Second Power Transmission Enhancement Investment Program (RRP PAK 48078-002) Initial Environmental Examination May 2016 PAK: Proposed Multitranche Financing Facility Second Power Transmission Enhancement Investment Program Prepared by National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited for the Asian Development Bank. Power Transmission Enhancement Investment Programme II TA 8818 (PAK) Initial Environmental Examination 220 kV Double Circuit Transmission Line from 500 kV Faisalabad West Substation to 220 kV Lalian New Substation May 2016 Prepared by National Transmission & Despatch Company Limited (NTDC) for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) The 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 the ADB 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 judgements as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. 2 | P a g e Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1 1.1. General ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.2. Project Details ................................................................................................................. 1 1.3. Scope of the IEE Study and Personnel ......................................................................... 2 1.4. Project Benefits .............................................................................................................. 3 1.5. Social Benefits ................................................................................................................ 4 2. POLICY LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK ........................................... 7 2.1. Statutory Framework ...................................................................................................... 7 2.1.1 Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 ........................................................ 7 2.1.2 Punjab Environmental Protection (Amendment) Act, 2012 .................................... 7 2.1.3 Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency Review of IEE and EIA Regulations, 2000 ....................................................................................................................... 8 2.1.4 National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) ............................................... 9 2.1.5 Other Relevant Laws.............................................................................................. 9 2.1.6 ADB Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS) 2009 ..................................................... 10 2.2 Structure of Report ....................................................................................................... 10 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ............................................................................ 12 3.1 General .......................................................................................................................... 12 3.2 220 KV D/C T.Line Faisalabad west to Lalian Grid Station ....................................... 12 3.3 Scope of Work ............................................................................................................... 12 3.4 Sub-Project Alignment ................................................................................................. 12 3.5 Width of RoW ................................................................................................................ 13 3.6 Categorization of the Project ....................................................................................... 13 3.7 Need for the Project ...................................................................................................... 13 3.8 Design Aspects ............................................................................................................. 14 3.8.1 Design Standards for Grid Station & Transmission Line ...................................... 14 3.8.2 Climatic Consideration ......................................................................................... 14 3.8.3 Civil Works and Other Facilities ........................................................................... 14 3.8.4 Equipment & Machinery ....................................................................................... 17 3.8.5 Tower Structures for Transmission Line .............................................................. 17 3.8.6 Safety Parameters ............................................................................................... 17 3.9 Tower Erection and scale of the project ..................................................................... 19 3.10 Analysis of Alternatives ............................................................................................... 19 3.10.1 Do Nothing Scenario ............................................................................................ 19 3.10.2 Alternative Construction Methods ........................................................................ 19 3.10.3 Alternative Geometry ........................................................................................... 20 3.11 Proposed Schedule for Implementation ..................................................................... 20 4 DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL BASELINE CONDITIONS .... 21 4.1 Physical Environment .................................................................................................. 22 4.1.1 Topography, Geography, Geology, and Soils ...................................................... 22 4.1.2 Seismology .......................................................................................................... 22 4.1.3 Climate, Temperature and Rainfall ...................................................................... 22 4.1.4 Groundwater Resources ...................................................................................... 24 4.1.5 Surface Water Resources .................................................................................... 24 4.1.6 Ambient Air Quality .............................................................................................. 24 4.1.7 Noise .................................................................................................................... 24 4.2 Biological Environment ................................................................................................ 24 4.2.1 Flora ..................................................................................................................... 24 4.2.1 Fauna ................................................................................................................... 24 4.2.2 Protected Areas/ National Sanctuaries ................................................................ 25 4.2.3 Wetlands and Aquatic Biology ............................................................................. 25 4.2.4 Game Reserves & Wildlife Sanctuaries ............................................................... 25 4.3 Socioeconomic Environment ...................................................................................... 25 4.3.1 Political and Administrative Setup ........................................................................ 25 4.3.2 Demographic Analysis ......................................................................................... 26 4.3.3 Literacy Level and Educational Institutions .......................................................... 27 4.3.4 Employment ......................................................................................................... 27 4.3.5 Income Sources and Expenditure ........................................................................ 27 4.3.6 Economic Infrastructure ....................................................................................... 28 4.3.7 Social Infrastructure ............................................................................................. 28 4.3.8 Religious, Archaeological and Historical Sites ..................................................... 29 4.3.9 Gender Impacts ................................................................................................... 29 4.3.10 Village Profiles ..................................................................................................... 29 5 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 31 5.1 Subproject Location ..................................................................................................... 31 5.1.1 Impact Assessment and Mitigation ...................................................................... 31 5.2 General Approach to Mitigation .................................................................................. 31 5.2.1 Cultural Heritage, Mosques, Religious Sites, and Social Infrastructure ............... 32 5.3 Impacts During Pre-Construction Stage ..................................................................... 33 5.3.1 Impact due to Land Acquisition ............................................................................ 33 5.3.2 Encroachment, Landscape and Physical