Environmental Assessment Report Final Initial Environmental Examination Project Number: 41626 August 2010 IND: Bihar Power System Improvement Project The Final 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. Government of Bihar Bihar State Electricity Board BIHAR POWER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FINAL REPORT INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION DISTRIBUTION COMPONENT AUGUST 2010 ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GOVERNMENT OF BIHAR COPYRIGHT: The concepts and information contained in this document are the property of government of Bihar & Asian Development Bank. Use or copying of this document in whole or in part without the written permission of either Government of Bihar or Asian Development Bank constitutes an infringement of copyright. Bihar Power System Improvement Project FINAL REPORT INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION BIHAR POWER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT DISTRIBUTION COMPONENT Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY vi A. Assessment of Legal Framework and Policy vi B. Anticipated Environmental Impacts vii C. Environmental Assessment for the Project x D. Environment Management Plan xi E. Institutional Arrangements and Responsibilities xiv F. Monitoring and Reporting xiv G. Public Consultation and Information Disclosure xv H. Grievance Redress Mechanism xv 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Overview 1 1.2 Project Goal and Objective 2 1.3 Purpose of IEE Study 2 1.4 Scope of the IEE 2 1.5 Report Structure 2 2 POLICY AND REGULATIONS 4 2.1 Environment Policy 4 2.1.1 The National Environment Policy, 2006 4 2.1.2 ADB’s Safeguard Policy, 2009 4 2.2 Environmental Regulations in India 5 2.3 Laws Applicable to the Sub-project 6 2.3.1 The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 6 2.3.2 The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 7 2.3.3 The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 7 2.3.4 The Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 1994 7 2.3.5 The Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989 8 2.3.6 The Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 8 2.3.7 The Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001 8 2.3.8 The Indian Forest Act, 1927 9 2.3.9 The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 10 2.3.10 The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 10 2.3.11 The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 10 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE SUB-PROJECT 12 3.1 Present Status 12 3.2 Need for the Sub-project 12 3.3 Proposed Sub-project Activities 13 3.3.1 Bhojpur Electrical Supply Circle 13 3.3.2 Samstipur Electrical Supply Circle 14 Initital Environmental Examination - Distribution Component_Bihar Power System Improvement Project i Bihar Power System Improvement Project 3.3.3 Motihari Electrical Supply Circle 15 3.3.4 Nalanda Electrical Supply Circle 16 3.4 Implementation Schedule 17 3.5 Sub-projects Location 17 4 DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENT 19 4.1 Physical Resources 19 4.1.1 Climate 19 4.1.2 Temperature 19 4.1.3 Humidity 20 4.1.4 Wind 20 4.1.5 Land Use 20 4.1.6 Geomorphology 20 4.1.7 Hydrology and Drainage 21 4.2 Water Quality 21 4.3 Air Quality 22 4.4 Ambient Noise levels 22 4.5 Topography and Soil 23 4.6 Ecological Resources 23 4.6.1 Biodiversity 23 4.6.2 Fisheries Resources 24 4.6.3 Forests 24 4.7 Socio-Economic Development 25 4.7.1 Habitation in the Area 25 4.7.2 Industry 25 4.7.3 Transportation and Communication 25 4.8 Historic and Archaeological Sites 26 4.9 Tourism 26 5 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS 27 5.1 Location Impacts 27 5.1.1 Loss of Property and Impact on Habitation 27 5.1.2 Encroachment into Cultural/Religious Structures 28 5.1.3 Encroachment into Precious Ecological Areas 29 5.1.4 Loss of Amenity (Aesthetics, Property Value) & Livelihood to Neighbours. 29 5.1.5 Cutting of Trees and Damage to Vegetation 29 5.1.6 Impact on Existing Drainage System 30 5.1.7 Interference with Other Utilities and Traffic 30 5.2 Design Impacts 30 5.2.1 Escape of Polluting Materials 30 5.2.2 Impact on Sensitive Area, Cultural/Religious Structures 31 5.2.3 Noise/Vibration Nuisances 31 5.2.4 Equipment Submerged under Flood 31 5.3 Construction Impacts 31 5.3.1 Impact due to Transport of Labour and Materials 31 5.3.2 Silt Run Off from Construction Activities 31 5.3.3 Nuisance from Vehicles, Plants and Equipment 32 5.3.4 Impact from Work in Flood Prone Areas 32 5.3.5 Impact on Water Environment 32 5.3.6 Impact on Air Quality 32 5.3.7 Public and Worker Safety 33 5.3.8 Interference with Utilities and Traffic and Blockage of Access 33 5.3.9 Disturbed Farming Activity 33 5.3.10 Borrowing of Earth 34 Initital Environmental Examination - Distribution Component_Bihar Power System Improvement Project ii Bihar Power System Improvement Project 5.3.11 Impact on Flora and Fauna 34 5.3.12 Impact Due to the Disposal of Solid Waste 34 5.4 Operation and Maintenance Impact 34 5.4.1 Electric Shock Hazards 34 5.4.2 Operations and Maintenance Staff Skills less than Acceptable 35 5.4.3 Oil