Initial Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (Esia) for Sughd Region Road Sections
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN Public Disclosure Authorized Project: Central Asia Regional Links Program (CARs-4) Public Disclosure Authorized INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (ESIA) FOR SUGHD REGION ROAD SECTIONS Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized June 3, 2020 CARs-4 Project: ESIA for Sughd Region TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 1. INTRODUCTION 9 1.1 Project Description 9 1.2 Project Sites in Sughd Region 10 2. LEGAL, POLICY AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 12 2.1. Land Management National Legislation 12 2.2. Social National Legislation 12 2.3. Environmental National Legislation 14 2.4. World Bank Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs) 17 3. ESIA METHODOLOGY 18 4. BASELINE DATA 19 4.1. Physical Characteristics 19 4.1.1. Topography, Geology and Soils of Tajikistan 19 4.1.2. Landslides, Avalanches and Earthquake Activity 20 4.1.3. Erosion 20 4.1.4. Climate and Air Quality 21 4.1.5. Hydrology and Water Quality 21 4.2. Biological Resources 22 4.2.1. Flora 22 4.2.2. Fauna 22 4.2.3. Protected Areas 23 4.3. Traffic Volumes and Transport Modes 23 4.4. Burrow Pits and Quarries - Construction Materials 24 4.5. Socio-Demographic Characteristics 25 4.5.1 Section 1: Spitamen-Dekhmoy Road (12.2 km) 25 4.5.2 Section 2-3: Dekhmoy-Gafurov-Khishtevarz (26,9 km) 26 4.5.3 Section 4: Kanibadam_Patar, 9 km 27 4.6. Socio-Economic Baseline of the Project Sites 28 4.7. Gender Issues in Sughd project sites 28 5. SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION 30 5.1 Social-Economic Impacts and Mitigation Measures 30 5.1.1. Demographic Impacts 30 5.1.2. Economic Impacts 30 5.1.3. Impacts on Land and Properties 30 5.1.4. Impacts on Traffic and Road Access 30 5.1.5. Noise and Vibration 31 5.1.6. Labour and Communty safety Impacts 32 5.1.7. Reducing Disturbance of Communities 32 2 CARs-4 Project: ESIA for Sughd Region 5.1.8. Worker Camps and Access Roads 33 5.2 Environmental Impacts 33 5.2.1 Flora and Fauna 33 5.2.2 Storm Water Drainage 34 5.2.3 Contractor’s Work Camp 34 5.2.4 Air Quality 35 5.2.5 Construction Waste Generation 35 5.2.6 Quarries and Burrow Pits 36 5.2.7 Landscape 37 5.2.8 Soils, Erosion and Slope Stability 37 5.2.9 Water Quality and Waterways 38 5.3 Baseline Environmental Considerations 39 5.4 Health and Safety 40 5.5 Impacts on Cultural Resources 41 6. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 41 7. DISCLOSURE AND PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS 44 7.1 Public consultations 44 7.2 Disclosure 45 7.3 Stakeholder Engagement Plan 45 7.4 GRM Mechanism 45 7.5 ESIA Implementation Responsibilities 47 8. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 49 8.1 Institutional Framework for ESMP Implementation 49 8.2 Institutional Setup for ESMP Implementation and Reporting 49 8.3 ESMP Table 50 8.4 Environmental and Social Monitoring Plan 56 ANNEX 1: SOCIAL SCREENING FORMS COMPLETED FOR SECTIONS 1-4 68 ANNEX 2: PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT OR MINIMIZE THE COVID-19 74 ANNEX 3: CHANCE FIND PROCEDURE PLAN 76 ANNEX 4: SUMMARY OF PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS 78 3 CARs-4 Project: ESIA for Sughd Region Abbreviations ACP Asphalt Concrete Plan CARs-4 The Central Asia Regional Links Program, Phase 4 CEP Committee for Environmental Protection CC Contractors Company CFPP Chance Find Procedure Plan ESS Environmental and Social Standards EA Environmental Assessment EFR Environmental Framework Report ESIA Environmental and Social Impact Assessment ESMP Environmental and Social Management Plan EPNR Especially Protected Natural Reserve FS Feasibility Study FGs Focus Groups GBAO Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast GDP Gross Domestic Product IEE Initial Environmental Examination IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Wildlife LGV Light Goods Vehicle MGV Medium Goods Vehicle MoT Ministry of Transport NAEP National Environment Action Plan NGO Non-Government Organization NSC National Statistical Committee NMT Non-Motorized Transport NRRP National Road Rehabilitation Project PCR Physical Cultural Resources PIG Project Implementation Group PSC Project Supervision Consultant RoW Right of Way RAP Resettlement Action Plan RMU Road Maintenance Unit RPF Resettlement Policy Framework SNiP FSU Construction Norms and Standards SEE State Environmental Expertise ToR Terms of Reference RoT Republic of Tajikistan USD US Dollar WB World Bank WWF World Wildlife Fund for Nature 4 CARs-4 Project: ESIA for Sughd Region EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Project Development Objectives (PDO) of the Fourth Phase of the Central Asia Regional Links Program are to enhance the efficiency of cross-border trade (for participants of the regional economy) and to improve the resilience and