Initial Environmental Examination (updated) Project Number: 38412-033 July 2018 India: Multitranche Financing Facility Assam Integrated Flood and Riverbank Erosion Risk Management Investment Program Project 2 Kaziranga Subproject (Golaghat District) Prepared by the Flood and River Erosion Management Agency of Assam, Government of Assam for the Asian Development Bank. This is an updated version of the initial environmental examination originally posted in September 2010 available on https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/linked-documents/38412-01-ind-seia.pdf. 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 ¡ ¢ £¤¥¦ section on £¦ ¢£ ¦ 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 Project Number: 38412-033 July 2018 INDIA: ASSAM INTEGRATED FLOOD AND RIVERBANK EROSION RISK MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT PROGRAM PROJECT 2 KAZIRANGA SUBPROJECT GOLAGHAT DISTRICT Prepared by the Flood and River Erosion Management Agency of Assam (FREMAA) for the Asian Development Bank. The initial environmental examination report 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 11 June 2018) ✎ Currency Unit Indian Rupee ( ) ✎ 1.00 = $0.014810 $1.00 = ✎ 67.52 ABBREVIATION ADB - Asian Development Bank AIFRERMIP - Assam Integrated Flood and Riverbank Erosion Risks Management Investment Programme As - Arsenic C6H6 - Benzene BGL - Below ground level CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species CMS - Conservation of Migratory Species CR - Critically endangered CWC - Central Water Commission DHM - distributed hydrological model DMO - disaster management organization CWC - Central Water Commission EA - executing agency EARF - environmental assessment and review framework EIA - environmental impact assessment EIRR - economic internal rate of return EMOP - environmental monitoring plan EMP - environmental management plan EN - Endangered FRERM - flood and riverbank erosion risk management FREMAA - Flood and River Erosion Management Agency of Assam GHG - Greenhouse Gas GIS - Geographic Information System GoI - Government of India IBA - International Bird Area IMD - India Meteorological Department IRC - Indian Road Congress IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature IWAI - Inland Water Transport Authority KKL - Kaziranga Karbi Anglong Landscape KNP - Kaziranga National Park KRF - Kaziranga Reserve Forest MOEF&CC - Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change MFF - Multitranche financing facility NAAQS - National Ambient Air Quality Standards NWBL - National Board for Wildlife NGO - nongovernment organization NH - National Highway Ni - Nickel NOx - Nitrogen Oxides NT - Near threatened PM10 - Particulate Matter <= 10 micron PMGSY - Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana PMU - project management unit PPTA - project preparatory technical assistance SEIA - summary environmental impact assessment SEU - Social and Environment Unit SIO - subproject implementation office SIU - Subproject implementation Unit SIU-T - Subproject implementation unit-Technical SIU-DRMC - Subproject implementation unit - disaster risk management and coordination team SO2 - Sulfur Dioxide SPCB - State Pollution Control Board SPS 2009 - Safeguard Policy Statement, 2009 WB EHS - World Bank Environment, Health, and Safety WRD Water Resources Department WEIGHTS AND MEASURES dBA - decibel Ha - hectare Km2 - kilometer km - square kilometer m - meter mm - millimeter m3/s - cubic meters per second l - liter GLOSSARY Porcupine Tetrahedron-shaped concrete frames commonly made of six concrete members, each 3 meters long connected with bolts, which are placed in an arrayed manner in the riverbed to retard river water flow and induce sedimentation. Revetment A riverbank protection structure constructed on the bottom or banks of a river by placing a layer of material, such as rock, stones, concrete blocks, or mattresses including sand-filled geo- textile containers. Spur A river training structure built from the bank of a river in a direction transverse to the current, by placing a large quantity of rocks, stones, or concrete blocks (or earth armored with these heavy materials). Critical Habitat. A subset of both natural and modified habitat that deserves particular attention. Critical habitat includes areas with high biodiversity value, including habitat required for the survival of critically endangered or endangered species; areas having special significance for endemic or restricted-range species; sites that are critical for the survival of migratory species; areas supporting globally significant concentrations or numbers of individuals of congregatory species; areas with unique assemblages of species or that are associated with key evolutionary processes or provide key ecosystem services; and areas having biodiversity of significant social, economic, or cultural importance to local communities. (ADB SPS, 2009) NOTES (i) The fiscal year (FY) of the Government of India ends on 31 March. FY before a calendar year denotes the year in which the fiscal year ends, e.g., FY2018 ends on 31 March 2018. (ii) In this report, "$" refers to US dollars. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a 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 CONTENT Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................... i I. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 A. Kaziranga Subproject Environmental Categorization ............................................. 1 B. Extent of the IEE Study .......................................................................................... 2 1. Approach and Methodology 2 2. Data Collection 3 3. Structure of the Report 4 II. Policy, Legal, and Administrative Framework ................................................................. 5 A. Regulatory Requirements of the Government of India and Assam State ................ 5 1. Environmental Regulatory Requirements 5 2. Social Regulatory Requirements 6 B. International Treaties and Relevance to the Project ............................................... 6 C. ADB's Environmental Safeguard Policy and Requirement ..................................... 7 III. Description of the Project...............................................................................................12 A. Kaziranga Sub-project Background .......................................................................12 B. Objectives of the Proposed Structural Measures ..................................................13 C. Proposed Civil Works ............................................................................................17 D. Implementation Schedule and Project Cost ..........................................................18 IV. Description of the Environment Baseline .......................................................................26 A. Introduction ...........................................................................................................26 B. Description of Physical Environment .....................................................................26 1. Climate 26 2. Physiography and Drainage 28 3. Topography 30 4. Water Environment 31 5. Water Quality 32 6. Hydrology and Morphology 34 7. Sediment Transport 35 8. Existing Flood Control and Erosion Works in the Kaziranga Reach 35 9. Flood Inundation in the Subproject Area and KNP 36 10. Kaziranga Reach River Morphology 37 11. Geology 44 12. Seismology 44 13. Soil 47 14. Land Use 49 15. Air Quality 55 C. Terrestrial Ecology ................................................................................................57 1. Methods for Baseline Data Collection 57 2. Identification of Terrestrial Flora 58 3. Trees 58 4. Eco-sensitive, Protected and Restricted Areas 59 5. Important Terrestrial Mammals 60 6. River Interface 61 7. Forests 62 8. Economically Important Plants 62 9. Identification of Endemic, Threatened and Endangered Species within Kaziranga National Park 63 10. Wetlands 65 11. Flood and Wildlife Movement 65 12. Bio-Diversity Index 68 13. Aquatic Biology 69 14. Identification of Aquatic Fauna 69 15. Macro-invertebrates Ecology 69 16. Faunal Behavior Pattern 69 17. Migratory Route of Aquatic Fauna 70 18. Endangered Species 70 D. Socio-Economic Environment ...............................................................................70 1. Demography 70 2. Education 71 3. Peoples Dependence on Flora and Fauna 71 4. Manufacturing Activities 72 5. Commuting Facilities 73 6. Power, Water Supply, and Sanitation facilities 73 7. Medical Facilities 74 8. Land use 74 9. Occupational Pattern 75 V. Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures