Initial Environmental Examination September 2011 IND: Bihar State Highways II Project Bihta- Sarmera Subproject (SH-78) Prepared by Bihar State Road Development Corporation Ltd. for the Asian Development Bank. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of 26 September 2011) Currency unit – Indian rupee(Rs) Rs1.00 = $0.0202296060 $1.00 = Rs49.432500 ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank BSRDCL – Bihar State Road Development Corporation Ltd. BSPCB – Bihar State Pollution Control Board CGM – Chief General Manager CPCB – Central Pollution Control Board CRRI – Central Road Research Institute DoE – Department of Environment DFO – District Forest Officer DGM – Deputy General Manager DPR – Detailed Project Report EA – Executing Agency EFRC – Environment Friendly Road Construction EIA – Environmental Impact Assessment EMP – Environment Management Plan EMoP – Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan EO – Environmental Officer GDP – Gross Domestic Product GoB – Government of Bihar GoI – Government of India GRC – Grievance Redressal Mechanism IEE – Initial Environmental Examination IMD – Indian Meteorological Department INR – Indian Rupees IRC – Indian Road Congress MDR Major District Road MoEF Ministry of Environment and Forests MoSRTH Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways MSL Mean Sea Level NGO Nongovernment Organization NH National Highway NOx Oxides of Nitrogen NSDP Net State Domestic Product PIU Project Implementation Unit PPE Personal Protective Equipment PWD Public Works Department R and R Resettlement and Rehabilitation RCD Road Construction Department ROB Road over Bridge Rs Indian Rupees ROW Right of way RCD Road Construction Department RSPM Respirable Suspended Particulate RP Resettlement Plan SC Supervision Consultant SH State Highway SO2 Sulphur Dioxide SPM Suspended Particulate Matter SPS ADB Safeguard Policy Statement SOI Survey of India SPCB State Pollution Control Board TA Technical Assistance TOR Terms of Reference UNDP United Nations Development Program WEIGHTS AND MEASURES km – kilometer m – meter m3 – cubic meter NOTE In this report, "$" 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. 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 ................................................................................................................ I 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 1.1. Project Background ............................................................................................... 1 1.2. Extent of IEE ......................................................................................................... 1 1.3. IEE Content ........................................................................................................... 1 1.4. Methodology .......................................................................................................... 2 1.4.1. Information/ data Sources .................................................................................. 2 1.4.2. Public Consultation ............................................................................................ 3 1.5. Organizational Setting of Implementing Agency ..................................................... 3 2. Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework ............................................................ 5 2.1. Country‟s Legal Framework and Regulatory Requirements for the Project. ........... 5 2.2. Environmental Clearance Process ......................................................................... 6 2.3. Administrative Structure and the Interactive Framework ........................................ 8 3. Description of the Project............................................................................................ 9 3.1. Project Location ..................................................................................................... 9 3.2. Characteristics of the Existing road ........................................................................ 9 3.3. Category of the Project ........................................................................................ 10 3.4. Need for the Subproject ....................................................................................... 10 3.5. Existing and Projected Traffic .............................................................................. 11 3.6. Key Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Activities ................................................. 12 3.7. Project Implementation Schedule and Cost ......................................................... 15 4. Description of the Environment ................................................................................ 16 4.1. Physical Environment .......................................................................................... 16 4.1.1. Meteorology and Climate ................................................................................. 16 4.1.2. Natural Hazards ............................................................................................... 16 4.1.3. Air and Noise Quality ....................................................................................... 17 4.1.4. Landforms/Physiography and Topography ....................................................... 18 4.1.5. Geology ........................................................................................................... 25 4.1.6. Soil .................................................................................................................. 25 4.1.7. Land use .......................................................................................................... 26 4.1.8. Groundwater .................................................................................................... 27 4.1.9. Surface water .................................................................................................. 28 4.2. Ecological Resources .......................................................................................... 32 4.2.1. Terrestrial Ecology ........................................................................................... 32 4.2.2. Aquatic Ecology ............................................................................................... 33 4.3. Economic Development ....................................................................................... 34 4.3.1. Industries ......................................................................................................... 34 4.3.2. Infrastructure Facilities ..................................................................................... 34 4.4. Social and Cultural Resources ............................................................................. 35 4.4.1. Population and Communities ........................................................................... 35 4.4.2. Health Facilities ............................................................................................... 36 4.4.3. Literacy ............................................................................................................ 36 4.4.4. Occupational Status and Migration .................................................................. 37 4.4.5. Current use of lands and resources for traditional purposes by Indigenous Peoples ........................................................................................................... 37 4.4.6. Structures or sites of historical, archaeological, paleontological, or architectural significance ...................................................................................................... 37 5. Anticipated Environmental Impacts and its Mitigation Measures .......................... 39 5.1. Impact on Physical Environment .......................................................................... 39 5.1.1. Climate ............................................................................................................ 39 5.1.2. Natural Hazard ................................................................................................ 39 5.1.3. Air Quality ........................................................................................................ 40 5.1.4. Noise ............................................................................................................... 41 5.1.5. Impact on Land and Soil .................................................................................. 43 5.1.6. Groundwater .................................................................................................... 46 5.1.7. Impact on Surface Water Bodies ..................................................................... 47 5.1.8. Siltation and Surface Water Quality of Rivers and Other Water Bodies ............ 47 5.1.9. Hydrology and Drainage .................................................................................. 48 5.2. Impact on Biological Environment ........................................................................ 49 5.2.1. Terrestrial Ecology ..........................................................................................