National Highway Development Sector Investment Program Batch II: N-65 (Sukkur–Jacobabad) N-80 (Tarnol–Fatehjang–Jand) N-50 (Zhob–Mughal Kot)
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Environmental Assessment Report Summary Environmental Impact Assessment Project Number: 37559 April 2007 Proposed Multitranche Financing Facility Pakistan: National Highway Development Sector Investment Program Batch II: N-65 (Sukkur–Jacobabad) N-80 (Tarnol–Fatehjang–Jand) N-50 (Zhob–Mughal Kot) Prepared by the National Highway Authority for the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The summary environmental impact assessment 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. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of 30 April 2007) Currency Unit – Pakistan rupee/s (PRe/PRs) PRe1.00 = $0. 0164 $1.00 = PRs60.64 ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank CC – construction contractor CO – carbon monoxide DC – design consultant EIA – environmental impact assessment EMP – environmental management plan EPA – environmental protection agency IEE – initial environmental examination MFF – multitranche financing facility NEQS – national environmental quality standard NESPAK – National Engineering Services Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited NHA – National Highway Authority NHDSIP – National Highway Development Sector Investment Program NHMP – National Highway and Motorway Police NOx – nitrogen oxides NWFP – North-West Frontier Province O&M – operation and maintenance ROW – right-of-way SC – supervision consultant SEIA – summary environmental impact assessment SOx – sufur oxides SPM – suspended particulate matter TDS – total dissolved solids TSS – total suspended solids USEPA – United States Environmental Protection Agency WHO – World Health Organization WEIGHTS AND MEASURES cfu – colony forming unit dB(A) – decibel mg/l – milligram per liter mm – millimeter PM10 – particulates less than 10 micrometers in diameter ppb – parts per billion ppm – parts per million µg/m3 – microgram per cubic meter CONTENTS Page MAP ii I. INTRODUCTION 1 II. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUBPROJECTS 1 III. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 2 A. Physical Environment 2 B. Ecological Environment 4 IV. ALTERNATIVES 5 V. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATIVE MEASURES 6 A. Soil Erosion and Contamination 6 B. Water Quality 7 C. Waterlogging/Flooding 7 D. Air Quality 7 E. Noise 8 F. Solid Waste 8 G. Siting of Construction Camps and Other Facilities 8 H. Ecological Resources 9 I. Land Acquisition and Resettlement 9 J. Social Conflicts 9 K. Public Utilities 9 L. Health and Safety 10 M. Road Safety and Traffic Management 10 VI. CUMULATIVE IMPACTS 10 VII. ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT 11 A. Benefits 11 B. Costs 11 C. Economic Analysis of Environmental Impacts 11 VIII. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 12 A. Environmental Management Plan 12 B. Institutional Capacity to Address Environmental Concerns 12 C. Environmental and Mitigation Costs 13 IX. PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE 14 X. CONCLUSION 15 APPENDIXES 1. Environmental Management Plan 16 2. Environmental Monitoring Plan 27 I. INTRODUCTION 1. This summary environmental impact assessment (SEIA) is based on the environmental assessment reports prepared for the proposed upgrading and widening of the existing N-65 road section between Sukkur, N-80 road section from Tarnol to Jand, and N-50 from Zhob to Mughal Kot, collectively referred to as Batch II of the National Highway Development Sector Investment Program (NHDSIP). The environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for N-65 and N- 80 were prepared by National Engineering Services Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited (NESPAK), contracted by the Executing Agency, the National Highway Authority (NHA). The initial environmental examination (IEE) for N-50 was prepared by the in-house environmental staff of NHA. 2. Batch II of the multitranche financing facility (MFF) is categorized as environmental category A.1 The subprojects will be implemented under the NHDSIP MFF. The reports were prepared in accordance with the environmental assessment regulations and guidelines2 of the Government of Pakistan (the Government), and with the Environmental Policy (2002) and Environmental Assessment Guidelines (2003) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Based on the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency regulations,3 the N-50 requires an IEE based on schedule I4 while the proposed N-65 and N-80 subprojects fall under schedule II5 (projects requiring an EIA). NHA submitted the N-65 and N-80 EIAs to the provincial environmental protection agency (EPA) in January 2007. The EPA’s decision on the application for environmental approval is expected in May 2007. NHA will submit the N-50 IEE to the provincial EPA in May 2007. 3. Batch II also includes Pershawar–Torkham (section 2, 17 kilometers [km]). The SEIA for this subproject was posted on the ADB website in May 2006. II. