and carry out monitoring of the implementation of EMP. The Project Department will be responsible to ensure that EIA and IEE reports will be prepared and all necessary environmental statutory clearances will be obtained before the start of the Project. The Project Department has also to ensure that all the mitigation measures, and environmental performance criteria in the EIAs and IEEs are incorporated in the contracts.

92. Other parties that will be involved in implementing the EMP are as follows: (i) contractors, who will be responsible for implementing all environmental mitigation measures during construction; and (ii) other government agencies (such as DOF, DDC, VDC, regional and state pollution authorities, forest use groups at the local level, and motor vehicle departments), which will monitor the implementation of environmental requirements and compliance with statutory requirements in their respective areas.

93. Considering the number of government agencies that need to be involved in implementing the EMP, training workshops should be held every 6 months, or twice each year, in the first 3 years, to convey the findings of the monitoring report on the EMP implementation, to share the lessons learned during implementation, and to decide on appropriate remedial actions, if unexpected environmental impacts occur.

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G. Public Consultation and Information Disclosure

94. Public consultations were held in May and July 2005 following the official statutory procedures, and at VDC and DDC meetings and meetings with other relevant government agencies at the local level. The consultations were carried out in DDC and VDC centers, with community leaders and village administration in the villages, and with forest and national park administration. Formal and informal methods of consultation were used. Local residents, shop owners, roadside food stall owners, truck drivers, and community leaders and officials were consulted.

95. The consultations in May were held to find out the concerns of the public and to inform the public about the Project and its potential environmental impact. Over 100 formal written replies from the various stakeholders were received up to the end of May 2005. At least half of the respondents for each subproject road made no formal comment but offered no opposition to the Project. Most of the rest were in general support of the road improvements. Some identified a variety of specific environmental concerns and socioeconomic expectations. Four respondents wrote about local issues such as the use of speed breakers in sensitive areas and drainage improvements. Two respondents identified significant concerns requiring mitigation; these have been included in the EMP.

96. The second set of consultations with affected people focused only on the GTS subproject and was carried out from 1 to 3 August 2005 after a public notice was published in Trisuli newspaper on 28 July 2005. The public consultations aim to share the proposed mitigation measures were carried out in 5 villages: Syaphrubesi, Sanobharkhu, Dhunche, Thande/Ramche and Bettrawati. Although the public welcomes the effort to provide all weather road, they also wanted that the land acquisition and compensation to be done fairly. In addition, public has also concerns with road safety, and landslide.

H. Conclusions and Recommendations

97. The EIA/IEE reports have thoroughly assessed all the potential environmental impacts associated with the three subprojects. The environmental impacts identified by the study are manageable, and DOR will implement the mitigation measures stated in the report. However, the implementation of the EMP measures needs to be monitored continuously and the semiannual report submitted to ADB and other relevant government agencies needs to be audited.

98. Almost all environmental impacts will take place during construction, and contractors will be expected to implement the environmental mitigation measures. However, experience suggests that contractors may have little impetus or interest in dealing with environmental problems in the absence of performance-linked criteria. Therefore, the required environmental mitigation must be clearly specified in the contract documents and estimated separately. It is strongly recommended that payment milestones be linked to the completion of mitigation. The implementation of mitigation measures must be monitored by GEU with assistance from environmental (supervising) consultant and the Project Department.

99. In addition, the environmental compliance program should satisfy the conditions set by the Government for the granting of the environmental and forest clearance. Therefore, environmental conditions and project impact, and the implementation of mitigation measures, should continue to be monitored and the findings should be reported at least twice a year in the project performance report.

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V. ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA FOR SUBPROJECTS

100. Considering the potential environmental impacts of the sample subprojects (core roads) the following environmental criteria will be adopted for the selection of follow-up subprojects (non-core roads).

(i) Non-core roads shall only be selected from prioritized candidate roads of the Project. (ii) Non-core roads preferably should not pass through the core zone or the buffer zone of any protected National Park, Wildlife Sanctuary or sensitive wetland. (iii) Non-core roads preferably should not pass through the core or buffer zone of any ecologically sensitive area as recognized by HMGN or areas of international ecological significance identified by international convention (e.g., a RAMSAR site). (iv) To the extent possible, non-core roads should not include any stretch that passes through any area designated for its cultural heritage values by HMGN or other international agency such as UNESCO.

VI. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW FRAMEWORK

101. The proposed Project will involve activities to rehabilitate and improve roads. However, these project activities may generate an environmental impact. Therefore, the DOR of the MPPW, as the Executing Agency, and ADB agreed on this framework to guide the preparation and review procedure of environmental assessment of the follow up subprojects (non-core roads).

A. Environmental Assessment Requirement

102. The non-core roads will be classified by following the ADB’s Environmental Assessment Guidelines (2003) and also by taking into account the HMGN regulation on environmental assessment.

103. Any non-core road will be categorized as an “A” project and will require an EIA and EMP, if it (i) requires complex mitigation measures, which need to be prepared through an in- depth assessment of the impacts and require a detailed study to prepare mitigation measures, (ii) has an impact on the ecologically sensitive area by passing through a multipurposed zone or buffer zone or less than 1,000 m from any wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, other sanctuaries, or areas recognized by the HMGN or international institution as environmentally or culturally significance (such as protected wetland designated by the Wetland Convention) or any cultural heritage designated by UNESCO, and (iii) involves a construction of new bypass with new alignment.

104. Any non-core road will be categorized as “B” and will require an IEE and EMP, if it is likely to have insignificant adverse environmental impacts, or will generate an environmental impact that requires mitigation measures that can be easily identified, implemented, managed, and integrated into project implementation and operation.

