Initial Environmental Examination Project number: 35173-013 July 2015 NEP: Third Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project – Fikkal, Ilam District Prepared by the Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project, Ministry of Water Supply and Sanitation, Government of Nepal for the Asian Development Bank and is made publicly available in accordance with ADB’s public communications policy (2011). This initial environmental examination 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 on ADB’s 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. Government of Nepal Ministry of Water Supply and Sanitation Department of Water Supply and Sewerage Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project (STWSSSP) Project Management Office (PMO) Panipokhari, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal Enhance Functionality in Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project (STWSSSP) UPDATED INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION REPORT (IEE) for Fikkal Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project, Ilam District Kathmandu, July 2015 Submitted by: Joint Venture in Between ITECO Nepal (P) Ltd. SILT Consultants (P) Ltd. Unique Engineering P. O. Box 2147 P.O. Box 2724 Consultancy (P) Ltd. Min Bhawan, Kathmandu, Nepal Ratopul, Gaushala, Kathmandu, Nepal P. O. Box 3522, Jwagal-10, Lalitpur, Nepal Tel: ++977-1- 46 21 764 (Hunting Line), Tel: ++977-1-44 87 598, 44 75139 Tel: ++977-1-55 49 332, 55 29 896 Fax : ++ 977-1- 46 22 298 Fax: ++977-1-44 73 573 Fax: ++977-1-55 49 332 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.iteconepal.com Website: www.silt.com.np Website:www.unecnepal.com.np UPDATED IEE OF SMALL TOWN WATER SUPPLY REHABILITATION SUB-PROJECT FIKKAL, ILAM Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................ VII 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background .......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Objectives of IEE .................................................................................................................................. 1 1.3 Rational of IEE Requirement ................................................................................................................ 1 1.4 Methodology Used in Preparing IEE ..................................................................................................... 1 2. POLICY, LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK ................................................................................. 2 2.1 ADB Policy ............................................................................................................................................ 2 2.2 ADB Safeguards policy ......................................................................................................................... 2 2.3 Nepal’s Environmental Policy and Legal Framework ............................................................................ 4 3. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES .................................................................................................................. 10 3.1 Alternatives considered in the approved IEE report 2006 ................................................................... 10 3.1.1 No Project Alternative ........................................................................................................................... 10 3.1.2 With project Alternative ......................................................................................................................... 10 3.1.3 Alternative Sources of Water ................................................................................................................ 10 3.2 Alternatives for the Updated IEE......................................................................................................... 11 4. DESCRIPTION OF SUBPROJECT .............................................................................................................. 12 4.1 Existing Condition and Need for the Subproject ................................................................................. 14 4.1.1 General Information .............................................................................................................................. 14 4.1.2 Technical Information ........................................................................................................................... 14 4.1.3 Socio- Economic Information ................................................................................................................ 15 4.1.4 Financial Information ............................................................................................................................ 15 4.2 Sub Project Construction schedule ..................................................................................................... 15 5. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................................... 17 5.1 PHYSICAL PROFILE .......................................................................................................................... 17 5.1.1 Topography .......................................................................................................................................... 17 5.1.2 Geology and Soils ................................................................................................................................ 17 5.1.3 Surface and Groundwater..................................................................................................................... 17 5.1.4 Water Quality Analysis.......................................................................................................................... 17 5.1.5 Climate ................................................................................................................................................. 17 5.2 Ecological Profile ................................................................................................................................ 17 5.2.1 Flora ..................................................................................................................................................... 17 5.2.2 Fauna ................................................................................................................................................... 18 5.2.3 Protected Areas .................................................................................................................................... 18 5.3 Socio economic condition ................................................................................................................... 18 5.3.1 Population, Communities and Occupation ............................................................................................ 18 5.3.2 Health and Sanitation ........................................................................................................................... 18 5.3.3 Economic Characteristics ..................................................................................................................... 19 5.3.4 Infrastructure Facilities.......................................................................................................................... 19 5.3.5 Land Use Planning ............................................................................................................................... 19 5.3.6 Quality of Life Values ............................................................................................................................ 19 5.4 Resettlement, Relocation and Compensation Issue ........................................................................... 19 6. DESCRIPTION OF IMPACT ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................... 20 ITECO-SILT-UNEC JV II | PAGE UPDATED IEE OF SMALL TOWN WATER SUPPLY REHABILITATION SUB-PROJECT FIKKAL, ILAM 6.1 Physical Environment ......................................................................................................................... 20 6.1.1 Impact on land use pattern ................................................................................................................... 20 6.1.2 Landslide, erosion and soil instability ................................................................................................... 20 6.1.3 Impact on water/land quality ................................................................................................................. 20 6.1.4 Impacts of sediments and Disinfecting Chemicals................................................................................ 20 6.1.5 Water Volume/Quality ..........................................................................................................................