Andhra Pradesh Road Sector Project The Louis Berger Group, Inc. Feasibility Study, Design and Detailed Engineering EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A.1 BACKGROUND APRDC has planned to improve the State road network by providing better quality and safer roads Public Disclosure Authorized to the users in sustainable manner with loan assistance from World Bank. Improved quality of roads, better institutional operation and management system of APRDC and safe roads are important features of the project component. In this connection RDC has selected 38 corridors (cumulative length of 2002 km) of high-density (traffic) roads through Strategic Option Study (SOS) to be developed in phased manner. A.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT The main objective would be to alleviate the current unsafe and congested conditions of the road network connecting the villages and towns by providing better quality and safe roads to the users in a sustainable and environment friendly manner. Government of India, GoI through Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) enforces Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 for environmental protection because of intervention of new projects or activities, or on expansion and modernization of existing projects or activity based on their environmental impacts. Public Disclosure Authorized A.3 SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (EA) The environmental assessment scope includes screening and scoping, environmental assessment and environmental management plans for the individual project roads as required. The EA process also envisages to develop a comprehensive environmental management frame work for the entire project which will adopted as part of the corporate environmental policy for AP Road Development Corporation. A.4 DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ROAD The project road Kakinada – Rajahmundry (KR) road, is a part of SH-78 in the Andhra region of Andhra Pradesh. The KR road starts at km 0/0 in Kakinada, in East Godavari district and runs north-west direction to Samalkota (project road has an overlap for a length of 3.3km with SH-148) and again from Samalkota runs south west direction to terminate at km61/6 in Rajahmundry (Junction with NH5 at km 60/1) near Dawleswaram barrage. Cumulative length of KR road is Public Disclosure Authorized 61.6km and serves as an important link between Kakinada Port and NH5. The project road is very close to the Samalkota canal and it appears that the PR serves like a inspection road to Samalkota canal. The project road is proposed for improvement from existing 2L to 4 L in HS-01 (km 0.0 to km 16.0) and remaining section HS-02 (km 16.0 to km 60.1) is proposed for improvement from existing 2L to 2 L+PS, with no major realignments. Sufficient land width is available in the HS -01 section for four laning, except some additional land is required for the bypass (length 3.1km) and minor realignments. Similarly for HS-02 NO additional land width is required as the proposed improvement is limited to 1.5 m paved shoulder and 1 m earthen shoulder on either side of the existing pavement. Hence the total land acquisition required for the project road upgradation is 14.25 Hectares, on an average 2.5m width all along the project road, well below 20m (Above 20 m the project requires the MoEF Clearance), hence NO MoEF clearance is required. Public Disclosure Authorized A.5 KEY ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS Table 1 presents the environmental regulations and legislations relevant to AP state road project. Table 1: Environmental Regulations and Legislations SR. Applicable Act / Rules Purpose Reason for Applicability Authority No Yes/ No As all environmental MoEF. Gol; DoE, Environment To protect and improve notifications, rules and 1 Yes State Gov. CPCB; Protection Act-1986 overall environment schedules are issued under this SPCB act. Detailed Project Report, Environmental Impact Assessment & Environmental Management Plan Page - 1 Andhra Pradesh Road Sector Project The Louis Berger Group, Inc. Feasibility Study, Design and Detailed Engineering SR. Applicable Act / Rules Purpose Reason for Applicability Authority No Yes/ No To provide environmental This notification is NOT Environmental Impact clearance to new NO applicable to Project road, as 2 Assessment Notification development activities MoEF. EIAA 4th April, 2011 following environmental this is an up-gradation of impact assessment existing state highway. Reuse large quantity of fly ash discharged from Notification for use of No thermal plant within 100km 3 thermal power plant to NO fly ash reaches. minimize land use for disposal Coastal Regulation Protection of fragile Road is not located along 4 Zone(CRZ) Notification NO coastal belt coastal belt 1991 (2002) National Environment