Environmental Assessment Document Initial Environmental Examination Loan: 3260 July 2017 Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project: Panchkhal-Melamchi Road Project Main report-I Prepared by the Government of Nepal The Environmental Assessment 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. Government of Nepal Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Department of Roads Project Directorate (ADB) Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project (EEAP) (ADB LOAN No. 3260-NEP) INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION OF PANCHKHAL - MELAMCHI ROAD JUNE 2017 Prepared by MMM Group Limited Canada in association with ITECO Nepal (P) Ltd, Total Management Services Nepal and Material Test Pvt Ltd. for Department of Roads, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport for the Asian Development Bank. Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project (EEAP) ABBREVIATIONS AADT Average Annual Daily Traffic AC Asphalt Concrete ADB Asian Development Bank ADT Average Daily Traffic AP Affected People BOD Biological Oxygen Demand CBOs Community Based Organization CBS Central Bureau of Statistics CFUG Community Forest User Group CITIES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species CO Carbon Monoxide COI Corridor of Impact DBST Double Bituminous Surface Treatment DDC District Development Committee DFID Department for International Development, UK DG Diesel Generating DHM Department of Hydrology and Metrology DNPWC Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation DOF Department of Forest DoR Department of Roads DSC Design and Supervision Consultant EA Executing Agency EAG Environmental Assessment Guidelines EEAP Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMG Environmental Management Guidelines EMP Environmental Management Plan EPR Environment Protection Rules ES Environmental Specialist FIDIC International Federation of Consulting Engineers FS Feasibility Study GESU Geo-Environment and Social Unit GHG Green House Gas IA Implementing Agency IEE Initial Environmental Examination IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature JICA Japan International Co-operative Agency Initial Environmental Examination Report on Panchkhal-Melamchi Road i Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project (EEAP) LPG Liquefied Petroleum Gas MCT Main Central Trust MoPE Ministry of Population and Environment MoSTE Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment MoPIT Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport MWSP Melamchi Water Supply Project NAAQS Nepal Ambient Air Quality Standard NEP Nepal NGO Non-Governmental Organization NOx Nitrogen Oxide NRA National Reconstruction Authority PD Project Directorate PDNA Post Disaster Needs Assessment PPE Personal Protective Equipment PIP Priority Investment Plan PIU Project Implementation Unit RAP Rural Access Programmme -DFID REA Rapid Environmental Assessment RoW Right of Way RSSDU Road Sector Skills Development Unit SC Supervision Consultant SDC Social Development Consultant SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment SRN Strategic Road Network TA Technical Assistance TMO Transport Management Office TPPF Transport Project Preparation Facility – ADB VDC Village Development Committee ZOI Zone of Influence Initial Environmental Examination Report on Panchkhal-Melamchi Road ii Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project (EEAP) WEIGHTS AND MEASURES dBA decibels A KWH Kilowatt-Hour K VA Kilo-Volt- Ampere MLD Millions of Litres Per Day ppb Parts Per Billion pph Persons Per Hectare ppm Parts Per Million CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (AS OF 01 JUNE 2017) Currency Unit- Nepalese Rupee (NRs) $1=NRs 103.52 Notes: The Nepalese calendar year (B.S) runs from mid-April to mid-April. Unless otherwise stated, year ranges written in the form 2015/016 denote a single calendar year. The fiscal year (FY) of the Government ends on 15 July. FY before a calendar Year denotes the year in which the fiscal year ends (For example, FY 2015 begins on 16 July 2014 and ends on 15 July 2015). Acts and Regulations are cited under the name of the ministry from which they originate. The official version of Acts and Regulations is published in the Nepal Gazette (in Nepali). Some Acts and Regulations are published by other Government agencies in English (Unofficial translations). Initial Environmental Examination Report on Panchkhal-Melamchi Road iii Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project (EEAP) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction The proposed loan and grant (the Project) under Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project (EEAP) will finance improvements of three feeder roads, a total of 100 km, in the central and western regions of Nepal. While the Project will contribute to development and expansion of