Environmental and Social Assessment and …documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/... · SAMPLE...

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Environmental and Social Assessment and

Management Framework

for

Bhutan Sustainable Financing for

Biodiversity Conservation and Natural

Resources Management

Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation

March 2013

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Table of contents

ACRONYMS ........................................................................................................................................ III

BHUTANESE TERMS ....................................................................................................................... IV

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... V

CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 1

1.1 OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK ...................................... 1 1.2 METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY .................................................................................................. 2

CHAPTER 2 – BTFEC’S GRANT PROGRAM ................................................................................ 3

2.1 OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................................................. 3 2.2 COVERAGE .................................................................................................................................... 3 2.3 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND ACTIVITIES ................................................................................... 3 2.4 CURRENT PRACTICES OF INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL CONCERNS ................ 4

CHAPTER 3 – SUSTAINABLE FINANCING FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PROJECT ................................................................... 5

3.1 PROJECT AREA PROFILE ............................................................................................................ 5 3.1.1 LOCATION ................................................................................................................................................ 5 3.1.2 OBJECTIVE ............................................................................................................................................... 6 3.1.3 PROJECT COMPONENTS ........................................................................................................................ 6 3.2 DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT AREA ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................10 3.2.1 COUNTRY OVERVIEW ......................................................................................................................... 10 3.2.2 PROJECT AREA ENVIRONMENT OVERVIEW .................................................................................... 11 3.2.3 PROFILE OF THE PROJECT AREA ....................................................................................................... 13

CHAPTER 4 – ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ASSESSMENT ...........................................20

4.1 EXISTING PRESSURES ...............................................................................................................20 4.1.1 ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES ........................................................................................................... 20 4.1.2 SOCIAL PRESSURES ............................................................................................................................. 20 4.2 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF THE BTFEC OVERALL GRANT

PROGRAM AND THE PROJECT...............................................................................................................21 4.2.1 OVERALL IMPACTS ................................................................................................................................... 21 4.2.2 IMPACTS OF INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS ............................................................................................... 23 4.2.4 IMPACTS ON NATURAL HABITATS ........................................................................................................ 25 4.2.5 IMPACTS DUE TO CHEMICAL PESTICIDE USE ........................................................................................ 25 4.3 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, REGULATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS .............................................25 4.3.1 RGOB’S POLICIES, REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES .................................................................... 25 4.3.2 WB SAFEGUARDS POLICIES APPLICABLE TO THE PROJECT ........................................................ 28 4.3.3 INSTITUTIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT CAPACITY.......................... 31

CHAPTER 5 – SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK............35

5.1 NEGATIVE LIST OF ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................35 5.2 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS PROCESSING STEPS ........................................36 5.2.2 SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCREENING AND ASSESSMENT ................................................... 48

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5.2.3 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROJECT DPR................................ 48 5.2.4 ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE (EC) AND SOCIAL CLEARANCES ................................................. 49 5.2.5 SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (RESETTLEMENT FRAMEWORK) .................................................. 49 5.2.6 SITE-ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN ................................................................................ 50 5.2.7 COMPLIANCE AND FINAL MONITORING ............................................................................................ 58 5.3 CONSULTATIONS AND GRIEVANCE ADDRESSING ....................................................................58 5.4 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT COST .............................................................59 5.5 SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS ON NATURAL HABITATS, FORESTRY, PEST MANAGEMENT AND

PHYSICAL CULTURAL RESOURCES ......................................................................................................60 5.5.1 NATURAL HABITATS ........................................................................................................................... 60 5.5.2 FORESTRY ............................................................................................................................................. 60 5.5.3 PEST MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................................... 60 5.5.4 PHYSICAL CULTURAL RESOURCES .................................................................................................... 64

CHAPTER 6 – INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND CAPACITY .................................65

ANNEX 1. LIST OF OFFICIALS AND STAKEHOLDERS ..........................................................68

ANNEX 2. SUMMARY OF CONSULTATION ..............................................................................77

ANNEX 3. PROJECT AREA GEWOG MAP ..................................................................................89

ANNEX 4. NATIONAL POLICIES AND ACTS ............................................................................90

ANNEX 5. PERMISSIBLE PESTICIDES LIST TO BHUTAN ................................................. 101

ANNEX 6. ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS ......................................... 102

ANNEX 7. SAMPLE CHECKLIST FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RISK IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................................................ 105

ANNEX 8. SAMPLE SOCIAL SCREENING FORMAT .............................................................. 106

ANNEX 9. RECOMMENDED FORMAT FOR A PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN .................. 109

ANNEX 10. PCR CHANCE FIND PROCEDURE ....................................................................... 112

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Acronyms

BTFEC Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation

BMS Bomdeling Wildlife Sanctuary

CBO Community Based Organization

CSO Civil Society Organization

FNCA Forest and Nature Conservation Act

FYP Five-Year Plan

GYT Gewog Yargay Tshongdu

ICR Implementation Completion Report

JDNP Jigme Dorji National Park

M&E Monitoring and Evaluation

MOA Ministry of Agriculture

MoAF Ministry of Agriculture and Forests

MoEA Ministry of Economic Affairs

MoWHS Ministry of Work and Human Settlement

NBC National Biodiversity Center

NECS National Environment Commission Secretariat

NGO Non-Governmental Organization

Nu Ngultrum

PES Payments for Environmental Services

RECOP Regulation for the Environmental Clearance of Projects, 2002

REDD+ Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation

RGoB Royal Government of Bhutan

RNR Renewable Natural Resources

SMF Social Management Framework

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

WCP Wangchuck Centennial Park

WHO World Health Organisation

WWF World Wildlife Fund

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Bhutanese Terms

Chiwog Village

Chathrim Act, rules and regulations, codes of conduct

Dungkhag Sub District

Dzongdag District Administrator

Dzongkhag District

Dzongkhag Administrative block

Gup Elected head of a Dzongkhag

Gewog Block (group of villages)

Ngultrum Bhutanese currency, pegged to Indian Rupee

Sokshing Forest registered in a household’s name for collection of leaf

litter for use in farmyard manure

Tsamdo Land over which a community or household has customary

grazing rights

Tseri Slash and burn cultivation

Yartsa-Guenbob Cordyceps is a genus of ascomycete fungi (sac fungi)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascomycete

v

Executive Summary

The Royal Government of Bhutan (RGOB) through the Bhutan Trust Fund for

Environmental Conservation (BTFEC) has prepared a project on Sustainable

Financing for Biodiversity Conservation and Natural Resources Management with a

grant from the GEF/World Bank.

The project’s objective is to improve the operational effectiveness and institutional

sustainability of the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environment Conservation through (1) enhanced

operational effectiveness and sustainability of the BTFEC; (2) improved conservation

management of the high altitude northern areas landscape (including protected areas

and associated alpine meadows, forests and agricultural ecosystems; and (3)

mainstreamed conservation and sustainable forest and natural resources management

approaches in policy, strategy and plans.

The proposed project will be implemented in the administrative jurisdiction of three

northern protected areas namely Jigme Dorji National Park, Wangchuck Centennial

Park and Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary. The project area would consist of 27

Gewogs in ten Dzongkhags of north western, north central and north eastern Bhutan

including Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Wangdue, Gasa, Bumthang, Trongsa, Trashi

Yangtse, Mongar and Lhuntse.

An assessment of the social and environmental consequences of the proposed project

was necessary to understand the risks and to identify potential ways to avoid,

minimize, mitigate and manage any adverse effects that might arise. The initial

assessment of the project activities have indicated that environmental and social

impacts are most likely as part of the grant making under the component 2 of the

project. While the individual scope of activities under grants will be small with low

impacts, due to the project siting in important natural habitats and forest areas more

concerted effort and due diligence will be required to ensure the project activities do

not contribute towards habitat loss and degradation. In addition, the project is also

focused on improving protected area management and land-use planning which on

long-term may have impacts towards the local communities depending on natural

resources unless strong participation and other governance principles that includes

communities and other key stakeholders are integrated in the overall grant making

and implementation process..

While, exact activities under the Component 2 are unknown, based on past grant

making and the project design, an initial Environmental and Social Assessment has

been conducted to get an understanding of the current environmental and social-

economic status of the project area. As part of the assessment, consultations were held

both centrally and locally and the stakeholder concerns have been incorporated as a

guide during grant selection and implementation. In addition, an Environmental and

Social Management Framework is developed based on field visits, interview with the

local community and local governance representatives, as well as the RGOB and

World Bank policy requirements.

While the project is classified as environmental category B, the overall project

outcome is expected to be beneficial from environmental and social perspectives.

However, the risks associated with implementation of activities inside protected areas,

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which are areas of ecological sensitivity and of high conservation value, both

nationally and internationally, could be high requiring extra diligence. Past experience

has shown that when protected area and forest reserve improvement/development

activities which may have adverse environmental and social impacts are undertaken

by responsible national agencies, the need to carry out environmental and social

assessments has been overlooked. The proposed project activities will likely to have

limited adverse social impacts.

One of the main findings is that there are no serious adverse environmental and social

impacts due to project activities and many of the potential impacts can be easily

mitigated through well-established measures and community participation. The

framework has also identified a negative list eliminating activities that will impact

key natural ecosystems. It was also noted that capacity building of the local

institutions and local communities is essential in order to implement the projects.

Further, concern of forest and land degradation in the areas and need for reforestation

and afforestation programs to recuperate for better productivity has been identified.

The project would improve community livelihood conditions through development of

pasture, supply of more number of breeding bulls and better breed of livestock,

distribution of high yielding fodder tree seedlings, fodder grass seeds, promotion of

organic farming and vegetable production, and yak product diversification. The main

impact that may take place is livelihood impacts as a result of land-use changes to

ensure sustainable agriculture and livestock practices. There are also concerns such as

cultural disintegration and leading to loss of rural values and possible migration due

to increased income from the project.

1

Chapter 1 – Introduction

With the guidance of the Fourth King of Bhutan, the Bhutan Trust Fund for

Environmental Conservation (BTFEC) was established in 1992 as a collaborative

venture among the Royal Government of Bhutan, the United Nations Development

Program and the World Wildlife Fund. From the early 1990s, the BTFEC has

supported through grants in the establishment of protected area system in Bhutan,

training of Bhutanese individuals, strengthening existing and launching new

institutions to manage protected areas, and carrying out research to inform policy

makers, environmental leaders and conservation practitioners.

The Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) through the Bhutan Trust Fund for

Environmental Conservation (BTFEC) has initiated the process of preparing

Sustainable Financing for Biodiversity Conservation and Natural Resources

Management Project with a grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF)/World

Bank. The Project is based on the Conservation Management plans (2012-2017) of

Wildlife Conservation Division of RGoB, BTFEC Action Plan (2011 – 2015) and

BTFEC Strategic Plan (2010 – 2015).

