Initial Environmental Examination for the Kafru Para, Sorio Union Subproject February 2011 BAN: Second Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project Prepared by ANZDEC Ltd for the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs and the Asian Development Bank. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of 16 March 2011) Currency unit – taka (Tk) Tk1.00 = $0.0140 $1.00 = Tk71.56 ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank CHT – Chittagong Hill Tracts CHTRC – Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council CHTRDP-I – Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project DOE – Department of Environment EARF – Environmental Assessment Review Framework EMMP – Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan IEE – Initial Environmental Examination IP – indigenous people LGED – Local Government Engineering Department MOCHTA – Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs O&M – operation and maintenance PPTA – project preparatory technical assistance GLOSSARY jhum – swidden or shifting cultivation mouza – a small administrative area usually composed of a number of villages para – administrative division – subdivision of a Union Union – administrative division – subdivision of an upazila upazila – administrative division – subdivision of a district NOTE (i) In this report, "$" refers to US dollars. This initial environmental examination is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. Initial Environmental Examination for the Kafru Para, Soroi Union Subproject (SSP4) Table of Contents A. Introduction 1 1. Purpose and Scope 1 2. Methodology 2 B. Description of the Project and Subproject 2 1. The Project 2 2. Resources of Chittagong Hill Tracts 4 3. The Subproject 8 C. Description of the Environment 9 1. Physical Resources 9 2. Ecological Resources 10 3. Economic Development 11 D. Screening of Potential Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures 11 E. Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan 14 F. Public Consultation and Information Disclosure 14 G. Findings and Recommendations 14 1. Findings 14 2. Recommendations 15 H. Conclusions 15 Attachment A: Photographs Supporting the Subproject IEE 16 Attachment B: List of Biological Species in the Subproject Area 18 Attachment C: Department of Environment Checklist 36 Attachment D: Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan 37 Attachment E: Public Consultation 38 Figure 1: Location of Subproject 1 Initial Environmental Examination for the Kafru Para, Soroi Union Subproject (SSP4) A. Introduction 1. Purpose and Scope 1. This report is the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) of the proposed subproject in Kafru Para of Soroi Union, in Lama Upazila of Bandarban District. The subproject is one of the six subprojects identified for inclusion in the Second Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project (the Project) during the project preparatory technical assistance undertaken between April and December 2010.1 The Project is expected to be implemented from January 2012 until December 2018 at a cost of some $55 million. The Project will build upon the successes and be guided by the lessons of the completed Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project2 (CHTRDP-I). 2. The Project will continue and enhance the work of CHTRDP-I taking into account the review of achievements and the experiences of other development initiatives in the CHT area including those of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The Project will improve economic opportunities in the agriculture sector and foster regional integration. The Project will follow Government planning for major roads and institutional arrangements and will be community-driven for community infrastructure, watershed and micro agribusiness development activities, thus ensuring a mix of top-down and bottom-up planning as appropriate for the nature of the component. The roads program to be implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and will guide the location of the other components in order to ensure a geographic overlap between all components. The Project will be implemented in parts of the three Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) districts: (i) Khagrachari; (ii) Bandarban; and (iii) Rangamati, and will include poor people in the CHT area, indigenous people (IP), women and other vulnerable groups. 3. The Project proponent is the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs (MOCHTA) and the subproject will be implemented by the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council (CHTRC). Contact information for MOCHTA is: Contact person : Netai Chandra Sen Joint Secretary (Development) Address : Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Bangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka Telephone No. : (880) 2 7167736 Fax No. : (880) 2 9565300 E-mail : [email protected] 4. The sample subproject is one of six sample subprojects identified to support the Government strategy to improve rural livelihoods and reduce poverty in the CHT. The sample subprojects and future candidate subprojects are consistent with the ADB 2005 Country Strategy and Program for Bangladesh. 5. The IEE of this sample subproject is closely linked to the requirements and procedures of the Government’s Environmental Conservation Act (1995) and Environmental Conservation Rules (1997). Government responsibility for environmental issues is vested with the Department 1 ADB. 2009. Technical Assistance to Bangladesh for Preparing the Second Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project. Manila. (TA 7432-BAN) 2 ADB. 2000. Report and Recommendation of the President to the Board of Directors: Proposed Loan to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh for the Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project. Manila. Loan 1771- BAN approved in 2000 and effective in 2002 for an amount of $30.0 million. 2 of Environment (DOE) under the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF). The IEE was conducted by consultants engaged during the preparation of the technical assistance and in consultation with key stakeholders including MOCHTA, CHTRC, Hill District Councils (HDCs), LGED, union and upazila representatives and potential beneficiary communities. During field consultations, observations were made in consultation with local officials, groups and potential beneficiaries and affected people. Support and assistance in the field were provided by the staff of CHTRC and the Rangamati HDC. The conduct of an IEE, and its subsequent approval by ADB is a prerequisite for ADB support to the subproject. 6. The objectives of the IEE are to: (i) determine the state of the environment in the subproject area; (ii) identify key environmental issues associated with the subproject; (iii) recommend appropriate mitigation measures; and (iv) develop an environmental management and monitoring plan (EMMP). 2. Methodology 7. This IEE is prepared in accordance with the Environmental Conservation Act and in accordance with the ADB Safeguard Policy Statement (2009). An Environmental Assessment and Review Framework (EARF) has been prepared for the Project and sets out guidelines for the preparation of IEEs for subsequent candidate subprojects. The EARF has been prepared as an attachment to the Project Administration Manual. 8. Data gathering and assessment of key environmental issues were undertaken using the ADB Rapid Environmental Assessment methodology which comprises: (i) review of documents including socioeconomic baseline survey undertaken during the PPTA; (ii) meetings with Project stakeholders and stakeholder representatives; (iii) identifying environmental issues which need to be addressed by the Project; and (iv) gathering of primary environmental data from field reconnaissance. B. Description of the Project and Subproject 1. The Project 9. The overall Project goal is to contribute to a reduction in the incidence of poverty in CHT, and provide suitable implementation arrangements to underpin the CHT Accord and strengthen key institutions to help meet their mandated role. The Project impact is to increase employment and income generating opportunities for the population through community participatory subproject development. The outputs of the Project will include: (i) selective rural access; (ii) small-scale water resources interventions; (iii) watershed management; (iv) community infrastructure; and (v) promotion of small agribusiness opportunities. The outcomes of the Project will include: (i) measurable increased economic opportunities for rural poor, especially women and vulnerable groups in IP communities; (ii) improved watershed conditions; and (iii) improved regional integration between the regular line agencies and CHT specific agencies. 10. In pursuit of its objectives, the Project will work through these components: (i) Component A – Institutional Development and Capacity Building; (ii) Component B – Rural Roads; (iii) Component C – Community Infrastructure; and (iv) Component D – Micro Agribusiness Development (MAD). 3 11. Component A: Institutional Development and Project Management. Outputs will include: (i) enhanced institutional capacity and capability of MOCHTA, CHTRC and three HDCs; (ii) project implementation supported by effective management arrangements within CHTRC and three