EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.0 Mizoram State Road Project II (MSTP II) The Government of India has requested World Bank for financing rehabilitation, widening Public Disclosure Authorized and strengthening of State Highways and District Roads in the State of Mizoram, and enhances connectivity. In line with this request, Mizoram State Roads Project II (MSRP II) is proposed. The proposed roads under MSRP II are shown in Map-1. The MSRP II is to be implemented in two groups. The proposed group –I and group –II project corridors are shown in figure 1 and table 1. Group –I of the project is under project preparation. Project Preparatory Consultants1 (PPC) is assisting MPWD in project preparation. The MSR II has been categorised as category ‘A’ project. Table 1.1 – Proposed Project Roads under MSRP II Group -1 District(s) Length i. Champhai – Zokhawthar Champhai 27.5 km, (E-W road to Myanmar Public Disclosure Authorized border) ii Chhumkhum-Chawngte Lunglei 41.53 km, (part of original N-S road alignment) Group – 2 i. Lunglei - Tlabung - Lunglei 87.9 km, (E-W road to Bangladesh Kawrpuichhuah border) ii. Junction NH44A (Origination) – Mamit&Lunglei 83 km Chungtlang – Darlung – Buarpui iii. Buarpui – Thenlum – Zawlpui Lunglei 95 km iv Chawngte including bridge to Lawngtlai 76 km Public Disclosure Authorized BungtlangSouth up to Multimodal Road junction v. Zawlpui – Phairuangkai Lunglei 30 km 1.1 Champhai – Zokhawthar road The Mizoram Public Works Department has decided to upgrade the existing 28.5 km Champhai – Zokhawthar road from single road state highway standard to 2-Lane National Highway Standard. This road passes through a number of villages like Zotlang, Mualkwai, Melbuk Zokhawthar and part of Champhai town etc. This road is important lifeline for the people in the Eastern part of Mizoram and connecting to Myanmar . The road Public Disclosure Authorized alignment passes through frequently cultivated Jhum land, plantation forest, habitation etc. Executive Summary C-Z Road ……………………………………………………..i 1.2 Requirement, basis and objective of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) As per World Bank Policy, for category “A” projects a detailed EA report need to be prepared along with an Environment Management Plan. Government of India (GOI), Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) EIA Notification on Environmental Clearances (September 14, 2006) –also indicate the requirement of a detailed EIA and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for Environment Clearance for Category A and B projects1. The EIA report has been prepared in order to meet the requirements of the World Bank Policies as well as the EIA notification GOI, MoEF. Public Works Department (PWD) of the Government of Mizoram is the proponent of the C-Z Road. STUP Consultants Pvt. Ltd is assigned as a consultant by PWD to carry out the EIA. 2.0 Proposed alignment, width and gradient A lower standard road, typically about 5 m wide, (categorized by PWD as State Highway ) already exist, which will be improved to two-lane national highway standard (roadway width of 12 m). The project will maintain a ruling gradient of less than 5.0% with the maximum gradient being 7.2% at few selected stretch. The proposed improvements include expansion, widening, provision of cross-drainage facilities, curves and gradient improvements. In most locations centre line of the improved road is likely to remain within the existing Right of Way (RoW) except in few sections in which re- alignment is necessary. The designed length of the improved road is 26 Km. New construction/ re-alignments have been proposed in the following three locations: Re-alignment of the existing initial stretch of the Champhai– Zokhawthar road between km 0/00 – 3/00 by shifting the existing take-off point at km 150/00 to a proposed new take-off point at km 146/00 (i.e. located at out skirt of Champhai town) on Seling – Champhai road It is diversion of Mualkawi village from Km 7+640 to Km 9+200 1Category A project is cleared by the Expert Appraisal Committee or EAC constituted by MOEF and Category B by State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) constituted by MOEF at State level. Executive Summary C-Z Road ……………………………………………………..ii Realignment of existing road from Km 17+050 to Km 24+300 to bypass the habitant and heavily built-up areas of the villages Melbuk & Zokhawthar (Refer map -2). G Junction NH44A (Origination) – R Chungtlang – Darlung – Buarpui O U P G - R 2 Buarpui – Thenlum – Zawlpui O R U O P A - Zawlpui – D Phairuangkai 1 S R Champhai – Zokhawthar O A Lunglei - Tlabung - Kawrpuichhuah D S Chhumkhum-Chawngte Chawngte including bridge to Bungtlang South up to Multimodal Road junction Map-1: Map showing the proposed road under MSRP II Executive Summary C-Z Road ……………………………………………………..iii Map 2: Map showing the alignment of Champhai –Zokhawthar road and realignments Executive Summary C-Z Road ……………………………………………………..iv Widening and other improvement works requires cutting