Initial Environmental Examination Updated Project Number: 49107-006 March 2020 IND: West Bengal Drinking Water Sector Improvement Program –Subproject: Water Supply Distribution System: Mejia & Gangajalghati Blocks (Bankura District) [Package DWW/BK/04] – PART A Prepared by Public Health Engineering Department, Government of West Bengal for the Asian Development Bank. i ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank CPCB – Central Pollution Control Board CTE – consent toestablish CTO – consent tooperate DSISC design, supervision and institutional support consultant EAC – Expert Appraisal Committee EHS – Environmental, Health and Safety EIA – Environmental Impact Assessment EMP – Environmental Management Plan GRC – grievance redress committee GRM – grievance redress mechanism GOI – Government of India GoWB – Government of West Bengal HSGO – Head, Safeguards and Gender Officer IBPS – Intermediate Booster Pumping Station IEE – Initial Environmental Examination IWD – Irrigation and Waterways Department MoEFCC – Ministry of Environment, Forestand Climate Change WBPCB – West Bengal Pollution Control Board NOC – No Objection Certificate PHED – Public Health Engineering Department PIU – Project Implementation Unit PMC – Project Management Consultant PMU – Project Management Unit PWSS - Pied Water Supply Scheme PPTA – Project Preparatory Technical Assistance REA – Rapid Environmental Assessment ROW – right of way SPS – Safeguard Policy Statement WHO – World Health Organization WTP – water treatment plant WBDWSIP – West Bengal Drinking Water Sector Improvement Project WEIGHTS AND MEASURES m3/hr cubic meter per hour dBA decibel C degree Celsius ha hectare km kilometre lpcd liters per capita per day m meter mbgl meters below ground level mgd million gallons per day MLD million liters per day mm millimeter km2 square kilometer ii NOTES In this report, "$" refers to US dollars. Updated Initial Environment Examination covers OHR Zones: 02, 04, 09, 11, 19, 20, 27 and 28 of Gangajalghati & Mejia blocks 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. 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. iii CONTENTS Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i-iv I. INTRODUCTION 1 A. Background 1 B. Purpose of the Initial Environmental Examination Report 3 C. Report Structure 4 II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 4 A. Project Area 4 B. Existing Water Supply Situation 5 C. Proposed Project 8 D. Implementation Schedule 15 E. Present status implementation stage 16 III. POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 19 A. ADB Policy 19 B. National Environmental Laws 21 C. Other Permission from Statutory Authorities 24 IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 25 A. Methodology Used for Baseline Study 25 B. Physical Resources 25 C. Ecological Resources 52 D. Economic Development 55 E. Socio Cultural Resources 62 F. Subproject Site Environmental Features 65 V. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 80 A. Pre-Construction Impacts – Design and Location 80 B. Construction Impacts 82 C. Operation and Maintenance Impacts 91 VI. PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE 91 A. Overview 91 B. Public Consultation 92 C. Information Disclosure 94 VII. GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM 94 A. Project Specific Grievance Redress Mechanism 94 VIII. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 97 A. Environmental Management Plan 97 B. Implementation Arrangements 115 C. Capacity Building and Training 117 D Monitoring and Reporting 119 E. Environmental Management Plan Implementation Cost 119 IX. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 121 iv List of Appendices Contents Pages Appendix 1 Rapid Environmental Assessment Checklist 123 Appendix 2 Applicable Ambient Air Quality Standards for ADB funded 128 projects in India Appendix 3 Vehicle Exhaust Emission Norms 132 Appendix 4 Ambient Noise Level Standards for ADB funded projects in 133 India Appendix 5 Noise Limits for DG Set 134 Appendix 6 Department of Environment’s Direction Under Air Act, 136 1981 for Control of Air Pollution From Construction Activities In West Bengal Appendix 7 Extract from Construction and Demolition Management 138 Rules, 2016 Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix 8 Salient Features of Major Labor Laws Applicable to 144 Establishments Engaged Appendix 9 Drinking Water Standards 146 Appendix 10 Surface Water Quality Classification Criteria 147 Appendix 11 Guidelines for Safety during Monsoon/Heavy Rainfall 148 Appendix 12 Summary of Public Consultations 150 Appendix 13 Sample Grievance Registration Form 168 Appendix 14 GRC Notification and Committee 171 Appendix 15 