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B. Review Procedure for Environmental Assessment of Subprojects, Responsibilities, and Authorities

105. The environmental assessment and review procedure for non-core roads shall be carried out to comply with the ADB’s environmental safeguard policy as well as the HMGN’s Environmental Policy. Therefore, the EA and ADB agree on the following responsibilities:

(i) The DOR, MPPW will have the following responsibilities:

• Fill up the environmental screening checklist and classified the non-core roads. • Based on the environmental classification, prepare terms of reference to conduct an IEE or EIA study for non-core roads. • Hire a qualified environmental consultant to prepare an IEE or EIA report, including an EMP, and SEIA, for non-core roads. • Review of the IEE and SIEE or EIA and SEIA reports including EMP. • Submit the IEE and SIEE or EIA and SEIA reports including EMP to ADB as part of the approval and disclosure of non-core roads. • Obtain Government statutory clearance on environmental related subjects. • Ensure that all regulatory clearances are obtained before starting civil works for the none-core roads. • Submit to ADB the required Government clearances. • Ensure that the required mitigation measures during construction are included in the bidding/contract documents. • Ensure that contractors have access to the EIA or IEE and EMP reports of the non-core roads. • Ensure that an environmental management and monitoring plan, including all proposed mitigation measures, are properly implemented. • Monitor the implementation of environmental management plan and present it in the environmental monitoring report. • Should any unpredicted environmental impacts occur during project implementation, provide and implement remedial actions or emergency programs to minimize the impacts in close consultation with ADB. • Should any non-core road needs to have its alignment changed after the IEE/EIA study completed, its environmental classification may need to be reconfirmed, in close consultation with ADB determine whether an additional environmental assessment study is required. If it is required, prepare the terms of reference for undertaking an additional environmental assessment study and engage an environment consultant to carry out the study. • Submit to ADB and other relevant Government Agencies the semiannual report on implementing the EMP and EMOP for A category non-core roads and annual report on the same subjects for B category non-core roads.

(ii) The ADB will have the following responsibilities:

• Determine and confirm the environmental classification of non-core roads based on environmental screening checklist submitted by DOR, MPPW and available published information. • Review the EIA/IEE and SEIA/SIEE submitted by DOR, MPPW. • Review the conditions of all clearance certificates and environmental approval on environmental related issues.

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• Undertake ad hoc environmental monitoring during project implementation. • Disclose the SEIA/SIEE on the ADB website for non-core roads that are categorized as an “A” project 120 days prior to approving these particular non- core roads. • Monitor the implementation of the EMP and due diligence as part of overall project review mission.

C. Monitoring and Due Diligence

106. The DOR, MPPW has the responsibility to monitor the implementation of EMP, including the environmental mitigation measures for all subprojects (core and non-core roads). The report on monitoring the implementation of environmental management and environmental monitoring plans need to be documented systematically.

107. DOR, MPPW shall ensure that ADB will be given access to undertake environmental monitoring for all subprojects, as and when required.

108. Where unexpected environmental impacts are encountered, DOR in close consultation with ADB shall undertake remedial actions to mitigate unexpected environmental impacts at the earliest opportunity. The mitigation measures shall be implemented and monitored thoroughly to control impacts to acceptable levels. The actions and the results shall be recorded in writing and included in the environmental monitoring report.

D. Public Consultation and Information Disclosure

109. The DOR, MPPW is responsible for ensuring that all environmental assessment documentation, including monitoring the implementation of EMP, including environmental monitoring plan shall be systematically documented as part of the project document. These environmental assessment documents are subject to public disclosure and shall be made available to public, if requested.

110. The DOR, MPPW shall ensure that in carrying out IEE studies for any non-core road, at least one step consultation with the affected people, have to be done to gather AP’s concerns about the road, particularly in respect to its potential impacts. If an EIA is required, the DOR, MPPW shall ensure that 2-step consultations with AP will to be undertaken. The first consultation aims to gather AP’s concerns about the road, particularly in respect to its potential impacts and the second consultation aims to share the EMP with AP and to gather AP’s views on the EMP.

111. For any non-core road categorized as an “A” project, the SEIA needs to be disclosed through ADB’s website 120 days prior to approving this non-core road.

E. Staffing Requirements and Budget

112. The GEU was established by DOR since1994 with three full time qualified environmental staff. This Unit responsible to address environmental concerns related to DOR nationwide operation involving thousand kilometers of roads. Although significant numbers of staff have been trained on environmental related aspects, the functions of unit have yet to be institutionalized. The DOR should develop in-house expertise, which is neutral from operation to focus on independent environmental monitoring and develop a stronger planning and management capacity so that environmental concerns are fully mainstream in every aspect of 23

DOR road development program. While technical capability of GEU is strong in bioengineering fields, it needs strengthening in respect of its capacity to deal with air, water and noise pollution associated with road sector, For the Project, it is necessary to allocated resources to effectively provide a quality control for supervising assessment of environmental concerns and implementation of environmental management associated with Project activities. Furthermore, DOR should also institutionalize the environmental impacts assessment into its operations. As important step, GEU will take important role in implementing this Project, and therefore, could ensure the Project will comply with the Government and ADB environmental safeguard requirements.

113. Environmental consultants will be engaged under the Project to support PIU to work closely with the design consultant, construction supervision consultant, as well as with the contractor to address all environmental aspects at feasibility study, preliminary and detailed design, and contracting stages. The consultant will also assist DOR especially GEU in implementing the environmental assessment and review framework. In addition, environmental consultants will also be engaged as part of the feasibility and design team to prepare environmental assessment studies for all non-core roads.

114. Necessary budget and resources have been incorporated into Project costs to (i) implement the environmental review procedures, (ii) undertake the IEE and EIA for non-core roads, (iii) monitor the implementation of the mitigation measures reflecting in the EMP, and (iv) undertake the environmental monitoring.

VII. CONCLUSION

115. The overall Project is not expected to have adverse environmental impacts as it was shown in the findings of the environmental assessment studies for core roads (sample subprojects). These environment assessment studies of core roads provide a picture of all generic potential environmental impacts, associated with civil works of the project and the recommended mitigation measures for the core roads could also potentially be adopted for the non-core roads or the follow-up subprojects.

116. The environmental assessment and review framework have been formulated to ensure that the follow-up subprojects will be prepared to satisfy His Majesty’s Government of Nepal’s and ADB’s environmental policies.

