DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT 930 MW KIRTHAI – II HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER PROJECT Submitted By: EQMS INDIA PVT. LTD. INDIA 304-305, 3rd Floor, Plot No. 16, Rishabh Corporate Tower, Community Centre, Karkardooma, Delhi – 110092 Phone: 011-30003200, 30003219; Fax: 011-22374775 Website: www.eqmsindia.com ; E-mail – [email protected] Draft EIA Report for Kirthai II HEP (930MW), District Kishtwar, J & K State Table of Contents Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................... 7 1.1. Background ....................................................................................................... 7 1.2. Power Scenario of India - Present and Future .................................................. 8 1.3. Power Scenario in Northern Region ................................................................ 11 1.4. Hydro Power Development of Jammu & Kashmir ........................................... 14 1.5. Cascade Development of Hydro Power in Chenab Basin ............................... 17 1.6. Necessity & Justification for Implementing the Project .................................... 19 1.7. Project Proponent............................................................................................ 20 1.8. Location and Approach ................................................................................... 21 1.9. Kirthai Hep, Stage – II: An Overview ............................................................... 35 1.10. Analysis of Alternatives ................................................................................... 41 1.11. Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework .................................................. 43 1.12. Scoping of the Project ..................................................................................... 45 1.13. Public Hearing ................................................................................................. 45 1.14. Compliance of the ToR .................................................................................... 45 Chapter 2. METHODOLOGY .................................................................................... 54 2.1. Introduction...................................................................................................... 54 2.2. Physical Environment Study ............................................................................ 54 2.3. Air, Noise and Water Environment Study ........................................................ 55 2.4. For Particulate Matter ...................................................................................... 56 2.5. Biological Environment .................................................................................... 60 2.6. Socio-economic Study ..................................................................................... 63 2.7. Secondary Sources of Data ............................................................................ 64 Chapter 3. LAND ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................... 65 3.1. Introduction...................................................................................................... 65 3.2. Climate ............................................................................................................ 65 3.3. Meteorological Characteristics ........................................................................ 66 3.4. Physiography, Relief & Drainage .................................................................... 70 3.5. Topography of the Study Area ........................................................................ 72 3.6. Regional Geology& Tectonic Stratigraphic Sequence .................................... 74 3.7. Local Geology of the Project Area ................................................................... 75 3.8. Seismotectonic and Seismicity ........................................................................ 76 3.9. Seismic Studies of Earthquake Parameters .................................................... 79 3.10. Soil .................................................................................................................. 80 3.11. Land Use / Land Cover ................................................................................... 88 3.12. Presence of Economically Important Mineral Deposit ..................................... 63 3.13. Total Land Requirement for Construction of The Project ................................ 63 3.14. Archaeological / Religious / Historical Monuments ......................................... 63 3.15. Sensitive Areas ............................................................................................... 63 3.16. Land Slide Zones ............................................................................................ 63 Chapter 4. WATER ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................ 65 4.1. Introduction...................................................................................................... 65 4.2. Basin Characteristics of the Chenab ............................................................... 65 4.3. Hydrology ........................................................................................................ 71 4.4. Daily Discharge Data of River Chenab ............................................................ 77 4.5. Ground Water Regime .................................................................................... 79 4.6. Sedimentation ................................................................................................. 79 4.7. Water Use ....................................................................................................... 80 4.8. Water Quality................................................................................................... 83 4.9. Catastrophic Events ........................................................................................ 90 Chapter 5. AIR AND NOISE ENVIRONMENT .......................................................... 91 5.1. Introduction...................................................................................................... 91 EQMS India Pvt. Ltd. 2 Draft EIA Report for Kirthai II HEP (930MW), District Kishtwar, J & K State 5.2. Ambient Air Quality .......................................................................................... 91 5.3. Noise Environment .......................................................................................... 94 5.4. Traffic Density ................................................................................................. 97 Chapter 6. Biological Environment ............................................................................ 98 6.1. Introduction...................................................................................................... 98 6.2. Forests and Forest Types ............................................................................... 99 6.3. Fauna ............................................................................................................ 117 6.4. Aquatic Ecology............................................................................................. 122 Chapter 7. Socio economics environment .............................................................. 130 7.1. District Profile ................................................................................................ 130 7.2. Demographic Profile of Study Area Villages ................................................. 132 7.3. Economic Structure ....................................................................................... 135 7.4. Ethnographic Profile ...................................................................................... 138 7.5. Religion and Culture ...................................................................................... 139 7.6. Aesthetic Sites............................................................................................... 139 7.7. Agriculture ..................................................................................................... 140 7.8. Infrastructure Facilities .................................................................................. 141 7.9. Land Holding Pattern ..................................................................................... 141 7.10. Income Level of the Households ................................................................... 142 7.11. Development Profile ...................................................................................... 143 7.12. Socio-economic of Project Affected Villages ................................................. 143 Chapter 8. IDENTIFICATION, PREDICTION AND EVALUATION OF IMPACTS .. 146 8.1. Introduction.................................................................................................... 146 8.2. Impacts on Land Environment ....................................................................... 146 8.3. Impacts on Air & Noise Environment and Vibration ...................................... 150 8.4. Impacts on Water Environment ..................................................................... 163 8.5. Impacts on Flora............................................................................................ 165 8.6. Impacts on Fauna.......................................................................................... 166 8.7. Impacts on River Ecology .............................................................................