Initial Environmental Examination Project Number: 47229-001 November 2014 IND: Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project Submitted by Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (Roads & Bridges), Government of Uttarakhand, Dehardun This report has been submitted to ADB by the Program Implementation Unit, Uttarkhand Emergency Assistance Project (R&B), Government of Uttarakhand, Dehradun and is made publicly available in accordance with ADB’s public communications policy (2011). It does not necessarily reflect the views of ADB. Initial Environmental Examination October 2014 India: Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project Restoration/reconstruction work of district Almora under UEAP (a) Reconstruction of internal road of Nagar Panchyat Ranikhet (Package no- UEP/PWD/C17) (b) Reconstruction of internal road of Nagar Panchyat Dwaraghat (Package no- UEP/PWD/C17) (c) Reconstruction of internal roads of Nagar Panchayat Almora (Package no- UEP/PWD/C16) (d) Construction of Minor Bridge on Almora- Bageshwar Motor Road (Package no- UEAP/PWD//C2) (e) Ranikhet- Mohan Motor Road (Package no- UEAP/PWD//C2) (f) Jalikhan-Nobara Motor Road (UEAP/PWD/C48) Prepared by: - State Disaster Management Authority, Government of Uttarakhand, for the Asian Development Bank. Table of Content SL No. Description Page no. 1 Executive Summary 7 2 Chapter 1- Introduction 11 3 Project Background/Rationale 11 4 Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (UEAP) 11 5 Purpose of the Environmental Assessment 12 6 Extent of IEE 12 7 IEE Content 12 8 Methodology 13 9 Public Consultation 13 10 Chapter- 2- Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework 14 11 Chapter-3 Desription of the environment 17 12 Project location 17 13 Proposed category of the project 17 14 Key rehabilitation and reconstruction activities 17 15 Project implementation schedule 22 16 Chapter 4- Description of the Environment 28 17 Physical environment 28 18 Geography 28 19 Geology 29 20 Physiography 29 21 Pedology 29 22 Climate and meteorology 30 23 Air quality and noise quality 32 24 Hydrology 34 25 Mineral resources 35 26 Seismology 36 27 Ecology 37 28 Socio-economic profile 44 29 Social and cultural development 44 30 Landuse pattern 46 31 Health 47 32 Literacy 47 33 Cultural and Archeological resources 48 34 Economic development 48 35 Transportation and communication 48 36 Industrial Development 50 37 Agriculture 50 38 Fisheries 53 39 Energy and electric power potential 54 40 Aesthetic and tourism 54 41 Chapter- 5 Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures 55 42 Impact and mitigation measure during planning and design phase 55 43 Impacts during Construction Phase 56 44 Impacts on the Physical Environment and Mitigation Measures 56 45 Impacts on water quantity 56 46 Disfiguration of landscape by road embankments, cuts, fills, and quarries. 57 47 Loss of productive soil 57 48 Compaction and contamination of Soil 57 49 Impacts on Environmental Quality 57 50 Noise and vibration from civil works 58 51 Impacts on the Socio-Economic 59 52 Encroachment on historical and cultural areas. 59 53 Impacts on Occupational Health and Safety 59 54 Impacts on Community Health and Safety 59 55 Chapter-6 Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation 61 56 Public participation during the preparation of the IEE 61 57 Future consultation and Disclosure 67 58 Consultation during Detailed Design 67 59 Consultation during Construction 67 60 Project Disclosure 67 61 Public Disclosure 67 62 Chapter- 7 Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan and 68 GRIEVANCE AND REDRESS MECHANISM 63 Environmental Management Plan 68 64 Institutional Arrangement 68 65 UEAP, SDMA (PMU) 69 66 UEAP, IA FPIU 69 67 The Engineer (DSC) 70 68 The Contractor 70 69 Environmental Monitoring programme 99 70 Performance Indicators 99 71 Environmental Budget 102 72 Grievance and redress mechanism 108 73 Chapter -8 Conclusion and recommendation 109 Figures Sl. No Figures Page no. Figure- 3.1 Project District Map 23 Figure -3.2-3.4 &3.5 Sub Project Roads Maps 23 to 28 Figure- 3.5 Typical Cross-section 27 Figure- 4.1 Districts of Uttarakhand 31 Figure-4.2 Seismic Zone of India 39 Tables Sl.No Tables Page no. Table 2.1 Applicable Environmental National and State Requirements for UEAP 14 Table 3.1 Distribution of Road Sections to be improved by District 17 Table 3.2 Distribution of Road Sections to be restored under UEAP 18 Table 4.1 Availability of Important Minerals (million ones) 35 Table 4.2 District-wise Forest Cover, Uttarakhand 37 Table 4.3 Predominant Top-Canopy (Tree) Species According to Altitude 39 Table 4.4 Wildlife in Uttarakhand 40 Table 4.5 National Parks in Uttarakhand 40 Table 4.6 Wildlife Sanctuaries in Uttarakhand 40 Table 4.7 List of Major Flora 41 Table 4.8 List of Major Fauna 42 Table 4.9 District demographic scenario as per census-2011 44 Table 4.10 Land Utilization in Uttarakhand 46 Table 4.11 Land use pattern-Almora 47 Table 4.12 Health Indicators of Uttarakhand 47 Table 4.13 Health Infrastructure of Uttarakhand 48 TableI 4.14 Transportation of Uttarakhand state. 