24 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Environmental Remedial Measure Reference to Approximate Time Mitigation Institutional 1 Appendix Issue/ Contract Location frame Cost Responsibility Component Documents Implemen- Super- tation vision

A. Design/Preconstruction Stage 1. Alignment

General Review mitigation measures and prepare contract All settlements, During the Project Design PIU, documentation to include for all settlements and other schools, hospitals, design stage preparation consultant DOR sensitive receivers. clinics, temples. cost • Social champion trees, rare and protected • Environmental species, tributaries, • Engineering water supply pipes • Economic and LNP. • Ecological a. Constricted • Improve sub-grade, base course and road surface At constricted During the Project Design PIU, sections/ layers only within ROW Settlements A-Z. sections and design stage preparation consultant DOR settlements • Gabion, masonry and breast retaining walls. settlements along cost Project corridor • PC drains, Causeways, Culverts, Bioengineering, Project road will be improved as per DOR Specifications. b. Land and • To avoid social disruption and damage to religious Throughout project During the Project Design PIU, property losses structures, the road improvements will be within the corridor, e.g. design stage preparation consultant DOR ROW and adjusted as necessary DDS. reduced width cost • Specific measures within settlement area. • Retaining walls have been proposed to limit landslide and the extent of widening. Retaining walls will be provided where • Compensation will be given to PAPs based on the required RAP’s entitlement policy. 2. Land a. Embankment • Retaining walls and bioengineering will be Throughout project During the Project Design PIU, slopes/ installed as per the recommended practice for corridor, especially design stage preparation consultant DOR/ landslides treatment of embankment slopes for erosion control at all critical slopes cost GEU (DOR 2003). and across/along rivers/rivulets crossings and in hilly terrains b. DDC/VDC • Collaborate with local DDC/VDC for capture of Throughout project During the Project Design PIU, interface road increased runoff from existing houses near roadway. corridor, especially design stage preparation consultant DOR inundation from • Encourage DDC/VDC to design drainage to within settlement cost storm-water dovetail with road drain design, with suitable sizes of areas from wayside drainage structures e.g., pipe culverts, causeways, to village houses avoid inundation.

Environmental Remedial Measure Reference to Approximate Time Mitigation Institutional Issue/ Contract Location frame Cost Responsibility Component Documents Implemen- Super- tation vision c. Location of • Existing licensed quarries that are already in All locations of During the Project Design PIU, DOR/ quarries and operation have been recommended. selected river beds, design stage preparation consultant GEU borrow areas • Re-use of as much cut material from existing quarries and cost and roads has been recommended. borrow pits Contractor determined at • Nonproductive lands, barren lands, raised lands, detailed design riverbeds, wastelands have been recommended for stage borrowing earth materials; no productive land will be used for this purpose. • Through community consultation with the VDC and DDC, villagers and interactions with state Department of Forests, ensure stewardship and rehabilitation of quarries, river beds and all other borrow areas. • Contractor to verify suitability of materials and obtain approval from engineer. d. Planned • Design consultant to develop generic All locations of During the Project Contractor PIU, DOR/ rehabilitation of rehabilitation plan in line with Environmental selected quarries design stage preparation and Design GEU qarries and Management Guidelines (GEU 1999). and borrow pits cost consultant borrow areas • Contractors to prepare detailed Quarry determined at and GEU Rehabilitation Plan to be approved by the engineer and detailed design GEU one month prior to commencement of extraction stage of materials and DCs generic plan and Environmental Management Guidelines (GEU 1999). . • Through community consultation with the VDC and DDC, villagers and interactions with state Department of Forests, ensure stewardship and rehabilitation of quarries, river beds and all other borrow areas. e. Modification of Minor modifications of the present land use will take Throughout project During design Project Design PIU, DOR/ landform place due to the proposed project. However, against corridor stage preparation consultant GEU the total environmental setting this change is so small cost that it is insignificant and will not necessitate any special remedial measures.

• In case of forest land, the changing land use will follow the requirements and guidance from the DOF All forest lands During design and DOR’s Environmental Management Guidelines along the corridor stage

(1999). 3. Water a. Water The existing courses of the river and or streams have All the river/rivulets During the Project Design PIU, DOR/ 1 Appendix Resources been maintained at all locations. that will be design stage preparation consultant GEU • Most of the culverts, crossings will be retained impacted along the cost and widening has generally been proposed on the project corridor downstream side to prevent increased siltation. 525

26 Environmental Remedial Measure Reference to Approximate Time Mitigation Institutional Issue/ Contract Location frame Cost Responsibility Component Documents Implemen- Super- Appendix 1 Appendix tation vision a. Water Protection of Water Bodies Resources • There are no existing major perennial community Joporkari (Phidm During the Project Design PIU, DOR/ ponds en-route of the proposed project. However, Taplejung) design stage preparation consultant GEU

special designs will be worked out at DDS to protect At all places where cost Local other water bodies. the road crosses a ground • Suitable sizes of bridges and cross drainage river or other water water structures will be provided on all river/rivulets crossing body authority, the project road. VDC, DDC, PIU, DOR Rain Water Harvesting The project areas generally have sufficient perennial Locations will be surface water bodies for public supply. decided in • Contractor will negotiate with local community consultation with water supply user group on amount and timing of water local authority, to be extracted from local sources for construction DDC, and VDC. works with the permission of the local authorities, DDC, VDC. • As a long-term benefit of the project, modification of engineering structures to facilitate water harvesting, like check dams, surface tanks and side drains should be considered in liaison with community user group discusser, can be considered at DDS. b. Drainage • Minimum disturbance to natural drainage pattern Throughout the During the Project Design PIU, DOR/ but natural drains may be suitably modified so that the project corridor design stage preparation consultant GEU proposed highway does not obstruct them. cost • Provision of adequate size and number of cross drainage structures designed not to interfere with natural drainage. Along raised • Sections of the corridor that flood shall be sections in valley proposed to be raised suitably along with the cross

drainage structures and adequate side drains.

• New structures based on highest flood level rain water data for 20-year return.

