Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ENVIRONMENTAL and SOCIAL
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Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (ESIA) FOR PROPOSED KAROKH 31KM, 110KV TRANSMISSION LINE (A Component of Herat Electrification Project) Implementing Agency: Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) Kabul January 2019 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Karokh Transmission Line, HEP [Type here] Acronyms and Abbreviations ADB Asian Development Bank AIP Access to Information Policy ALA Afghanistan Land Authority ARAP Abbreviated Resettlement Action Plan ARTF Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund AWEC Afghanistan Wildlife Executive Committee CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CDC Community Development Council CESMP Construction Environmental and Social Management Plan CHMP Cultural Heritage Management Plan CoC Code of Conduct Certificate of Compliance CPF Country Partnership Framework DABS Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat EA Environmental Assessment/Environmental Audit EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMA Environmental Management Act EMF Electro-Magnetic Field ESIA Environmental and Social Impact Assessment ESMF Environmental and Social Management Framework ESMP Environmental and Social Management Plan ESS Environmental and Social Safeguard FGD Focus Group Discussion GWh Gigawatt Hour HVAC High Voltage Alternating Current HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus IDA International Development Association KTL Karokh Transmission Line ii Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Karokh Transmission Line, HEP [Type here] KV kilo Volts KM Kilometer MEA Multilateral Environmental Agreement MoPW Ministry of Public Work MTP Medium Term Plans MAIL Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock NEPA National Environmental Protection Agency O&M Operation and maintenance PDO Project Development Objective TAPI Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (Pipeline) OP Operational Policy OPGW Optical Ground Wire PAP Project Affected Person PPE Personal Protective Equipment RAP Resettlement Action Plan RoW Right of Way SHE Safety, Health and Environment SDGs Sustainable Development Goals STD Sexually Transmitted Disease TL Transmission Line UNCCD United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification UNEP United Nations Environmental Program USD United State Dollar WB World Bank iii Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Karokh Transmission Line, HEP [Type here] Executive Summary The Government of Afghanistan (GoA), through Da Afghan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) plans to implement the Herat Electrification Project (HEP) in Herat province. The project is financed by the World Bank (WB) and includes, among other sub-projects, installation of a 31 kilometers (km) long transmission line from Robate Sorkh village to the proposed location of Karokh sub-station in Karokh district. To address the potentially negative environmental and/or social impacts of the Karokh transmission line (KTL) sub-project, and to comply with the national regulatory as well as the WB policy requirements, an environmental and social assessment (ESIA) has been carried out. The present document provides the process and outcome of this ESIA. Project Location The Herat Electrification Project component -1 lot two is construction of 31 KM transmission line from existing 110 kV transmission line between the Noor-ul-Jahad substation near Herat city and Salma Dam to Karokh district of Herat province, Afghanistan. The subproject is comprising the building of a 110 kV transmission line, and a 110/20 kV substation and medium and low voltage distribution networks in Karokh district of Herat Province. The KTL gets T- connection from Salma Noor-ul Jahad existing TL in the area of Robat e Sorkh village of the same district and the KTL passes mostly from desert, non-cultivated land which encompasses governmental, private and communal land. There are nine villages located in the area of influence of the KTL with varying degree of distance from the KTL, generally the KTL is reasonably away from the residential houses. Sub-Project Overview The proposed KTL subproject comprises installation, operation, and maintenance of a 110-kV transmission line with a total length of about 31 km. The KTL will have 140 steel towers with concrete foundations, steel conductor, insulators, and other accessories. The key installation activities will include excavation for tower foundations, construction of concrete pads (four pads for each tower), backfilling, tower assembly and erection, stringing of conductors and earth wire, installation of insulators and other accessories, and finally, testing and commissioning. The operation and maintenance (O&M) activities will include periodic patrolling and repairing transmission line faults such as broken conductor, damaged/faulty insulators, and damaged or fallen towers. iv Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Karokh Transmission Line, HEP [Type here] Regulatory and Policy Overview The Afghan national legislation and regulations require the project proponents to conduct environmental and social assessment of the proposed project and obtain approval from the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), before initiating the project. Similarly, the WB safeguard policies require the project proponents seeking the Bank’s financing to carry out environmental and social assessment of the proposed project and obtain the Bank’s clearance. The present assessment has been carried out in response to these requirements. Environmental and Social Management Framework DABS prepared an environmental and social management framework (ESMF) of the HEP in 2017 since location and exact nature of its sub-projects was not known at that stage. The ESMF provides DABS with a procedure for determining the appropriate level of environmental and social assessment required for the sub-projects. Further, it guides the power utility in preparing the necessary environmental and social mitigation tools/measures for the sub-projects during operations phases. The ESMF calls for preparing environmental and social management plans (ESMPs) for smaller sub-projects and ESIA for larger sub-projects such as transmission lines. Pursuant to these requirements, the present ESIA for KTL has been carried out. The HEP ESMF also comprised a Resettlement Policy Framework to guide land acquisition and resettlement in case any subproject would necessitate land acquisition. ESIA Objectives The present ESIA aims to address the potentially adverse impacts of the KTL and its associated facilities on the physical and biological environment as well as on people – in order to make the project environmentally sustainable and socially acceptable. The present study has been carried out in response to the requirements defined by the national regulations as well as WB safeguard policies. Baseline Conditions The KTL sub-project will be implemented in Karokh district of Herat province. The project area is mostly rural and is not densely populated. The KTL route passes through various types of land like barren, hilly, rain fed, irrigable and irrigated. There is no forest or any sensitive/important habitat along or near the route. A limited number of towers would be located in agricultural land thus minimizing impacts on crops, there is no damage to the existing private and public structures like residential houses, orchards, schools, clinic, irrigation structures, graveyards and etc. v Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Karokh Transmission Line, HEP [Type here] The water sources in the KTL sub-project area include small streams, dug wells, bore holes, and karez1. No major river or any other significant water body exist in the area, except a proposed Pashdan dam which is planned to be constructed close to the KTL route. Hari-rod that flows south of the Herat town is the major river in the Herat province. The sub-project area is mostly barren and devoid of any significant natural vegetation and important habitat. Only nine fruit trees will need to be felled for KTL construction. No significant wildlife exists in the area primarily because of the modified nature of habitat and human presence. No important bird’s area are located within or near the sub-project area. No protected areas are located along or near the KTL route. Most of the people in the area are dependent on cultivation and livestock for their livelihood though a limited number of people work as laborers. Wheat followed by barley are the key crops in the area. The occupations of the respondents were found to be 75% farming and livestock rearing, while 20% of those interviewed said that they were both livestock keepers and laborers. Only 5% of the respondent were depended on employment. Ten schools exist in the sub-project area but outside the direct footprint of the KTL. No other sensitive receptors are located in the area. Similarly, no physical cultural resources (PCR) except one graveyard exist along the KTL route. Potential Environmental Impacts The potential impacts of the project’s construction phase on physical and biological environment could include soil erosion in hilly areas; dust emissions caused by operation of machinery and running vehicles on earthen tracks within the right of way (RoW) of KTL and along the access routes; gaseous emissions from construction vehicles, machinery, and generators; release of waste effluents and solid wastes from construction areas and camps causing soil and water contamination; loss of natural vegetation and trees in the RoW; and finally, occupational health and safety (OHS) hazards for the construction staff and other project site personnel. The potential impacts of