Bhadla (Rajasthan)
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Draft Initial Environmental Assessment Report Document Stage: Draft Project Number: 49214-002 (IND) December 2016 IND: Solar Transmission Sector Project (Transmission System associated with Solar Power Parks at Bhadla, Rajasthan) Prepared by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. for the Asian Development Bank This Draft Initial Environmental Assessment Report is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. TABLE OF CONTENTS S.No Title Page ABBREVIATIONS IV WEIGHTS AND MEASURES V EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION 4 1.1 Background 4 1.2 The Project 5 2.0 POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 7 2.1 National Environmental Requirements 7 2.2 POWERGRID’s ESPP 9 2.3 Asian Development Bank’s Environmental Requirements 10 3.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 11 3.1 Project Justification 11 3.2 Objective and Benefits of The Project 11 3.3 Project Highlights 12 3.4 Scope of Work 13 3.5 Location 13 4.0 DESCRIPION OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENT 16 4.1 Rajasthan State 16 5.0 ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 25 5.1 Project’s Area of Influence 25 5.2 Impacts and Mitigation Measures Due to Location and Design 25 5.3 Impacts and Mitigation Measures During Construction Phase 30 5.4 Impacts and Mitigation Measures During Operation Phase 32 5.5 Potential Cumulative Impacts and Strategic Environmental Assessment 36 6.0 ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 37 6.1 Environmental Criteria for Route Selection 37 6.2 Evaluation of Alternative Route Alignment of 765 kV D/c Bhadla -Bikaner(PG) 37 Line 6.3 Evaluation of Alternative Route of 400 kV D/c Bhadla (PG) – Bhadla (RVPN) line 40 7.0 INFORMATION DISCLOSURE, CONSULTATION, AND PARTICIPATION 43 8.0 GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM 45 9.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN 47 9.1 Institutional Mechanism For Mitigation and Monitoring Requirements 47 9.2 Environmental Monitoring and Management Plan 49 9.3 Institutional Mechanism For Reporting and Review 49 10.0 CONCLUSION 62 ANNEXURES Annexure-1 : Budget Estimate Annexure-2 : Tree/Crop Compensation Annexure-3 : ESPP and EMP as a part of Contract Document Annexure-4 : Health and Safety Cheklist Annexure-4A : Safety Plan Annexure-5 : Details of Public Consultation Annexure-6 : Action Plan for Safeguards MAPS Map-1 : Route Alignment Map of 765 kV D/c Bhadla (PG)- Bikaner (PG) line Map-2 : Route Alignment Map of 400 kV D/c Bhadla (PG) – Bhadla (RVPN) (Quad) line ABBREVIATIONS AMSL – Average Mean Sea Level APs – Affected Persons ASI – Archaeological Survey of India ADB – Asian Development Bank CPCB – Central Pollution Control Board CPRI – Central Power Research Institute CTU – Central Transmission Utility Ckt-km – Circuit Kilometer DC – District Collector D/C – Double Circuit EMF – Electro Magnetic Field ESMC – Environment and Social Management Cell ESMD – Environment and Social Management Department ESMU – Environment and Social Management Unit ESPP – Environmental and Social Policy and Procedures EIA – Environmental Impact Assessment EAMP – Environmental Assessment Management Plan (*) EMP – Environmental Management Plan EA – Executing Agency EHV – Extra High Voltage GIS – Gas Insulated Switchgear GoI – Government of India GRC – Grievance Redress Committee HVDC – High Voltage Direct Current IA – Implementing Agency IL&FS – Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services IPP – Independent Power Producers IEAR – Initial Environmental Assessment Report ISTS – Inter State Transmission Scheme ICNIRP – International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection JVC – Joint Venture Company kV – Kilo Volt MNRE – Ministry of New and Renewable Energy MSL – Mean Sea Level MSK – Medvedev Sponheuer Karnik MVA – Mega Volt Ampere MSME – Micro Small and Medium Enterprises MoEF&CC – Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change MoP – Ministry of Power NH – National Highway NR – Northern Region O & M – Operation & Maintenance POWERGRID – Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. or PGCIL/PG PTCC – Power Telecom Co-ordination Committee PMU – Project Management Unit RVPN – Rajasthan Vidyut Prasaran Nigam RE – Renewable Energy RoW – Right of Way SPS – Safeguard Policy Statement SC or S/C – Single Circuit SPP – Solar Power Parks SPPD – Solar Power Park Developers SSI – Small Scale Industry SMP – Social Management Plan SCM – Standing Committee Meeting SH – State Highway STU – State Transmission Utility S/S – Substation SF6 – Sulphur Hexafluoride UMPP – Ultra Mega Power Project WR – Western Region WEIGHTS AND MEASURES sq.mm. – square millimetre Ha. (hectare) – 10,000 square meter = 2.47105 Acres GW – Giga watt km (kilometer) – 1,000 meters kV – kilovolt (1,000 volts) kW – kilowatt (1,000 watts) MVA – Megavolt Ampere MW – Megawatt NOTE In this report, "$" refers to US dollars. “Rs” refers to Indian Rupees * “Environment Assessment Management Plan (EAMP)” & “Environment Management Plan (EMP)” are both synonymous and hence EAMP should be read as “EMP” in this document. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. To address the environmental and social issues related to its power transmission projects, POWERGRID has developed its corporate Environmental and Social Policy & Procedures (ESPP) based on the principles of avoidance, minimization, and mitigation. The ESPP was updated and revised in 2009 consistent with applicable laws, legislation and guidelines of Government of India (GoI). 2. This Initial Environmental Assessment Report (IEAR)1 has been prepared based on POWERGRID’s ESPP and the Action Plan for Safeguards (Annexure-6) developed for the use of Country Safeguard System (CSS). Given that potential environmental impacts are mostly temporary, predictable, and reversible, and can be mitigated through adherence to national and international standards, and/or implementation of the Environmental Assessment Management Plan (EAMP)2, (nee. Environment Management Plan (EMP), refer ESPP Appendix- XXX-A), no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required. 3. The Project components for the Transmission System for Solar Power Parks at Bhadla, Rajasthan under ADB-financing will include the following substations and transmission lines which will pass through the state of Rajasthan: Transmission Line: 162.466 kilometers of 765 kV D/c Bhadla (PG) – Bikaner (PG) line (having 67 meters (m) as Right of Way (RoW) and estimated 421 tower footings). 23.148 kilometers of 400 kV D/c (Quad) Bhadla (PG) – Bhadla (RVPN) line (having 46 m as RoW and 70 tower footings). Substations: 765/400/220kV Bhadla (PG) Substation. 765/400kV Bikaner (PG) Substation Extension. 4. Environmental impacts associated with the project components are restricted to the clearing and maintenance of the RoW. With the development of innovative tower design being implemented by POWERGRID, the RoW requirements have been reduced from 85 m to 64 m for 765 kV S/C line and from 52 m to 46 m for 400 kV D/C line. Even with ESPP and innovative design, some residual impacts cannot be entirely avoided. Total number of towers will be 491 which will result in total land loss estimated to be about 0.0491 hectares (ha.), which is negligible and will not adversely affect the land holding. As estimated 3,648 trees3 (3,263 private trees and 385 government trees) will be affected by the two proposed transmission lines. The land for Bhadla Substation is Government land for which acquisition will not be required. 5. Transmission line projects are environmentally clean and do not involve any disposal of solid waste, effluents and hazardous substances in land, air and water, and are exempted by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) from the requirements of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986. However, when transmission projects pass through 1 Equivalent to the safeguard document required for ADB’s environment category B projects. This IEAR has met the requirements of ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement 2009. 2 “Environment Assessment Management Plan (EAMP)” & “Environment Management Plan (EMP)” are both synonymous and hence EAMP should be read as “EMP” in this document. 3 Above trees are tentative and based upon preliminary survey of respective lines and shall be calculated exactly after detail/check survey. 2 forest land, clearance has to be obtained from relevant authorities under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. As per preliminary survey, no forest area is involved along the route of proposed transmission lines. 6. Under the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, prior approval from the Regional Offices of MoEF&CC shall be obtained for affected areas classified as forest that will be traversed by the transmission line after detailed survey and finalization of route through forest area in consultation with local forest authorities. 7. Public participation and community consultations have been taken up as an integral part of the project’s environmental assessment process. The public is informed about the project at every stage of execution. During survey POWERGRID’s site officials meet people and inform them about the routing of transmission lines. There were altogether five public consultations and informal group meetings held in June 2016 during preliminary survey/investigations of the entire routes of transmission