Environmental Assessment Report Final Initial Environmental Examination Project Number: 40648 August 2012 Infrastructure Development Investment Program for Tourism (IDIPT) Prepared by Department of Tourism, Government of Himachal Pradesh The 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. IEE: Rest sheds, toilet facilities and viewpoints along path from TRC to Temple _________________________________________________________________________________________ ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT Initial Environmental Examination Document stage: IEE for Submission to ADB for Approval Project Number: ADB Loan no. 2676-ADB Project 1, Subproject 2; Package 2.2 July 2012 Infrastructure Development Investment Program for Tourism (IDIPT) – Himachal Pradesh Package No. HPTDB/2/2 Rest sheds, toilet facilities and view points along path from TRC to Temple Prepared by the Government of Himachal Pradesh This EMP 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. _________________________________________________________________________________________ IDIPT(HP) HPTDB/2/2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT Environmental Management Plan Document stage: Final document submitted to ADB for approval Project Number: ADB Loan no. 2676-ADB Project 1, Subproject 2; Package 2.2 July 2012 Infrastructure Development Investment Program for Tourism (IDIPT) – Himachal Pradesh Package No. HPTDB/2/2 Rest sheds, toilet facilities and view points along path from TRC to Temple Prepared by the Government of Himachal Pradesh This EMP 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. _____________________________________________________________________________________ IDIPT(HP) HPTDB/2/2 EMP: Rest sheds, toilet facilities and view points along path from TRC to Temple 1 I. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT COMPONENTS A. Background 1. The Infrastructure Development Investment Program for Tourism (IDIPT) envisages an environmentally and culturally sustainable and socially inclusive tourism development in the project states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Uttrakhand. The expected impact of the project in the four states is sustainable and inclusive tourism development in priority State tourism sub circuits divided into marketable cluster destinations that exhibit enhanced protection and management of key natural and cultural heritage tourism sites, improved market connectivity, enhanced destination and site environment and tourist support infrastructure and enhanced capacities for site improvement and sustainable development with extensive participation by the private sector and local communities. 2. Gateway Centers/Cluster Destinations include Chintpurni, Naina Devi and Kangra. Chintpurni town serves as the main gateway center for tourists moving into the destination, while Kangra is the main gateway center for tourist by air and moving into the area along NH20 from Pathankot on NH1A and from Shimla and Kullu via Mandi. In addition to serving a gateway role, these centers also function as important cultural and pilgrimage heritage centers that add significantly to their function in the destination. Chintpurni is one of the Shakti temple town Kangra has the historic structures such as Kangra Fort. These centers also offer scope for culture-based tourism (CBT), nature and adventure tourism in the vicinity of the main centers such as at Adie Himani and Sourav Vann Vihaar near Kangra. 3. In the above context, the overall design philosophy for gateway center and destination connectivity is to provide a coherent destination image reinforced by: (i) standardized and well located and maintained road signage, wayside and information facilities leading to the gateways and between these and the main attractions in the destination; (ii) good quality gateway center environments; (iii) well run public tourist facilities and services; and (iv) well conserved and facilitated cultural heritage and pilgrimage attractions. Activities include access and services such as rain shelters, view point and emergency healthcare facility. The developments at Kangra include an integrated Tourism and conservation plan for Kangra Town, tourist interpretation centre near Kangra Fort, directional and descriptional signages, basic sanitation improvements for Brajeshwar temple and develop community based tourism activities in Adie Himani and Saurav Vann Vihaar. 4. The improvements proposed for Chintpurni temple town in Sub Project 2 include the following packages: Package 1: Integrated car parking, interpretation centre and tourist infrastructure complex Package 2: Rest sheds, toilet facilities and viewpoints along path from TRC to Temple 5. Prior to the loan processing, as per the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB’s) Environmental Assessment Guidelines, the sub-project components have been categorized as ‘B’ and an Initial Environmental Examination has also been carried out accordingly. 6. This Environmental Management Plan (EMP) outlines the specific mitigation measures needed to combat the minimal environmental impacts envisaged during and after the implementation of the Package HPTDB/2/2. This stand alone EMP has been prepared based on the detailed design of the facilities and at the time of project procurement would be duly appended to the Contract document to enable successful integration of environmental management during and after the project implementation. B. Rest sheds, toilet facilities and viewpoints at Chintpurni – Package Description 7. The proposed sites for the ‘Rest sheds, toilet facilities and viewpoints along path from TRC to _____________________________________________________________________________________ IDIPT(HP) HPTDB/2/2 EMP: Rest sheds, toilet facilities and view points along path from TRC to Temple 2 Temple’ at Chintpurni are sited at government owned land at two different locations. These two proposed site locations are on the plots along the road that is reported to have been recently designated as NH 20A connecting Hoshiarpur/Jalandhar, Punjab via Mubarakpur, HP and Dharamsala/ Jwalaji Division. 8. The famous and much revered temple of goddess Chhinnmastika at Chintpurni is situated on this road at a distance of 3 km from Bharwain in village Chhapoh, tehsil Amb, district Una, HP. The temple was taken over by the government of HP under the HP Hindu Public Religious Institution and Endowment Act, 1984 on June 12th 1987 to better manage the temple affairs and to provide basic facilities to the huge number of devotees visiting the temple all around the year. 9. earthworks, civil works, etc.; and O&M impacts. Impacts associated with the operation and maintenance of the infrastructure established within the project. Existing Rest Shed II. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MESURES 10. The assessment of environmental impacts for the proposed interventions under this package has been carried out with respect to the following stages of the project planning and implementation. Location impacts. Impacts associated with site selection, including impacts on environment and resettlement or livelihood related impacts on communities; Design impacts. Impacts arising from project design, including the technology used, scale of operations, discharge standards, etc.; Construction impacts. Impacts resulting from construction activities including site clearance, The potential environmental impacts and mitigation measures for the proposed sub-project are described below: A. Land acquisition and Resettlement 11. The selection of the proposed sub-project locations was carried out according to the availability of suitable land close to the main road so that these are easily accessible to pilgrims and yet considerably away from the heavily congested core of the temple town thereby facilitating easy pedestrian movement in the area. There are no impacts envisaged due to any land acquisition or resettlement issues. B. Environmental impacts 12. Table 1 provides the potential environmental impacts and the mitigation measures including the affixation of responsibilities for implementing the same. Location impacts 13. As described above, the sub-project locations for the proposed development are situated along the recently designated NH-20 A connecting Jalandhar – Hoshiarpur - Dharamsala. In this respect, according to the stipulated byelaws applicable for the development of areas _____________________________________________________________________________________ IDIPT(HP) HPTDB/2/2 EMP: Rest sheds, toilet facilities and view points along path from TRC to Temple 3 adjoining National Highways, a formal permission for the proposed development will be sought from the concerned authorities (Chief Engineer – National Highways, HPPWD). Since Chintpurni is a very small town and predominantly a pilgrimage centre, no master plan or development plan yet exist for the area and most of the building related activities are administered through a Special Area Development Authority functioning under the Town & Country Planning department of HP. Design and pre-construction impacts 14. A No Objection Certificate (NoC) would be required from HP Irrigation & Public Health department as well as the HP Pollution