The proposed Project will be implemented in the administrative jurisdiction of three

northern protected areas namely Jigme Dorji National Park, Wangchuck Centennial

Park and Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary. The Project area would consist of 27

Gewogs in ten Dzongkhags of north western, north central and north eastern Bhutan

including Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Wangdue, Gasa, Bumthang, Trongsa, Trashi

Yangtse, Mongar and Lhuntse.

An assessment of the social and environmental consequences of the proposed Project

was necessary to understand the risks associated with project activities and to identify

potential ways to avoid, minimize, mitigate and manage any adverse effects that

might arise due to project investments, as well as long-term activities of the BTFEC.

Project envisages several small-scale community infrastructures and activities to

sustain livelihoods dependent on natural resources spread far and wide in three

national parks within ten different Dzongkhags. As precise locations of the potential

project activities, and their exact scope are not known during preparation, an initial

assessment of the current environmental and social status of the Project area, as well

as a Social and Environmental Management Framework (SEMF) as a guide to be used

during implementation, when project/activity location and scope will be known has

been developed.

1.1 Objective of the Assessment and Management Framework

The overall objective of the current assignment is to conduct an Environmental and

Social Assessment (ESA) and prepare a Social and Environment Management

Framework (SEMF) for the proposed project. Following are the specific objectives:

Conduct a combined sectoral social and environmental analysis of BTFEC’s

overall grant program and not excluding grant activities proposed under

component 2;

Develop a combined Social and Environment Management Framework and

procedures that could be suitably applied to grant activities likely to be

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proposed as part of this project as well as be applied more broadly to the range

of activities in BTFEC’s national conservation grant programs

1.2 Methodology of the Study

The assessment and the social and environmental management framework present in

this report are based on analysis of information collected through literature review,

consultative meetings/ interviews and field visits. Documents reviewed include

various policies, legislations, regulations, guidelines and relevant documents of

RGOB and the World Bank Safeguard Policies. In addition, other relevant documents

such as the conservation management plans of operational protected areas, 10th Five-

Year Plan (FYP) Main Document, Wildlife Conservation Division, and Conservation

Management Plan – 2012 – 2017 were reviewed.

Consultative meetings and interviews were held with a number of institutions and

inidviduals, ranging from officials of government agencies at the central level,

Dzongkhag Tshogdu (GT) members, and local villagers in the field. Field visits

included visits to Nubi in Trongsa, Gangzur in Lhuntse, Mangme of Sephu and gewog

clerk of Tang in Bumthang. During the field consultations, the consultant was

assisted by park officials and RNR agents of various gewogs visited during the course

of field work. The consultations were held in two forms: (1) group discussions with

cross-section of men and women, including some GYT members; and, (2), interviews

of individual households, particularly those considered as vulnerable. The vulnerable

households were determined in terms of low cash income, landlessness or small land

holdings, recurrent food deficit, high proportion of dependents (young children, old

parents, disable members), women headed households due to death/illness of husband

or divorce. In each field consultation site/gewog, either Tsogpas or Mangme were

requested to identify vulnerable households. See Annex 1 (List of officials and

stakeholders met), and Annex 2 (Summary of Consultations).

3

Chapter 2 – BTFEC’s Grant Program

This chapter provides the BTFEC grant program in order to provide the context of the

existing system which will be supported through the proposed Project.

2.1 Objectives

The main objective of BTFEC’s grant program is aimed at improving the operational

effectiveness and sustainability of the institute and to achieve the following three

outcomes:

1. Enhanced operational effectiveness and sustainability of the BTFEC

2. Improved conservation management of the high altitude northern areas

landscape (including protected areas and associated alpine meadows, forests

and agricultural ecosystems)

3. Mainstreamed conservation and sustainable forest and natural resources

management approaches in policy, strategy and plans.

2.2 Coverage

The programs which the Trust Fund was mandated to support aligned clearly with the

national priorities and the themes for BTFEC support were as following:

(a) Training professionals in ecology, natural resources, management, forestry

and environment;

(b) Assessing biological resources and develop an ecological information base;

(c) Developing and implementing protected area management plans;

(d) Public awareness and environmental education in schools;

(e) Institutional support to related sectors/agencies; and

(f) Projects integrating conservation and development.

2.3 Strategic priorities and activities

The first Strategic Plan was adopted as the guiding document of BTFEC activities in

1997. The plan had a twenty-year horizon that envisioned the BTFEC becoming a

contributor across the entire green sector by the end of that period. Fine-tuning of the

plan was delegated to the Technical Advisory Panel, which was mandated to develop

five-year plans that would achieve the broad goals and to review and evaluate grants

consistent with the medium-term plans the Board would approve.

The long-term goals for the BTFEC included developing a fully functioning protected

areas system comprised of nine areas, catalyzing funding to build a conservation

information management system and helping to incorporate environmental awareness

and education into the education system. At the time the first Strategic Plan was

developed, experience with the first five years of grant-making had shown that the

capacity of grantees to prepare proposals and implement activities was inadequate and

that the institutions required to manage all aspects of conservation were weak. The

BTFEC thus concluded that its priority objective was to strengthen institutions to

4

promote effective management of conservation programs and build capacity of its

grantees to implement field activities1.

2.4 Current practices of integrating environmental and social concerns

In terms of achievement, it has been concluded that the 92 grants valued at Nu 450

million (US$ 10 million) approved through 2009/2010 were substantively consistent

with the broad goals of the Strategic Plan, as well as with the program and funding

objectives that determined the areas of grant support. The long-term strategy itself

was implemented with very positive outlook, but not fully completed and require

further improvements to ensure sustainability.

The current practices of integrating environment and social concerns to the grant

program are at its infant stage, although all efforts are made to follow existing

RGOB’s environmental policy. With the support of the proposed Project, BTFEC

intends to incorporate and improve the international environmental and social

practices that are also in line with national requirements as part of operationalizing of

the grant program. Hence the tools proposed as part of this framework will be piloted

on the ground for their practicality and effectiveness and will be included as part of

the BTFEC’s Operations Manual that will be improved during the project

implementation.

1 Mikitin, K. Recommendations for Improving Operational Effectiveness and Sustainability, July 2012

5

Chapter 3 – Sustainable Financing for Biodiversity Conservation and

Natural Resources Management Project

The proposed project is consistent with the GEF strategy under GEF 5 “Improve

Sustainability of Protected Area Systems” which supports the objectives of improving

the sustainability of the protected areas located in the high altitude northern areas

(HANAS) landscape of Bhutan and improving the long term financial sustainability

of these protected areas. The project will work through the existing Bhutan Trust

Fund for Environmental Conservation (BTFEC) to improve its operational

effectiveness, transparency and capacity to manage funds required for management of

the HANAS landscape, and more importantly become an effective instrument for

sustainable financing for biodiversity conservation in Bhutan as a whole.

The HANAS landscape occupies around 1,500,000 hectares consisting of three

protected areas (Map 1), intervening biological corridors, agricultural lands and

village settlements, alpine grazing lands and reserved forestlands. Within the HANAS

landscape, the project will support efforts to expand and improve the management

effectiveness of three existing protected areas and intervening forest corridors through

review and update of existing management plans, zonation, monitoring of critical

species, research, inventory and surveys and engagement of local communities in

habitat management and community stewardship. It will also support efforts to reduce

negative impacts on productive sectors and community actions, particularly outside

the protected areas and support mainstreaming of biodiversity in local and sector

policies and programs through targeted capacity building, documentation and

dissemination of best practices, and highlight the contribution of biodiversity to

ecotourism, and livestock and forest management.

The project will also support improved agriculture and sustainable land and grazing

management interventions to arrest land and forest degradation and productivity

losses and improve local socio-economics. Through these efforts, the project will help

reduce pressure on existing forest resources, in particular the broadleaved forests

through targeted interventions in protected areas, alpine meadows and agricultural

lands and support good management practice in existing forests (SMF/REDD+),

improve a range of service through SFM and even encourage the application of

payment of ecosystem services in selected areas. The results emanating from the

investments on the ground and experiences will provide a platform for generating

national efforts and building capacity to further strengthen protected area and

sustainable land, grazing land and forest management in the country.

3.1 Project Area Profile

3.1.1 Location

The project area would consist of 27 Gewogs in ten Dzongkhags of north western,

north central and North eastern Bhutan including Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Wangdue,

Gasa, Bumthang, Trongsa, Trashi Yangtse, Mongar and Lhuntse. Map 1 below shows

the project location (ten dzongkhags and 27 gewogs that will be within the 3 protected

areas). The specific gewogs map of the project area is shown in Annex 3.

6

Map 1. Showing the location of the project area

3.1.2 Objective

The primary objective of the Project is to improve the operational effectiveness and

sustainability of BTFEC, which has a long history and experience in financing grants

for conservation activities in Bhutan.

This objective would be achieved by improving conservation management of the high

altitude northern areas landscape, mainstreamed conservation and sustainable forest

and natural resources management approaches and in the selected three National

Parks. Sustainable community grazing and land management would be improved

based on set criteria. Mainstreaming of conservation and sustainable forest and

natural resources management approaches would be developed through improved

capacity building and development of plans and policy. Employment opportunities

would result from community engagement in various activities such as non-farm

income generating activities. The composition of projects would be governed by the

provisions contained in the 10th Five-Year Plan (2008- 2013) and anticipated

provisions under the forthcoming 11th Five-Year Plan (2013-18).

3.1.3 Project Components

The project has three main components:

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Component 1: Enhanced operational effectiveness and sustainability of the

Bhutan Trust Fund for Environment Conservation

The objective of Component 1 is to support BTFEC in carrying out the update and

implementation of the Strategic Plan by adopting more modern governance and

business practices and ensuring the adequacy of its resources and tools going forward.

With a view to its operational effectiveness, BTFEC’s Board has (will have) endorsed

the following improvements: (i) increase and diversification of BTFEC Board

representation; (ii) prioritization of interventions in the seven program areas of the

Strategic Plan 2010-2015; (iii) preparation of a sustainable plan for the Protected Area

(PA) network; (iv) creation of a system to monitor the impacts of BTFEC’s grant

program and institutional performance; (iv) modernization of the grant-making

process towards efficiency, equity and transparency; (v) review of options for

BTFEC’s future investment management.

To ensure that BTFEC has the resources and tools for implementing change, its Board

agreed on the following changes: (i) recruitment of additional staff to share the

numerous operational responsibilities and tasks; (ii) engagement of short-term

consultants for legal advice on changes to BTFEC’s structure, preparation of a

sustainable financing plan for the PA system and introduction of modern operating

systems and processes; and (iii) development of new business lines to expand

BTFEC’s management of funding for conservation initiatives.