Environmental Remedial Measure Reference to Approximate Time Mitigation Institutional Issue/ Contract Location frame Cost Responsibility Component Documents Implemen- Super- tation vision 4. Flora and Fauna a. Roadside trees • Trees shall be saved by constructing improved Legal Throughout project During the Cost of felling DOF, PIU, road surface on opposite side in uninhabited stretches Requirement corridor within design stage of trees in bid Design DOR/ and in village sections care shall be taken (as possible) ROW price minimal, consultant, GEU, to avoid specimen Pipal and Bo trees. currently nil PIU, DOR, LNP

• Few if any trees will need to be cut. LNP Warden, Roadside Warden. DOF at (Minimum trees to be protected identified in the IEE planting cost local EIA. Cutting if necessary to be justified on safety, to be level technical engineering grounds DDS). determined at • Road side trees removed as a last resort only with DDS. prior approval of local stakeholders, DOF, VDC, DDC, LNP Warden. Currently in engineering. • Minimum five (suitable species) trees planted for costs each tree felled as per international standards and regulatory compliance. Total cost of forest • If unforeseen acquisition of forest land for the acquisition project, compensatory re-aforestation as per Forest Act including 1993 will be adopted. compensation at DDS, currently minimal b. Protected • Protected species such as orchids and walnut Legal Throughout project During the Cost of DOF, PIU, DOR/ species trees shall be saved by constructing improved road requirement corridor within design stage species Design GEU, LNP surface on opposite side in uninhabited stretches to ROW identification consultant, Warden avoid specimen plants and trees. in bid price, PIU, DOR, • Many orchids may need to be transplanted in the currently nil LNP LNP. Warden. • Locations of plants to be protected are identified Total cost in the EIA and shall be reconfirmed by specialist estimated at botanist/ecologist by survey 1 month prior to

• Transplantation shall be to suitable areas to be identified with prior approval of local LNP Warden or as

per conditions of approval of EIA and regulatory 1 Appendix compliance. c. Wildlife • To mitigate accidents with wildlife animal warning Installation LNP and LNP During the Engineering DOF, PIU, migration and signs will be installed at regular 1 km intervals and in Buffer Areas, design stage cost Design DOR/ livestock/wildlife all forest areas animal migration routes and where Other forest areas, consultant, GEU, PIU, DOR grazing livestock or herds are known to cross roads to livestock crossing LNP movements Warden satisfaction of LNP warden and DDC/VDC, community places. forest user group and DOF. 727

28 Environmental Remedial Measure Reference to Approximate Time Mitigation Institutional Issue/ Contract Location frame Cost Responsibility Component Documents Implemen- Super- Appendix 1 Appendix tation vision d. Trespassing into • If forest fences are removed, replace fences to Depends on DDS During the Engineering DOF, PIU, reserve forest prevent trespassers from entering the reserve forest of design stage cost Design DOR LNP warden and DDC/VDC, community forest user consultant, group and DOF. PIU, DOR 5. Environmental Quality a. Air quality • Improving road geometry, curves, slopes, etc of Throughout project During the Project Design PIU, road to smoothen traffic flow. corridor, especially design stage preparation consultant DOR • Pavement roughness will be improved. This will at sensitive cost and be done through appropriate pavement designs and locations. environmental resurfacing. enhancement cost. • Cut trees will be replaced planted near the verges. These areas will be planted with shrubs of suitable species to trap dust. b. Solid waste • Solid waste disposal sites will be properly Near the During the Project Design PIU, designed and must be at least 250 m away from the construction sites design stage preparation consultant DOR ROW. cost c. Noise levels • The traffic flows will be reviewed at the detailed Throughout project During the Project Design PIU, design stage. If required, noise mitigation measures corridor, especially design sage preparation consultant DOR will be included based on accepted acoustic principles. at sensitive cost locations, schools, hospitals, temples. 6. Utilities a. Utility lines • All utilities likely to be impacted will be relocated To be identified During design Project PIU, DOR, PIU, community with prior approval of the concerned utility agencies. based on and construction preparation government DOR utilities community needs stage cost departments

• All utilities likely to be impacted will be relocated To be identified During the Project PIU, DOR, PIU, with prior approval of the concerned parties. based on design and preparation concerned DOR • All community utilities likely to be impacted, such community needs construction cost government as chautari, tourist information boards, village stage departments gateways, boundary walls, wells and standpipes shall be re-provisioned at locations with access acceptable to the local stakeholder, end users (to the satisfaction of VDC). 7. Cultural Heritage a. Cultural • Impacts on human habitation and in hilly terrain Major religious During the Project PIU, DOR, PIU, properties will be minimized by resurfacing only and thus impact structures in design stage preparation NGOs and DOR, on cultural properties will be largely avoided. human habitations cost R&R unit CBO and and in hilly terrain DDC

Environmental Remedial Measure Reference to Approximate Time Mitigation Institutional Issue/ Contract Location frame Cost Responsibility Component Documents Implemen- Super- tation vision b. Cultural festivals • All community facilities likely to be impacted, such Temple, stupa During the Project PIU, DOR, PIU, as temples, stupas, burial grounds (patipauwa) locations along the design stage preparation NGOs and DOR/ traditional ceremonial site be avoided, protected and road cost R&R unit GEU, re-provisioned as necessary at locations with access CBO and acceptable to the local stakeholders, end users (to DDC. satisfaction of VDC). • Works shall be suitably planned, with timing to avoid/minimize impact to cultural festivals. • Moving of religious structures shall be done based on the results of public consultation in the design phase, carried out to obtain opinions of the end users. 8. Environmental Safety a. Blasting • Impacts on natural resources in hilly terrain Steep cliffs and During the Project PIU, DOR, PIU, minimized by use of local labor based methods, projecting boulders design stage preparation DOR/GEU • 0nly minimal widening to reduce rock cutting. along road in hilly cost and DDC terrain. b. Road Safety • Impacts at settlements from accidents due to Road safety During the Project PIU, DOR, PIU, DOR/ increased traffic and faster vehicles reduced by road awareness at design stage and preparation NGOs and GEU and safety campaigns and signage. settlements VDC after cost R&R unit DDC and DDC. construction c. Wildlife Road • Impacts on wildlife reduced by phosphorescent At borders of LNP During the Project PIU, DOR PIU, Kill road signs in LNP, design speed limited to <30km/h, no and every 1,000 m. design stage preparation and NGOs DOR and stopping and use of horns in LNP. cost DDC • Road safety signage and driver awareness, B. Construction Stage 1. Soil a. Soil erosion • Steep hills will be provided with check dams and Throughout Project During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, drains with bioengineering to minimize soil erosion. corridor construction stage DOR/GEU • Stone masonry, gabions and retaining walls will At bridges on be made on steep slopes in critical areas. rivers/rivulets and • Turfing of embankments and planting of grasses hilly areas and shrubs will be done to protect slopes in line with DOR recommendations. • The depths of rock extraction and borrow pits will

be regulated so that the sides will not be steeper than prescribed safe angles. Appendix 1 Appendix b. Loss of topsoil • Agricultural areas will not be used for borrowing of In all the proposed During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, materials, unless requested by the landowner for borrow areas construction cost DOR/GEU making ponds or for lowering the land for making it located. irrigable. c. Compaction of • Construction vehicles, machinery, and equipment Throughout project During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, soil will move, or be stationed in the designated ROW, to corridor construction cost DOR/GEU avoid unnecessary compaction of soil in agricultural areas. 29

30 Environmental Remedial Measure Reference to Approximate Time Mitigation Institutional Issue/ Contract Location frame Cost Responsibility Component Documents Implemen- Super- Appendix 1 Appendix tation vision d. Borrowing of • Topsoil will be stockpiled and protected for use at In all the proposed During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, earth and the rehabilitation stage. borrow areas. construction cost DOR/GEU gravel • No earth will be borrowed from within the ROW.

