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Initial Environmental Examination IND: SASEC Road Connectivity

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Initial Environmental Examination IND: SASEC Road Connectivity Initial Environmental Examination April 2017 IND: SASEC Road Connectivity Investment Program – Tranche 2 Mechi River Bridge Prepared by the National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India for the Asian Development Bank. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of 21 October 2016) Currency unit Indian rupee (Rs) INR1.00 = $ 0.01496 $1.00 = INR 66.8349 ABBREVIATIONS AAQ - Ambient Air Quality ADB - Asian Development Bank AH - Asian Highway BIS - Bureau of Indian Standards BOD - Biological Oxygen Demand CD - Cross Drainage CO - Carbon Monoxide COD - Chemical Oxygen Demand COI - Corridor of Impact CRZ - Coastal Regulation Zone CPCB - Central Pollution Control Board CPR - Common Property Resource CL - Centre Line CTE - Consent to Establish CTO - Consent to Operate dB - Decibel DoR - Department of Road DPR - Detailed Project Report EA - Environmental Assessment EC - Environmental Clearance EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment EMP - Environmental Management Plan EPR - Environment Protection Rule EROW - Existing Right of Way GoI - Government of India GoN - Government of Nepal GoWB - Government of West Bengal GW - Ground Water HFL Highest Flood Level IEE - Initial Environmental Examination IMD - Indian Meteorological Department IRC - Indian Road Congress IS - Indian Standard IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature LHS - Left Hand Side MORTH - Ministry of Road Transport & Highways MoEF & CC - Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change NAAQS - National Ambient Air Quality Standards NH - National Highway NHIDCL - National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited NOC - No Objection Certificate NOx - Oxides of Nitrogen NQ - Noise Quality PCU Passenger Car Unit PIA - Project Influence Area PIU Project Implementation Unit PM - Particulate Matter RAP - Resettlement Action Plan RF - Reserved Forest RHS - Right Hand Side ROW - Right of Way ROB - Rail over Bridge SASEC - South Asian Sub Regional Economic Cooperation SQ - Soil Quality SOX - Sulphur oxide SPCB - State Pollution Control Board TA - Technical Assistance TDS - Total Dissolved Solids VUP - Vehicle Under Pass WSPCB - West Bengal State Pollution Control Board WPA - Wildlife Protection Act WQ - Water Quality 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. Your attention is directed to the “terms of use” section of this website. 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 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. i A. The Project .................................................................................................................... i B. Environmental Sensitivity and Project Categorization .................................................... i C. Existing Environment ..................................................................................................... i D. Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ....................................... ii E. Climate Change Screening and Mitigation ................................................................... iii F. Public Consultations .................................................................................................... iii G. Environmental Management Plan ................................................................................ iii H. Conclusion ................................................................................................................... iv I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 1 A. Preamble ..................................................................................................................... 1 B. Background of the Project ........................................................................................... 1 C. Objectives of the Project .............................................................................................. 3 D. Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................... 3 E. Extent of IEE ............................................................................................................... 3 F. Structure of the IEE Report .......................................................................................... 4 II. POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK ................................................... 5 A. International Agreements and Commitments of Government of India .......................... 5 B. India’s Legal Framework and Regulatory Requirements .............................................. 6 C. Nepal’s Legal Framework and Regulatory Requirements ............................................ 8 D. International Agreements between India and Nepal ....................................................15 E. ADB's Safeguard Requirements .................................................................................16 F. Permissions and Clearance Required for the project ..................................................18 III. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ............................................................................................21 A. Location of Project ......................................................................................................21 B. Need for the Project ....................................................................................................21 C. Project Category .........................................................................................................21 D. Existing Bridge............................................................................................................22 E. Existing and Proposed Traffic .....................................................................................22 F. Proposed Bridge Design Features ..............................................................................23 G. Design Basis and Standards for Approach Roads ......................................................23 H. Traffic Safety Features, Road Furniture, Road Markings and Other Facilities .............25 I. Natural factors considered for the bridge design .........................................................25 J. Construction Material Sources ....................................................................................28 K. Plan and Profile for the Mechi Bridge and Approaches ...............................................28 L. Cost of the Project ......................................................................................................28 IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT ...........................................................................32 A. Introduction .................................................................................................................32 B. Site Setting and Study Area ........................................................................................32 C. Establishment of Baseline ..........................................................................................32 D. IEE Methodology ........................................................................................................32 E. Physical Environment .................................................................................................35 F. Ecological Resources .................................................................................................50 G. Socioeconomic Environment ......................................................................................62 V. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ..................67 A. Background ................................................................................................................67 B. Physical Environment .................................................................................................67 C. Biological Environment ...............................................................................................95 D. Human Use Values .....................................................................................................97 E. Socio-economic Environment ................................................................................... 101 F. Transboundary Impacts ............................................................................................ 102 G. Cumulative and Induced Impacts .............................................................................. 104 H. Project Benefits ........................................................................................................ 105 I. Climate Change Screening and Mitigation ................................................................ 106 VI. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES ....................................................................................... 115 A. Preamble .................................................................................................................. 115 B. “With” and “Without”
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