Initial Environment Examination Project Number: 40648-034 February 2020 IND: Infrastructure Development Investment Program for Tourism - Tranche 3 Subproject : Upgradation, Repair and Restoration of Toilet Facilities and Tourist Information Centres Along Chardham Routes in the State of Uttarakhand Submitted by Program Management Unit, Government of Uttarakhand, Dehradun This initial environmental examination 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. 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. Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) Loan Number: 3223 IND January 2020 Infrastructure Development Investment Program for Tourism in Uttarakhand Sub Project – Upgradation, Repair and Restoration of Toilet Facilities and Tourist Information Centres Along Chardham Routes in the State of Uttarakhand TRANCHE III Prepared by the Government of Uttarakhand for the Asian Development Bank 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. ABBREVIATIONS ADB - Asian Development Bank ASI - Archaeological Survey of India CPCB – Central Pollution Control Board CPR - Common property resources DOT - Department of Tourism DSC - Design Supervision Consultants EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment EMP - Environmental Management Plan FSI - Forest Survey of India GMVN - Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam GOU - Government of Uttarakhand IDIPT - Infrastructure Development Investment Program for Tourism IEE - Initial Environmental Examination IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature KMVN - Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd. MFF - Multi-tranche Financing Facility MoEF - Ministry of Environment and Forests GOU NDBR - Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve NDNP - Nanda Devi National Park PIU - Project Implementation Unit PMC - Project Management Consultant PMU - Project Management Unit PUC - Pollution under Control REA - Rapid Environmental Assessment SEIAA - State Environment Impact Assessment Authority SLEC - State-level empowered committee SPCB - State Pollution Control Board SPM - Suspended Particulate Matter SPS - Safeguard Policy Statement TIC - Tourist Information Centre THDC - Tehri Hydro Electric Development Corporation TRH - Tourist Rest House UNESCO - United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization UTDB - Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board WLS - Wildlife Sanctuary i CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (Asof December 2019) Currency unit – Indian rupee (Rs) Rs1.00 = $0.014084 $1.00 = Rs 71.000 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES dB (A) A-weighted decibel ha - hectare km - kilometer km2- square kilometer μg- microgram m - Meter m2- square meter MW (megawatt) - megawatt 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. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ 1 I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 4 1. Background .................................................................................................................... 4 2. Purpose of the IEE ......................................................................................................... 6 3. Environmental Regulatory Compliance ....................................................................... 6 4. Review and Approval Procedure .................................................................................. 9 5. Report Structure ............................................................................................................ 9 II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT COMPONENTS .................................................. 9 1. Need of the Sub-project ................................................................................................ 9 2. Locations of Sub-project Sites ..................................................................................... 9 3. Project Category ............................................................................................................ 9 4. Description of Facilities Planned at Sub-project Sites............................................... 9 5. Implementation Schedule ........................................................................................... 17 III. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ............................................... 18 1. Environmental Profile .................................................................................................. 18 2. Ecological Resources ................................................................................................. 23 3. Economic Resources .................................................................................................. 25 4. Social and Cultural Resources ................................................................................... 27 IV. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES .............................. 29 1. Environmental Impacts ............................................................................................... 29 2. Land Acquisition and Social Due Diligence .............................................................. 32 3. Description of Planned Mitigation Measures ............................................................ 34 V. ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN (EMP) ........................................................... 40 1. Institutional Arrangements ......................................................................................... 40 iii 2. Environmental Monitoring .......................................................................................... 65 3. Capacity Building ........................................................................................................ 65 4. Environmental Budget ................................................................................................ 65 5. Environmental Monitoring and Reporting ................................................................. 65 VI. PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE ............................ 66 1. Process For Consultations Followed ........................................................................ 66 2. Future Consultation And Information Disclosure..................................................... 68 3. Grievance Redress Mechanism .................................................................................. 68 VII. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................... 71 VIII. CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................... 72 List of Annexure ANNEXURE-1: RAPID ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (REA) CHECKLIST............... 73 ANNEXURE-2: ENVIRONMENTAL SELECTION CRITERIA (AS PER EARF TABLE 6) .. 78 ANNEXURE-3: SUB-PROJECT SITES- PHOTOGRAPHS ................................................. 84 ANNEXURE-4: SAMPLE SEMI-ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING REPORT ... 88 ANNEXURE-5: PHOTOGRAPHS AND ATTENDANCE SHEETS OF CONSULTATIONS 89 ANNEXURE-6: OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLAN OF TOILETS .......................... 94 ANNEXURE-7: MINUTES OF MEETING ............................................................................. 95 List of Tables TABLE-1: ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATORY COMPLIANCE ............................................ 7 TABLE-2: DETAILS OF TICS TO BE UPGRADED, REPAIRED AND RESTORED ......... 11 TABLE-3: DETAILS OF TOILET FACILITIES TO BE UPGRADED, REPAIRED AND RESTORED .......................................................................................................................... 11 TABLE-4: AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL DATA FOR GARHWAL ........................................................................................................................... 19 TABLE-5: AVERAGE MONTHLY VARIATION OF HUMIDITY LEVELS IN UTTARAKHAND .............................................................................................................................................. 20 TABLE-6: ELEVATION OF SUB-PROJECT SITES ............................................................ 21 TABLE-7: SOIL TYPES IN SUB-PROJECT DISTRICTS .................................................... 22 TABLE-8: NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES IN UTTARAKHAND ..... 25 iv TABLE-9: LAND USE PATTERN OF UTTARAKHAND ...................................................... 26 TABLE-10: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND PLANNED MITIGATION MEASURES ... 34 TABLE-11: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PRE-CONSTRUCTION STAGE- FOR TOILET FACILITIES ..................................................................................... 42 TABLE- 12: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR CONSTRUCTION STAGE FOR TOILET FACILITIES ...................................................................................................