Extension of Hope Town Wharf in Harbour

Project Brief

Andaman and Nicobar Islands (A&N Islands) are located in the at a distance of 1200- 1400 km from the mainland . A&N Islands is one of the Union Territories of India being administered by Andaman & Nicobar Administration (A&N Administration) headed by Lt. Governor. Port Blair is the Head Quarters. A&N islands are connected with main land from Kolkatta, Chennai & Vishakapatnam by air and sea routes. Shipping is the main mode of transportation for passengers and cargo from the Mainland to Port Blair and from there to far flung islands. The shipping services are mainly divided into two categories viz. Mainland-Island Services and Inter-Island Services. Passenger and Cargo Vessels being operated between Mainland and Port Blair come under Mainland-Island Services. Inter-Island Boat Services, Harbour Ferry Services, Foreshore Services come under Inter- Island Services.

Port Blair Harbour includes Phoenix Bay Harbour Complex (PBC), Chatham Jetty, Haddo Wharf, Hope Town Wharf, Junglighat Harbour, etc. The Jetties in different locations of Port Blair Harbour are being utilized for the above mentioned usage in an organised/specified manner. Visiting Tourist or other Foreign Vessels are calling at Haddo Wharf.

Hope Town, a tiny village in hillock, is located in Tehsil of with a total population of 1,258 (657 males & 601 females) in 297 Households as per Census 2011. The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) had commissioned a 5,000 tonnes per annum (TPA) capacity LPG Bottling Plant at Chunna Bhatta, Hopetown in 2003 and is now translating the LPG to 3,52,112 cylinder refills per year for distribution in A&N Islands. The plant has six storage bullets of 150 tonnes each (900 tonnes storage). It receives bulk LPG through sea-going tankers.

The Hope Town Wharf is located in the northern parts of Port Blair Harbour, opposite to Chatham Island. A Wharf of 100 x 30 m was constructed during eighties to cater the Vessels of about 10 m draft and later the Wharf was further extended to another 40 m (size 40 m x 20.50 m). Thus, Hope Town Wharf is having a berthing face of 140 m. The alongside depth is about 10 m so as to cater the Mainland going Vessels, large Cargo Vessels and Oil Tankers. The infrastructures such as Port Management Board Office, Cargo Shed, Generator Shed, Fire Hydrants, etc. were also created. The Wharf is now being utilized mainly for handling of LPG and other Petroleum products by IOCL, thus, Hazardous/Dangerous Cargo handling Wharf.

The LPG tankers are being berthed at Hope Town Wharf for unloading bulk LPG from Vessel and direct to the LPG Bottling Plant for bottling and distributing to local needs. Thus, considerable revenue saving to the Government of India is derived as transportation of the LPG gas cylinders from mainland is dispensed with. Instant delivery of the gas cylinders even to the remotest part of the Islands has been made possible, encouraging the use of LPG and discouraging wood burning in turn to save the environment.

Due to shorter length of the Wharf, normal size LPG tankers are unable to berth and IOCL has to put extra efforts to bring smaller tankers by spending extra money towards ocean freight for placing product at Port Blair. Also, IOCL wants to augment the LPG storage facility from existing 900 tonnes to 2,700 tonnes. Due to the constraints on berthing of regular size vessel (13,000 metric tonnes-13 TMT or more) at Hope Town Wharf, IOCL is spending huge money towards ocean freight. The 13 TMT size LPG vessels are in use for positioning LPG imports at other Indian Ports. Moreover, requirement of special size Vessel does not leave the option of diverting any other Vessel in case of variation in demand in A&N Islands or any delay in already planned supplies. Thus, they have requested suitable infrastructures for berthing of 13 TMT parcel size LPG Vessels so as to reduce the financial outgo on higher freight cost and also to ensure availability of LPG in the Islands at all times. IOCL prefers the commonly operated Indian LPG Tankers like Nanga Parbat and Annapurna for berthing at Hope Town Wharf.