Sample SEMP 183 Appendix 16 Labour License and WC Policy 232 Appendix 17 Sample First Aid Record 235 Appendix 18 Sample Environmental Site Inspection Report 236 Appendix 19 Sample Semi-Annual Environmental Monitoring Report 238 Template Appendix 20 Standard operating procedure for prevention an risk 243 minimization of corona virus disease (COVID -19) at the facilities and work sites of West Bengal Drinking Water Sector Improvement Project (WBDWSIP) Appendix 21 WHO interim guidance on water, sanitation, hygiene and 270 waste management for the COVID 19 virus i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. The proposed West Bengal Drinking Water Improvement Project (WBDWIP) aims to provide safe, reliable and continuous drinking water as per Government of India’s (GOI) standard to about 2.6 million people in the arsenic, fluoride, and salinity affected selected areas of North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, East Medinipur and Bankura districts of West Bengal. 2. The project will adopt a sector approach, and subprojects will be selected and proposed for funding adhering to the agreed Subproject Selection Criteria (SSC). Project districts are North 24 Parganas (with two blocks of South 24 Parganas included for distribution network), Bankura and East Medinipur, and subprojects to be covered under the Project will be within these districts only unless otherwise agreed with ADB. Subprojects proposed under the Project stem from a district-wide comprehensive water quality and sustainability planning and completion of the Drinking Water Quality Action Plan (DWQAP) for the concerned district. 3. WBDWSIP will be implemented over period of 3 years after award of contract and operate and maintenance period is of 2 years. 4. The Subproject. The district of Bankura has high concentration of fluoride and iron in groundwater, including the blocks of Majia and Gangajalghati. The blocks reported to have recurrence of fluoride contamination in groundwater. Provision of water supply distribution system has been taken up in this subproject under the WBDWSIP for the affected blocks of Mejia and Gangajalghati. A parallel subproject, implemented under WBDWSIP, will provide bulk water supply (treated water) to this subproject for further distribution to the households in the project area.The subproject includes the following civil works components: (i) construction of 30 overhead reservoirs (OHRs) in Mejia and Gangajaghati Blocks; (ii) laying of 1460 km distribution network and (iii) provision of domestic water meters for household water connections with water meters. 5. Project Implementation Arrangements. Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) of Government of West Bengal is the executing and implementing agencyfor the WBDWSIP. Project Management Unit (PMU) exclusively established in PHED for the WBDWSIP will implement the project. PMU is assisted by district level Project Implementation Units. Safeguard and Gender Cell (SGC) in the PMU is responsible for safeguards compliance. Project Management Consultant and PIU-wise Design, Supervision and Institutional Support Consultant (DSISC) will assist PMU and PIUs in implementation and management of the project. 6. Screening and Assessment of Potential Impacts. ADB requires the consideration of environmental issues in all aspects of the Bank’s operations, and the requirements for environmental assessment are described in ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS), 2009. As per the GOI EIA Notification, 2006, this subproject does not require EIA study or environmental clearance. The potential environmental impacts of the subproject have been assessed using ADB’s Rapid Environmental Assessment Checklist for Water Supply. The potential negative impacts were identified in relation to pre-construction, construction and operational period. It should be noted that, this IEE document has been updated for the zones, where construction has commenced by 29th February 2020 in Mejia and Gangalghati block of Bankura district. The detail of the zones are given in Section II of this report. 7. Categorization. Based on results of the assessment and ADB’s SPS, the subproject is classified as environmental Category B, i.e., the subproject is judged to be unlikely to have any significant adverse environmental impacts. However, an initial environmental examination is required/advisable. 8. Description of the Environment. The subproject components are located in Mejia and Gangajalghati block of Bankura District which is situated on the westernpart of the State of ii West Bengal. The total area of the district is 6882 square kilometers (km2). It extends from 23038’ north Latitude and between 86036’