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUBPROJECTS 4. The Government, through NHA, intends to upgrade the N-65, N-80, and N-50 as part of the NHDSIP. The main objective of the subprojects is to provide a fast and safe transport route connecting the provinces of: (i) Balochistan, Punjab, and Sindh through the N-65; (ii) Punjab and North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) through the N-80; and (iii) Balochistan and NWFP through the N-50. Both the N-65 and N-80 are located in areas with a mainly agrarian economy, so the improved roads will provide easy access to farmers for transport of produce to markets and other parts of the country. 5. The N-65 currently consists of a two-lane single carriageway, with widths varying from 6.0 meters (m) to 7.5 m. The subproject aims to widen the existing carriageway to a four-lane dual carriageway (14.6 m wide) with a total formation width of 26.6 m. The N-65 is about 68 km 1 ADB Operations Manual (OM) Section F1: Projects are categorized as “A” if they could have significant adverse environmental impacts. An EIA is required to address significant impacts. 2 The Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997; the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency. 2000. Review of IEE and EIA Regulations. Islamabad; and Government of Pakistan. 1997. Guidelines for the Preparation and Review of Environmental Reports. 3 The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Review of IEE and EIA) Regulations (2000) provide the following: (i) list of projects requiring IEE and EIA, (ii) rate of review fees, and (iii) process for filing and review of IEE and EIA. 4 Schedule I requires preparation of an IEE for federal or provincial highways (except maintenance, rebuilding, or reconstruction of existing metaled roads) with a total cost of less than PRs50 million. 5 Schedule II requires preparation of an EIA for federal or provincial highways (except maintenance, rebuilding, or reconstruction of existing metaled roads) that will cost more than PRs50 million. 2 long, including the 4.9 km new bypass route around Shikarpur. The new bypass will have a width of 24.6 m. The N-65 is under the administrative jurisdiction of Sindh Province. 6. The existing 103 km N-80 road section from Tarnol to Jand is a nonstandard two-lane road with a paved width of 6 m. This road falls under the administrative jurisdiction of Islamabad (national capital) and Punjab province. Under the subproject, the section from Tarnol to Fatehjang (33 km) will be converted into a 26.6 m wide 4-lane dual carriageway while the section from Fatehjang to Jand (70 km) will be converted to a 14.3 m wide two-lane carriageway. Two new bypasses will be constructed around Tarnol (32.6 m wide and 6.4 km long) and Fatehjang (32.6 m wide and 6.0 km long). 7. The 80-km long N-50 is currently in poor condition, particularly during rainy seasons when causeways overflow—increasing the likelihood of landslides in hilly areas. The width of the existing carriageway varies from 4.0 m to 5.0 m. The road will be improved and widened to a two-lane single carriageway with a width of 7.3 m. Treated shoulders varying from 2.0 (in hilly areas) to 3.0 m (in plain areas) will be provided on either side. Thirteen new bridges will be constructed in place of Irish crossings (low water crossing). The subproject will not involve new alignments, except for improvements of some curve radii. 8. The road ROW for N-50 is 15.0 m. For N-60 and N-80, the total road ROW is about 34.0 m for urban areas and 67.0 m for rural areas. As a result of construction on one side from Tarnol to Fatehjang, ROW of the N-80 will shift from the center of the existing road; for the N-65, the centerline of the improved road will coincide with the existing road. Major construction work for the subprojects will be generally confined within the ROW. 9. The work on N-65 is expected to commence in June 2007 and the estimated completion date is June 2009. The work on N-80 will start in September 2007 and will be completed in March 2010. Improvement and widening of the N-50 will start in March 2008 and completion is expected in September 2010. III. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT A. Physical Environment 1. Meteorology 10. The N-65 subproject area falls in an arid subtropical climate zone, characterized by hot summers and mild winters. Summer is from April to mid-October, with the hottest periods experienced from May to July. Winter is from December to February. The subproject area has very low rainfall, averaging 111 millimeters (mm) per year from 1995 to 1999. The highest rainfall was measured in 1997 (188.8 mm) and the lowest in 1996 (22.4 mm). 11. In the N-80 area, summer is from July to September and winter is from December to April. The bulk of monsoon precipitation occurs in July (267 mm monthly average) and August (309 mm monthly average). Minimum rainfall occurs in November (about 18 mm). 12. In the N-50 area, June is the hottest month and January is the coldest.