Priority River Basins Flood Risk Management Project (RRP NEP 52195) Initial Environmental Examination Project Number: 52195-001 June 2020 Nepal: Priority River Basins Flood Risk Management Project (Lakhandei River) Prepared by Water Resources Project Preparatory Facility, Department of Water Resources and Irrigation for the Asian Development Bank. This initial environmental examination (IEE) 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 on ADB’s 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 ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank AP – Affected Person CAMC – Conservation Area Management Committee CBDRM – Community Based Disaster Risk Management CFUG – Community Forestry User’s Group CITES – Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species CO – Carbon Monoxide COVID-19 – coronavirus disease DFO – District Forest Office DWIDM – Department of Water Induced Disaster Management DWRI – Department of Water Resources and Irrigation EIA – Environmental Impact Assessment EMP – Environmental Management Plan EPA – Environmental Protection Act EPR – Environmental Protection Regulation FFEWS – Flood Forecasting and Early Warning System FGD – Focus Group Discussion FHRMP – Flood Hazard Mapping and Risk Management Project GHG – Green House Gas GRC – Grievance Redress Committee GRM – Grievance Redress Mechanism IEE – Initial Environmental Examination ILO – International Labour Organization LPG – Liquefied Petroleum Gas MEA – Multilateral Environmental Agreements MOFE – Ministry of Forest and Environment MEWRI – Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation NAPA – National Adaptation Plan of Action NAP – National Adaptation Plan NDC – Nationally Determined Contribution OHS – Occupational Health and Safety RCP – Representative Concentration Pathways REDD – Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation SEA – Strategic Environmental Assessment SEMP – site-specific environmental management plan SNC – Second National Communication SRES – Special Report on Emission Scenarios TOR – Terms of Reference TSP – Total Suspended Particulates UNFCCC – United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change UNCBD – United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity WRPPF – Water Resources Project Preparatory Facility WUA – Water User’s Association CONTENTS Executive SummAry .................................................................................................................. i I Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 A. Background and Purpose of the Report 1 B. Objective 1 C. Methodology for the Initial Environmental Examination Study 2 D. IEE Study Team 3 II Review of Policy and Legislative Framework .............................................................. 4 A. ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement, 2009 4 B. National Laws, Policies, Acts and Rules 5 C. Multilateral Environmental Agreements 10 III Description of Project Proposal ................................................................................. 12 A. Project Location and Study Area 12 B. Description of Site and Surroundings 13 C. Priority River Protection Works 13 D. Flood Forecasting and Early Warning Systems (FFEWS) and Flood Shelters 16 E. Clearance of Vegetation 22 F. Machines to be used 22 G. Energy to be used 22 H. Area of Land Required 22 I. Public Infrastructure to be affected 22 J. Source and Quantity of Construction Materials 22 K. Human Resources Required 23 IV Description of Environment (Baseline Data) ............................................................. 25 A. Physical Environment 25 B. Biological Environment 31 C. Socio-Economic Environment 34 V ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES .......... 37 A. Anticipated Beneficial Impacts 37 B. Anticipated Adverse Environmental Impacts 38 VI Analysis of Alternatives .............................................................................................. 52 A. No Project Alternative 52 B. Locational Alternatives 52 C. Technology Alternatives 52 VII Information Disclosure, Consultation and Participation .......................................... 55 A. Methodology in Information Disclosure, Consultation and Participation 55 B. Summary of Comments and Suggestions Received from Local Governments and Communities 55 C. Consultations and information disclosure during implementation 58 VIII Institutional Arrangement and Grievance Redress Mechanism ............................... 60 A. Institutional Arrangement 60 B. The Grievance Redress Mechanism 60 C. Other dispute redress mechanisms 62 IX Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan .................................................... 63 A. Environmental Monitoring Plan 63 B. Environmental and Social Management Plan 71 X Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 83 References .............................................................................................................................. 85 Annexes ................................................................................................................................... 86 Annex I: Rapid Environmental Assessment Checklist 87 Annex II: Section of Embankments, Revetments and Spurs 90 Annex III: Consultation During Field Survey 93 Annex IV: Notices and Recommendations from Local 94 Annex V: Attendance and Minute of Consultation Meeting 107 Annex VI: Quotation for Environmental Quality Monitoring 125 Annex VII: Environmental Codes of Practice 127 Annex VIII: Outline of Environmental Due Diligence Report (DDR) 133 Annex IX: Standard Construction Contract Environmental Clauses 134 Annex X: Nepal’s Drinking Water Quality Standards 138 LIST OF TABLES Table 2-1: Policy and Legislative Frameworks of Government of Nepal ...................................... 5 Table 3-1: Salient Features of the Proposal .............................................................................. 14 Table 3-2: River Training Priority Areas in Lakhandei Sub Project Area .................................... 15 Table 3-3: Estimated Quantity of Construction Materials ........................................................... 23 Table 4-1: Type of Vegetation in the Area ................................................................................. 32 Table 4-2: Commonly found Mammal Species in the Area ........................................................ 32 Table 4-3: Commonly found bird species in the Area ................................................................ 33 Table 4-4: Herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) in the Surrounding Area ............................ 33 Table 4-5: Demography of Sub Project Area ............................................................................. 34 Table 4-6: Caste or Ethnic Group of Sarlahi District .................................................................. 34 Table 5-1: Government Restrictions on the Harvest and Sale of Plant and Tree Species ......... 45 Table 7-1: Summery of Recommendations or Comments from Local Bodies ............................ 56 Table 7-2: Recommendations during Public Consultation Meetings on Lakhandehi Basin ........ 57 Table 9.1: Environment Monitoring Plan.................................................................................... 73 Table 9.2: Environmental Management Plan (EMP) .................................................................. 75 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3-1: Lakhandei Location Map ......................................................................................... 12 Figure 3-2: Priority Flood Protection Works Locations in the River Stretch ................................ 14 Figure 3-3: Existing Flood Early Warning System, DHM ........................................................... 16 Figure 3-4: Locations of existing and proposed equipment of rain gauges in Lakhandei Basin . 17 Figure 3-5: Locations of existing and proposed equipment of water level and discharge equipment (Hydrometric Stations) in Lakhandei Basin ................................................... 18 Figure 3-6: Example of Flood Shelter ........................................................................................ 19 Figure 3-7: Indicative Location of Flood Shelters in Lakhandei .................................................. 20 Figure 3-8: Locations of Construction Materials in the Area (Field Survey, Oct 2018) ............... 23 Figure 4-1: Land use in the Lakhandei Basin ............................................................................ 25 Figure 4-2: Geology and structure of hill slope catchment in Lakhandei basin........................... 27 Figure 4-3: Average Monthly Temperature and Precipitation at Lakhandei ............................... 28 Figure 4-4: Change in Daily Maximum Temperature CMIP5 ensemble projection for 2050 ....... 28 Figure 4-6: Change in Mean Monthly Precipitation, CMIP5, Ensemble Projection for 2050 ....... 29 Figure 4-7: Return period of 50 years without (left) and with structures (right) ..........................