of slopes and excavations. Length of cut slope varies randomly from 3.0 m to 15.0 m. It will generate about 1.02 million M3 of spoil; out of which 0.3 million M3 will be disposed in to designated disposal sites and remaining will be used for construction of the road. Additional land requirement will be 48 ha out of which 0.28 ha is plantation forest area. The total Project cost for civil construction works and other allied charges is Rs. 183.40 Crores 3.0 Environmental Legislation and Policies The following national and state laws are applicable in this project. Table -2 Summary of Environmental Legislation Applicable to the Proposed Project Environment (Protection) Act. 1986 Notification on Environment Impact Assessment of Development projects (and amendments) 2006 ,2009,2010,2013 Wildlife Protection Act 1972 Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act (and subsequent amendments)1974 Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act (and subsequent amendments)1981 Forest (Conservation) Act,1980 Central Motor Vehicle Act 1988and Central Motor Vehicle Rules1989 Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958 The Land Acquisition Act 1894 & 1989 Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) rules 2000/2001 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance1971 Assam Forest Regulation of 1891. The Mizoram (Forest) Act, 1955 (as passed by Mizo District Council). The Pawi Autonomous District Council (Forests) Act, 1979. The Lakher Autonomous District Council (Forests) Act, 1981. The Chakma Autonomous District Council (Forests) Act, 1992. Mizoram Wildlife (Protection) Rules, 1990. Mizoram Minor Minerals Concession Rules 2000 Executive Summary C-Z Road ……………………………………………………..v Construction stage Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989 and Manufacturing, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989 Environment Protection Act, 1986 and Manufacturing, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989 Environment Protection Act, 1986 Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 Environment Protection Act, 1986 Environment Protection Act, 1986 Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989 Labour related Laws - Workmen's Compensation Act 1923 Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 Minimum Wages Act, 1948 Payment of Wages Act, 1936 Equal Remuneration Act, 1979 Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 Inter-State Migrant Workmen’s (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 and the Cess Act of 1996 The Factories Act, 1948 Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996 World Bank Policies: Following World Bank’s environmental safeguard policies are applicable in the proposed Chhumkhum -Chawngte Road upgrading works: Environmental Assessment (OP 4.01), Natural Habitats (OP 4.04), Forestry (OP 4.36), Physical Cultural Resources (OP 4.11), and World Bank Group Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Guidelines. Applicable social safeguard policies are discussed in R&IPDP. 4.0 Methodology Broad influence area of the proposed upgrading of C- Z Road is defined as 5(five) kilometers on both side of the road and a tentative width of about 300 m along the road has been considered as Core Influence Zone (CIZ). Actual CIZ may vary from issue to issue and site to site. Executive Summary C-Z Road ……………………………………………………..vi Methodology adopted are review of literature and secondary data collected from various sources, collection of information/ data from fields, consultation with stakeholders, and analysis and assessment. Based on this, measures were developed to avoid, minimize and mitigate the adverse impacts as well as enhancement measures. The Environment Management Plan (EMP) contains the mitigation and enhancement measures along with cost. 5.0 Baseline environmental scenario Physical Setting. Project influence area has a typical tropical climate. The summers are generally warm and wet, but winters are cool and dry. Three seasons are winter (November- February), summer (March – May) and rainy season (June-October). The area has a pleaset climate. The temperature ranging from 8°C to 28°. The average annual rainfall of 2013 was 2590 mm (most of it occurs during rainy season). The height of the road at various locations varies from 1350 m near take off point to 700.00 m River Tiau above mean sea level (MSL) .Within the 5 KM area of the proposed project corridor, Champhai is the highest point (altitude is 1665m) located at chainage 0.00 KM along the existing alignment. The geology of road influence area of 5 km represents Barail Group of rocks which comprises a monotonous sequence of shale inter bedded with siltstone and hard compact, thinly bedded, grey to khaki, fine grained sandstone. Locally, a few hard, dark grey compact, medium to fine grained quartzwacke bands are present. About 32% slope within the core influence area (300m) of the proposed alignment is found to be stable while the remaining may consider as unstable.