• Non productive lands, barren lands, raised lands, waste lands will be used for borrowing earth with the necessary permissions. • Riverbeds will not be used for borrow areas without approval of the authorities and hydrological studies. • If new borrow areas are to be selected, then measures will be taken to avoid loss of productive soil, and all environmental considerations will be met. • Precautionary measures such as covering vehicles will be taken to minimize dust avoid spilling of borrow materials. • To avoid any embankment slippage, borrow areas will not be dug continuously. • In borrow areas, three trees will replace every one felled. e. Quarry • The aggregates and other quarried material will All proposed quarry During Engineering Contractor VDC/DDC, be obtained from licensed sites with proper sites located at construction cost PIU, DOR/ environmental clearances, including prior permission GEU from the DDC, VDC. Rehabilitation in line with DOR Environmental Management Guidelines (1991). f. Contamination • Construction vehicles and equipment will be Throughout project During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, of soil from fuel maintained and refueled so that spillage does not corridor and borrow construction cost DOR/GEU and lubricants contaminate the soil. areas • Fuel storage and refueling sites will be kept away from drainage channels and rivers/rivulets crossing the subject roads, g. Contamination • Earth, if required, will be dumped in areas All construction During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, of soil from selected and approved area by the supervision sites throughout construction cost plus DOR/GEU construction consultant. All spoils will be disposed of as desired and project Corridor Rs cost wastes and the site will be cleaned thoroughly before handing toward quarry materials back. maintenance • Non-bituminous wastes from construction cost for soil activities will be dumped in borrow pits and covered conservation with a layer of topsoil conserved from opening the pit. for DDS • Bituminous wastes will be disposed of in a dumping site approved by the supervision consultant.

Environmental Remedial Measure Reference to Approximate Time Mitigation Institutional Issue/ Contract Location frame Cost Responsibility Component Documents Implemen- Super- tation vision 2. Water a. Water bodies Only rivers/streams are impacted during construction Special At water bodies or During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, stage. consideration for cross drainage construction cost DOR/GEU • Measures will be taken to prevent temporary or improvement of permanent damage to water bodies. Joporkari lake at DDS. b. Other water • Any community water source, such as public tap, Along the project During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, sources standpipes, wells, tube-wells, etc., to be avoided and corridor construction cost plus DOR/GEU protected. Before and Relocation of • If removal unavoidable on technical engineering during pumps and or safety grounds will be replaced with alternate construction wells (in sources at locations agreeable to the end users. SIA/RAP). c. Drainage and • At cross drainage structures, the earth, stone or Throughout project During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, run-off any other construction material will be reused or corridor construction cost DOR/GEU properly disposed of, so as not to block the flow of water. d. Contamination • Construction work close to streams or other water Throughout project During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, of water from bodies will be avoided, especially during the monsoon corridor construction cost DOR/GEU construction period. waste • Temporary drainage measures will be constructed. All necessary precautions (sandbagging, silt fences, etc.) will be taken to construct temporary or permanent devices to prevent run-off and water pollution due to increased siltation and turbidity. e. Waste disposal All necessary measures will be taken to prevent Throughout project During Engineering Contractor earthworks and stone works from impeding rivers, corridor especially construction cost streams, water canals, or drainage system. at construction Wastes must be collected, stored, and taken to sites disposal sites approved by the authorities. f. Contamination • To avoid contamination from fuel and lubricants, Throughout project During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, of water from the vehicles and equipment will be properly maintained corridor construction cost DOR/GEU fuel and and refueled in dedicated locations and not over open lubricants ground. • Fuel and lubricants will be stored in sound vessels such as robust steel or polythene tanks preferably in sealed bunded areas. • Dedicated re-fuelling areas shall be provided with Appendix 1 Appendix facilities to clean up spills immediately and to prevent contamination of water by collecting oily and greasy residues in tanks. • The slopes of embankments leading to water bodies will be modified and screened so that contaminants do not enter the water body. • Side drains provided in settlement areas will discharge through a silt trap. 31

32 Environmental Remedial Measure Reference to Approximate Time Mitigation Institutional Issue/ Contract Location frame Cost Responsibility Component Documents Implemen- Super- Appendix 1 Appendix tation vision • Waste petroleum products will be collected, Rs1.2 million stored, and disposed of at sites approved by the water quality authorities. monitoring.

• Water quality will be monitored as envisaged in Five sampling the EMP in all water bodies. locations per • Water quality for such rivers will be monitored river, three when water is present during non-summer season. rivers. g. Sanitation and • The construction camps will be located away from At construction During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, waste disposal the habitation. camp locations, construction cost includes DOR/GEU in construction • The sewage system for such camps will be wherever located maintaining camps properly designed and built so that no water pollution along the project hygienic takes place. If necessary, temporary effluent treatment corridor condition at plants will be installed in the construction camps. The work place workplace will have proper medical facilities. construction camps h. Use of • Contractor to arrange for water for construction so Throughout project During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, water for that nearby communities remain unaffected. corridor construction cost DOR/GEU construction • Extraction from perennial surface bodies with acceptance from community water user group/VDC with permission during construction. • Water use to be minimized by proper water management techniques. Water will not be wasted during the construction.