Specifically, Component 1 will finance training, technical assistance, equipment and

data management systems and limited piloting to implement the following activities.

Updating and modernizing the Royal Charter to align it with good practices on

non-profit governance

Supplementing the Royal Charter with bylaws to codify the Board’s rules and

practices

Prioritizing grant selection on the basis of needs, risks and opportunities

Modernizing grant-making through improvements to the grant award process,

grant documentation, Monitoring and Evaluation of the grant portfolio and

dissemination of experiences and lessons of grant implementation

Updating the Operations Manual to clarify or simplify procedures for grant

selection, grant-making and other areas of program management as required

Conducting a review of options for future arrangements on managing

investments

Improving institutional and staff capacity for grants and financial management

through staff recruitment, training and external technical support

Developing a fund raising strategy and testing new financial instruments that

will allow for the generation of non-budgetary resources for self-sustaining of

conservation activities

Component 2: Improved conservation management of the high altitude

northern areas landscape (including protected areas and associated alpine

meadows, forests and agricultural ecosystems)

8

This component aims to demonstrate BTFEC’s conservation outcomes and enhance

its grant-making operations. To that end, BTFEC will finance grants – on a

competitive basis – that would improve conservation management in the high altitude

northern area ecosystems of Bhutan. The conservation grants for the targeted areas

will be processed and approved through BTFEC’s grant management system. In

accordance with BTFEC’s grant award process, the maximum grant amount is

US$300,000 and grant proposals are considered by BTFEC’s Board twice a year.

Two types of grants will be provided under Component 2. The first type will support

the testing and implementation of appropriate management strategies and proactive

plans to anticipate and address threats to the protected area and biodiversity corridor

complexes in HANAS. This would enable the conservation of broadleaf forests and

other ecosystems within HANAS and help maintain their ecological integrity and the

economic and ecological services they support. The activities that would be supported

would include: (i) review and update of existing management plans for protected

areas and zoning and enforcement of land-use regulations; (ii) monitoring of species

of special concern, especially tigers and other charismatic species; (iii) research on

critical species; (iv) engagement of local communities in habitat management and

community stewardship and improved livelihoods and incomes; and (v) improved

staff training and capacity for conservation. Hence, the grants would finance expert

services (including community mobilization), training, workshops and equipment.

The second type of grants will support a range of community activities that aim to

strengthen the adoption of: (i) sustainable agricultural land use and grazing

management practices; (ii) co-management of forests and alpine meadows; and (iii)

community-based ecotourism and value addition products. Grants of this type would

finance goods, small works, community mobilization and training as well as other

consultancies.

As part of this this component, the BTFEC is targeting to bring at least three protected

areas covering 1,000,000 hectares of forested land under improved management and

protection to increase/stabilize the population of selected key floral and faunal

species. These would include the following activities:

Review and update of existing management plans for protected areas

Zoning and enforcement of land-use regulations;

Monitoring of species of special concern, especially tigers and other

charismatic species; research on critical species;

Engagement of local communities in habitat management and community

stewardship and improved socio-economics and incomes; and

Improved staff training and capacity for conservation.

This component is also aiming to pilot rangeland (alpine meadow) co-management

with herders through improved management planning, increase productivity for

domestic livestock by re-seeding degraded natural rangeland with native grass species

and developing improved pasture on private/government lease land (on a limited

scale) in the vicinity of permanent village for better livestock management, rotational

grazing, breed improvement, productive development and value addition. At least

2,500 hectares of alpine meadows to bring under sustainable grazing management

9

practice and reduce impact on adjacent forests areas with the involvement of high

altitude local community living in the HANAS areas.

The grants will also support a range of community activities to strengthen the

adoption of sustainable co-management of forests and agricultural lands in non-core

wildlife habitats to provide improved and diversified agricultural and forests products

and incomes to local communities and engage them as conservation stewards. This

would be achieved through biophysical and socio-economic mapping to identify

causes and incidences of land degradation, identification of ‘hot spots’ of land

vulnerability, community decision making and prioritization of Sustainable Land

Management (SLM) practices and investments, training and implementation and

community monitoring and subsequent mainstreaming of SLM practices into gewog

level planning. It is expected cover at least 2500 hectares of vulnerable agricultural

lands under sustainable community land management and reduce impact on adjacent

forest land. The project will support regeneration of selected degenerated forest lands

outside of protected areas and help improve incomes to communities from collection

and marketing of non-timber forests products and community management of critical

sub-watersheds to protect water sources and critical forest resources based on existing

experiences of community based forestry management of the country.

Lastly, this component would enable the conservation of broadleaf forests and other

ecosystems within HANAS and help maintain their ecological integrity and the

economic and ecological services they support. At least 100,000 hectares of forest

lands under sustainable management (reduced pressures) and provide supplementary

income from community-based ecotourism and use of Non Timber Forest Products

(NTFPs) with value addition.

Component 3: Mainstreamed conservation and sustainable forest and natural

resources management approaches in policy, strategy and plans:

The lessons from the management of PAs and the HANAS landscape derived from

the implementation of Component 2 will inform policies pertaining to key natural

resource sectors, including watershed management, upland agriculture and livestock,

forestry, wildlife conservation and also infrastructure development. Such learning

and experience would contribute to the development and improvement of existing

Natural Resources Management (NRM) guidelines and provide examples of good

practices in key NRM sectors and support new models of integrating protected areas,

sustainable grazing and agricultural management approaches into sector and geog

(sub-district) level planning to prevent the loss and fragmentation of forests and

critical habitats. It will facilitate the replication of the lessons and good practices

more broadly throughout the country. The implementation of activities under this

component will also be supported through BTFEC’s competitive grant-making.

At this stage of project preparation, it is envisaged that the activities under this

component will include: (i) gap analysis of policies and guidelines on conservation

management; (ii) high level exchange program with countries that implement high

impact conservation policies; (iii) workshops for implementing agencies to share

lessons and experiences; (iv) stakeholder meetings toward mainstreaming

conservation and NRM into national policies; (v) local community consultations; (vi)

10

dissemination of good practices, results and outcomes stemming from the

implementation of the grant-funded activities.

3.2 Description of Project Area Environment

3.2.1 Country Overview

Bhutan is internationally reputed for its well-preserved natural environment. Stable

political leadership, low population pressure, cautious and environmentally sound

development policies have delivered the country into the 21st century with much of

its biodiversity and natural environment intact. Land use surveys completed by the

MoA in 1995 revealed that a good 64.4 per cent of the country was under forest cover

(72.5 per cent when scrub forest is included).

Land use in Bhutan is predominantly forests (72.5%) and agriculture (7.7%). The

pasture and alpine meadows cover 3.9% of land. From 1958 to 2000, there was an

increasing trend in the major land uses - forestry, agriculture and pastures. Shifting

cultivation, although declining, still forms an important land use within the arable

agriculture. A significant proportion, i.e. 2.4% of the total area is under landslips and

erosion, which reflects the fragility of the mountain areas. Snow/glacier and rock

outcrops combined constitute about 12.5% of the land area. Settlement accounts only

for 0.1% but it is fast growing due to urbanization.

The country’s extreme altitudinal variation has created a corresponding range of

climatic conditions varying from hot and humid tropical/ subtropical conditions in the

southern foothills to cold and dry tundric conditions in the northern mountains. This is

further modified by latitude, precipitation, slope gradient, and exposure to sunlight

and wind, giving each valley and often opposite-facing slopes a unique set of climatic

conditions. As a result of the wide variation in macro and micro-climatic conditions,

there is great diversity of vegetation within the country’s small Dzongkha-graphical

area, which forms eleven different vegetation zones in the country. Extensive forest

cover and the wide range of vegetation zones have endowed Bhutan with one of the

most spectacular biodiversity in the world. Its diverse ecosystems harbor more than

5,400 species of vascular plants, 770 species of birds and 170 species of mammals.

Wild fauna includes several globally threatened species. In keeping with its rich

biodiversity and the need to maintain it for sustainable development, the country has

designated a vast protected area system – a network of four national parks, four

wildlife sanctuaries, and a strict nature reserve (see Map 2). The system, together with

the connecting biological corridors, occupies more than 35 per cent of the country’s

area and encompasses representative examples of all major ecosystems found in the

country – from subtropical forests and grasslands in the south to alpine scrubland and

meadows in the north – making Bhutan one of the most comprehensive and robust

national parks management in the world.

11

Map 2. Protected areas and biological corridor of Bhutan

3.2.2 Project Area Environment Overview

3.2.2.1 Climate, Water and Hydrology

Project area climate varies with the altitudes and covers an area approximately

16,982.51 square kilometer (1,698,251 ha). The climate is temperate in the middle

altitude (between 1800m to 3500m), alpine in the north or higher altitude (more than

3500 m). The project activities would be implemented mainly in the temperate areas.

Average annual rainfall in the project area ranges widely. The rain fall is less than 750

mm in most parts of project areas, i.e. northern parts of the ten Dzongkhags (NSB

2009). The rainfall is affected by monsoons. Project area experiences dry and cold

winter months (December through February) and almost no precipitation until March.

The main rainfall months are June through September. The summer monsoon (June

through September) brings heavy rains, high humidity, flash floods and landslides.

The temperatures in the project area also vary according to elevation. The valleys and

hills are warm and rainy in summer and cold in winter, with a pleasant spring and

autumn. The great Himalayan range is snow-capped throughout and severely cold in

winter.

The three project areas are the main source and catchment area of the major rivers of

Bhutan. The major rivers that run through the project area are Wang Chhu, Mangde

Chhu, Chamkhar Chhu, Puna Tsang Chhu (or Sunkosh), Kuri Chu and Kulong chu.

These rivers offer good potential for hydropower development, and are considered

nationally important. Besides, these bigger rivers, there are numerous local streams

and springs which are used by local people for drinking, irrigation and other purposes

such as indigenous water mills, micro-hydropower schemes, etc.

12

3.2.2.2 Topography and Geology

Most part of the project area is characterized by rugged and mountainous terrain, with

river valleys. The project area elevation varies from 1500 m to 6450 m. The project

area is under protected area and has dense forest cover with few shrub and grassland

in the alpine regions and snow peaks in the high mountains. There are seven different

types of vegetation zones in the project area ranging from chirpine forest and mixed

conifers forests to alpine scrubs2. Glaciers and moraines are common features of

these peaks.