49 Table 4.15 Industrial development of Uttarakhand State. 50 Table 4.16 Industrial Scenario in Almora 50 Table 4.17 Area under Principal Crops and Productivity in Uttarakhand 51 Table 4.18 Ecological Sub-Regions and Altitude-wise Major Agriculture Crops 52 Table 4.19 Mode of Irrigation and Drainage System in Uttarakhand 52 Table 4.20 Agriculture Scenario in Almora 53 Table 7.1 Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan 71 Table 4.21 The Performance Indicators and monitoring plans 97 Table VII-3 Environmental monitoring for Air, Water, Noise and Soil 99 Appendixes RAPID ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (REA) CHECKLIST (A) PUBLIC CONSULTATION RECORD (B) CONSULTATION & SITE VIST EVENTS PHOTOGRAPHS (C) DISPOSAL SITE MANAGEMENT (1) ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS (2) OIL INTERCEPTORS (3) TYPICAL BITUMEN DISPOSAL PIT (4) WORKERS SAFETY IN COMMON OPERATION AND DURING CONSTRUCTIONS (5) ENHANCEMENT MEASURES (6) GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF ROAD SECTION THROUGH FOREST AREAS (7) ARRANGEMENT FOR TRAFFIC DURING CONSTRUCTION (8) GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR CONTRACTOR’S CONSTRUCTION WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN (9) ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY (10) BORROW AREAS MANAGEMENT (11) SOIL EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL (12) LOCATING QUARRIES, REHABILITATING QUARRIES AND GUIDELINES FOR STONE CRUSHERS (13) STORAGE, HANDLING, USE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE FOR HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS (14) SELECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION CAMP (15) ABBREVIATIONS ADB - Asian Development Bank ASI - Archeological Survey of India BOQ - Bill of Quantity CTE - Consent to Establish CTO - Consent to Operate DFO - Divisional Forest Officer DSC - Design and Supervision Consultancy DOT - Department of Tourism CPCB - Central Pollution Control Board EA - Executing Agency EAC - Expert Appraisal Committee EARF - Environment Assessment and Review Framework EC - Environmental Clearance EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment EMMP - Environment Management and Monitoring Plan EMP - Environment Management Plan GMVN - Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam GoI - Government of India GRM - Grievance Redressal Mechanism IA - Implementing Agency IEE - Initial Environmental Examination IST - Indian Standard Time KMVN - Kunaun Mandal Vikas Nigam LPG - Liquid Petroleum Gas MDR - Major District Road MoEF & CC - Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change NAAQS - National Ambient Air Quality Standards NDBR - Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve NDNP - Nanda Devi National Park NH - National Highway ODR - Other District Road OM - Operations Manual PIU - Project Implementation Unit PMU - Project Management Unit PMGSY Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojagna PWD - Public Works Department REA - Rapid Environmental Assessment RSPM - Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter SDMA - State Disaster Management Authority SH - State Highway SPCB - State Pollution Control Board SPM - Suspended Particulate Matter SPS - Safeguards Policy Statement SRTC - State Road Transport Corporation UCADA - Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority UEAP - Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project UEPPCB - Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board UJS - Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan VR - Village Road WEIGHTS AND MEASURES cm - centimeter Crore – 100 lakhs = 10,000,000 Lakh – 100 thousand = 100,000 Km – Kilometer Kph - Kilometer per hour Lpd – liters per day M – Meter mg/l – milligrams per liter Mm – Millimeter MSL - Mean sea level - 10-6 meter g/m3 – micrograms per cubic meter S/cm - micro Siemens per centimeter NTU - Nephalo turbidity unit Ppm – parts per million 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has Undertaken Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (UEAP), financed by the ADB. The total estimated cost of the program is about US $205 millions, out of which $96.75 million will be allotted for road and bridge sector. The Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project (UEAP) involving 5 existing road sections and construction of bridge at KM 73 on Almora Bageshwar raod in district Almora with a total length of 169.93 km out of which 49.73 km needs to be restored which constitute State Highways, Major District Roads, bridge and urban roads in district Almora. The key activities includes restoration of disaster affected roads in hilly terrain on their existing alignment. No widening or realignment is proposed. The proposed work involve, resurfacing, repair of pavement overlay, patch work, repair of protection wall/retaining wall and repair /restoration of culverts and providing all necessary road furniture and roadside safety hardware.