3. Air a. Emission from • Machinery to be located downwind of human Construction sites During Rs3.6 million Contractor SC, PIU, construction settlements as far as possible. construction air quality DOR/GEU vehicles and • The pollution emission levels of all vehicles, monitoring machinery equipment and machinery used for construction will conform to the standards prescribed in Motor Vehicles and Transportation Act 1993. • Air pollutant parameters will be monitored regularly during construction, as envisaged in the EMP. • The asphalt plants, crushers, and the batching plants will be at least 1 km in the downwind of the nearest human settlement. b. Dust and its • Delivery vehicles will be covered. Throughout project During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, suppression • Mixing equipment will be well sealed and corridor construction cost DOR/GEU equipped as per existing standards.

Environmental Remedial Measure Reference to Approximate Time Mitigation Institutional Issue/ Contract Location frame Cost Responsibility Component Documents Implemen- Super- tation vision 4. Noise Levels a. Noise from • The plant and equipment used for construction Throughout project During Locations Contractor SC, PIU, vehicles, will conform to best practice. corridor construction, till noise DOR/GEU asphalt plant • Vehicles and equipment used will be fitted with the closure of monitoring and other silencer and maintained to keep noise at minimum such sites during equipment levels. construction • Workers will be provided with appropriate ear In DDS, muffs/plugs. Rs240,000 • The noise level will be monitored during the construction, as per the EMP. Noise barriers • Noise barriers will be placed in urban locations. if required included in Engineering cost b. Noise from • Blasting will be carried out as a last resort after Authorized quarry During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, blasting technical justification and as per Nepal Explosives Act sites construction cost DOR/GEU operations 1961. • People living near blasting sites will be informed of blasting times minimum two days prior to and evacuated by the contractor at the contractors cost prior to the blasting. • Blasting will not be undertaken in the LNP. If absolutely necessary domestic animals to be evacuated to 2 km and low energy prior dummy noise blast to precede to deter wildlife. • Workers at blasting sites to be evacuated and essential staff provided with earplugs. c. Noise barriers • Reconfirm traffic flows and detailed noise Sensitive locations During Cost if traffic Contractor SC, PIU, assessment at DDS. schools, hospitals construction increases DOR/GEU • Solid, continuous high walls or earth mounding etc. significantly at with vegetation at sensitive locations. DDS 5. Flora a. Loss or • Construction camps will not be allowed in LNP or Throughout project Just before the For felling of Contractor SC, PIU, damage to areas of forest or near rivers or water bodies. corridor beginning of the trees plus for DOR/GEU vegetation construction road side • Trees will be replanted according to Department of Forest requirements. Keeping in mind the survival plantation cost at DDS, if rate 5 trees to be planted for each tree removed. 1 Appendix required • Only trees clearly identified and conspicuously marked for felling will be cleared within the ROW.

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34 Environmental Remedial Measure Reference to Approximate Time Mitigation Institutional Issue/ Contract Location frame Cost Responsibility Component Documents Implemen- Super- Appendix 1 Appendix tation vision 6. Fauna a. Loss, damage • Construction workers will be directed not to Throughout project During No cost is Contractor SC, PIU,

or disruption to disrupt or damage the fauna. corridor construction involved DOR/GEU fauna • National rules for hunting (wildlife protection) and rules for bird protection will be followed. • Construction vehicles will ply roads for access with caution to avoid accidents with cattle or wildlife. 7. Safety and Accident Risks a. Accident risks • To ensure safe temporary accesses during Throughout project During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, from construction, lighting and safety signal devices will be corridor construction cost DOR/GEU construction installed. activities • To ensure safe temporary accesses during construction, lighting and safety signal devices will be installed. • Traffic rules and regulations will be strictly adhered to. • Cordons will be set 200 m either side of any area to be blasted. • Traffic will be halted and road will be temporarily closed at blasting time, signal, and guarding will be regulated. Sirens will sound prior to blasting, the site will be thoroughly inspected prior to blasting. • Blasting will not be carried with vehicles or any persons within 200 m of the blasting area. • Safety of workers during construction will be protected by providing helmets, masks, safety goggles, etc. • The electrical equipment will be checked and certified regularly. • At every work place, a readily available first aid unit including an adequate supply of dressing materials, a mode of transport (ambulance), nursing staff, and doctor will be provided. • Road safety education will be imparted to all Contractor DOR/GEU villagers, school, clubs and drivers of construction vehicles. • Adequate signage, barriers and persons with flags to control traffic will be provided during construction. • Communications through posters at villages, newspaper/announcements/radio/TV etc. about the time frame of the project and the activities causing disruption to road access and the temporary arrangements made to give relief to the public will be made at monthly intervals.

Environmental Remedial Measure Reference to Approximate Time Mitigation Institutional Issue/ Contract Location frame Cost Responsibility Component Documents Implemen- Super- tation vision b. Loss of access • Temporary access will be built at interchanges of Along settlement During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, the highway and other roads. Since the improvements stretches and at construction cost DOR to present road are small scale, chances of severe major intersections congestion are minimal. However, temporary diversions will be provided wherever necessary, with proper drainage facilities. c. Health issues • The HIV/AIDS policy and strategy shall be Throughout project During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, integrated with the above environmental mitigation corridor construction cost DOR measures where required. construction camps • A health care system will be maintained at construction camps including regular visits by trained medical staff for routine check up of workers and avoidance of communicable disease. • Adequate drainage, sanitation, and waste disposal facilities will be provided at work places. • Proper drainage will be maintained around the sites to avoid water logging leading to disease. • At least pit latrines will be constructed and provided at all minor work stations. • Adequate sanitation, washing, sewage and waste disposal facilities will be provided at construction. camps by means of septic tanks, soak away pits, etc. • At every workplace, potable and sufficient drinking and washing water supply will be maintained to avoid water-related diseases and to secure the health of workers. • Such pits and latrines will not be constructed Throughout project During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, within 80m of a water course or water body to avoid corridor construction cost DOR transmission of water-related diseases. construction camps • Adequate drainage, sanitation, and waste disposal will be provided at workplaces. • Preventive medical care will be provided to workers. 8. Cultural Properties a. Damage or loss • Relocation of cultural property will be avoided if at Along the project Before Lump sum per Contractor SC, PIU,

of religious/ all possible. corridor construction relocation and DOR cultural property • A watching brief will be kept for religious artifacts. starts (provisions Archaeology If any valuable articles such as fabrics, coins, artifacts, made in the Department 1 Appendix structures, or other archaeological relics are During resettlement action plan) discovered, the works will be temporarily stopped and construction the archaeology department will be informed. • Construction camps, blasting sites, and all allied construction activities will be away from cultural properties so they are not affected.