safety of regional connectivity infrastructure in Sughd Oblast and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. The project contributes to the CARs program’s higher-level development objectives (PrDO) to increase cross-border connectivity and enhance integrated regional development to revitalize historically active economic exchanges in Central Asia and beyond along the Silk Route. Expected Beneficiaries. The direct beneficiaries of the project include the residents of the project areas in Sughd, as well as travelers, traders, transit traffic, and population at large in the communities located along the corridors, who would have access to better quality, more resilient and safer transport infrastructure. Moreover, improved connectivity—both physical and institutional—would improve opportunities for trade and linkage to global value chains for local producers, and will also lower the prices for consumers, improving their welfare. Additionally, the project would also benefit the public administrations responsible for infrastructure development and management and for customs and trade facilitation, who would expand their knowledge and enhance capacity to perform their roles and responsibilities. The indirect beneficiaries of the project will be the residents of Sughd Oblast (2.6 million) who are expected to be regular road users travelling along the road sections, traders both within and cross borders, as well as consumers to benefit from lower prices of traded goods. Project components. The CARs-4 Project is structured around the following components: Component 1: Improve regional connections in Sughd Oblast and GBAO Region will finance: (i) rehabilitation of a 50.5 km long, Category II and III roads in Sughd Oblast in four sections (estimated at US$37.0 million, covered by this document; (ii) construction of Khorog bridge and tunnels/galleries and bridges around Barsem Village in GBAO to enhance the resilience of the road connectivity from climate hazards such as mudslides and avalanches (estimated US$46.7 million); (iii) provision of construction supervision services for road construction and rehabilitation works (estimated US$4.3 million); and (iv) preparation of feasibility studies, to be partially financed by Program for Asia Connectivity and Trade (PACT) Trust Fund, for improvement of regional road connectivity for Khatlon and GBAO Oblasts as basis for potential lending operation (tentatively titled CARs-5) (estimated US$2.0 million). The four road sections under activity (i) above include, from west to east, Bek Abad (Uzbek Border) – Kurkat (12.3 km), Dehmoi – Gafurov (21.9 km), Gafurov – Kistevarz (6.3 km), and Kuchkak – Kanibodom (10.0 km). The Feasibility Study is ongoing, expected to be completed in June 2020. Component 2. Improve road asset preservation and road safety. It will aim to strengthen the road asset management system and to create the institutional foundation to systematically address road traffic safety issues, and comprises two sub-components, described below. Sub-Component 2a Improve road asset preservation (US$8 million equivalent) will finance (i) supply and installation of weigh-in-motion (WIM) systems to preserve road assets, (ii) installation and commission of software packages for recording, storage and analysis of road network condition data, development of prioritized maintenance planning, optimized to allow for budget constraints, and annual maintenance plans, and (iii) training on the installed systems. Activities under this component have been carefully coordinated with other development partners. Sub-Component 2b. Improve Road Safety will finance three activities: (i) Support the Traffic Police to enforce use of 4-wheel vehicle safety belts, through a legal review and regulatory reforms, publicity campaign to warn of start of enforcement, and design of, and implement support for, an enforcement campaign; (ii) Retrofit or construct safety barriers along selected road sections in severe mountainous terrains as a demonstration pilot; (iii) Support the Department of State Automobile 5 CARs-4 Project: ESIA for Sughd Region Inspection under the Ministry of Interior, the lead agency for road safety, to develop a Road Safety Strategy and to establish a Road Safety Observatory. Component 3. Facilitate cross-border movement of goods. Two groups of activities will be financed under this component. (i) Upgrading of the Customs information and communication technology (ICT) platform, including equipment and facilities (computers, networking equipment, data center, end-use terminals), customs automation software, development and testing of the provided system, and implementation support up to 2025. (ii) Strengthening of institutional capacity and human resources in Customs Service, comprising integration of the newly upgraded Customs ICT platform with the National Single Window and other related systems, technical assistance on customs modernization, implementation