The Tethyan Belt covers portions of Northern Higher Himalaya Range, i.e. project

area, Crystalline Belt of the central and eastern part of Bhutan Himalaya. It consists of

various rocks information and is represented by sedimentary rocks (Pre-Cambrian to

Cretaceous) intruded by Tertiary granites. The main rock types of this belt are shale,

phyllite, slate, calearous phyllite, quartzite and limestone with intrusive granite.

3.2.2.3 Agricultural area and agricultural practices

The total area of the project is 10,750 square kilometers (1,075,000 ha). Agriculture

has a dominant role in the socio-economics of the communities residing in this area.

However agricultural land is limited. Agricultural land in project area covers less than

140 square kilometer (140,000 ha) or 2.09% of the total area.

Agriculture practice in the project area is largely traditional, manual and subsistence.

Use of chemical fertilizer and pesticide is negligible or none. Depredation of crops by

wildlife such as wild boars, Himalayan Black Bears, monkeys, porcupines and

rodents is a problem commonly complained by the local farmers. Depending on the

availability of water and nature of land, farmers practice wetland (irrigated) and dry-

land (rain-fed) agriculture.

Livestock is part and parcel of traditional agriculture system. Forest and livestock

provide organic materials needed for land fertility. Forest/vegetation covers are also

important for regulating the availability of water for agricultural purpose. Agriculture

development is hampered due to lack of water irrigation channels, rough terrain, poor

soil quality and limited number of arable lands.

3.2.2.4 Physical Cultural Resources

Bhutan is very rich in physical and cultural sites. At the project sites in the 10

Dzongkhags, there are neither historical sites nor any religious monuments that are

known or listed nationally or internationally that may be affected by any of the

proposed project activities.

However, religious and/or cultural sites of local values are many in rural Bhutan.

Local cultural sites of different types are found commonly in and around villages,

settlements and along the travel routes. These could be temples, monastic institution,

stupas, sacred natural features, dwelling place for deities, holy trees, cremation sites,

etc.

2 MOAF (2010) Land Cover figures 2010

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fertility_(soil)

13

3.2.3 Profile of the project area

3.2.3.1 Jigme Dorji National Park

Jigme Dorji National Park (JDNP) extends across 4 dzongkhags encompassing 14

gewogs. Gasa dzongkhag lies entirely within the park with Punakha, Paro and

Thimphu falls partially within the Park jurisdiction. Approximately, 1,172 households

with 6,956 people residing within the park administrative boundary have user rights

on the natural resources for daily living. In addition, there are 1,682 households with

total population of 8,702 residing adjacent to the park boundary and they are also

dependent on the natural resources for their domestic needs. Although, it difficult to

specify the population growth trend, discussion with local communities suggest that

the local population is increasing due to improved health facilities and nutritional

diets from enhanced income generation from Cordyceps3 and livestock products

(consultative meeting analysis, 11-16, July, 2012, draft report).

Table 1: Number and distribution of human population in the Jigme Dorji National

Park

Sl. No.

Gewog Dzongkhag No. of Households Human Population

1 Kawang Thimphu 40 240

2 Lingzhi Thimphu 78 564

3 Naro Thimphu 56 299

4 Soe Thimphu 28 255

5 Goenkhame Gasa 119 708

6 Goenkhatoe Gasa 60 440

7 Laya Gasa 172 1,200

8 Lunana Gasa 12 142

9 Goenshari Punakha 129 607

10 Kabjisa Punakha 85 425

11 Toewang Punakha 105 525

12 Chhubu Punakha 150 750

13 Doteng Paro 30 150

14 Tsento Paro 108 651

Total 1,172 6,956 Source: JDNP conservation strategic plan 2012

Socio-Economic practices

Within the JDNP, the socio-economic practices of the local community can be

divided into two categories based on their farming system, altitude and locality, viz.

3 The Cordyceps mushrooms have a long history as medicinal fungi. The earliest clear record is a

Tibetan medical text authored by Zurkhar Nyamnyi Dorje in the 15th Century outlining the tonic

propensities of Yartsa gunbu (Cordyceps sinensis renamed now toOphiocordyceps sinensis), especially

as an aphrodisiac. Reference: Winkler, D. 2008. Yartsa Gunbu (Cordyceps sinensis) and the Fungal

Commodification of the Rural Economy in Tibet AR. Economic Botany 63.2: 291–306.

14

one category of the community purely dependent on the yak herding and other

category largely subsists on crop production and livestock rearing.

Of the total of 1,172 households residing within the park, 499 households, which

translates to about 42.6% depends entirely on yak rearing and they are known as

Bjobs (highlanders or semi-nomad) of the western Bhutan. Due to the cold climatic

conditions and the short vegetative period, agricultural crops are very limited. Small-

scale crop productions like barley, buckwheat, mustard, wheat, turnips, radish, etc. are

practiced. The economic main stay of the nomadic communities is the yak rearing.

There are about 16,222 yaks4, 1,071 horses and 105 mules supporting the socio-

economic of 3,240 people living in the extremely harsh climatic conditions within

JDNP. With legalization of Cordyceps collection in 2004, these communities were

provided with an additional income opportunity and it has become one of the main

sources of livelihoods for these people. Also, the local community of Lingshi gewog

accrues substantial economic benefits from medicinal plants other than the Cordyceps

as it is found abundantly in their alpine meadows. Annually, the local community

harvest about 3,247 kg of medicinal herbs5 from the forest and are being supplied to

Institute of Traditional Medicines in Thimphu.

The local communities residing in the lower areas of the park largely depends on crop

production and livestock rearing. The rice is the major crop cultivated by the

community and its annual production in 2010 was 6,092 tonnes6. Other crops grown

in the areas are wheat, barley, millets, buckwheat and maize in small quantities.

Alternative income generating cash crops grown by the local communities include

potatoes, chilly, radish, turnip, cabbage, beans, spinach, pumpkin and cucumber.

Local communities of the lower areas also produce some fruits such as apple, peach,

pear, banana, plum, mandarin, and guava mostly for their self-consumption. Livestock

includes 7,332 cattle, 1,089 horses and 448 mules. With improved accessibility to

markets, non-traditional off farm economic activities such as wage labour, contract

work, and small business are increasingly becoming important socio-economic

sources. Remittances from family members in public and private sector services

complement income in some households.

Land use and tenure

JDNP has the maximum concentration of villages inside the park with 14 gewogs and

the total land area is 7,457.3 km² (745,730 ha) of which 0.54% is agricultural land.

The agriculture is the most dominant land use, with wetland7 and dryland

8 as main

form of crop cultivation. About 2.6% of the households within the park do not hold

any cultivable land and is mostly dominant in the Naro gewog. Following are some of

the land use figures (RNR Statistics 2009, MOAF):

1,963.8 acres (795 ha) of dryland and 3,401.1 acres (1,376 ha) of wetland are

operational9;

4 2010, Department of Agriculture, livestock census 2010 and gewog office 5 field visit to gewog office and ITM Thimphu

6 Agricultural statistic report 2010, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests

7 Wetland is used normally for cultivating rice. 8 Dryland is used for kitchen, cash crops, etc. 9 “Operational” means currently being used for cultivation

15

47.4% of the households own wetland, 67.9% dryland and 6.4 percent cash crop

land;

39.3% of the households hold less than an acre10

of agricultural land, 31.6%

between 1 and 3 acres, 13.8% between 3 and 5 acres, 6.7 % between 5 and 10

acres and 1.4 % more than 10 acres;

755.1 acres of wetland are owned and operated by the owner, 144.5 acres leased

out, 193 acres leased in and 95.4 acres left fallow;

4,334.4 acres of dryland are owned and operated by the owner, 204.1 acres leased

out, 313.3 acres leased in and 3,683.4 acres left fallow.

Natural Resources

A large number of vegetation types exist in JDNP due to the wide altitudinal and

topographic variations in the Park. For the purpose of conservation planning, eight

broad habitat types have been identified and mapped. These habitats also represent

distinct vegetation communities ranging from Temperate Broadleaf forest to Alpine

Scree. Some of the most noted animals found in the park are tigers, snow leopards,

Himalayan muck deer, marmots, red panda and tragopans use a narrow range of

habitat types while others such as common leopards, Himalayan black bear, sambar,

wild boar, and wild dog use a wider range of habitat types. Others such as blue sheep

and takin migrate between habitat types seasonally.

The total number of tree, shrub, climber and herbaceous species (including grasses

and orchids) were 138, 240, 47, and 1,009 respectively. In total 1,434 species

belonging to 144 families of higher plants are found within JDNP.

3.2.3.2 Wangchuck Centennial Park

In aggregate, there are 1,601 households with 10,588 people living the in the park

distributed across 10 gewogs representing five different ethnic communities11

. The

community of Wangchuck Centennial Park (WCP) can be classified into two main

groups based on the farming practice (viz. yak herding community and non-yak

herding community). The yak-herding communities represent about 12% of the

households, while the rest are farming (non-yak herding) communities. The latter are

permanently settled either within the park or along the periphery of the park

boundary, especially in the temperate forest zone.

Table 2: Number and distribution of the human population in WCP and buffer zone. Sl.No Gewog Dzongkhag Total

household

Human

population

1 Chhokhor Bumthang 637 5800

2 Tang Bumthang 33 182

3 Lunana Gasa 141 708

4 Sephu Wanduephodrang 283 1397

5 Dangchu Wangduephodrang 105 578

6 Kazhi Wangduephodrang 44 220

7 Nubi Trongsa 75 405

10

1 acre = 0.4 ha approximately 11

Wangchuck Centennial Park – Conservation Management Strategic Plan 2012-2017 (draft)

16

8 Khoma Lhuntse 66 317

9 Gangzur Lhuntse 55 220

10 Kurtoe Lhuntse 162 761

Total 1061 10588

Source: Wangchuck Centennial Park – Conservation Management Strategic Plan 2012-2017

Socio-Economic practices

Majority of the people living in and periphery of the WCP depends on yak herding

and livestock raring. Yak herders do not possess agricultural fields, and rely entirely

on yak herding. They have customary grazing rights over areas that have been grazed

by their families for generations.

The farming community depends on the subsistence production from agricultural

land, supplemented by livestock. The crops and cropping pattern varies among

gewogs, with a variety of crops from wheat, barley, buckwheat (sweet and bitter),

paddy, mustard, potato and vegetables being cultivated depending upon the altitude of

the villages. Over the years, crops also have changed in response to crop raiding by

animals and market forces. For instance, potato is now abundantly cultivated in Tang

and forms a major source of the economy, while buckwheat and wheat, which were

the primary crops about 20 years ago have been reduced due to crop raiding by bears,

lack of labour to guard crops, and because of a more lucrative market for potatoes,

which can be sold in Phuentsholing. This indicates that crops and cropping patterns

are very much driven by number of forces, and can even respond and adapt to climate

change trends.

