Rehabilitation and Upgrading road section from Public Disclosure Authorized Kanthale (157 km) to Trincomalee (200 km) of Ambepussa – Kurunegala – Trincomalee (A006) Highway Environmental Assessment Report Public Disclosure Authorized Submitted to World Bank June 2010 Public Disclosure Authorized Prepared By Environmental and Social Division Road Development Authority Ministry of Highways and Road Development Public Disclosure Authorized Government of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Contents LIST OF FIGURES & MAPS ................................................................................................................... ii LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................. ii LIST OF ANNEXES .............................................................................................................................. ii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................................. iv Chapter 1: Introduction and Background............................................................................................ 1 Chapter 2: Description of the Project .................................................................................................. 8 Chapter 3: Description of the Existing Environment .......................................................................... 14 Chapter 4: Identification of Impacts and Mitigation Measures ........................................................... 30 Chapter 5: Public Consultation and Participation Process ................................................................. 43 Chapter 6: Institutional responsibilities and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) ....................... 48 Chapter 7: Findings, Recommendations and Conclusions .................................................................. 50 Chapter 8: References ..................................................................................................................... 51 Annexure 2.1 .............................................................................................................................. 53 Annexure 3.1 .............................................................................................................................. 54 Annexure 3.2 .............................................................................................................................. 55 Annexure 4.1 .............................................................................................................................. 74 Annexure 4.2 .............................................................................................................................. 76 Annexure 5.1 .............................................................................................................................. 77 Annexure 6.1 (a) ........................................................................................................................ 80 Annexure 6.1 (b) ...................................................................................................................... 105 Annexure 6.2 (a) ...................................................................................................................... 131 Annexure 6.2 (b) ...................................................................................................................... 133 Annexure 6.3 (a) ...................................................................................................................... 136 Annexure 6.3 (b) ...................................................................................................................... 138 i LIST OF FIGURES & MAPS Figure 2.1 General location of the project area Figure 3.1 Monthly rainfall variation of nearest rain gauge stations to the project area Figure 3.2 Topography map of the trace Map 1 & 2 Project location LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1 Administrative units crossed by road Table 3.1 Characteristics of Agro-ecological zones crossed by the highway section Table 3.3 Population of DS Divisions where the road runs through Table 3.4 Affected GNDs of Kanthale – Trincomalee section of A006 Highway Table 3.5 Schools located along the road trace Table 3.6 Cultural, religious and archaeological sites located in the vicinity of the project area Table 3.7 Paddy production in Trincomalee District (2008) Table 3.8 Information on fishing activities in Trincomalee Divisional Secretariat LIST OF ANNEXES Annexure 2.1 Typical cross section Annexure 3.1 Drainage Map Annexure 3.2 List of Flora & Fauna Annexure 4.1 List of Affected structures Annexure 4.2 List of Affected trees Annexure 5.1 Public Consultation Annexure 6.1 Environmental Management Plan (EMP) Annexure 6.2 Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMoP) Annexure 6.2 (a) Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMoP) - Package 5 Annexure 6.2 (b)Environmental Manitoring Plan (EMoP) – Package 6 ii Annexure 6.3(a) Baseline data on selected Environmental parameters – Package 5 Annexure 6.3(a) Baseline data on selected Environmental parameters – Package 5 iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AC Asphalt Concrete ADB Asian Development Bank AKT Ambepussa – Kurunegala – Trincomalee highway AP Affected Persons BOI Board of Investment of Sri Lanka BT Batticaloa – Trincomalee highway CEA Central Environmental Authority DBST Double Bitumen Surface Treatment DoF Department of Forestry DS Divisional Secretary DWLC Department of Wild Life Conservation EA Environmental Assessment EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMC Environmental Management Committee EMP Environmental Management Plan EMoP Environmental Monitoring Plan EPL Environmental Protection License ESD Environmental & Social Division, RDA GoSL Government of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka GN Grama Niladari (Subordinate of DS) GSMB Geological Survey and Mines Bureau IDA International donor Agencies IEE Initial Environmental Examination LPG Liquid Petroleum Gas MOH Medical Officer of Health NBRO National Building Research Organization NHSP National Highway Sector Project NWS&DB National Water Supply & Drainage Board PAT Puttalam – Anuradhapura – Trincomalee highway PMU Project Management Unit REA Rapid Environmental Assessment RDA Road Development Authority ROW Right of Way RSMP Road Sector Master Plan iv SC Supervision Consultant SLT Sri Lanka Telecom UDA Urban Development Authority WB World Bank v Chapter 1: Introduction and Background 1. Sri Lanka’s road network is dense and well laid-out providing connectivity to the country’s population and centers of economic activity. According to the Central Bank figures, the network’s density was at 1.6 km/ km2 in year 2009. This included class A and B roads (national roads) amounting to a total length of more than 11,500 kilometers. However, at present most of these roads are of sub standards and conditions are inadequate to meet the rapidly growing freight and passenger traffic demand. This situation limits the contribution of roads to national development, economic growth, and poverty reduction. 2. World Bank (WB) approved a loan in December, 2005 amounting to US $ 100 million to improve 620 km of national roads by 2010. This project was implemented as “World Bank Funded Road Sector Assistance Project” or RSAP. Road Development Authority (RDA) under Ministry of Highways and Road Development (MOH & RD) was the project implementing agency. The project was aimed to support lower transportation cost through sustainable delivery of an efficient national road system that serves the needs of all Sri Lankan population. 3. With the above project successfully coming to an end by year 2010, the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has requested financing from the World Bank to assist them to rehabilitate, improve and maintain about 300 km of additional roads in the national roads network with an overall objective to achieve improved and sustainable road transport by enhancing the durability, efficiency and economic impact of the national road network. The project will be designated as “Road Sector Assistance Project II (or RSAP II)”. The proposed project will only focus on rehabilitation1, improvement2 and maintenance3 of sections of national 1 Rehabilitation: Bringing existing deteriorated roads to previous/original conditions. It will likely to involve improving drainage/slopes/embankments/other structures, strengthening pavements, complete resurfacing and recuperating civil works. All of the work is done on the existing platform or right of way and no additional land acquisition needed. 2 Improvements: Improving road specifications. Most of the work is done on the existing platform or right of way. Additional land acquisition may be needed. Activities include widening lanes and shoulders, adding extra lanes in steep inclines, improving curves and strengthening bridges. 1 roads selected from the National Road Sector Master Plan (NRMP) which has been developed based on the needs of transport sector for a period of 10 years from 2007 to 2017. 4. Kanthale to Trincomalee section of Ambepussa-Kurunegala- Trincomalee (AKT) or A006 highway is one of the candidate road sections to be developed under RSAP II project. The length of this road section is about 40 km. 5. At present three class A highways are connected to Trincomalee. They are the A006 highway; Puttalam – Anuradhapura – Trincomalee (PAT) or A012 highway and Batticaloa – Trincomalee (BT) or A015 highway. Of these three highways,