Environmental Assessment Report Initial Environmental Examination for Barpeta–Kalitakuchi (AS37c) Project Number: 37143 September 2006 India: North Eastern State Roads Project Prepared by [Author(s)] [Firm] [City, Country] Prepared by Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region for the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Prepared for [Executing Agency] [Implementing Agency] The initial environmental examination 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 The views expressed herein are those of the consultant and do not necessarily represent those of ADB’s in nature. members, Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. ABBREVIATIONS ADB - Asian Development Bank CPCB - Central Pollution Control Board CRRI - Central Road Research Institute DoE - Department of Environment EA - Executing Agency EFRC - Environment Friendly Road Construction EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment EMMP - Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan GDP - Gross Domestic Product GoI - Government of India IEE - Initial Environmental Examination IRC - Indian Road Congress MDONER - Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region MDRs - Major District Roads MoEF - Ministry of Environment and Forests MoRT&H - Ministry of Road Transport and Highways MSL - Mean Sea Level MW - Mega Watt NEC - North Eastern Council NER - North Eastern Region NGO - Non Government Organization NH - National Highway NOx - Oxides of Nitrogen NSDP - Net State Domestic Product PIU - Project Implementation Unit PWD - Public Works Department ROW - Right of Way SPM - Suspended Particulate Matter SO2 - Sulphur Dioxide SSI - Small Scale Industries SPCB - State Pollution Control Board TA - Technical Assistance TOR - Terms of Reference WHO - World Health Organisation i CONTENTS Page MAPS 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 General 1 1.2 Purpose 2 1.3 Scope 2 1.4 Executing Agency 2 1.5 Study Methodology 2 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 3 2.1 Project Type 3 2.2 Category of Project 4 2.3 Need for Project 5 2.4 Location of Project 6 2.5 Proposed Schedule of Implementation 6 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 9 3.1 Physical Environment 9 3.2 Ecological Environment 11 3.3 Socio-Economic Environment 12 3.4 Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework 20 3.5 National Environmental Quality Standards 24 4 SCREENING OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL 27 IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 4.1 Introduction 27 4.2 Identification and Assessment of Impacts 27 4.3 Negative Impacts Related to Project Location, Preliminary Planning 28 and Design 4.4 Construction: Permits and Environmental Impacts to be taken into 30 Particular Account During Construction 4.5 Environmental Effects Related to Operation 44 4.6 Potential Environmental Enhancement /Protection Measures 45 5 INSTITUTIONAL ASSESSMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL 50 MONITORING PROGRAMME 5.1 Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan 50 ii 5.2 Institutional Assessment 58 5.3 Training 59 5.4 Environmental Monitoring Cost 60 6 PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE 62 6.1 Objectives of Consultations 62 6.2 Methodology for Consultations 62 6.3 Public Disclosure 66 7 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 67 8 CONCLUSIONS 71 ATTACHMENTS iii 1. INTRODUCTION General 1. Assam, the gateway of north eastern region is the biggest state in the region. It is located in the eastern part of the country, in the foothills of Himalayas having a geographical area of about 78000 sq km. The state is bound on the north by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh and shares its boundary with other North-Eastern states of Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. The population of the state stood at 26.6 million in 2001 of which about 87 percent is rural. The density of population in Assam is more than twice the average density for the NE region and is also slightly higher than the national average. Assam consists of discrete plains encompassed within hills, with a number of agro-climatic zones. It is characterized by heavy precipitation, rich bio-diversity, fragile hills and high seismicity. Currently, the area under forest cover is 22 percent – much below the 33.3 percent minimum threshold prescribed by the National Forest Policy. 2. Compared to other states of the NE region, the state is well served by all modes of transport viz railways, inland water transport, air and roads. The state is connected with the rest of the country by West Bengal in the north through a small strip about 30 km wide called the Chicken‟s Neck. It also serves as a gateway to other states of the NE region. Railways account for a length of about 2400 km. The state has six airports (Guwahati, Tezpur, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur and Silchar). As regards IWT, the Brahmaputra and the Barak are the two most important navigable rivers. Several tributaries of these rivers are also navigable by country boats. The Brahmaputra is already declared as National Waterway No.2. Two public sector organisations viz State Directorate of IWT and Central Inland Water Transport Corporation are operating transport services between Guwahati and Kolkata for movement of goods by barges. Roads and road transport is, however, the main mode of transport in the state. Today the road network stands at 41300 km including 31300 km of earth or gravel roads. 3. The Public Works Department is the principal agency in the state responsible for development and maintenance of roads. Settlements are scattered and many rural communities are still far from the nearest road. In these areas, goods are brought in, or taken out, either by animal or back loading. Guwahati is the major commercial hub for the state as well as for the north eastern region. 4. The proposed “North Eastern State Roads Project” is a joint initiative of the Government of India and ADB. Funding for the technical assistance (TA) is provided jointly by GOI, through the Executing Agency (EA), namely the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDONER), and ADB. For this purpose a Technical Assistance Agreement was signed on 20 December 2004 between GOI and ADB. The project is intended to assist the states of the north eastern region of India to study the feasibility of developing the respective road networks and improving national and sub-regional connectivity with the objective of enhancing mobility and trade. The project will also assist the states to develop the capacity of road sector institutions to increase productivity of the road assets. 5. The primary focus of the assistance will be on, but not be limited to: (i) prioritization of national highways, state highways, and major district roads to be improved; (ii) determination of the feasibility of an investment project for improvement of priority state roads and bridges; and (iii) preparation of an institutional strengthening action plan comprising immediate action to support implementation of the proposed project. IEE: Section AS 37C 1 As part of the “Road Sector Investment Component” feasibility studies are being undertaken for AS 37C: Jania to Kalitakuchi road section measuring 72.8 km length. 6. The main objectives of the road sector investment component are to improve the regional, as well as inter and intra state transport flows, and in doing so improving access to services, and making the NER attractive to developers and investors. 7. The IEE study for AS 37C: Jania to Kalitakuchi section was started in the month of July 2006 and continued till September 2006. The report has been prepared by national environmental expert in coordination with project team. Purpose 8. The purpose of this Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) is to document a screening of the environmental consequences of this road section. This IEE is structured in accordance with the requirements of the ADB. Scope 9. The Initial Environmental Examination of the proposed project road section has been undertaken to identify and to minimise the adverse environmental impacts, if any, associated with construction and operation. Environmental issues considered in this IEE are mainly macro-level and can have adverse or beneficial impacts. Initial Environmental Examination of the roads has four basic objectives, as stated below, to: determine the magnitude of potential environmental concerns and to ensure that environmental considerations are given adequate weight when carrying out the proposed road constructions/improvements; identify the environmental issues that should be taken into account when new links are constructed and/or existing links improved - such to include both adverse and beneficial impacts; identify any further needed environmental studies or Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA); and identify potentially required enhancement/mitigation measures, if any. Executing Agency 10. The executing agency for this project is Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India and project will be implemented by the State Public Works Department in co-ordination with North Eastern Council. The work of the feasibility study has been assigned to “Technoconsult International Limited, Bangladesh in association with other consultancies DLA, DPM, DCPL and VisionRI. Initial Environmental Examination study has been carried out by national consultant. Study Methodology 11. The Initial Environmental Examination has been carried out using current ADB and Government of India guidelines, specifically: “Environmental Assessment Guidelines (ADB 2003)”; “Environmental Guidelines for Selected Infrastructure Projects (ADB