SFG2231 V2 INLAND WATERWAYS AUTHORITY OF INDIA Ministry of Shipping, Government of India Public Disclosure Authorized “CAPACITY AUGMENTATION OF NATIONAL WATERWAY.1” (Jal Marg Vikas Project) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORTS Public Disclosure Authorized VOLUME - 3A: DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENT (Baseline Part of Volume 3) Public Disclosure Authorized May 2016 (Revised September 2016) Public Disclosure Authorized EQMS India Pvt. Ltd. In JV with IRG Systems South Asia Pvt. Ltd. Abnaki Infrastructure Applications & Integrated Development Pvt. Ltd. Consolidated Environmental Impact Assessment Report of National Waterways-1: Volume-3A Table of Contents Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................... 12 1.1. Project Background............................................................................................................. 12 1.2. Brief Project Description ..................................................................................................... 12 1.3. Environmental Impact Assessment Process ...................................................................... 15 1.4. Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ........................................... 16 1.5. Environment Management Plan ......................................................................................... 16 1.6. Institutional Framework of IWAI.......................................................................................... 18 1.7. Reporting requirement ........................................................................................................ 19 1.8. Training and Capacity Building Programme....................................................................... 19 1.9. Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 19 Chapter 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT ................................................................. 20 2.1. General................................................................................................................................ 20 2.2. Baseline Analysis, Study Area and Salient Environmental Features ................................ 20 2.2.1. Baseline Data Collection and Study Area .......................................................................... 20 2.2.2. Environmental Setting and Salient Environmental Features of the Project Area ............. 21 2.2.3. Primary Data Collection: Monitoring Plan and Quality Assurance Procedures ................ 23 2.3. Physical Environment ......................................................................................................... 24 2.3.1. Topography......................................................................................................................... 24 2.3.2. Drainage Pattern (Ganga River) ........................................................................................ 25 2.3.3. Drainage pattern NW-1 ...................................................................................................... 26 2.3.4. Land use Pattern ................................................................................................................ 28 2.3.5. Land use pattern along NW-1 ............................................................................................ 28 2.3.6. Cropping Pattern ................................................................................................................ 31 2.3.7. Major Habitation along the NW-1 ....................................................................................... 31 2.3.8. Geology .............................................................................................................................. 31 2.3.9. Volcanic activity .................................................................................................................. 32 2.3.10. Seismicity............................................................................................................................ 32 2.3.11. Soil ...................................................................................................................................... 33 2.3.12. Meteorological Data (30 years avg.) .................................................................................. 37 2.3.13. Water Environment............................................................................................................. 44 2.3.14. Ganga River Water Quality in NW-1 Stretch ..................................................................... 51 2.3.15. River Water Quality at dredging locations ......................................................................... 60 2.3.16. River Sediment Analysis. ................................................................................................... 64 2.3.17. Air Environment .................................................................................................................. 76 2.3.18. Ambient Noise Quality ........................................................................................................ 83 2.4. Biological Environment (NW-1) .......................................................................................... 87 2.4.1. Ecological Profile - Biogeographic Zone ............................................................................ 87 2.4.2. Forest type .......................................................................................................................... 88 2.4.3. Critical Environmental Resources in Project Area (NW-1) ................................................ 90 2.4.4. Important Bird Area within 10 km area of the NW-1 .......................................................... 94 2.4.5. Terrestrial biodiversity along NW-1 stretch of River Ganga .............................................. 98 2.4.6. Aquatic Biodiversity in NW-1 .............................................................................................. 99 2.4.7. Primary Data analysis ...................................................................................................... 102 2.4.8. Breeding and Spawning ................................................................................................... 106 2.4.9. Terrestrial and Aquatic biodiversity around Finalised intervention sites of NW-1........... 109 2.5. Socio-economic Environment ........................................................................................... 113 2.5.1. Demography ..................................................................................................................... 113 2 Consolidated Environmental Impact Assessment Report of National Waterways-1: Volume-3A 2.5.2. Population Distribution in Major Cities along NW-1 ......................................................... 113 2.5.3. Scheduled Caste and Schedule Tribe Population in Major cities/Town along NW-1 ..... 115 2.5.4. Literacy Level in Major cities/towns along NW-1 ............................................................. 116 2.5.5. Workers Scenario and Livelihood Pattern of the community along NW-1 ...................... 118 2.5.6. Livelihood Pattern of the community Depending on the river.......................................... 120 2.5.7. Fishing and Livelihood Generation along NW-1 .............................................................. 120 2.5.8. Infrastructure Facilities along NW-1 ................................................................................. 122 2.5.9. Cultural Activities and Religiously Important Places along NW-1and Important Festivals............................................................................................................................ 140 2.5.10. Tourism ............................................................................................................................. 141 2.5.11. Existing Waste Management Facilities along NW-1 ........................................................ 142 2.5.12. Water Born Diseases ....................................................................................................... 143 2.5.13. Archeologically Protected structures (within 300 m of NW-1) ......................................... 144 List of Tables Table 1.1 : Traffic Forecast for Planned Navigational Infrastructural Facilities ........................... 13 Table 1.2 : Salient Features of Jal Marg Vikas Project ................................................................ 14 Table 2.1 : Salient Environmental Features along NW-1 Alignment ........................................... 21 Table 2.2 : Summary of Monitoring Plan and Methodologies Adopted for Primary Data Collection ............................................................................................................................... 23 Table 2.3 : Ganga river Basin Catchment Area ........................................................................... 25 Table 2.4 Distribution of the Drainage Area of Ganga River in India........................................... 26 Table 2.5 : Overview of Land use in the States traversed by NW-1 ............................................ 28 Table 2.6 : Land use of the Study Area ........................................................................................ 28 Table 2.7 : Soil Quality along NW-1 (near Proposed Terminal Locations) .................................. 35 Table 2.8 : Soil Quality along NW-1 (Near