In Chhokhor gewog, the agricultural land belongs to the threp/mein (non-yak herding)

community, but in Lunana every household possess some dry land to cultivate barley,

(the staple crop of the area), and vegetables. In Sephu and Chhokhor geogs, yak

herders do not own any agricultural land except the land to build their house.

The community used to grow cereals in tseri12

lands; however, after the government

imposed a ban on tseri cultivation by the Land Act of 2007, people no longer grow

cereal crops. Some communities, especially in Lhuntse dzongkhag, are engaged in

share-cropping to supplement the cereal deficiency. The division of yield between the

land owners and share-croppers differ from gweog to gewog. In some villages the

croppers are unwilling to undertake share-cropping because of labour and crop raiding

problems. Overall, share-cropping has decreased in almost all the gewogs.

A yak dominates the livestock population in WCP. Livestock numbers per household

are highest in Lunana, Chokkhor and Sephu gewogs. The yak herders have practiced

transhumance for years, moving their yak herds from the higher elevations in the

summer grazing areas to lower elevations in the winter, to utilize available grazing

land and avoid the extreme winter conditions in higher altitudes. Yak herders graze

their livestock in the WCP during summer months, between the fourth and ninth

Bhutanese months. Herders have customary grazing rights within the entire WCP,

except for the rocky outcrops and snow-peaked mountains. Hence they are very much

dependent upon the WCP for their livelihoods vis-à-vis yak herding.

12

Tseri – Shifting Cultivation

17

In addition to yak herding, the Cordyceps collection has become a major source of

income for the communities of WCP. Maximum quantity of Cordyceps collection this

year was from Chhokhor, Dangchhu, Sephu and Lunana which falls under jurisdiction

of WCP where 1,578 households collected a total of 131.53 kg of Cordyceps, which

translated into a cash income of Nu. 97.5 million or US $ 1.3 million

Land use and tenure

10 gewogs within the WCP has a total land area of 11,145.9 square kilomers

(1,114,590 ha) of which 0.82% is used as agricultural land. Most of the agricultural

areas are in the buffer zone, with very little agricultural land within the park. Dry land

agriculture holdings are highest in Tang gewog and lowest in Kazhi gewog. Wetland

holdings are similar in all gewogs, the exception being Tang gewog, which does not

have any wetland agricultural holdings. Dry land agriculture cultivation dominates the

land use in all the geowgs. 1.4 % of the total households do not own any agriculture

land for cultivation. Following are some of the land use figures (RNR Statistics

2009):

3,455.6 acres of dryland and 480.9 acres of wetland are operational;

45.6 % of the households owned wetland, 89.2 % dryland and 0.8 percent cash

crop land;

29.3 % of the households hold less than an acre of agricultural land, 39.9 %

between 1 and 3 acres, 13.2 % between 3 and 5 acres, 8 % between 5 and 10 acres

and 9.6 % more than 10 acres;

755.1 acres of acres of wetland are owned and operated by the owner, 144.5 acres

leased out, 193 acres leased in and 95.4 acres left fallow;

4,334.4 acres of dryland are owned and operated by the owner, 204.1 acres leased

out, 313.3 acres leased in and 3,683.4 acres left fallow.

Natural Resources13

The park has three ecological zones with six different habit types – cool broadleaf

forest, mixed conifer forest, fir forest, juniper forests, alpine meadows and scrubs and

alpine scree. A total of 693 species of vascular plants belonging to 51 families are

found in the WCP. There are 39 species of mammals recorded and eight of these

species are IUCN listed. About 250 species of birds have been recorded in the project

area.

The altitudinal range complex terrain and representation of two zoogeographical

realms confer the project area with a diverse flora and fauna with several charismatic

species and ecosystems which habours both tigers, snow leopard and several other

rare and endangered species included in schedule 1 of the FNCA 1995.

3.2.3.3 Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary

Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) extends across three dzongkhags. In aggregate,

there are 1,005 households with 5,280 people living the in the park distributed across 13

Wangchuck Centennial Park – Conservation Management Strategic Plan 2012 - 2017

18

3 gewogs. The average population density in three gewogs within the park is 4 people

per square kilometer with maximum population density of 9 people per square

kilometer located in Sherimung gewog under Mongar dzongkhag. Linguistically, all

the three gewogs have different dialects of their own; however, the people of

Bumdeling and Khoma have similar dialects and can be understood by both the

communities. Two gewogs seemed to have some ancestral connection and takes about

a day walk to get into either of the gewogs. Similarly to gewogs in other two

protected areas, the population seemed to be increasing annually due to improved

health facilities and nutritional diets from enhanced income generation from livestock

and agricultural products as popped up during the discussion with local communities

in consultative meeting (consultative meeting analysis, 26 July – 1st

August, 2012,

draft report).

Table 3: Number and distribution of the human population in Bumdeling National

Park

Sl. No. Gewog Dzongkhag

No. of Households Human Population

1 Khoma Lhuntse

266 2824

2 Sherigmuhung Mongar

393 2750

3 Bumdeling Trashi Yangtse

346 2530

Total 1005 8104 Source: Gewog office 2012, during the field visit

Socio-economic practices

Local communities of 3 gewogs primarily subsist on crop production and livestock

rearing. The annual agricultural products including vegetable and fruits accounts to

about 1,909 tonnes of which, rice is the single most cereal produce followed by maize

(RNR Agricultural Statistics, 2010). Out of 3 gewogs, Khoma seems to be producing

more agricultural products than other 2 gewogs. Local women of Khoma are known

for their skills in weaving textiles made of silks (kishuthara), and weaving constitutes

a major source of income in many households. Livestock population includes 5,200

cattle, 554 horses and 77 mules. A small portion of the community also own yak and

derive their income from the yak herding. The community of Bumdeling and Khoma

make additional income from Cordyceps harvesting but the income generated per

household is very low compared to other Cordycpeps collecting community. A total

quantity of Cordyceps collected by the community of Bumdeling this year was 1.56

kg and the revenue generated was Nu.573,270.5 or US $ 10,236.00. Like any other

communities in Bhutan, off farm economic activities such as wage labour, contract

work, small business are increasingly seen as an important sources of socio-economic

in addition to little remittances from family members in public and private sector

services to complement the income in some households.

The major agricultural crops grown in three gewogs are paddy, maize and barley with

small quantity of other cereals like millet, buckwheat, and mustard. Sherimung gewog

seems to be suitable for the growth of all the cereals and vegetables as indicated in the

RNR Agriculture Statistics of 2010.

19

Land use and tenure

Three gewogs within the BWS has a total land area of 1,084.7 square kilometers

(108,470 ha) of which 0.73% are used as agricultural land. Dry land agriculture

cultivation dominates the land use in all three gewogs. Only about 13% of the total

agricultural land is being used as wetland by the local community of 3 gewogs. About

30 households in Sherimung gewog is either without agricultural land or with very

limited acreage of land for cultivation. Following are some of the land use figures

(RNR Statistics 2009):

1,523 acres of dryland and 520.90 acres of wetland are operational ;

66.8 % of the households owned wetland, 90.6 % dryland and 0.8 % cash crop

land;

25.4 % of the households hold less than an acre of agricultural land, 51.3 %

between 1 and 3 acres, 17 % between 3 and 5 acres, 5 % between 5 and 10 acres

and 1.3 % more than 10 acres;

312 acres of acres of wetland are owned and operated by the owner, 62.3 acres

leased out, 43.5 acres leased in and 103 acres left fallow;

922.7 acres of dryland are owned and operated by the owner, 36.1 acres leased

out, 77.3 acres leased in and 486.7 acres left fallow.

Natural Resources14

Broadleaf forests dominate about one-third of the Sanctuary and the remaining is of

conifer forests. Within the sanctuary and its buffer zone, four globally endangered

mammals (tiger, snow leopard, red panda and capped langur) and five globally

threatened birds species (Rufus necked Hornbill, Palla’s Fish Eagle, Chestnut

Breasted Partridge, Black-necked Crane and Wood’s Snipe) are found.

Of the many globally vulnerable flora and fauna, there are also blue poppy and yew

and Chinese caterpillar, a fungus which totally protected in Bhutan15

.

14

Bomdeling Wildlife Sanctuary – Conservation Management Plan July 2001 - 2007 15

Bomdeling Wildlife Sanctuary – Conservation Management Plan July 2001 – 2007 (pp 3)

20

Chapter 4 – Environmental and Social Assessment

4.1 Existing Pressures

4.1.1 Environmental Pressures

The country is strongly committed to ensuring a future where the natural environment

is still intact. The strong political will for environmental conservation that exists in

the country has translated into the policy resolution of maintaining at least 60 % of the

country under forest cover at all times and the establishment of a comprehensive

protected areas system encompassing more than 26 % of the country. Country has

also developed wide range of policies and acts for the protection and conservation of

the environment, and for environmental management. Despite such policies and

efforts, pressures are mounting due to population growth, and infrastructure

development.

The eastern and southern Bhutan, where population densities are high and human

activities are more intense, localized deforestation and overgrazing are occurring.

There is increasing demand for forest products such as fuel-wood and house-building

timber. The country and the project area, given its fragile mountain terrain and

ecosystem, are highly vulnerable to natural disasters mainly in the form of landslides,

soil erosion, and flash floods, as well as earthquake and Glacial Lake Outburst

Floods. Roadblocks due to landslides are a recurrent phenomenon during the

monsoons. Every year monsoon rains cause a number of floods and landslides,

causing loss of human lives and damage to infrastructures and natural resources. In

recent time, farmers and grazers have continued to face human-wildlife conflicts such

as crop and livestock depredation.

4.1.2 Social Pressures

Bhutan is assessed to be on track to achieve its Millennium Development Goals

(MDGs). However, while the poverty rate has fallen from 36% in 2000 to 23% in

2008, the MDG mid-term report notes worsening of conditions affecting those

suffering from severe poverty. Household food security is linked to low food

production and weak agricultural productivity, limited access to land and other

productive assets, extensive crop destruction by wild life and pests, inadequate

opportunities for rural employment, poor food utilization, and weak access to road

and transport infrastructure. Bhutan's mountainous terrain is a fundamental constraint

to growth and rural poverty reduction. Poor road access isolates a large proportion of

rural people from markets and social services, and limits their livelihood to

subsistence agriculture. The RGOB and development partners have responded to this

constraint by constructing more than 1,500 kilometers of farm roads and tracks since

2003. The proportion of rural people within one hour walking distance of a road head

increased from 40% in 2000 to 53% in 2008. The proportion of people residing within

six hours walking distance from a road has increased from 84% to 90%. Property

rights are also much more equal than in most of South Asia, with women rather than

men inheriting property in some areas.

