Environmental Compliance Monitoring Report Semi-Annual Report 2 Grant Number: GO357 NEP Project Number: 44214-024 January 2019 Nepal: Building Climate Resilience of Watersheds in Mountain Eco-Regions Prepared by the Government of Nepal for the Asian Development Bank. This Environmental Compliance Monitoring 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 this 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. NOTES (i) The Fiscal Year (FY) of the Government of Nepal and its agencies ends on 16 July. FY before a calendar year denotes the year in which the fiscal year ends, e.g. FY 2019 ends on July 2019. (ii) In this report $ refers to US dollars CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS 30 June 2017 Currency unit=Nepalese Rupee (NRs) NRs 1.00= $. 0.0097 US $1.00=NRs. 102.79 ABBREVIATIONS ADB Asian Development Bank BCRWME Building Climate Resilience of Watersheds in Mountain Eco-Regions CO Community Organizer CS Construction Supervisor DDR Due Diligence Report DFSC Department of Forest and Soil Conservation DSCWM Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management EA Environmental Assessment EARF Environmental Assessment Review Framework EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EM Environmental Monitoring EPM Environmental Protection Measure GON Government of Nepal IEE Initial Environmental Examination NDF Nordic Development Fund SPCR Strategic Program for Climate Resilience VDC Village Development Committee TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Background .................................................................................................................... 1 2. Objective ......................................................................................................................... 4 3. Environmental Safeguard in BCRWME ......................................................................... 4 4. Construction approach .................................................................................................. 5 5 Overall environmental safeguard status ......................................................................... 7 5.1 Preparation of due diligence report ............................................................................. 7 5.2 Environmental safeguard desk ................................................................................... 7 5.3 Training to FTT and CO/CS ........................................................................................ 8 5.4 Grievances redress mechanism ................................................................................. 8 7. Compliance with environmental safeguard measures .................................................. 8 7.1 Extra cut earth materials ............................................................................................. 8 7.2 Quarry site management ............................................................................................ 9 7.3 Slope stabilization and bio-engineering activity .......................................................... 9 7.4 Downstream impacts .................................................................................................. 9 7.5 Status of catchment restoration works, Batch-III and IV and post supportFFFFF 10 7.6 Status of catc ment restoration wor(s. Batc -222 and 2A and post supportFFFF... 10 7.7 Status of catc ment restoration wor(s. Batc -222 and 2A and post supportFFFFF.11 8. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 11 9. Action to be taken further .............................................................................................. 12 REFERENCES ANNEXXES: Annex-1: Environmental Assessment C ec(list for Subprojects Annex-2: 2mplementation Status of batc -2 G 3 32mpacts and Mitigation Measures4 Annex-3: Planning Status of Environmental Safeguard Annex -4: Terms of references for environmental safeguard des( Annex 5: Status of Compliance wit Environmental Covenants Annex-6: P otograp s of sample civil and implementation wor(s FIGURES: Figure - 1: Location of BCRWME Project Area in Nepal LIST OF TABLES: Table 1: Status of catchment restoration works, Batch-III Table 2: Status of catchment restoration works, Batch-IV Table 3: Status of post support implementation, catchment restoration works, Batch-I & II Table 4: Status of civil works, Batch-III Table 5: Status of civil works, Batch-IV Table 6: Status of post support implementation, civil works, Batch-I & Batch II SEMI ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING REPORT 1. Background T e Project Building Climate Resilience of Waters eds in Mountain Eco- Regions 3BCRWME4 aims at reducing t e ris(s from climate c ange for mountain communities in Nepal. T e means for doing so involves a program of integrated waters ed management only of priority water sources catc ment area wit intervention in upland areas to increase surface water storage. reduce erosion. en ance soil moisture and groundwater rec arge and stabilize slopes and gullies. T e e,pected benefits are improved water availability in dry periods for communities. for domestic and irrigation use. T e project is founded in t e Nepal Strategic Program for Climate Resilience 3SPCR4 of 2011 as well as t e Government of NepalIs 3GON4 National Adaptation Program of Action 3NAPA4 of 2010. T e NAPA contains a number of adaptation options. several of w ic call for interventions in waters ed management 3soil and water conservation4. scaling up multiple-use water systems. en anced water storage and ecosystem management. T e project aims to provide access to more reliable water resources for domestic purposes and irrigation for communities living in t e waters eds of Nepal river systems w ic are significantly vulnerable to climate c ange. T e waters eds selected lie in 6 districts in 5ar- Western Development Region: Ac am. Baitaidi. Baj ang. Bajura. Dadeld ura and Doti. Project area as been presented in Figure-1. Figure- 1: BCRWME Project Area in Nepal Page 1 BCRWME Project Dadeldhura SEMI ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING REPORT Access and reliability to water resources will be improved t roug a participatory program of integrated waters ed management wit interventions in upland areas to increase surface water storage and ground water rec arge. Communities now recognize water resources are limited. T ey ave e,pressed t eir commitment toward protecting and en ancing t eir water resources. T e project will demonstrate ways to protect water sources w ile at t e same time developing t em for efficient use. T e communities in t e project area will ave more reliable water supplies in t e dry season. Major beneficiaries will be women and disadvantaged groups. As t e first large-scale intervention by ADB in waters ed management in Nepal. t e project will demonstrate participatory waters ed management planning and build t e capacity of all levels of t e Department of 5orest and Soil Conservation 3D5SC4 for integrated waters ed management specifically focusing on water resources. 2t is intended t at lessons learned will also inform t e design of traditional rural water supply and irrigation projects. T e e,pected impact will be t at climate resilience in Nepal mountain communities is improved. T e projectIs outcome will be t at selected communities significantly vulnerable to climate c ange ave access to more reliable water resources. Appro,imately 45.000 ouse olds are e,pected to benefit from improved water availability during t e dry season to support domestic and agricultural uses. T e spring or surface water sources are e,pected to become more reliable. wit t eir water yield eit er remaining stable or increasing. To ac ieve its e,pected outcome. t e project will ave four outputs: 3i4 Participating communities ave improved t eir practical (nowledge for catc ment management and new or improved water storage infrastructureJ 3ii4 communities and government manage water and land in an integrated and inclusive manner wit in waters edsJ 3iii4 government adopts (nowledge-based approac es for integrated water and land management and improved water reliability and accessibility in t e wa(e of climate c angeJ and 3iv4 project management support is provided. T e project will support communities to manage catc ment areas for development and protection of t eir water sources 3springs and streams4.T is will include 3i4 protection of t e area surrounding t e water source and preparation and implementation of t e water source catc ment management plans. 3ii4 treatment of gully erosion and slopeClandslide stabilization t at t reatens t e water sources. water infrastructure. and beneficiary communitiesJ 3iii4 construction of water collection c ambers. spring bo,es or infiltration galleriesJ3iv4 construction of water conservation ponds and storage for irrigation and livestoc(. and 3v4 construction of drin(ing water storage tan(s and tap stands. Water Page 2 BCRWME Project Dadeldhura SEMI ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING REPORT storage will elp sustain t e use of limited water during t e dry season. t ereby reducing t e time people 3especially women4 spend collecting water. and increasing