Address Grievances Grievances if any will be dealt 5 Appellate Authority Act regarding the process of Yes NEAA with, within this act. (NEAA) 1997 environmental clearance. This act will be applicable to as Set out rule for there will be acquisition of land Revenue The Land Acquisition 6 acquisition. of land by Yes for widening, geometric Department State Act 1894 & 1989 government improvements and Government. realignments. MoEF Circular on Not applicable as per Defining “marginal land’ Marginal Land Environmental Impact 7 acquisition relating to the NO MoEF Acquisition and Bypasses Assessment Notification 1997 Notification 1999 14th Sep-2006 The Forest (Conservation) Act 1927 To check deforestation Forest The Forest by restricting conversion 8 NO NO forest area. Department, (Conservation) Act. 1980 of forested areas into GoAP forest (conversion ) Rules non- forested areas 1981 MoEF circular (1998) on linear Plantation on Protection / planting roadside, canals and roadside strip as Roadside tree plantation in railway lines modifying 9 avenue/strip plantations NO Andhra Pradesh does not come MoEF the applicability of as these are declared under the forest act. provisions of forest protected forest areas. (Conversation) Act, to linear Plantation To protect wildlife Chief Conservator This act is not applicable to as Wild Life Protection through certain of Wildlife, Wildlife 10 NO there are NO points of wildlife Act 1972 National Parks and Wing, Forest crossing along project corridor. Sanctuaries Department, GoAP To control air pollution by This act will be applicable & Transport controlling during construction; for Air (Prevention and emission of air obtaining NOC for 11 Control of Pollution) Yes SPCB Department. Pollutants as establishment of hot mix plant, Act, 1981 per the prescribed workers' camp, construction standards. camp, etc. To control water This act will be applicable during Water Prevention and pollution by controlling construction for (establishments 12 Control of Pollution) discharge of pollutants as Yes SPCB of hot mix plant, construction Act1974 per the prescribed camp, workers' camp, etc. standards This act will be applicable as The standards for noise for vehicular noise on project Noise Pollution day and night have been routes required to assess for 13 (Regulation and Yes SPCB promulgated by the MoEF future years and necessary Control Act) 1990 for various land uses. protection measure need to be considered in design. Archaeological Dept Gol, Indian Ancient Monuments This act not applicable as the Conservation of cultural Heritage Society and and Archaeological project route is not close to any 14 and historical remains NO Indian National Sites and Remains Ancient Monument, declared found in India Trust for Art and Act1958 protected under the act. Culture Heritage (INTACH). Protection form Contractor need to stock Public Liability and 15 hazardous materials and Yes hazardous material like diesel, SPCB Insurance Act 1991 accidents. Bitumen, Emulsions etc. Safe transportation, For transporting and storing Chief Controller 16 Explosive Act 1984 storage and use of Yes diesel, bitumen etc. of Explosives explosive material Detailed Project Report, Environmental Impact Assessment & Environmental Management Plan Page - 2 Andhra Pradesh Road Sector Project The Louis Berger Group, Inc. Feasibility Study, Design and Detailed Engineering SR. Applicable Act / Rules Purpose Reason for Applicability Authority No Yes/ No Minor Mineral and Regulate use of minor minerals 17 For opening new quarry. Yes District Collector concession Rules like stone, soil, river sand etc. Central Motor Vehicle This rule will be applicable to To check vehicular air Motor Vehicle 18 Act 1988 and Central Yes road users and construction and noise pollution. Department Motor Vehicle Rules1989 Machinery. To maintain ecological National Forest This policy will not be stability through Forest Policy1952 applicable as NO eco sensitive 19 preservation and NO Department, Gol National Forest feature exists along the project restoration of biological and GoAP Policy(Revised) 1988 corridor. diversity. The construction of project The mining act has been road will require aggregates. Department of 20 The Mining Act notified for safe and Yes These will be procured through mining, GoAP sound mining activity. mining from riverbeds and quarries On the basis of data and information collected during field survey and discussion with local expert and visualise potential associated impact, consultant has categorised this project as category-B, which requires a lesser level of environmental investigation. A.6 BASE LINE ENVIRONMENT Data was collected from secondary sources for the macro-environmental setting like climate, physiography (Geology and slope), biological and socio-economic environment within Project Influence Area, PIU/ Project