Initial Environmental Examination Project Number: 47229-001 December 2014 IND: Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project Submitted by Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (Roads & Bridges), Government of Uttarakhand, Dehardun This report has been submitted to ADB by the Program Implementation Unit, Uttarkhand Emergency Assistance Project (R&B), Government of Uttarakhand, Dehradun and is made publicly available in accordance with ADB’s public communications policy (2011). It does not necessarily reflect the views of ADB. Initial Environmental Examination July 2014 India: Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project Restoration Work of Guptkashi – Kalimath – Kotma - Jaal Chaumasi Motor Road (UEAP/PWD C 9) Prepared by State Disaster Management Authority, Government of Uttarakhand, for the Asian Development Bank. i ABBREVIATIONS ADB - Asian Development Bank ASI - Archaeological Survey of India BOQ - Bill of Quantity CTE - Consent to Establish CTO - Consent to Operate DFO - Divisional Forest Officer DSC - Design and Supervision Consultancy DOT - Department of Tourism CPCB - Central Pollution Control Board EA - Executing Agency EAC - Expert Appraisal Committee EARF - Environment Assessment and Review Framework EC - Environmental Clearance EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment EMMP - Environment Management and Monitoring Plan EMP - Environment Management Plan GoI - Government of India GRM - Grievance Redressal Mechanism IA - Implementing Agency IEE - Initial Environmental Examination IST - Indian Standard Time LPG - Liquid Petroleum Gas MDR - Major District Road MoEF - Ministry of Environment and Forests NAAQS - National Ambient Air Quality Standards NDBR - Nanda Devi Biospher Reserve NDNP - Nanda Devi National Park NH - National Highway ODR - Other District Road OM - Operations Manual PIU - Project Implementation Unit PMU - Project Management Unit PWD - Public Works Department REA - Rapid Environmental Assessment RSPM - Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter SDMA - State Disaster Management Authority SH - State Highway SPCB - State Pollution Control Board SPM - Suspended Particulate Matter SPS - Safeguards Policy Statement SRTC - State Road Transport Corporation UCADA - Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority UEAP - Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project UEPPCB - Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board UJS - Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan VR - Village Road ii WEIGHTS AND MEASURES cm - centimeter Crore – 100 lakhs = 10,000,000 Lakh – 100 thousand = 100,000 Km – Kilometer Kph - Kilometer per hour Lpd – liters per day M – Meter mg/l – milligrams per liter Mm – Millimeter MSL - Mean sea level - 10-6 meter g/m3 – micrograms per cubic meter S/cm - micro Siemens per centimeter NTU - Nephalo turbidity unit Ppm – parts per million iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapters Contents Page No. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 I INTRODUCTION 4 A. Project background/rationale 4 B. Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (UEAP) 4 C. Purpose of the environmental assessment 5 D. Extent of IEE 5 E. IEE contents 6 F. Methodology 6 G. Public consultation 7 II POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 8 III DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 12 A. Project location 12 B. Proposed category of the project 12 C. Key rehabilitation and reconstruction activities 12 D. Project implementation schedule 13 IV DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 15 A. Physical environment 15 1. Geography 15 2. Geology 16 3. Physiography 18 B. Pedology 18 C. Climate and meteorology 19 D. Air and noise quality 19 E. Hydrology 20 1. Water drainage 21 2. Water quality 21 F. Mineral resources 21 G. Seismology 23 H. Ecology 23 1. Forestry 23 2. Biodiversity 23 3. Biosphere reserves 26 4. Fishery 30 I. Socio-economic 31 1. Social and cultural development 31 2. Land use and land use pattern 32 J. Health 32 K. Literacy 33 L. Cultural and archaeological resources 34 M. Economic development 35 1. Transportation and communication 35 2. Industrial development 36 3. Agriculture, forestry and fishery 37 N. Fisheries 40 O. Energy and electric power potential 41 P. Aesthetic and tourism 41 V ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION 42 MEASURES 5.1 Negative impacts related project location, preliminary planning and Design 42 A. Impact and mitigation measure during planning and design phase 42 B. Impacts during construction phase 42 a. Impacts on the physical environment and mitigation measures 43 iv i. alteration of surface water hydrology of waterways crossed by 43 roads, resulting in increased sediment in streams affected by increased soil erosion at construction site. ii. Impacts on water quality 43 iii. Disfiguration of landscape by road embankments, cuts, fills and 43 quarries. iv. Loss of productive