Public Disclosure Authorized Consultancy Services for Undertaking Environmental Assessment for the Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Project in Assam Public Disclosure Authorized March 2013 DRAFT FINAL REPORT VOLUME I Public Disclosure Authorized Submitted To: Chief Engineer (PHE), Assam. World Bank Project, Hengrabari,Guwahati-781036 Submitted By: IPE Global Pvt. Ltd. Public Disclosure Authorized (Formerly Infrastructure Professionals Enterprise (P) Ltd.) Address: IPE Towers, B-84, Defence Colony, Bhisham Pitamah Marg, New Delhi – 110024, India Tel: +91-11-40755920, 40755923; Fax: +91-11-24339534 Consultancy Services for Undertaking Environmental Assessment for the Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Project in Assam Draft Final Report Table of Contents Abbreviations and Acronyms ...............................................................................................................9 Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................... 11 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 21 1.1 Background ....................................................................................................................... 21 1.2 Present World Bank Assisted Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project............................... 23 1.2.1 Components............................................................................................................... 23 1.3 Scope of the Project ........................................................................................................... 24 1.4 Need for Environmental Assessment and Environment Management Framework ................. 24 1.5 Objectives of Environmental Assessment ............................................................................ 25 1.6 Methodology Adopted for the Study ................................................................................... 25 1.6.1 Data Collection and Review ......................................................................................... 26 1.6.1.1 Secondary Data Collection and Analysis ................................................................... 26 1.6.2 Sample Habitations for Pilot Study............................................................................... 28 1.6.3 Preliminary Site Visits ................................................................................................. 28 1.6.4 Public Consultations and focus group discussions ......................................................... 29 1.7 Organisation of the Report ................................................................................................. 29 2 RWSS– Policy, Regulatory Framework, Missions and Programmes................................................ 31 2.1 State RWSS Vision .............................................................................................................. 31 2.1.1 RWSS at National Context ........................................................................................... 31 2.1.2 Sector Reforms Project ............................................................................................... 32 2.1.3 Swajaladhara.............................................................................................................. 32 2.1.4 Sub – Mission Project (SMP) ........................................................................................ 34 2.1.5 Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission and the National Rural Drinking Water Programme ............................................................................................................................... 35 2.1.6 Bharat Nirman............................................................................................................ 36 2.1.7 Total Sanitation Campaign .......................................................................................... 37 2.1.8 Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan ................................................................................................ 38 2.1.9 Other Sanitation Programmes ..................................................................................... 40 2.2 RWSS Coverage in State ..................................................................................................... 41 2.2.1 Drinking Water ........................................................................................................... 41 IPE Global (P) Ltd. 1 Consultancy Services for Undertaking Environmental Assessment for the Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Project in Assam Draft Final Report 2.2.2 Sanitation .................................................................................................................. 42 2.3 Regulatory and Policy Framework ....................................................................................... 42 2.3.1 National and State Environmental Policies and Regulations........................................... 42 2.3.1.1 Environmental Protection Act 1986 and EIA Notification 2006 ................................... 42 2.3.1.2 The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1974 .................................... 43 2.3.1.3 Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, its Rules and amendments..... 43 2.3.1.4 The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 ............................................................................ 44 2.3.1.5 Biological Diversity Rules, 2004................................................................................ 44 2.3.1.6 The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and Its Amendments........................................... 44 2.3.1.7 The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 ........................................................................ 45 2.3.1.8 Assam Forest Policy, 2004 ....................................................................................... 45 2.3.1.9 Assam Forest Regulation, 1891, Government of Assam ............................................. 45 2.3.1.10 The Assam Ancient Monuments and Records Act, 1959 (Assam Act No. XXV of 1959). .......................................................................................................................... 46 2.3.1.11 The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958 .............. 47 2.3.1.12 Land Policy 1989, Revenue Department, Government of Assam............................. 47 2.3.1.13 Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989 ................... 47 2.3.1.14 The Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989 ........................... 48 2.3.1.15 Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, its Rules and amendments ...... 49 2.3.1.16 Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 ....................................................................... 49 2.3.1.17 The National Environment Tribunal Act, 1995 ....................................................... 49 2.3.1.18 Insecticide Act, 1968............................................................................................ 50 2.3.1.19 Wetlands (Management and Conservation) Rules, 2010 ........................................ 50 2.3.1.20 Draft Guidelines for Integrated Water Resource Development and Management, 2010, Central Water Commission ........................................................................................... 50 2.3.2 The World Bank Safeguard Policies .............................................................................. 52 2.4 State Sector Institutions ..................................................................................................... 55 2.4.1 Environment .............................................................................................................. 55 2.4.1.1 Department of Environment and Forests.................................................................. 56 2.4.1.2 Assam Pollution Control Board ................................................................................ 56 2.4.2 Rural Water Supply and Sanitation .............................................................................. 57 2.4.2.1 Assam Public Health Engineering Department .......................................................... 57 IPE Global (P) Ltd. 2 Consultancy Services for Undertaking Environmental Assessment for the Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Project in Assam Draft Final Report 2.4.3 Other Relevant Departments....................................................................................... 59 2.4.3.1 Central Ground Water Board ................................................................................... 59 2.4.3.2 Department of Water Resources.............................................................................. 59 2.4.4 Nodal Institutions ....................................................................................................... 60 2.4.5 Implementing Departments ........................................................................................ 60 2.4.6 Converging Departments and Ministries ...................................................................... 62 2.4.7 RWSS Implementation Procedures .............................................................................. 62 2.4.8 Implementation Capacity ............................................................................................ 62 2.5 Proposed World Bank Assisted Project ...............................................................................