21

4.2 Potential Environmental and Social Impacts of the BTFEC overall grant

program and the project

While the project is classified as environmental category B, the overall project

outcome is expected to be overwhelmingly beneficial from environmental and social

perspectives. However, the risks associated with implementation of activities inside

protected areas, which are areas of ecological sensitivity and of high conservation

value, both nationally and internationally, could be high requiring extra diligence.

Past experience has shown that when protected area and forest reserve

improvement/development activities which may have adverse environmental and

social impacts are undertaken by responsible national agencies, the need to carry out

environmental and social assessments has been overlooked.

The proposed project activities will likely to have limited adverse social impacts. The

main impact that may take place is livelihood impacts as a result of land-use changes

to ensure sustainable agriculture and livestock practices. There are also concerns such

as cultural disintegration and leading to loss of rural values and possible migration

due to increased income from the project.

4.2.1 Overall impacts

The Component 2 of the project, which supports the BTFEC’s grant program where

activities such as promotion of improved breeds of livestock and sustainable

agriculture and tourism will be financed, it is important that the program design and

implementation follows a participatory and inclusive process to ensure the above

impacts are managed to the level acceptable to the beneficiaries and that the most

needy and vulnerable households equally benefit from the project. Therefore, the

issues such as gender, social inclusion, vulnerable households and community

consultation and participation need to be carefully considered in the planning and

implementation process.

The preliminary analysis of project components indicated that Component 2 of the

project where financing will be provided for the BTFEC grant program will likely to

have environmental and social impacts, which has been summarized in Table 3.

Table 3: Component 2 activities and their environmental and social impacts

Activity Environmental and/or Social Impacts Magnitude of Impacts

Review and update of existing

management plans for protected

areas

Better management of protected areas High

Improved/maintained conservation

status of key biodiversity

High

Zoning and enforcement of

land-use regulations

Changes in land-use by communities

that may have livelihood impacts

Moderate

Land use information in place that can

be used to develop solutions for natural

resource management issues

High

Reduced land degradation Moderate

Opportunity to develop financial or

legal incentives that can lead to proper

land use decisions, or eliminate one-

sided central planning leading to over-

utilization of the land resources

High

22

Improve long-term quality of the land

for human use, the prevention or

resolution of social conflicts related to

land use, and the conservation of

ecosystems of high biodiversity value

High

Monitoring of species of special

concern, especially tigers and

other charismatic species and

research on critical species

Better understanding of conservation

status of keystone species that will

allow timely interventions in the face of

threats

Moderate

Improved knowledge on behaviours of

fauna, particularly focused on human-

animal conflicts and opportunity to

develop human-animal co-existence

models

Moderate

Engagement of local

communities in ecosystem

management and community

stewardship

Opportunity to embody responsible

planning and management of natural

resources with community participation

and ownership

High

Improved status of ecosystems that can

sustain conservation needs and

livelihoods needs

High

Improvements in socio-

economic income

Opportunity to provide improvements to

basic infrastructure needs that contribute

towards social development

High

Improved and sustained livelihoods to

project beneficiaries that are acceptable

to the community, the well-being of the

environment and sustainability of

natural resources

Moderate/High

Inadequate attention to environmental

and social concerns related to

infrastructure development activities

Low/Moderate

Improved staff training and

capacity for conservation

Better management of protected areas High

Pilot rangeland (alpine meadow)

co-management with herders

Improved resource management High

Increased productivity for domestic

livestock re-seeding degraded natural

rangeland with native grass species and

developing improved pasture on

private/government lease land

High

Opportunity to pilot rotational grazing,

breed improvement, productive

development and value addition

High

Reduced impacts to the adjacent forest

areas

High

Adoption of sustainable co-

management of forests and

agricultural lands in non-core

wildlife habitats and engage

local communities as

conservation stewards

Improved and diversified agricultural

and forest products

High

Improved incomes to local communities

from collection and marketing of non-

timber forests products

High

Improved sustainable land management

practices through informed decisions

that will improve protection of critical

sub-watersheds and forest resources

High

Reduced impacts to the adjacent forest

areas

High

Regeneration of degenerated forest

lands outside of protected areas

High

Provide supplementary income Improved incomes to local communities High

23

from community-based

ecotourism and use of Non

Timber Forest Products

(NTFPs) with value addition

Over-harvesting of NTFPs Low

Increased visitation beyond the carrying

capacity of the PA

Low

Physical impacts caused by tourism-

related land clearing and construction,

continuing tourist activities and long-

term changes in local economies and

ecologies.

Low

Development of tourism facilities such

as accommodation, water supplies,

restaurants and recreation facilities can

involve sand mining, soil erosion and

extensive paving

Low

Habitat degradation with air and noise

pollution due to vehicles, solid waste

and littering, trampling, tourism leisure

activities, etc.

Moderate

Increased visitation putting pressure on

animal habits and behaviors

Moderate

Improper siting can lead to land

degradation and loss of wildlife habitats

and deterioration of scenery

Moderate

The following sub-sections identify the possible environmental and social impacts

that could arise due to project activities that are focused on community socio-

economic improvement in the project areas.

4.2.2 Impacts of Infrastructure works

Environmental concerns of the project are mainly related to the infrastructure works.

Wide variety of small rural infrastructure could be supported under the project;

including farmers managed irrigation schemes to improve agriculture, community

micro-infrastructure such as drinking water, footbridges, range offices and simple

storage facilities.

Potential environmental impacts of community infrastructures such small irrigation

schemes, fencing the grazing land, foot bridges, drinking water supply and simple

storage facility are expected to be low/ minimal. The construction of Park Range

office is also expected to be low adverse impact. The impacts will arise due to:

Improper siting of facilities

Transportation corrugated galvanized iron sheets, timber, and other building

material, which maybe locally extracted.

Extraction of raw material such as gravel, sand, etc. from PAs/GFRs and

degrading habitats

Inappropriate disposal of soil, debris, etc.

Poor site management during construction work

Noise pollution associated with construction work and the resultant disturbance to

wildlife

Removal plants of conservation value

Spread of invasive species from vehicles and material brought into the park from

outside

Burning of uprooted vegetation and spread of forest fires

24

4.2.3 Impacts of Improving Productive Assets of Existing Producer Groups

The productive activities under Improving Productive Assets of Existing Producer

Groups are likely to be environmentally benign as the support intends to help local

community to increase productivity through improved grazing management

approaches, high yield agricultural products with sustainability practices that will

improve the environmental conditions and reduce threats towards natural resources.

The project will be supporting Bhutan's environment-friendly agriculture policy, such

as organic farming as far as possible, selecting/promoting/improving local high yield

crop varieties, introducing sustainable land management practices, training and

support of well-tested and already ongoing livestock support package, better/more

efficient use of NTFPs and introducing sustainable harvesting methods, sustainable

land uses for grazing land, and locally developed and tested measures for protecting

crops from wild-life. Minor environmental concerns related to agricultural

productivity activities and project approach is summarized in table below.

Table 4: Environmental and social concerns related to agricultural productivity

activities

Improving Productive

Assets Activity

Potential

environmental concern

Project approach

Reclamation/restoration

of degraded pastureland

Potential of agro-

biodiversity (local

species) loss in the long-

run due to promotion of

higher yield or disease

resistant species.

The National Biodiversity Centre (NBC) has

an ongoing program for conservation of agro-

biodiversity and genetic resources (including

maintenance of gene bank).

Restoration of degraded

agricultural land - wheat

and barley, vegetables

(kitchen garden)

Potential of agro-

biodiversity (local

species) loss in the long-

run due to promotion of

higher yield or disease

resistant species.

Higher yield and/or disease resistant variety

would be selected from among the native

varieties. The NBC has an ongoing program

for conservation of agro-biodiversity and

genetic resources (including maintenance of

gene bank). Most species are already

conserved. Project will coordinate with NBC

as required.

Support Community

Forest Groups and

households for their

wood and NTFPs

production and value

addition activities.

Increased pressure on the

community forests or

private forest (lingshi to

ITMS)

This will emphasize improving current practice

in terms of higher efficiency and value-

addition and hence reducing the pressures and

likely to contribute positively. As owner

(Community Forest Group) is involved,

therefore community participation will be high

and only sustainable harvesting will be

promoted.

High yielding yaks,

jersey, brown swiss,

pigs, poultry

Pressure on grazing land

and nearby forests.

Improvement management practices will

reduce the pressure on grazing lands and

nearby forests.

Project would support well-tested productive

breeds, and training that takes into account of

the health and hygiene.

Wildlife management

practices (mitigation

measures for crop

damage by wildlife)

Adverse impacts on

wildlife and people and

their assets (injuries,

crop damage, etc.)

The project would support measures already

tested in Bhutan (developed by the Wengkhar

Research Centre and the National Post Harvest

Centre under the coordination of the National

Plant Protection Centre). This will help in

25

reducing human-wildlife conflicts. New

measures that will support human-wildlife co-

existence will be also promoted based on

scientific information.

4.2.4 Impacts on Natural Habitats

The entire project falls under protected areas which are homes to over 693 species of

vascular plants, 39 mammal species, and 250 bird species, 42 species of butterflies

recorded from the parks and their buffer zones. The mammal fauna includes several

iconic species such as the tiger (Panthera tigris), snow leopard (Uncia uncia), wolf

(Canis lupus), Bhutan takin (Budorcas taxicolor whitei), Himalayan black bear

(Ursus thibetanus), red panda (Ailurus fulgens) and other unidentified species etc. As

highlighted in the introduction of the chapter, the risks associated with

implementation of activities inside protected areas, which are areas of ecological

sensitivity and of high conservation value would be high requiring extra diligence. All

care should be taken to ensure project financed activities do not result in habitat loss

and degradation.

4.2.5 Impacts due to chemical pesticide use

The project would not support purchase of chemical pesticides. RGOB’s general

approach is to promote organic agriculture. Hence, the procurement, distribution and

use of pesticides in Bhutan are strictly controlled. The Plant Protection Centre, a

government agency under MOAF, is the only agency with authority to import,

distribute, and sell pesticides. Chemical pesticides are not-available freely in the

market. In the seed treatment (and RNR demonstration activities), pesticides are used

by qualified and trained persons following standard FAO guidelines. High risk

pesticides (including WHO Class Ia and Ib) are banned in Bhutan.

