Government of Nepal National Reconstruction Authority Central Level Project Implementation Unit District Level Project Implementation Unit (Grant Management and Local Infrastructure) Kathmandu Environmental and Social Management Plan of Landslide Protection Work Shankharapur Municipality-04 FY: 075/76 1. Introduction A magnitude 7.6 earthquake of shallow depth struck central Nepal with an epicenter approximately 77km north-west of Kathmandu on April 25, 2015 causing widespread destruction. Following a second strong earthquake on May 12 (7.3 magnitude), and a sequence of aftershocks, the Government of Nepal (GoN) reported the death toll of 8,700 while those injured reached 25,000. A Post- Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA), completed in June 2015, reported total damages and losses of about US$7 billion, with reconstruction needs of about US$6.7 billion. As the earthquake sequence destroyed 490,000 houses mostly traditional mud brick and mud stone built and occupied by the rural poor and rendered another 265,000 houses at least temporarily uninhabitable, the largest single need identified in the Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) was housing and human settlements, accounting for US$ 3.27 billion of needs. The Government of Nepal (GON) has requested support from several development partners and stakeholders, including the World Bank (WB), to address the immediate and term of the damage inflicted by the earthquake in Nepal. In response to this, World Bank approved a US$200 million loan to finance the Earthquake Reconstruction Project (EHRP) which was approved on 18 June 2015 to support 55,000 households of three severely affected districts namely: Dolakha, Dhading and Nuwakot. The project will support in restoring affected houses with multi hazard resistant core housing units in target areas and to enhance government’s ability to improve long-term disaster resilience. Initially, the EHRP is to be completed by July 2020. Considering the further need to support GoN, International Development Association (The World Bank) has agreed to support additional US$300 million loan to finance EHRP. The recent additional loan support will cover remaining11 severely affected districts including Gorkha covering 96,000 households from additional financing and 3,200 households from Multi Donor Fund. Environment and Social Management Framework serves as a practical tool to ensure that environment and social aspects are duly considered in the planning and implementation process of earthquake housing reconstruction project. Accordingly, revised ESMF, have guided to address the environmental and social issues of the projects by site-specific environmental and social management plan after selection of the sub-projects prioritized during the orientation and consultation program in the respective local government. Consequently, the issue of the landslide 2 protection measures at Lapsiphedi-4, Dhungana tole was considered to address the social and environmental issues of Shankharapur Municipality of Kathmandu district. 2. Objectives of ESMP The objective of the Environmental and Social Management Plan is to address the site-specific environmental and social issues of earthquake housing reconstruction projects. 3. Site Description The sub-project site is located inward No. 04, Lapsiphedi of Shankharapur Municipality. The municipality covers an area of 60.29 km2 which is at a distance of about 17 km away from Kathmandu. The municipality was formed in December 2014 by merging the former Village Development Committees Bajrayogini, Indrayeni, Lapsiphedi, Pukhulachhi and Suntol. After implementation of federalism, the municipality has now been divided into 9 wards as shown in Figure 1. The municipality is surrounded by Sindhupalchowk, Kavre and Bhaktapur district in the east, Kageshwori-Manahara Municipality in the west, Sindhupalchowk & Nuwakot district in the north and Bhaktapur Figure 1: Map of Shankharapur Municipality district in the south. According to 2011 Nepal census, Shankharapur municipality has a total population of 28,875 and total households 4,802. The municipality is mainly dominated by Newars, Brahmin, Chhetris, Tamang and Magar and is mostly Hindu and Buddhist by religion. In ward No. 04, Lapsiphedi of the Shankharapur municipality, the total earthquake beneficiary households is 581 with total beneficiary population 2828; of which 126 are female headed households. Of total 581 housing reconstruction beneficiaries, 531, 113 and 81 have already received 1st Tranche, 2nd Tranche and 3rd Tranche respectively as of 2019/05/06 EHRP-MIS data. 3 4. Environmental and Social Issues The site verification of the selected sub-project of Shankharapur Municipality was carried out on 25-26/09/2075along with District Engineer and Environment and Social development specialist and was accompanied by the NRA Geo-technical survey team on 21/12/2075. As of the site verification by DL-PIU KTM and NRA Geo-technical survey team (21/12/2075) at Lapsiphedi, the settlement lies in Category II of the disaster-prone area. The total of 40 people in 10 households, all earthquake beneficiaries and already received all 3 tranches, are at risk due to the landslide. The reconstructed houses are in slightly slope area. Seepage is reported on the body of the landslide which may have played a role of catalyst for the failure exposing the houses to risk specially during rainy season. 5. Environment and Social Management Plan (ESMP) To address the issue raised during the orientation and consultation program held on 2075/06/25at Shankharapur Municipality, the municipality chief has selected Landslide Protection Measures of Lapsiphedi-4, Dhungana Tole as potential sub-project. The plan includes Gabion Toe wall, Drainage works, and Bioengineering works. The schemes would benefit total 10 households of Dhungana Tole, Lapsiphedi-4, Shankharapur. Location Issues/ Likely Potential Suggested Mitigation Time Responsibility Significance Impact Measures of action Lapsiphedi- Seepage on the body Threaten the Gabion wall, Surface May Ward Office, 4 of landslide causedby newly & subsurface drainage 2019 M/DLPIU- unmanaged drainage constructed management, GMaLI and increased houses (all bioengineering surcharge beneficiaries) measures 6. ESMP Cost The detail cost estimate is provided in Annex IV. 4 7. Conclusion According to Geo-technical survey team of NRA, the Dhungana Tole settlement belongs to category II. Hence to support the reconstruction beneficiaries of Dhungana tole, Lapsiphedi settlement, the mitigation measures such as construction of Gabion wall in the risk area (downhill) of newly constructed houses, Surface and subsurface drainage management & bioengineering works will be able to ensure safety of the people as well as the newly constructed houses of earthquake affected beneficiaries. 5 Annex-I Site Map (Google) Figure 2: Topograghy of the Dhungana Tole settlement 6 Annex II Meeting Minute/Letter 7 8 Annex-III Photographs Figure 3: Consultation Meeting Figure 4: Landslide at Dhungana Tole, Lapsiphedi 9 Annex-IV Cost Estimate/Description 10 11 .