Spillage 35 5.4.4 Staff/Workers Health and Safety during Operations 35 5.4.5 Management of Solid Waste Generated 35 6 ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN 36 7 PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE 45 8 GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISAM 47 9 IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS & MONITORING PLAN 48 9.1 Institutional Arrangements 48 9.2 Environmental Monitoring Plan 48 9.3 Budget Estimate for EMP Implementation 50 10 CONCLUSION 51 Initital Environmental Examination - Distribution Component_Bihar Power System Improvement Project iii Bihar Power System Improvement Project List of Figures and Tables Table 1.1: Power Generation in Bihar 1 Table 3.1: Sub-project Activities at Bhojpur Circle 13 Table 3.2: Sub-project Activities at Samstipur Circle 14 Table 3.3: Sub-project Activities at Motihari Circle 15 Table 3.4: Sub-project Activities at Nalanda Circle 16 Fig 3.1: Map Showing the Location of Sub-project Towns 18 Table 4.1: Land Use Pattern of Bihar 20 Table 4.2: Surface Water Quality in Bihar 21 Table 4.3: Ambient Air Quality at Gandhi Maidan, Patna 22 Table 4.4: Typical Ambient Noise Level in Bihar 23 Table 6.1: Environment Management Plan 37 Table 7.1: Summary of Consultations 46 Table 7.2: Proposed Plan for Public Consultation 46 Table 9.1: Environmental Monitoring Plan 49 Table 9.2: Budget Estimate for EMP Implementation 50 List of Abbreviations and Acronyms ADB Asian Development Bank APDRP Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Program AT & C Aggregate Technical & Commercial BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand BPSIP Bihar Power System Improvement Project BSEB Bihar State Electricity Board BSHPC Bihar State Hydro Power Corporation BSPCB Bihar State Pollution Control Board CFC Chlorofluorocarbon Cm Centimetre CTA Component Technical Assistance DBA Decibel (weighted A) DG Diesel Generator DMC Developing Member Country DO Dissolved Oxygen DPR Detailed Project Report EA Execution Agency EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMP Environment Management Plan ESMP Environment and Social Management Unit GIS Geographical Information System GoB Government of Bihar GoI Government of India GHG Green House Gas Ha Hactre HT High Tension IA Implementing Agency IEE Initial Environmental Examination Initital Environmental Examination - Distribution Component_Bihar Power System Improvement Project iv Bihar Power System Improvement Project km Kilo metre LILO Looping in and looping out LT Low tension m Metre MoEF Ministry of Environment and Forest MW Mega Watt NOx Oxides of Nitrogen O & M Operation and Maintenance PGCIL Power Grid Corporation of India Limited PM Project Management PMU Project Management Unit PTCC Power Telecom Coordination Committee ROW Right-of-Way RP Resettlement Plan RSPM Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter SPCB State Pollution Control Board SPM Suspended Particulate Matter SO2 Sulphur Dioxide STP Sewage Treatment Plant TA Technical Assistance TC Total Coliform Initital Environmental Examination - Distribution Component_Bihar Power System Improvement Project v Bihar Power System Improvement Project EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The objectives of the proposed Bihar Power System Improvement Project (BPSIP) are improvement of electricity supply in the State of Bihar through the relief network capacity constraints and the reduction of technical and commercial losses through augmentation and modernisation of the transmission and distribution networks of the State. The proposed scope of works under distribution component includes: (i) establishment of new 33 kV sub- stations; (ii) the renovation and modernization of 33 kV sub-stations, (iii) erection of new and upgrading and reconductoring of existing high voltage and low voltage distribution lines, and (iv) augmentation of distribution transformer capacity in seven towns in four distribution circles of Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB). A. Assessment of Legal Framework and Policy National Environmental Policy 2006 of Government of India (GoI) and Safeguard Policy 2009 of Asian Development Bank (ADB) and procedures and guidelines thereto apply to all components/sub-projects funded by ADB. The sub-projects included under distribution component of BPSIP should comply with the requirements of the following Acts, Rules, Notifications and Standards of Government of India (GoI) and policies. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 as amended; The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 as amended; The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; The Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 1994 as amended; The Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989 as amended; The Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000; The Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001 as amended; The Indian Forest Act, 1927 as amended; The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 as amended; The Biological Diversity Act, 2002; and The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 as amended.