4.2.6 Impacts on physical cultural resources

Bhutan in general is rich in physical cultural resources. Cultural sites of different

types are found commonly in and around villages, settlements and along the travel

routes. Environmental screening and assessments should cover the possibility of any

impacts and should provide adequate measures to avoid and/or mitigate adverse

impacts on the physical cultural resources. Bhutan environmental law requires that

permit or No-Objection Certificate for any activity within protected areas or a cultural

site or sacred landscape. In addition, local bodies are empowered and mandated for

the protection of cultural properties including temples, monastic institution and their

religious treasures, stupas, sacred natural features, dwelling place for deities, etc.

4.3 Environmental Policy, Regulations and Institutions

4.3.1 RGOB’s Policies, Regulations and Guidelines

Bhutan has reasonably sound environmental policies and regulations. Bhutan’s

environmental policies, legislation, and regulations pertaining to environmental

assessment are relatively recent. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan requires

RGOB to: a) protect, conserve and improve the pristine environment and safeguard

26

the biodiversity of the country; (b) prevent pollution and ecological degradation; (c)

secure ecologically balanced sustainable development while promoting justifiable

economic and social development; and (d) ensure a safe and healthy environment; and

(e) to ensure that a minimum of sixty percent of Bhutan’s total land be maintained

under forest cover at all times. The country has made significant progress in specific

environmental management policy and regulation development as listed below (See

Annex 4 for details).

National Environment Protection Act 2007

National Forest Policy, 1974 and 2011

Land Act of Bhutan 2007

National Environmental Strategy 1999

Forest and Nature Conservation Act, 1995

Forest and Nature Conservation Rules, 2000

Environmental Assessment Act, 2000

Regulation for the Environmental Clearance of Projects, 2002

Regulation for Strategic Environmental Assessment, 2002

National Environmental Protection Act of Bhutan, 2007

Application for Environmental Clearance Guidelines

Environmental Codes of Practices16 (first published in 1999 and later revised

in 2003/04)

Pesticides Act of Bhutan, 2000

Biodiversity Act of Bhutan, 2003

The Water Act of Bhutan 2011

In addition to the above and in the context of decentralized environmental

management, the DT and GT Chathrims 2002 are important policy instruments as

they mandate the locally elected bodies to exercise authority and functions for a

number of activities related to environmental management.

Bhutan also has issued environmental quality standards related to ambient water

quality, industrial effluent discharge, ambient air quality, industrial emission,

sewerage effluent, workplace emission, vehicle emission, and noise level limits.

In case social safeguards the following Policies and Regulations of the Royal

Government of Bhutan is relevant:

The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan: The mother of all legislations in the

country, the Constitution of Bhutan protects the people’s property rights where a

person shall not be deprived of property by acquisition or requisition, except for a

public purpose and on payment of fair compensation in accordance with the

provisions of the law.

The Land Act of Bhutan 2007: The primary legal instrument for land acquisition and

resettlement in Bhutan is the Land Act of Bhutan 2007, which was enacted by the

87th session of the National Assembly. The Land Act of Bhutan 2007 regulates and

administers the ownership and the use of land for socio-economic development and

environmental well being of the country. The Land Act of Bhutan 2007 came into

16

There are three ECoPs for Installation of Underground and Overhead Utilities, for storm Water

Drainage System, and for Tourism Activities.

27

force on 1 January, 2008, superseding the Land Act of Bhutan 1979. Under the Act,

an autonomous National Land Commission (NLC) is empowered to issue lag thram

(ownership certificate) and has the authority to register land or amend change in

thram. The NLC is empowered to acquire land, allot substitute land and approve

compensation.

Land Rules and Regulations (2007): To support the implementation of the Land Act

of Bhutan 2007, the NLC formulated Land Rules and Regulations which define the

institutional functions, procedural requirements and regulatory provisions for

management of national land records, land ownership entitlements and land rights,

land registration, land conveyance, land acquisition and compensation, land grants,

allotment of government land, and Government Reserve Forest land, cadastral survey,

documentation and mapping, land conversion, land lease, easement, and annulment of

land.

The Moveable cultural property act of Bhutan (2005): This Act is to conserve and

protect the Movable Cultural Property of Bhutan. In case there is concern that

Cultural Property owned by public Lhakhang has been lost, exchanged or sold, the

Department of Culture may conduct an investigation at any time. Further, The

caretakers shall conduct checks from time to time whether all Cultural Properties are

in place. Similarly people living near the Lhakhang shall render help when necessary

for safeguarding Cultural Properties.

The Religious Organizations Act of Bhutan (2007): This Act assists the other cultural

act in providing for registration and administration of the religious organizations to

protect and preserve the spiritual heritage of Bhutan.

4.3.1.1 Process of Environmental Assessment and Management

All development projects/ activities require acquiring environmental clearance (EC)

from National Environmental Commission Secretariat (NECS) or Competent

Authority (CA), unless an activity is exempted under the RECOP. Authority to issue

an EC, if a project proponent happens also to be a designated CA, defaults to NECS

for that particular activity.

EC application: The EC application needs to contain: a) No Objection Certificates

(NoCs), b) Environmental Information (EI). The EI need to include the following

information: i) potential adverse effects of the project on the environment, ii)

compliance plan to comply with relevant guidelines and codes of practice, iii) a plan

for avoiding, minimizing, or reducing impacts (management plan), and iv)

environmental and other benefits of the project.

Screening and assessment: CA checks the EI and NoCs, as part of environmental

screening. The screening may lead to one of three outcomes: (a) issuance of an EC;

(b) requirement for further study (Environmental Assessment - EA); or (c) rejection

of the application. Full EA is required if a development activity will take place in a

protected area.

Public Consultation: Consultation with affected communities is expected to take

place at two stages in the EA process: when the NoC is issued from the designated

28

agency and during the preparation of the EA. Only the directly affected agency or

people are consulted.

Compliance monitoring: The EC issuing agency is responsible for monitoring the

compliance. The holder of the EC is responsible for monitoring and keeping records

regularly. NECS and/or CA are mandated for annual compliance monitoring, which is

announced and pre-informed. They are also empowered for unannounced or spot-

checking. These are rarely practiced.

4.3.1.2 Protected Areas and Forests

The Forest and Nature Conservation Act (FNCA) and the Forest and Nature

Conservation Rules (FNCR) prohibit any construction, including motor roads,

buildings, fences, or any other physical structures inside a Protected Areas (PA),

except with written permission or authorization from the MoAF. In the core zone of

PA only activity necessary for achieving conservation objective are permitted. Certain

activities, such as felling trees, waste disposal, building structures, are strictly

controlled within the forests. Land clearance is not permitted (a) within 100 feet on

either side of the banks or edge of rivers, streams or watercourses, which are kept as

riparian reserve for conservation, and (b) land with greater than 45-degree slope.

4.3.1.3 Chemical Pesticides

Bhutan encourages the practices of organic agriculture. Hence chemical pesticides

procurement/import, distribution and use are well controlled through a centralized

system and are legally governed by The Pesticides Act of Bhutan (PAB), 2000. The

Act has been enacted with the purpose of, among other things, ensuring that

integrated pest management is pursued, limiting the use of pesticides as the last resort.

Integrated Pest Management guidelines are in place and are under implementation as

a part of the National Plant Protection Center’s regular program. PAB (Articles 4 to 6)

stipulates strict requirements for import, sale and use of pesticides. Banned and

permissible pesticide list has been included in Annex 5.

4.3.1.4 Physical Cultural Resources

Bhutan law has provisions for protection and conservation of physical cultural

resources. The RECOP (section 17) requires official clearance from the Ministry of

Home and Cultural Affairs for any project/ activity within 50 m distance of a cultural

site or sacred landscapes. The DT Chathrim 2002 mandates the DT to adopt and

enforce regulations for designation and protection of monuments of cultural and

historical importance in the Dzongkhag. The GT Chathrim 2002 mandates the GT to

administer, monitor and review Dzongkhag plan activities, including maintenance and

preservation of religious monuments that are not under the custody of monastic body

or central agencies.

4.3.2 WB Safeguards Policies Applicable to the Project

The Bank’s safeguard policies require that potentially adverse environmental impacts

and social impacts of Bank Group investment projects are identified, avoided or

minimized where feasible, and mitigated or monitored.

29

The safeguard policies provide a mechanism for integrating environmental and social

concerns into development decision-making. Most safeguard policies provide that: (a)

potentially adverse environmental impacts as well as specific social impacts should be

identified and assessed early in the project cycle; (b) unavoidable adverse impacts

should be minimized or mitigated to the extent feasible; and (c) timely information

should be provided to the stakeholders, who should have the opportunity to comment

on both the nature and significance of impacts and the proposed mitigation measures.

Safeguard policies that are relevant to this Project pertain to:

Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01): This policy is applicable because the

proposed project intends to support physical activities that will have environmental

and social impacts. However, it is not anticipated that the Project will result in any

significant adverse and irreversible environmental and social impacts as described

under the section 4.2 above. Based on the initial analysis, the overall project will fall

under Category B.

This means that (a) all activities that fall under the prescribed categories stipulated in

the national laws of RGOB, environmental assessments will be done according to

local regulations particularly, Environmental Assessment Act, 2000 and Regulation

for the Environmental Clearance of Projects, 2002 and applicable World Bank

environmental safeguard; and (b) all other sub-projects that do not require screening

according to national regulations but where World Bank environmental safeguard

policies are applicable and/or having some level of environmental impacts will be

screened using appropriate methodology (as proposed in this framework), depending

on the nature and scale of potential impacts, and mitigated. The RGOB is responsible

for carrying out the Environmental and Social Screening, Environmental and Social

Assessment (ESA) and preparation of Environmental and Social Management Plans

(ESMPs) and for implementing the necessary safeguards.

According to Annex C of the World Bank OP 4.01 an Environmental Management

Plan (EMP) (or ESMP) is a recommended element of ESA reports for Category B

projects. The EMP should consists of a set of mitigation, management, monitoring,

and institutional measures to be taken during implementation and operation to

eliminate adverse environmental and social impacts, offset them, or reduce them to

acceptable levels. The plan should also include the actions needed to implement these

measures. In preparation of an EMP, the ESA consultant should:

(a) Identify the set of responses to potentially adverse impacts;

(b) Determine requirements for ensuring that those responses are made

effectively and in a timely manner

(c) Describe the means for meeting those requirements

This safeguard policy requires consultations at different stages. The BTFEC as the

key implementing agency of the project will need to consult people/groups likely to

be affected by the proposed project and other stakeholders such as local government

agencies, local NGOs about the project's environmental and social aspects and takes

their views into account. The Environmental and Social Assessment and Management

Framework (ESAMF) as the environmental and social safeguards document of this

project needs to be disclosed at a public place accessible to project-affected groups

30

and local NGOs and in a form and language understandable to key stakeholders.