To meet to the requirement of berthing of regular LPG Tankers which are 160 m in length, the existing Wharf has to be extended by 60 m, so that final length reaches to 200 m. In confirmation to the requirements as stated above and in the light of the factual position prevailing at site and after hydrographic survey, the project ‘Extension of Hope Town Wharf by 60 m’ has been sanctioned by the Ministry of Shipping on 29th July 2015 for an amount of Rs.17.49 crores. The Proposal broadly, envisages the following components : v Extension of Wharf of Size 60 m x 20.50 m founded on bored Cast-in-situ RCC piles of 800 mm dia. v Dredging of 8,400 cu.m in 3,000 sq. m area (100 m X 30 m) to clear cast-in/cast-off route of the Vessel while berthing alongside.

This work will be undertaken by ALHW under the Central Sector Plan works of the Ministry of Shipping in accordance with the provisions of CPWD Code. The work will be commenced and completed within 20 months from the date of Administrative Approval and Expenditure Sanction.

The Project activities are proposed in the designated Harbour Area of Port Blair, Port Blair Town, , South Andamans District of Andaman & Nicobar Islands Union Territory. Wharf Extension Site is proposed inbetween 11o41’50.22”- 11o41’50.90” N Latitude and 92o43’24.66”-92o43’26.71” E Longitude and Dredging is proposed inbetween 11o41’49.23”- 11o41’50.51” N Latitude and 92o43’21.11”-92o43’24.66” E Longitude. The 10-km study area of project site falls in part of Mount Harriet National Park (@ 800 m in north) in South Andaman Reserved Forests. Saithankari Protected Forests, Port Mout Brindraban RF, Jirkatang RF, etc. exist in the study area. There are no eco sensitive areas like Wildlife Sanctuaries, Biosphere Reserves, Elephant Corridor, etc. within 10 km from the site. The National Monument Cellular Jail is at a distance of 3.4 km in southeast from the site. Lohabarrack Salt Water Crocodile Sanctuary is at a distance of 13 km in west and Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park is at 17 km distance in southwest.

The proposal was considered by the Hon’ble Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) - Infrastructure Development, CRZ, Building/Construction and Miscellaneous Projects during its 153rd Meeting (Item No. 3.2) held during 18th-20th November 2015 in determining the Terms of References (TOR) for undertaking the EIA study and approved. The finalised TORs were communicated vide MoEF&CC Letter F.No. 11-34/2015-IA.III dated 15.12.2015.

ALHW has entrusted the EIA Study on M/s. Environmental System Consultants & Ambiente Lab Solutions Private Limited (Ensyscon), Chennai. The EIA Consultant has been accredited for the Sectors 1 (Mining), 4 (Thermal Power Plants), 9 (Cement Plants), 31 (Industrial Estates/SEZs), 33 (Ports & Harbours) - Category ‘A’ and Sector 38 (Building Proposals) - Category B by the National Accreditation Board for Education & Training (NABET), Quality Council of India (Sl. No. 51 in the List of Accredited EIA Consultants-5th September 2016).

Other than Dredging, the proposal does not fall in the threshold quantity Category for a Comprehensive EIA Study and thus, a Rapid EIA Study covering one Season data was proposed by the Department. Accordingly, the EIA Report has been prepared and submitted as per the awarded TOR by MoEF&CC. The baseline environmental monitoring was carried out during June-August 2015.

The EIA Report has been prepared as per the generic structure proposed in EIA Notification 2006. The Draft EIA Report along with Summary EIA Reports (both in English & Hindi) were submitted for Public Consultation/Public Hearing.

The Public Hearing for the Proposal was conducted by the Andaman Nicobar Administration Pollution Control Committee (ANAPCC) on 21.05.2016 at the Panchayat Hall of the Hope Town Panchayat, South Andaman and the Proceedings are forwarded to the Ministry. All Issues raised in the Public Hearing are addressed along with ALHW Responses & time bound Action Plan in the Final EIA Report and submitted for the Environmental & CRZ Clearance of the Proposal.

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