Ministry of Works and Human Settlements Royal Government of Bhutan Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Thimphu Structure Plan June 2018 Acronyms and Abbreviations ADB Asian Development Bank APIC Agency for Promotion of Indigenous Craft BBR Bhutan Building Rules BLSS Bhutan Living Standard Survey BoD Bhutan Oil Distribution BOC Bhutan Olympic Committee BRT Bus Rapid Transit CBS City Bus Service CCM Council of Cabinet Ministers Chhu River or Stream CoP Conference of Parties CPLC Cash Payment in Lieu of Land Compensation CSO Civil Society Organisations DCR Development Control Regulation DDM Department of Disaster Management DITT Department of Information Technology and Telecom DNP Department of National Properties EA Environment Assessment Act 2000 E.coli Escherichia coli EV Electric Vehicle FYP Five-Year Plan GCF Global Climate Fund GEF Global Environment Facility GNHC Gross National Happiness Commission GHG Green House Gas IFC International Finance Corporation IT Park Information Technology Park PEI Poverty Environment Initiative PPP Policy, Plans and Programmes Kgpcd Kilogram Per Capita Per Day LAP Local Area Plan LGA Local Government Act Lpcd Litre Per Capita Per Day MoF Ministry of Finance MoHCA Ministry of Works and Human Settlement MoWHS Ministry of Works and Human Settlement MoEA Ministry of Economic Affairs MLCP Multi-Level Car Park MSW Municipal Solid Waste MSWM Municipal Solid Waste Management MLD Million-Litre Per Day MRG Mainstreaming Reference Group MT Metric Tonnes NECS National Environment Commission Secretariat NES National Environment Strategy NKRA National Key Result Areas NLCS National Land Commission Secretariat NN Neighbourhood Node NRW Non-Revenue Water PES Payment for Ecosystem Services RGoB Royal Government of Bhutan RBG Royal Body Guard RSTA Road Safety and transport Authority PAVA Property Assessment and Valuation Agency RBA Royal Bhutan Army RBP Royal Bhutan Police SAR Search and Rescue SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment SDGs Sustainable Development Goals SoP Standard Operating Procedures STP Sewerage Treatment Plant Sq.m Square Meter TSP Thimphu Structure Plan Thromde Tshogde City Council Thimphu Thromde Referred to as Thimphu Municipal Thromde Thuemis City Councillors Thim Throm Thimphu Throm also referred to as Thimphu City UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNFCC United Nations Framework on Climate Change UV Urban Village WB World Bank WTP Water Treatment Plant Table of Content ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .......................................................................................................................................................... 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................................................... 7 1 INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT ............................................................................................................................. 10 1.1 BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................................................................................... 10 1.2 RATIONALE AND PURPOSE OF THE SEA FOR THE TSP .................................................................................................. 12 1.3 GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS ............................................................................................................................................................. 13 1.4 SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL OUTLOOK OF THIMPHU THROM .............................................................. 13 1.5 SUMMARY OF THIMPHU STRUCTURE PLAN 2002-2027 ............................................................................................. 14 1.6 RELEVANCE OF NATIONAL PPPS AND INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS TO TSP ........................................................ 20 2 APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................................... 21 2.1 SCENARIO APPROACH .......................................................................................................................................................... 21 2.2 TEMPORAL FRAMEWORK .................................................................................................................................................... 22 2.3 PROCESS METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................................................... 23 3 MAPPING AND PRIORITISATION OF THEMATIC ISSUES .................................................................................... 26 3.1 PROJECTION OF ISSUES ........................................................................................................................................................ 26 3.2 RELEVANCE OF TSP GOALS TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL GOALS .................................................................... 27 3.3 PRIORITISATION OF FOCUS AREAS ..................................................................................................................................... 28 4 ANALYSIS OF THEMATIC ISSUES ............................................................................................................................ 31 4.1 LAND USE ............................................................................................................................................................................... 31 4.1.1 Current baseline .......................................................................................................................................................... 32 4.1.2 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................................... 37 4.2 NEIGHBOURHOOD NODES ................................................................................................................................................... 39 4.2.1 Current Baseline ......................................................................................................................................................... 39 4.2.2 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................................... 39 4.3 SLOPE ANALYSIS................................................................................................................................................................... 41 4.3.1 Current baseline .......................................................................................................................................................... 41 4.3.2 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................................... 43 4.4 INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................................................................... 45 4.4.1 Water .............................................................................................................................................................................. 45 4.4.1.1 Current baseline ....................................................................................................................................................................... 45 4.4.1.2 Scenario 1: Population of 160,000 .................................................................................................................................... 47 4.4.1.3 Recommendation..................................................................................................................................................................... 48 4.4.1.4 Scenario 2: Population of 200,000 .................................................................................................................................... 50 4.4.1.5 Recommendation..................................................................................................................................................................... 51 4.4.2 Sewerage........................................................................................................................................................................ 52 1.1.1.1 Current baseline ....................................................................................................................................................................... 52 4.4.2.1 Scenario 1: Population of 160,000 .................................................................................................................................... 53 4.4.2.2 Recommendations ................................................................................................................................................................... 54 4.4.2.3 Scenario 2: Population of 200,000 .................................................................................................................................... 54 4.4.2.4 Recommendation..................................................................................................................................................................... 55 4.4.3 Storm water drainage 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