Initial Environmental Examination August 2021 Tajikistan: Climate and Disaster Resilient Irrigation and Drainage Modernization in the Vakhsh River Basin Project Prepared by the Agency of Land Reclamation and Irrigation for the Asian Development Bank. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS1 (as of 1 August 2021) Currency unit – Tajik Somoni Tajik Somoni 1.00 = $0.0886 $1.00 = 11.289 Tajik Somoni ABBREVIATIONS ADB Asian Development Bank AAP Asbestos Abatement Plan AIR Asbestos Investigation Report ALRI Agency of Land Reclamation and Irrigation AMP Asbestos Management Plan ACM Asbestos Containing Material CEP Committee for Environmental Protection CLO Community Liaison Officer EHS Guidelines World Bank Group’s Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines EMP Environmental management plan ESO Environmental Safeguards Officer GDP Gross domestic product GRM Grievance Redress Mechanism GOT Government of the Republic of Tajikistan HSO Health and Safety Officer IEE Initial Environmental Examination IES International Environmental Specialist (including asbestos management) ISH Sanitary Inspectorate of the Ministry of Health ISI Industrial Safety Inspectorate IWRM Integrated water resources management LARP Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plan LRID ALRI’s district Land Reclamation and Irrigation Division MEWR Ministry of Energy and Water Resources NES National Environmental Specialist NGO Non-governmental organization O&M Operation and maintenance OHS Occupational health and safety PIC Project Implementation Consultant PIG Project Implementation Group PIG-ES PIG’s environmental specialist PPE Personal protective equipment REA Rapid environmental assessment SCADA Control and Data collection system SEE State environmental expertise SPS Safeguard Policy Statement SSEMP Specific Site Environmental Management Plan WUA Water Users Association 1 Foreign Exchange (adb.org) WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Ha – hectare Km – kilometer M – meter GLOSSARY Dehkan farm - A small family enterprise that produces and sells agricultural products using the labor of family members on a land plot transferred to the head of the family as inherited property throughout life, is officially registered or not as a legal entity. Hukumat - State administrative office at the regional and district levels Jamoat - State administrative union at the village level. A small piece of land next to the house and used for agriculture / horticulture Mahala - Traditional community structure, local district council Oblast - Administrative division or region in the constituent republics of the former Soviet Union (e.g. Tajikistan). Qyshloq - Village administrative division Rayon (nohiya) - District (Russian version) Plot - Household plot of land for agricultural activities Salinization - High salinity in the soil and / or water, threatening plant growth, also called mineralization NOTES In this report, "$" refers to US dollars. 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. Your attention is directed to the “terms of use” section on ADB’s website. 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. Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................ 2 I. Policy, Legal, and Administrative Framework ....................................................................... 11 A. Legal Framework of Tajikistan ........................................................................................... 11 B. International Conventions ................................................................................................... 22 C. ADB Safeguards ..................................................................................................................... 22 D. Health and Safety Guidelines ............................................................................................. 23 II. Description of the Project ........................................................................................................... 24 A. Overview .................................................................................................................................. 24 B. Location and irrigation scheme and description .......................................................... 25 C. Structures ................................................................................................................................ 29 D. Pumping Systems ................................................................................................................. 29 E. Proposed project interventions ............................................................................................. 29 III. Analysis of Alternatives ............................................................................................................... 34 IV. Description of the Environment (Baseline Data)................................................................... 36 A. Physical resources ................................................................................................................ 36 B. Biological resources ............................................................................................................. 47 C. Socio-economic and Cultural Resources ....................................................................... 52 V. Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures.......................................... 58 A. Impacts of Design and Pre-Construction ........................................................................ 58 B. Impacts of Construction ...................................................................................................... 60 C. Impacts of Operations .......................................................................................................... 71 VI. Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation ................................................... 74 A. Stakeholder Identification ................................................................................................... 74 B. Information Disclosure ......................................................................................................... 79 C. Planned information disclosures ...................................................................................... 79 VII. Environmental Management plan ............................................................................................. 80 A. Overview of Environmental Management Plan (EMP) ................................................. 80 B. Institutional Arrangements and Responsibilities ......................................................... 80 C. Assessment of Institutional Capacity .............................................................................. 87 D. Environmental Monitoring and Reporting....................................................................... 89 E. Environmental Management Costs ..................................................................................... 116 VIII. Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) .................................................................................. 117 A. ADB Requirements .............................................................................................................. 118 B. Grievance Types, Documentation, and Eligibility Assessment .............................. 118 C. GRM Steps and Timeframe ............................................................................................... 119 IX. Conclusion and Recommendation ......................................................................................... 122 A. Conclusions .......................................................................................................................... 122 B. Recommendations .............................................................................................................. 123 Annex 1. ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT PLAN .................................................................................... 1 1. Description of the project and location ..................................................................................... 2 2. Layout and condition of Asbestos Containing Material........................................................ 5 2.1 Asbestos Investigation (May 2021) ..................................................................................... 5 2.2 Systematic Investigation of Asbestos Containing Material (required at detailed design stage) 5 2.3 Description of locations and condition ............................................................................. 6 3. Asbestos removal strategy ......................................................................................................... 10 3.1 Asbestos Containing Material not to be Removed ....................................................... 10 3.2 Asbestos Containing Material to be Removed .............................................................. 10 3.3 General Safety Measures ..................................................................................................... 10 3.4 Staffing for