Project : Environmental Impact Assessment Study for Ganga River Front Development at Patna EIA-Ver2.1 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... iii 1. INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 PORTFOLIO OF INVESTMENTS UNDER NGRBA .............................................................................. 2 1.2 Patna River Front Development ................................................................................................................ 2 1.2.1 Proposed Developments in Patna RFD ................................................................................................... 3 1.3 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF EIA .............................................................................................................. 3 1.4 PROPOJECT PROPONENT ..................................................................................................................... 4 1.5 TECHNICAL CONSULTANT AND ARCHITECT .................................................................................... 4 1.6 EIA CONSULTANT ..................................................................................................................................... 4 1.7 STRUCTURE OF EIA ................................................................................................................................. 4 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................................. 6 2.1 EXISTING GHAT CONDITIONS ............................................................................................................... 7 2.2 NEED FOR PATNA RFD ......................................................................................................................... 12 2.3 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS ............................................................................................................. 13 2.3.1 Development of Ghats .............................................................................................................................. 13 2.3.2 Promenades including kiosks (connecting some of the ghats together) ........................................... 14 2.3.3 Community cum cultural centres ............................................................................................................. 17 2.3.4 Landscape work at Precinct Zones: ........................................................................................................ 18 2.3.5 City level parks: ......................................................................................................................................... 19 2.3.6 Improvement of approach roads to the precincts ................................................................................. 19 2.3.7 Development of Electric Crematoria at Gulbi Ghat ............................................................................... 20 2.3.8 Development of Toilet Complex .............................................................................................................. 20 2.3.9 Development of Interceptor Drain ........................................................................................................... 20 2.3.10 Environmental Awareness ....................................................................................................................... 20 2.4 PROJECT LOCATION .............................................................................................................................. 21 2.5 ADDITIONAL BENEFIT ............................................................................................................................ 24 2.6 PROJECT COST ....................................................................................................................................... 24 3. ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK......................................... 25 3.1 POLICIES AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK OF GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (GOI) ................. 25 3.2 Environment and Social Management Framework (ESMF) of NGRBA ............................................ 30 4. DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................................... 34 4.1 PROJECT INFLUENCE AREA ................................................................................................................ 34 4.2 ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL SCREENING: ..................................................................................... 36 4.3 Project Area ................................................................................................................................................ 41 4.4 Baseline Environmental Profile ................................................................................................................ 41 4.4.1 Meteorological environment ..................................................................................................................... 41 4.4.2 Physical environment ................................................................................................................................ 43 Page | i Project : Environmental Impact Assessment Study for Ganga River Front Development at Patna EIA-Ver2.1 4.4.3 ECOLOGY AND BIODIVERSITY ............................................................................................................ 56 4.4.4 CULTURAL RESOURCES ...................................................................................................................... 75 4.4.5 SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS ................................................................................................................. 80 4.5 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 81 5. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................................................. 82 5.1 With or Without Project Alternatives ....................................................................................................... 83 5.2 Good design aspects ................................................................................................................................ 86 5.3 Technology Benefits.................................................................................................................................. 91 6. PUBLIC CONSULTATION & STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION .............................................................. 92 6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 92 6.2 Methods of Public Consultation ............................................................................................................... 92 6.3 Focus Group Discussion with local communities .................................................................................. 93 6.4 Public Consultation with Stakeholders ................................................................................................. 105 7. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL IMPACT AND MITIGATION MEASURES ...................... 109 7.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 109 7.2 ENVIRONMENTAL and SOCIAL FACTORS: ..................................................................................... 109 7.2.1 Environmental Factors: ........................................................................................................................... 109 7.2.2 Social Factors: ......................................................................................................................................... 109 7.3 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND MITIGATION MEASURES-CONSTRUCTION STAGE ......... 109 7.3.1 Quarries and Crushers ........................................................................................................................... 109 7.3.2 Cultural and Heritage Resources: ......................................................................................................... 110 7.3.3 Loss of Structures.................................................................................................................................... 112 7.3.4 Generation of Dust: ................................................................................................................................. 113 7.3.5 Noise and Vibration: ................................................................................................................................ 113 7.3.6 Sanitation and Waste Generation: ........................................................................................................ 114 7.3.7 Impact on Utilities: ................................................................................................................................... 115 7.3.8 Integration of Drainage with Patna RFD: ............................................................................................. 115 7.3.9 Loss of vegetation and tree cutting: .....................................................................................................