Initial Environmental Examination Report _____________________________________ Project Number: 48078-004 July 2020 Multitranche Financing Facility II (MFF II)-PAK: Second Power Transmission Enhancement Investment Program (Tranche-2) IEE for Construction of Construction of 220 kV Mirpur Khas Sub-station with associated Transmission Lines Prepared by National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) for the Asian Development Bank. This document is made publicly available in accordance with ADB’s Access to Information Policy and as agreed between ADB and the borrower. NOTES (i) The fiscal year (FY) of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and its agencies ends on 30 June. (ii) In this report “$” refer to US dollars. This 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. 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. Asian Development Bank Updated July 2020 Initial Environmental Examination Islamic Republic of Pakistan: Proposed Multitranche Financing Facility II (MFF II) Second Power Transmission Enhancement Investment Program (Tranche 2) Prepared by National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited for the Asian Development Bank. This is an updated version of the draft originally posted in July 2017 available on https://www.adb.org/projects/documents/pak-48078-004-iee IEE of 220kV Mirpur Khas Substation and Associated Transmission Line Initial Environmental Examination Sub-Project 1: Construction of 220 kV Mirpur Khas Sub-station with associated Transmission Lines Updated July 2020 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 judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area IEE of 220kV Mirpur Khas Substation and Associated Transmission Line Executive Summary 1. This document is the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) for the proposed Sub-project under Tranche 2 (referred to as “the Project” collectively in this study) which consists of the following sub-components: • Component 1: 2x220/132kV 250MVA transformers with allied equipment at Mirpur Khas S/S • Component 2: Extension of two-line bays at 220 kV Hala Road S/S • Component 3: In/Out of D/C T/L Hala Road - Jamshoro at Mirpur Khas (70 km) • Component 4: D/C T/L Tando Muhammad Khan - Hala Road (23 km) 2. Under Tranche 2 of the Program, NTDC is planning to construct a 220 kV / 132 kV Substation in Mirpur Khas and a 70 km long 220 kV transmission line (TL) to connect at 220 kV Hala Road Substation. The Hala Road Substation will also be connected through a new 23 km long 220 kV TL with the TL leading to Tando Muhammad Khan Substation. 3. The component 1 and 2 are located in Mirpur Khas and Hyderabad districts. The proposed TL route for component 3 and component 4, passes through four districts namely Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Tando Allah Yar, and Mirpur Khas. 4. The location of the Project in Sindh Province is shown in Figure I. 5. According to ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS) 2009, a Rapid Environmental Assessments (REA) checklist was prepared for the sub-project. Based on the initial findings of the checklist, the sub-project falls under Category ‘B’ of Asian Development Bank Policies and Guidelines which requires IEE. 6. The projects were assigned this category because of the limited number of specific environmental and social impacts, which can be avoided or mitigated by adhering to the generally recognized best practices. 7. However, in local regulations, the transmission lines (11 kV and above) and distribution projects are included in Schedule II which requires an EIA under the Sindh Environmental Protection Act, 2014, the Review of Initial Environmental Examination and Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations (IEE-EIA Regulations 2014). 8. An EIA will be prepared separately for submission to Sindh Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for seeking environmental approval or no objection certificate (NOC). Description of Environment 9. Summary of existing environmental condition of the Project area is presented below. The detailed baselines are described in Section 4. Executive Summary ii IEE of 220kV Mirpur Khas Substation and Associated Transmission Line Physical Environment 10. Project AoI consists of agricultural land (85%) followed by settlements (8%). The rest of the land is comprised of open areas, roads and water bodies. 11. The topography in the project area, passing through the districts of Hyderabad, Tendo Allahyar and Mirpur Khas is flat. Orchards of bananas, date palm, guava, and mangoes were observed with the project areas being highly fertile land with intensive cropping 12. The proposed TL area is mostly covered with seasonal crops and also some scattered forest trees. Naturally grown shrubs are also present on the land. The major trees in the area are Kikar, Eucalyptus, Neem, palm trees, guava trees, and Conocarpus are found in abundance in the surroundings of the project area. 13. The soils formed here are sandy, silt loam/fine sand and calcareous/fine textured respectively. The soils are calcareous alluvial loam fine to medium textured homogenized and well-drained. 14. According to this classification in Pakistan Building Code (PBC), the Project is located in Zone 2A and Zone 2B or between 0.08 and 2.4 m/s2. The project area falling in Mirpur Khas and Tando Allah Yar Districts is in Zone 2A. 15. The climatic pattern in the area based on the 30-year climatic data of Hyderabad Weather Station is, hottest month is June in which the maximum average monthly temperature exceeds 40 oC. The winters are mild with the temperature dropping to 20 oC in January. 16. The major surface water feature in the area is the Indus River. The Indus drains an area of about 950,000 km2, which generates a mean annual discharge of 6,682 m3/s. The hydrograph of the river is strongly seasonal with a long low water season between October and March and a high-water season between April and September – driven primarily by snowmelt in the upper catchment and monsoon rainfall. 17. Groundwater in the project area is generally fresh and potable near canals and distributaries but at some locations, it is reported as brackish. Settlements in the project area use the groundwater for drinking and irrigation purposes through tube wells and hand pumps. 18. Primary data collected for air quality (Section 4.2.7) shows that measured values were within the SEQS limits and it can be said that the ambient air is clean and have no air pollution. 19. Primary data measured for sound levels (Section 4.2.8) values at various locations within the Project area were found within the SEQS for both, daytime and nighttime. Executive Summary iii IEE of 220kV Mirpur Khas Substation and Associated Transmission Line Fauna and Flora 20. The transmission line is passing mostly from agricultural fields with approximately 85% of land in the Area of Influence. The remaining land consists of settlements (8%) followed by roads and open areas and water bodies (7%). 21. Mammals found in the project area are mainly jackal (Canis aureus) and rabbit (Lepus nigricollis). Porcupine (Hystrix indica) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) are common in the plains of Sindh. Domestic animals include cows, buffaloes, sheep, goats, cats, and camels. Another important domestic animal of the area is the donkey, which is used for cart pulling 22. Reptiles include snakes and small-sized lizards, which are a common sight in the area. Squirrel (Funambulus layardi) and Mouse (Mus musculus) are the basic rodents found in the project area, 23. The maximum bird diversity was observed in agricultural fields. The most abundant bird species seen in the area included the Rock Pigeon Columba livia and the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo followed by the Little Egret Egretta garzetta and House Crow Corvus splendens. 24. No wetlands which are notified by the GOP lie within the project area of the Project alignment in any Angle Marking of the project. Thus, there will be no impact on any wetland biodiversity. 25. The proposed project route will not pass through or cross any protected areas i.e. Game Reserves, National Parks, and Wildlife Sanctuaries, etc. The proposed sub-project, therefore, will not cause any impact on the flora and fauna of the Reserved Forest. Socioeconomic Environment 26. According to the census of 2017, the total population of Hyderabad is 2,199,463, Tando Allah Yar is 836,887 and Mirpur Khas is 1,505,876. 27. The cast groups are Mammon, Halipota, Somoro, Solingi, Thaker, Syed and Panher in the project area. Sindhi as a mother tongue is spoken in the project area. However, Urdu and Punjabi are also spoken 28. The literacy rate in the Project area is 30 percent. However, in the perspective of education distribution, 27 percent of the respondents are educated till the primary level (five years of schooling), 15 percent till middle school (8 years of schoolings), 13 percent of the respondents are matriculated.