soil 44 v. Compaction and contamination of soil 44 b. Impacts on environmental quality 44 i. Increase in local air pollution due to rock crushing, and filling works 44 and chemicals from asphalt processing. ii. Noise and vibration from civil works 45 C. Impacts on the socio-economic 46 i. Encroachment on historical and cultural areas 46 ii. Impacts on occupational health and safety 46 iii. Impacts on community health and safety 46 VI INFORMATION DISCLOSURE, CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION 48 A. Public participation during the preparation of the IEE 48 B. Future consultation and disclosure 49 C. Consultation during detailed design 50 D. Consultation during construction 50 E. Public disclosure 50 F. Project disclosure 51 VII ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN AND GRIEVANCE REDRESS 52 MECHANISM A. Environment management plan 51 B. Institutional arrangement 51 I. UEAP, SDMA (PMU) 53 II. UEAP, IA, FPIU 53 III. The Engineer (DSC) 54 IV. Environmental expert of engineer (DSC) 54 V. The Contractor 54 C. Environmental monitoring programme 83 D. Performance indicators 83 E. Grievance Redress Mechanism 84 F. Environmental budget 86 VIII CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 91 v LIST OF TABLES TABLE II-1 : Applicable environmental national and state requirements for UEAP 8 TABLE III-1 : Distribution of road sections to be upgraded under UEAP, by 13 hierarchy and length TABLE IV-1 : Availability of important minerals (million tonnes) 22 TABLE IV-2 District-wise forest cover, Uttarakhand 24 TABLE IV-3 : Predominant top-canopy (tree) species according to altitude 26 TABLE IV-4 : Wildlife in Uttarakhand 26 TABLE IV-5 : National parks in Uttarakhand 27 TABLE IV-6 : Wildlife sanctuaries in Uttarakhand 27 TABLE IV-7 : List of major flora 28 TABLE IV-8 : List of major fauna 29 TABLE IV-9 : Land utilisation in Uttarakhand 32 TABLE IV-10 : Demographic Socio-economic and health profile of Uttarakhand state 32 as compared to India figure TABLE IV-11 : Health infrastructure of Uttarakhand 33 TABLE IV-12 : Transportation of Uttarakhand state. 35 TABLE IV-13 : Area under principal crops and productivity in Uttarakhand 38 TABLE IV-14 : Ecological sub-regions and altitude-wise major agriculture crops 39 TABLE IV-15 : Mode of irrigation and drainage system in Uttarakhand 40 TABLE VII-1 : Environmental management and monitoring plan 56 TABLE VII-2 The Performance Indicators and monitoring plans 83 TABLE VII-3 : Environmental monitoring for air, water, noise and soil 85 TABLE VII-4 : Environmental Budget for Guptkashi Kalimath Kotma Jaal Chaumasi 86 Road vi LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX A Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA) 92 APPENDIX B Public consultation records 97 APPENDIX C Site photographs 99 APPENDIX D MoEF issued specific guidelines in July 2013 for State of 100 Uttarakhand for expediting forest clearances to carry out the emergency work in forest areas (excluding works in national parks and sanctuaries) APPENDIX 1 Disposal site management 103 APPENDIX 2 Environmental standards 106 APPENDIX 3 Oil inceptors 112 APPENDIX 4 Typical bituminous disposal pit 113 APPENDIX 5 Work safety in common operation and in construction 114 APPENDIX 6 Tree plantation strategy 123 APPENDIX 7 Enhancement measures 127 APPENDIX 8 Guidelines for management of road section through forest area 129 APPENDIX 9 Arrangement of traffic during construction 131 APPENDIX 10 General guidelines for contractor construction water 136 management plan APPENDIX 11 Environmental friendly construction methodology 137 APPENDIX 12 Borrow area management 141 APPENDIX 13 Soil erosion and sedimentation control 145 APPENDIX 14 Locating quarries, rehabilitating quarries and guidelines of stone 146 crushers APPENDIX 15 Storage, handling, use and emergency responses for hazardous 149 chemical APPENDIX 16 Selection and management of construction camp 152 vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has Undertaken Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (UEAP), financed by the ADB. The total estimated cost of the program is about US $205 millions, out of which $96.75 million will be allotted for road and bridge sector. The Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (UEAP) involving Guptkashi Kalimath Kotma Jaal Chaumasi existing road sections with a total length of 24.88 Km out of which 18.00 km of Major District Road (MDR) needs to be restored. The key road upgrading components includes restoration of disaster affected roads in hilly terrain to a single lane standard (3.75 m carriageway and 5.95m formation width), conducting patch repairs and pot hole filling; strengthening of culverts, repairs/ reconstruction of R/W & B/R and providing all necessary road furniture and roadside safety hardware. Consistent with the Environmental Assessment and Review Framework, Guptkashi Kalimath Kotma Jaal Chaumasi existing road were screened using ADB rapid environmental