Environmental and Social Management and Planning Framework October 2020 Assam Intra-State Transmission System Enhancement Project Prepared for Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Prepared by Assam Electricity Grid Corporation Limited (AEGCL) *OFFICIAL USE ONLY Table of Contents Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................... 1 Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 2 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 5 1.1. Background .................................................................................................................................................. 5 1.2. The Project .................................................................................................................................................. 5 1.3. Scope of Work and Methodology Adopted ................................................................................................ 5 2. Legal and Policy Framework ................................................................................................. 8 2.1. Indian National Laws/Regulations/Policies ............................................................................................. 8 2.2. State Level Laws/Regulations/Policies .................................................................................................... 14 2.3. Indian Legal and Regulatory Framework ................................................................................................ 15 2.4. International Treaties, Conventions and Declarations .......................................................................... 18 2.5. Applicability of AIIB ESP .......................................................................................................................... 19 2.6. Gap Analysis between National and AIIB Policies and Standards ......................................................... 21 2.7. AEGCL’s Environmental and Social Policy and Procedures .................................................................. 25 3. Description of Project ......................................................................................................... 26 3.1. Project Scope ............................................................................................................................................. 26 3.2. Project Component Features ................................................................................................................... 30 3.3. Associated Facilities ................................................................................................................................. 30 3.4. Project Implementation Schedule ............................................................................................................ 31 4. Description of Environmental and Social Baseline Conditions ........................................... 36 4.1. Location and Geography of Assam .......................................................................................................... 36 4.2. Physical Environment .............................................................................................................................. 36 4.3. Ambient Environment.............................................................................................................................. 38 4.4. Ecological Environment ........................................................................................................................... 42 4.5. Social Environment .................................................................................................................................. 50 5. Model ESIA on Selected Sub-projects and Environmental & Social Impacts and Mitigation60 5.1. E&S profile of the Sites Visited ................................................................................................................. 60 5.2. E&S Audit of the Existing Substations .................................................................................................... 74 5.3. Environmental and Social Impacts ......................................................................................................... 86 5.4. Impact Mitigation Strategy ....................................................................................................................... 91 5.5. Potential Environmental & Social Impacts and Proposed Mitigation Measures .................................. 92 5.6. Audit Findings and Proposed Remediation Measures for Existing Substations ................................. 101 5.7. Environmental and Social Management Plan ....................................................................................... 103 5.8. Budget for implementation of ESMP .................................................................................................... 136 5.9. Institutional Arrangement for Monitoring and Reporting ................................................................ 137 6. Environmental and Social Management Planning Framework ..........................................139 6.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 139 6.2. Applicable Policies and Procedures for conducting Environment & Social Assessment ................... 140 I *OFFICIAL USE ONLY 6.3. Study of Proposed Sub-Project Details ................................................................................................. 142 6.4. Screening and Project Categorization ................................................................................................... 142 6.5. Scoping for Assessment Activities .......................................................................................................... 145 6.6. Analysis of Alternative ............................................................................................................................ 145 6.7. Establishment of Baseline Condition ..................................................................................................... 147 6.8. E&S Impact Assessment ......................................................................................................................... 151 6.9. Provisions for Stakeholder Consultation and Disclosure ...................................................................... 153 6.10. Preparation of ESIA Reports................................................................................................................. 154 6.11. Institutional Arrangement for Environmental and Social Management Implementation, Monitoring & Reporting......................................................................................................................................................... 155 7. Resettlement Planning Framework .................................................................................... 156 7.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 156 7.2. Land and Asset Acquisition ..................................................................................................................... 159 7.3. Process of Land Acquisition as per GoI/GoA Regulations ................................................................... 166 7.4. Temporary restrictions to land use due to RoW ................................................................................... 169 7.5. Identification of persons, land plots and/or other property to be affected by temporary/permanent restriction of access for Project needs ........................................................................................................... 171 7.6. Eligibility, evaluation and entitlement ................................................................................................... 171 7.7. Entitlement Matrix .................................................................................................................................. 173 7.8. Preparation of individual RP .................................................................................................................. 178 8. Institutional Arrangement and Capacity Building ............................................................. 181 8.1. Institutional Arrangement, Staff, Budget, Environmental and Social related Procedures ................. 181 8.2. Implementation Arrangement for Environment & Social Management ............................................ 183 8.3. Organizational Responsibilities ............................................................................................................. 186 8.4. Capacity Building ................................................................................................................................... 192 9. Consultation and Disclosure of Documentation ............................................................... 194 9.1. Consultation ............................................................................................................................................ 194 9.2. Information Disclosure ..........................................................................................................................