Initial Environmental Examination July 2016 NEP: SASEC Roads Improvement Project Prepared by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Department of Roads, Government of Nepal for the Asian Development Bank. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of 05 July 2016) Currency unit - Nepalese rupee (NR) NR1.00 - $0.0092898815 $1.00 – NR107.644000 ABBREVIATIONS AADT Average Annual Daily Traffic ADB Asian Development Bank ADT Average Daily Traffic AP Affected People BOD Biological Oxygen Demand BLT Bhairahawa - Lumbini - Taulihawa CBOs Community Based Organizations CBS Central Bureau of Statistics CFUG Community Forest User Group CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CO Carbon monoxide CO2 Carbon dioxide COI Corridor of Impact CSC Construction Supervision Consultant DBST Double Bituminous Surface Treatment DDC District Development Committee DG Diesel Generating DHM Department of Hydrology and Meteorology DHO District Health Office DHs District Hospitals DNPWC Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation DoF Department of Forest DoR Department of Roads DC Design Consultant EA Executing Agency EAG Environmental Assessment Guidelines EFP Environmental Focal Person ERPP Emergency Response Preparedness Plan EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMG Environmental Management Guidelines EMP Environmental Management Plan EPR Environment Protection Rules ES Environmental Specialist FS Feasibility Study GBIA Gautam Buddha International Airport GESU Geo-Environment and Social Unit GHG Green House Gas GRM Grievance Redress Mechanism IA Implementing Agency IEE Initial Environmental Examination IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency LAC Local Area Committee LPG Liquefied Petroleum Gas MCT Main Central Trust MoPE Ministry of Population and Environment MoPIT Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport MRM Mahendra Raj Marg NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standard NEP Nepal NGO Non-governmental Organization NOx Nitrogen oxide PD Project Directorate PIU Project Implementation Unit PPE Personal Protective Equipment PIP Priority Investment Plan PM Particulate Matters RCC Reinforced Cement Concrete REA Rapid Environmental Assessment RoW Right of Way SASEC South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation SC Supervision Consultant SDC Social Development Consultant SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment SEMP Site specific Environmental Management Plan SO2 Sulphur dioxide SRIP SASEC Road Improvement Project SRN Strategic Road Network TA Technical Assistance TMO Transport Management Office TPPF Transport Project Preparation Facility TSS Total Suspended Solids VDC Village Development Committee ZOI Zone of Influence WEIGHTS AND MEASURES °C - degree Celcius cm - centimeter dBA - decibels A km - kilometer KWH - Kilowatt-hour m - meter msl - mean sea level ppb - parts per billion pph - persons per hectare ppm - parts per million GLOSSARY Bikram Sambat (B. S.) – Nepalese calendar year that runs from mid-April to mid-April. Unless otherwise stated, year ranges written in the form 2015/016 denote a single calendar year. NOTES (i) The fiscal year (FY) of the Government ends on 15 July. FY before a calendar year denotes the year in which the fiscal year ends, e.g., FY2012 ends on 15 July 2012. (ii) In this report, "$" refers to US dollars. This initial environmental examination report 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 of this 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. CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................... I I. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1 A. Project Background / Rationale ........................................................................... 1 B. Purpose of the IEE Study .................................................................................... 2 C. Extent of IEE Study ............................................................................................. 2 D. IEE Report Content ............................................................................................. 2 E. Methods Adopted to Prepare the IEE Study Report ............................................ 2 F. Sources of Information and Data ......................................................................... 3 G. Public Consultation ............................................................................................. 3 H. Consultation with UNESCO ................................................................................. 4 II. POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK ........................................... 5 C. International Conventions and Treaties ............................................................. 10 D. Permissions and Clearances Required for the Project ....................................... 10 III. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ........................................................................... 13 A. The Project ........................................................................................................ 13 B. Project Location ................................................................................................ 13 a. Materials Required and Sourcing ...................................................................... 24 b. Project Implementation Schedule and Cost ....................................................... 24 IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT ................................................................. 25 B. Ecological Resources ........................................................................................ 33 C. Economic Development .................................................................................... 36 V. IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND MITIGATION MEASURES ......................................... 44 A. Impacts on Physical Environment ...................................................................... 44 B. Ecological Resources ........................................................................................ 54 C. Socio Economic Impacts ................................................................................... 56 D. Cumulative and Induced Impacts ...................................................................... 62 VI. CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS AND RISKS AND ADAPTATION NEEDS CONSIDERATION ..................................................................................................... 64 A. Greenhouse Gas Emission Estimation .............................................................. 64 B. Climate Adaptation Measures ........................................................................... 69 VII. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS ......................................................................... 71 A. Institutional Setting ............................................................................................ 71 VIII. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN ............................................................... 74 A. Formulation of the Environmental Management and Monitoring Plans .............. 74 B. Social Analysis Study ........................................................................................ 74 C. Resettlement Study ........................................................................................... 74 D. Environmental Monitoring Program (EMoP) ...................................................... 74 E. Reporting .......................................................................................................... 75 IX. GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM ..................................................................... 76 X. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ............................................................... 78 APPENDICES Appendix A: Rapid Environmental Assessment Checklist ........................................................ 79 Appendix B: consultation with UNESCO (June 2, 2016) ........................................................... 84 Appendix C: Authorization from Lumbini Development Trust and Department of Archeology ... 85 Appendix D: Environmental Management Plan ....................................................................... 89 Appendix E: Environmental Monitoring Plan .......................................................................... 100 Appendix F: National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Nepal............................... 104 Appendix G: Noise Quality Standard ...................................................................................... 105 Appendix H: Drinking Water and Irrigation Water Quality Standards ...................................... 107 Appendix I: Borrow Pits and Quarry Sites Management Guidelines ....................................... 110 Appendix J: Photographs ....................................................................................................... 113 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Primary and Secondary Sources of Information and Data ...........................................