Environmental Impact Assessment Project Number: 43253-026 November 2019 India: Karnataka Integrated and Sustainable Water Resources Management Investment Program – Project 2 Vijayanagara Channels Main Report Prepared by Project Management Unit, Karnataka Integrated and Sustainable Water Resources Management Investment Program Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd. for the Asian Development Bank. This is an updated version of the draft originally posted in June 2019 available on https://www.adb.org/projects/documents/ind-43253-026-eia-0 This environmental impact 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. 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. KARNATAKA NEERAVARI NIGAM LTD Karnataka Integrated and Sustainable Water Resources Management Investment Program ADB LOAN No. 3172-IND VIJAYANAGARA CHANNELS FEASIBILITY STUDY REPORT Volume 2a: Environmental Impact Assessment Project Management Unit, KISWRMIP Project Support Consultant SMEC International Pty. Ltd. Australia in association with SMEC (India) Pvt. Ltd. Final Revision: 16 September 2019 VNC Feasibility Study Report Volume 2a: Environmental Impact Assessment Report DOCUMENTS/REPORT CONTROL FORM Report Name VNC Feasibility Study Report - Vol 2a: Environmental Impact Assessment Karnataka Integrated and Sustainable Water Resources Management Investment Project Name Program- Consultancy Services for Project Support Consultant (PSC) Project Number 5061164 Report for Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd (KNNL) REVISION HISTORY Revision Date Prepared by Reviewed by Approved for Issue by # Dr Srinivas Mudrakartha/ 1 9 August 2017 Srinath Anekal Dr Balachandra Kurup/ SM/MA Mahmood Ahmad Dr Srinivas Mudrakartha/ 2 19 December 2017 Srinath Anekal Dr Balachandra Kurup/ SM/MA Mahmood Ahmad 3 22 June 2018 Srinath Anekal Dr Srinivas Mudrakartha/ SM/MA Dr Balachandra Kurup 4 30 June 2018 Srinath Anekal Dr Srinivas Mudrakartha/ SM/MA Dr Balachandra Kurup 5 06 August 2018 Srinath Anekal Dr Srinivas Mudrakartha/ SM/MA Dr Balachandra Kurup 6 29 January 2019 Srinath Anekal Dr Srinivas Mudrakartha/ SM/MA Dr Balachandra Kurup 7 2 March 2019 Srinath Anekal Dr Srinivas Mudrakartha/ SM/MA Dr Balachandra Kurup 8 26 April 2019 Srinath Anekal Dr Srinivas Mudrakartha/ SM/MA Dr Balachandra Kurup 9 16 September 2019 Dr. G Ramakrishna Dr Srinivas Mudrakartha/ SM/Gaurav Shrivastava Balaji Maddikera ISSUE REGISTER Distribution List Date Issued Number of Copies KNNL 16 September 2019 10 SMEC Staff 16 September 2019 2 Associate 16 September 2019 1 Office Library (Shimoga) 16 September 2019 1 SMEC Project File 16 September 2019 1 SMEC COMPANY DETAILS Dr Janardhan Sundaram, Executive Director 1st Floor, Novus Tower, West Wing, Plot Number -18, Sector – 18, Gurgaon – 122016, Haryana Tel +91 124 4501100 Fax +91 124 4376018 Email [email protected]; Website: www.smec.com i Karnataka Integrated and Sustainable Water Resources Management Investment Program VNC Feasibility Study Report Volume 2a: Environmental Impact Assessment Report CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 8 1.1 Project Background ......................................................................................................... 8 1.2 Purpose of the EIA .......................................................................................................... 9 1.3 Extent of the EIA ............................................................................................................. 9 1.4 Scope of Study and Activities.......................................................................................... 9 1.5 Report Structure .............................................................................................................. 9 2. POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK ................................................ 10 2.1 ADB Policy .................................................................................................................... 10 2.2 National Legal Framework ............................................................................................ 12 2.3 Overall Institutional Framework .................................................................................... 18 2.3.1 Project Level Institutional Framework ................................................................... 19 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ..................................................................................... 21 3.1 Project Rationale ........................................................................................................... 21 3.2 Description of the Existing VNC System ....................................................................... 21 3.3 Project Location and Layout.......................................................................................... 27 3.3.1 Hampi World Heritage Area................................................................................... 27 3.3.2 Otter Conservation Reserve .................................................................................. 30 3.3.3 Increased Habitation in the Command Areas ....................................................... 33 3.4 Master Plan of 2003 and Proposed Modernization (Rehabilitation) Measures ............ 33 3.5 Details of the Existing Drainage System ....................................................................... 34 3.6 Channel Condition Surveys........................................................................................... 34 3.7 Key Issues in the Vijayanagara Anicuts and Channels ................................................ 35 3.8 Existing (Pre-Modernisation) Cropping Pattern ............................................................ 39 3.9 Proposed (Post-Modernization) Cropping Pattern and Cropped Area ......................... 41 3.10 Engineering Designs and Cost Estimates .................................................................... 42 3.10.1 Conveyance Channels .......................................................................................... 42 3.10.2 Channel Structures ................................................................................................ 43 3.11 Components of the Project ............................................................................................ 54 3.12 Need of the Project........................................................................................................ 54 3.13 Project Category ............................................................................................................ 56 3.14 Status of Clearances ..................................................................................................... 57 4. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ......................................................... 58 4.1 Physical Environment .................................................................................................... 58 4.2 Biological Environment .................................................................................................. 69 4.2.1 Major ecological features of the study area .......................................................... 69 4.2.2 Salient Features of the RBA .................................................................................. 70 4.3 Salient Features of the Tree Survey ............................................................................. 75 4.4 Structures or sites of Historical, Archaeological, Paleontological or Architectural Significance ................................................................................................................................. 85 4.5 Climate Change ............................................................................................................. 85 4.6 Socio-Economic Environment ....................................................................................... 92 4.6.1 Key Features of the Social-Safeguard Due Diligence Study ................................ 95 4.6.2 Strip Maps ............................................................................................................ 102 5. PROJECT ALTERNATIVES .............................................................................................. 107 6. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ............. 111 6.1 Screening of Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ................................. 111 6.2 Impacts and Mitigation Measures during the Project .................................................. 122 6.2.1 Impacts and Mitigation Measures during Pre-Construction ................................ 122 ii Karnataka Integrated and Sustainable Water Resources Management Investment Program VNC Feasibility Study Report Volume 2a: Environmental Impact Assessment Report 6.2.2 Impacts and Mitigation Measures during Construction ....................................... 129 6.2.3 Impact due to Operation, and Mitigation Measures ............................................ 175 6.3 Description of Planned Mitigation