the Strategic Road Network (SRN), it will include an institutional capacity assessment in the areas of road safety and road maintenance, which will form the basis for a capacity development program. Gender and social inclusion will be addressed through a livelihood program that will be targeting women involved in road construction activities in the project- affected area. The project roads are: (i) Dolakha – Singati (34.490 km feeder road), (ii) Dhadingbesi – Arughat -- Gorkha (42.18 km feeder road excluding 25 km overlap with Mid-Hill highway), and (iii) Panchkhal – Melamchi Road (22.977 km feeder road).The Department of Roads (DoR) intends to improve these roads to an all-weather bituminous double-lane Feeder Road Standard. Project roads have been selected based on environment, resettlement, social and economic impacts; and project readiness. The Project is relevant to achieving results of the Country Strategy and Program (2013-2017), enhancing global-local connectivity to facilitate regionally balanced economic growth. The Department of Roads (DoR) intends to upgrade the Panchkhal (Zero kilo) – Melamchi Section (km 0+000 to 22+977) to meet the Intermediate Lane Standard i.e. formation width of 7.0 m and the pavement width of 5.50 m with AC surface pavement as per the DoR standard. Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework The ADB SPS, 2009 aims to avoid, minimise or mitigate harmful environmental and social impacts and help the borrower strengthen their safeguard system. It also provides a platform for participation by affected community in project design and implementation. All roads proposed to be upgraded under the Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project (EEAP) were screened and categorized using Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA). The REA consist of questions relating to: (i) the sensitivity and vulnerability of environmental resources in the sub-project area, and (ii) the potential for the sub-project to cause significant adverse environmental impacts. All project roads under the EEAP have been classified as Category ―B‖. Description of Project Panchkhal – Melamchi Road upgrading works is going to be funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB) under ADB loan No. 3260-NEP under Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project (EEAP). It connects the Paanchkhal with Melamchi and rural area of the Sindhupalchowk district. This road also serves as the access road for one of the national pride project, Melamchi Water Supply Project. Initial Environmental Examination Report on Panchkhal-Melamchi Road iv Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project (EEAP) Government of Nepal would be responsible to meet the expenses against compensation, acquisition of land/ building, royalty, tax refund, maintenance of handed over section, administrative cost, etc. Department of Road will implement the Project. Panchkhal – Melamchi Road is located in the Central Development region of Nepal, Bagmati Zone, Kavrepalanchowk and Sindhupalchowk District. The project road starts at the junction separating Arniko (Kodari) Highway at Zero Kilo, Panchkhal, and Kavrepalanchowk District. Road section from km 0+000 to km 9+500 falls on Kavrepalnchowk District and the remaining part falls on Sindhupalchowk District. The existing width of road is 5.5m with otta seal pavement up to km 22+977. Initially, this road was constructed by District Development Committee of Kavrepalnchowk and Sindhupalchowk and later on from Zero Kilo to Melamchi Bazaar about 22 km road was constructed up to Blacktopped Standard (Otta Seal Surface) as a part of construction of the main access road and the construction of Melamchi Pul Bazaar - Timbu Section of road had been completed up to graveled standard by the Melamchi Water Supply Project, Melamchi Water Supply Development Board/GoN as an access road for construction of intake of Melamchi Water Supply Project funded by ADB in 2011. This road has been categorized as a Feeder road F030 and its right of way is 15 m from the center line on either side. The Department of Roads (DoR) intends to improve Panchkhal - Melamchi road section to an all-weather sealed intermediate-lane Feeder Road Standard. It is proposed to upgrade the Panchkhal – Melamchi Section (km 0+000 to 22+977) of Panchkhal – Melamchi - Timbu Road to meet the Intermediate Lane Standard i.e. formation width of 7.0 m and the pavement width of 5.5 m with AC surface pavement as per the DoR standard. Proposed road improvement works requires improvement and replacement of existing side drainage throughout the road for better drainage management, replacement and improvement of existing cross drainage structures, retaining structures, rehabilitation of existing structures and provision of additional structures, replacement/improvement or replacement of road safety measures etc. This Initial