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36 Environmental Remedial Measure Reference to Approximate Time Mitigation Institutional Issue/ Contract Location frame Cost Responsibility Component Documents Implemen- Super- Appendix 1 Appendix tation vision 9. Environmental Enhancements a. Roadside • Bioengineering as per detailed schemes Throughout project During Bioengineering Contractor SC, PIU,

landscape prepared, will be carried out. corridor construction Included in DOR development engineering costs. b. Roadside • Restoration and improvement of bus shelters, bus Throughout project During Engineering Contractor SC, PIU, amenities bays, and truck stops as per detailed design will be corridor construction cost DOR carried out. • Road furniture including footpaths, railings, traffic signs, speed zone signs, etc. will be erected as per design. c. Cultural Enhancement of all cultural properties and the access Throughout project During Covered in Contractor SC, PIU, properties roads will be completed as per design. corridor construction cultural DOR properties C. Operating Stage a. Contamination • The accident sites will be cleared immediately. Throughout project Operation period Engineering Local DOR from spills due • The soiled earth will be scraped into small lined corridor cost government to traffic and confined pits nearby, with the ROW. bodies accidents including State PWD, DOR b. Dust Generation • Roadside tree plantations will be maintained. Throughout project Operation period Covered in DOR DOR/GEU

• Resurfacing will reduce dust. corridor Bioengineering c. Air pollution • Vehicular emissions of critical pollutant Villages Operation period Rs300,000 for Motor DOR/GEU parameters (PM10, CO, SO2, NOx and Pb) will be air quality Vehicle monitored as per the EMP. management Department, and SPCB, DOR • Vehicular air pollution will be managed and monitored at the toll plazas. • Public awareness will be generated. • The road will be regularly maintained done to ensure good surface conditions. • Roadside tree plantation will be maintained. d. Noise pollution • Signs for sensitive zones (hospitals, educational Villages and LNP Operating period Engineering Contractor, DOR/GEU institutions, Forest Areas and LNP, etc.) will be put up cost DOR where horns will not be blown and traffic speed needs Rs8,000 for to be regulated. noise • Public awareness program will be completed. management e. Water • The drainage system will be cleaned periodically. Along project Operating Stage Periodic cost VDC, DOR DOR/GEU corridor

Environmental Remedial Measure Reference to Approximate Time Mitigation Institutional Issue/ Contract Location frame Cost Responsibility Component Documents Implemen- Super- tation vision f. Flora and • The re-plantation scheme, containing key species, Throughout project Operating stage Rs100,00 Contractor, DOF, Fauna (key will be strictly monitored for the first year. corridor DOF DOR/GEU stone species) • Programme for planted trees, shrubs, and grasses to be properly maintained established. g. Accidents with • Occasional vehicles delivering hazardous Along project Operating stage Periodic cost DOR DOR hazardous substances will be printed with appropriate signs. corridor chemicals • Any spillage will be reported to local police and instructions followed in taking up the contingency measures. • Efforts will be made to clean spills of oil, toxic chemicals, etc. as early as possible. h. Safety • The traffic management plan will be developed, Throughout project Operating stage Engineering Local DOR measures especially along congested locations. corridor cost government • Traffic control measures, including speed limits, bodies will be enforced strictly. • Further encroachment and squatting within the ROW will be prevented. • No school or hospital will be allowed to be established within 50 m of the highway without permission from the planning authorities.

D. Other Matters Impacts due to • Review the potential environmental impacts, if Throughout project Prior to Additional PIU, DOR MPPW, change alignment significant change in alignment will be undertaken, an corridor construction engineering DOR/GEU after the IEE/EIA additional environmental assessment study will need to costs ADB study completed be conducted.

Note: Data are given as per EIA/IEE report but further developments due to revised engineering designs; Resettlement Action Plan (RAP), Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and other engineering considerations may change these: CBO = Community Based Organization, CO = carbon monoxide, DDC = District Development Committee, DDS = detailed design stage, DOF = Department of Forest, DOR = Department of Roads, EIA = environmental impact assessment, EMP = environmental management plan, GEU = Geological and Environment Unit, IEE = initial environmental examination, km = kilometers, LNP = Langtang National Park, m = meters, mm = millimeters, MPPW = Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, NGO = nongovernment organization, NOx = oxides of nitrogen, Pb = lead, PAP = project affected people, PIU = project implementation unit, PM10 = respirable particulate matter, 10 micro-meters diameter, RAP = resettlement action plan, ROW = right-of-way, SC = supervision consultant, SIA = social impact assessment, SO2 = sulphur dioxide, VDC = Village Development Committee.

1 Appendix

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MONITORING PLAN FOR THE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (GTS) 2 Appendix Environ- Approximate mental Project Stage Parameters Location Frequency Standards Rate Implementation Supervision cost (Rs) component

Air Quality Design, TSP, PM10, NOx, CO, 2 locations in Design–2 times NAAQS of Rs31,000 per 1,054,000 Contractor through PIU, a Construction SOX, Pb design Construction–3 Nepal sample approved DOR/GEU, stage 10 locations in monitoring agency SC construction

Operation TSP, RPM, NOx, CO, 2 locations 2 times NAAQS of Rs31,000 per 124,000 Contractor through DOR/GEU

stage HC, Pb, SO2 Nepal sample approved monitoring agency Water Design, EC, pH, DO, TSS, BOD, 5 locations Design–2 WHO Rs7,400 per 407,000 Contractor through PIU, b Quality Construction Oil and grease, Pb, Construction–3 Standards sample approved DOR/GEU, stage E.Coli times/year for 3 monitoring agency SC years Operation stage Noise levels Design 1hr Leq dB(A) levels Design–2 locations Design–2 Noise level Rs2,100 per 71,400 Contractor through PIU, c Construction Cons–10 locations Construction–3 standard by sample approved DOR/GEU, stage WHO monitoring agency SC Operation 1hr Leq dB(A) levels 2 locations 2 times Noise level by Rs2,100 per 8,400 Contractor through DOR/GEU stage WHO sample approved monitoring agency Flora Design Stage Identify and locate Whole alignment 2 visits Rs21,000 per 42,000 PIU, DOR PIU, protected species for inc. LNP visitd DOR/GEU, transplantation and SC, LNP protection Warden Construction Check transplantation Whole alignment 3 visits Rs21,000 per 63,000 PIU, DOR PIU,

Stage and protection measures, inc. LNP visit DOR/GEU, and LNP census SC, LNP Warden Operation LNP Census LNP 3 visits Rs21,000 per 63,000 PIU PIU,

Stage visit DOR/GEU, SC, LNP Warden TOTAL 1,832,800 a The rate per sample includes: Laboratory analysis – 3,000 ; Equipment rental – 7,000; technical staff – 6,000. b The rate per sample includes: Laboratory analysis – 2,600, Transportation – 3,000; technical staff – 1,800. c The rate per sample includes: Experts salary @ Rs7,000 per day assuming 3 days are essential of one sampling. d The rate per visit includes the salary of the expert @ Rs7,000 per day on the assumption that two work days and two travel days per visit.

MONITORING PLAN FOR THE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (TMK)

Environ- Approximate mental Project Stage Parameters Location Frequency Standards Rate Implementation Supervision cost (Rs) component Air Quality Design, TSPM, PM10, NOx, CO, 2 locations in design Design–2 times NAAQS of Rs31,000 per 1,054,000 Contractor through PIU, a Construction SOX, Pb 10 locations in Construction–3 Nepal Sample approved DOR/GEU, stage construction monitoring agency SC

Operation SPM, RPM, NOx, CO, 2 locations 2 times NAAQS of Rs31,000 per 124,000 Contractor through DOR/GEU

stage HC, Pb, SO2 Nepal Sample approved monitoring agency Water Design, EC, pH, DO, TSS, BOD, 5 locations Design–2 WHO Rs7,400 per 407,000 Contractor through PIU, b Quality Construction Oil and grease, Pb, Construction–3 Standards sample approved DOR/GEU, stage E.Coli times/year for 3 monitoring agency SC years Operation No need stage Noise levels Design 1hr Leq dB(A) levels Design – 2 locations Design–2 Noise level Rs2,100 per 71,400 Contractor through PIU, c Construction Cons – 10 locations Construction–3 standard by sample approved DOR/GEU, stage WHO monitoring agency SC Operation 1hr Leq dB(A) levels 2 locations 2 times Noise level by Rs2,100 per 8,400 Contractor through DOR/GEU stage WHO sample approved monitoring agency Flora Design Stage Identify trees to be Whole alignment 1 visit Rs21,000 per 21,000 PIU DOR/GEU, removed, religious and visitd SC protected trees Construction Check trees protected, Whole alignment 2 visits Rs21,000 per 42,000 PIU DOR/GEU, d Stage or if removed in line with visit SC DOF/statutory requirements Operation Stage TOTAL 1,727,800 a The rate per sample includes: Laboratory analysis – 3,000 ; Equipment rental – 7,000; technical staff – 6,000. b The rate per sample includes: Laboratory analysis – 2,600, Transportation – 3,000; technical staff –1,800. 2 Appendix c The rate per sample includes: Experts salary @ Rs7,000 per day assuming 3 days are essential of one sampling. d The rate per visit includes the salary of the expert @ Rs7,000 per day on the assumption that two work days and two travel days per visit.

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MONITORING PLAN FOR THE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (PT) 2 Appendix Environ- Approximate mental Project Stage Parameters Location Frequency Standards Rate Implementation Supervision cost (Rs) component

Air Quality Design, TSP, PM10, NOx, CO, 2 locations in Design–2 times NAAQS of Rs31,000 per 1,054,000 Contractor PIU, DOR, SC a Construction SOX, Pb design Construction–3 Nepal sample through stage 10 locations in approved construction monitoring agency

Operation TSP, RPM, NOx, CO, HC, 2 locations 2 times NAAQS of Rs31,000 per 124,000 Contractor DOR

stage Pb, SO2 Nepal sample through approved monitoring agency Water Design, EC, Ph, DO, TSS, BOD, 5 locations Design–2 WHO Rs7,400 per 407,000 DOR PIU, DOR, SC b Quality Construction Oil and grease, lead, Construction–3 Standards sample stage E.Coli times/year for 3 years Operation No need stage Noise levels Design 1hr Leq dB(A) levels Design -2 locations Design–2 Noise level Rs2,100 per 71,400 DOR PIU, DOR, SC c Construction Cons – 10 Construction–3 standard by sample stage locations WHO Operation 1hr Leq dB(A) levels 2 locations 2 times Noise level by Rs2,100 per 8,400 Contractor DOR stage WHO sample through approved monitoring agency Flora Design Stage Identify trees to be Whole alignment 1 visit Rs28,000 per 28,000 removed, religious and visit d protected trees Construction Check trees protected, or Whole alignment 2 visits Rs28,000 per 56,000 d Stage if removed in line with visit DOF/statutory requirements TOTAL 1,748,800 a The rate per sample includes: Laboratory analysis – 3,000; Equipment rental – 7,000; technical staff – 6,000. b The rate per sample includes: Laboratory analysis – 2,600, Transportation – 3,000; technical staff – 1,800. c The rate per sample includes: Experts salary @ Rs7,000 per day assuming 3 days are essential of one sampling d The rate per visit includes the salary of the expert @ Rs7,000 per day on the assumption that two work days and two travel days per visit. Note: Based on EIA/IEE reports to be revised at detailed design stage (DDS), Resettlement Action Plan (RAP), Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and other engineering considerations may change. CO = carbon monoxide, dB(A) = decibels measured in the audible human range, DOF = Department of Forests, DOR = Department of Roads, EIA = environmental impact assessment, GEU = Geological and Environment Unit, HC = hydrocarbons, IEE = initial environmental examination, km = kilometers, m = meters, mm = millimeters, NAAQS = National Ambient Air Quality Standards, NOx = oxides of nitrogen, Pb = lead, PM10 = respirable particulate matter<10micrometers diameter, PIU = project implementation unit, RAP = resettlement action plan, ROW = right of way, SC = supervision consultant, SO2 = sulphur dioxide, TSPM = total suspended particulate matter, WHO = World Health Organization.