Within this context, as part of the project preparation activities, consultations have

been held with project beneficiaries and stakeholders and their views and concerns

have been taken into account in finalizing this document. The ESAMF will be

disclosed to public.

Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04). Some of the project activities under the proposed

project may have impacts on the known natural habitat such as protected area and

their buffer zones, on areas proposed for protection/conservation, and/or on areas of

known high conservation value. The policy prohibits World Bank support for

projects, which would lead to the significant loss or degradation of any critical natural

habitats. Overall, the project promotes the improvement of conservation efforts of

three protected areas and therefore activities that are proposed under the project are to

ensure positive impacts to natural habitsts. There 10 Dzongkhags in the project area

that touches protected areas or buffer zones. Negative list (non-eligibility for project

support) ensures that activities are not located in or dependent on resources from

critical natural habitats, as well as would not lead to significant loss or degradation of

habitats.

Pest management (OP/BP 4.09): Improved irrigation and agriculture productivity

enhancing activities may induce pesticide use in limited amounts, and some

demonstration activities at Dzongkhag RNR centres, such as seed protection which

may involve use of pesticides. However, project will not directly support procurement

of pesticides and will prepare a Pest Management Plan, based on the principles of

OP/BP 4.09 and PAB 2000 of RGOB once the activities are more specified.

Forestry (OP/BP 4.36): Some of the infrastructure to be supported under the proposed

project may be located in the community or government forest area, which means

possibility of minor removal of trees and hence impacts on the forests. Hence this

policy is applicable. The project will make arrangements to ensure removal of trees is

minimized and a compensatory plan including reforestation and/or afforestation will

be prepared and implemented.

Physical Cultural Resources (OP/BP 4.11): It is possible that the small-scale

community infrastructure under the proposed project are located close to religious,

cultural, historical, and archeological sites, or sites of aesthetic or natural landscape

value. This policy is applicable when any project or project/ activity involve

significant scale excavation, earth moving, flooding, and any project in or near PCR

site. Once the activities are screened and if negative impacts to physical cultural

resources are identified, either alternate site will be explored or appropriate mitigation

measures that will protect the resource will be put in place before any activity

commences.

The policy requires that for materials that may be discovered during project

implementation (“chance finds”) there be provision for “chance find” procedures in

the context of the PCR management plan or PCR component of the EMP. Bhutan’s

legislation does not address the issue of “chance finds.” Cultural heritage appear to

restrict its treatment to the pre-implementation phase and to known sites or those

discovered during the EA process, and do not make any provisions for unanticipated

discoveries of PCR during project implementation.

31

Operational Policy 4.12 on Involuntary Resettlement. The proposed project will not

permit any involuntary resettlement and involuntary land acquisition. Even though

involuntary land acquisition and resettlement of individuals and/or families will not

take place due to project activities, co-management activities, ecosystem restoration

and improved land use and conservation planning are likely to affect land use patterns

of the communities. This will have an impact on their livelihoods. As RGOB

procedures on land acquisition and resettlement has not been assessed to be

equivalent to the World Bank’s operational policy on involuntary resettlement, OP

4.12 will be triggered, and a Resettlement Policy Framework (as part of the

Framework of this project) establishes the process by which members of potentially

affected communities will be consulted and participate in design of project activities

and provide mitigatory/compensation measures as well as restoration of socio-

economics for those affected that are acceptable to the communities. This resettlement

policy framework will outline the policy, measures for restoration of livelihoods,

compensation and other assistance measures for affected persons, as well as required

institutional arrangements. An entitlement matrix will be prepared that will act as a

guide to compensation and assistance to those persons affected as well as propose a

grievance redressal mechanism.

4.3.3 Institutions and environmental and social management capacity

4.3.3.1 Implementing Agencies

Overall project will be managed by the BTFEC. In addition, the following agencies

will be involved in the implementation of the project.

Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MOAF). The National Park Management

(NPM) is constituted under the MOAF, consisting of the full-time dedicated Park

Manager and part-time Component Coordinators responsible for central coordination

and execution, oversight, technical support and guidance. The NPM will be

responsible for the overall project coordination and management, as well as financial

management, environmental and social and procurement oversight, monitoring and

evaluation of grants received by MOAF. The NPM will be supported by technical

contract staff for engineering design, geotechnical assessments community

mobilization, and other specialties including ensuring environmental and social

safeguards, as relevant.

Dzongkhag Administration: Dzongkhag Tshogdu (DT), as the dzonghkag’s elected

body will be responsible, in particular for implementation of some of the activities

under the component 2.

The Dzongkhag Tshogde (GT) will be the implementing entity with the Gup as the

chief executive.

Community/ Users. Implementation responsibility for community micro-

infrastructures works rests with the Dzongkhag Tshogde (GT), Gup Administrative

Officer, Park Managers and Dzongkhag RNR staff.

32

4.3.3.2 Social and Environmental roles of relevant agencies and their capacity

Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation (BTFEC): The BTFEC’s current

capacity to ensure environmental and social sustainability of its investments is weak.

However, as part of operational improvement of the institute and its grant making,

capacity to manage environmental and social sustainability will be incorporated as

part of financing including initial external technical support to continue grant making

while internal capacity is developed. While it may not be practical to ensure dedicated

staff at local level implementing entities such as Dzongkhag Administration,

communities, etc. BTFEC’s dedicated staff for environment and social safeguard will

ensure due diligence including local level awareness creation and training of

individual at sites to assist in guiding the implementation and monitoring as part of

grant program.

National Environmental Commission Secretariat (NECS): Overall responsibility of

the enforcing environmental assessment and management in the country lies with the

NECS. However, various functions and responsibilities have been delegated to

sectoral ministries and district authority. The NECS may not be directly involved in

the environmental management of the proposed project given small scale activities

envisaged, except in new farm roads. A negative list has identified even small scale

works that are environmentally sensitive that need to be avoided, and delegation of

authority for other cases. However, NECS may play a role in issuing environmental

clearance for new farm roads, monitoring, and providing guidance when needed.

Ministry of Agriculture and Forest (MOAF). MOAF is competent authority for certain

type of project activities which is referred in Annex 2 of RECOP. The list of activities

is included in Annex 6. As such it is responsible for issuing environmental clearances

to those activities, and also carrying out periodic environmental compliance

monitoring. Environmental Act and Regulations requires an Environmental Unit in

the sectoral ministries. However, MOAF is yet to form such unit. There is no

environmental staff at the MOAF at present.

Ministry of Cultural and Home Affairs (MOCHA): MOCHA will responsible in

implementing all land compensation or resettlement issues that involves local

communities.

District Environmental Committee (DEC). District Environmental Committee (DEC)

consists of Dzongkhag planning officer, Dzongkhag forest officer, Dzongkhag land

record officer, Dzongkhag agriculture officer, Dzongkhag environmental officer, and

Dzongkhag engineer. District Environmental Officer is a NECS cadre deputed to

district. DEC is responsible for issuing Environmental Clearance to the project/

activity mandated to the committee and for periodic compliance of the project to

which EC has been issued. As part of its regular activities, NECS has given general

orientation to DEOs before sending them to districts. These orientations focus mainly

on Bhutan's environmental requirements.

Park Managers: The local Park Mangers will be responsible in managing and

implementation of the program with the help of the local communities. The Park

Managers will ensure that all environmental and social requirements are fulfilled

33

based on approvals from the relevant organizations such as Department of Culture,

NECS, MOAF, etc.

4.3.3.3 Adequacy of environmental and social management by RGOB

The composite RGOB environmental clearance processes, in principle, are consistent

with World Bank environmental and public disclosure requirements. However, all

activities with an impact on the environment under the proposed project will be

subjected to some form of an environmental and social analysis, prior to disbursement

of funds. The extent of the analyses will depend on a given activity; the site selected

and will be based on the screening process.

The RGOB’s Environmental Assessment Act, 2000 and Regulation for the

Environmental Clearance of Projects, 2002 will ensure if project activities are likely

impact the environment in a negative manner, necessary mitigation measures are in

place. Also, Forest and Nature Conservation Act, 1995, Forest and Nature

Conservation Rules, 2006, Forest Policy, 1974 and 1979 and Biodiversity Act, 2003

of Bhutan makes it mandatory to address issues in natural habitats and therefore OP

4.04 will be complied with during project implementation.

The RGOB confirms that due to project activities communities living in forests and

natural habitats will not be displaced or any land conversion activities will be

promoted unless in agreement with affected communities. Furthermore, restrictions of

access to forests will not be imposed by the project. The Forest and Nature

Conservation Act, 1995 and Forest, Nature Conservation Rules, 2006 and Forest

Policy, as well as the Land Act, 2007 will ensure that any impact to the land is

managed within these regulations.

Although there is no legislation specifically tailored for minor ethnic groups or

vulnerable groups, the country’s development philosophy is based on all-inclusive,

nondiscriminatory development, which is gaining further ground with the growing

impetus on decentralization. The national decentralization policy is geared towards

enhancing local governance and promoting broad-based participation at the local

community level. While geogs are officially considered the smallest unit for planning

and administration of development programmes, local activities and priorities

emanate from the chiog level. Each chiog is represented in the GYT by its tshogpa.

The tshogpa convenes chiog meetings to discuss and draw consensus on local

activities and priorities before submitting them to the GYT. Such meetings are

required to be attended by a member from each household in the chiog, irrespective of

social or economic standing.

In conclusion, the RGOB’s clearance procedure is adequate and fairly reliable for the

context of this project. The BTFEC will also include environmental and social

sustainability and management requirements as part of the improvements that will be

made for its Operations Manual. The World Bank will review safeguards

documentation, as appropriately used, prepared under the project and provide

necessary concurrence for the approval of disbursements of funds. Any activity

defined in this framework, which does not fall within the RGOB safeguards

requirements will need to develop appropriate environmental analyses and planning

34

and will be reviewed by World Bank and provide necessary concurrence for the

approval of disbursements of funds.

35

Chapter 5 – Social and Environmental Management Framework

The Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) outlines the

framework for planning, implementation and monitoring of environmental and social

management measures required to ensure that potential adverse environmental and

social impacts from the project activities are eliminated, offset, or reduced to an

acceptable level. At the same time, it is expected that the ESMF will help the project

enhance environmental and social benefits from the project interventions. The ESMF

has been built on relevant existing national policies, legislations, regulations and

guidelines and on WB safeguard policy requirements. Adequate level of screening is

expected as part of the proposals to the grant facility of BTFEC.

Interventions proposed under this project are expected to be small and cause minimal

negative social impacts. Land acquisition and resettlement are unlikely and

discouraged under the project. However, as a precautionary measure, measures will

be taken to address unavoidable impacts that may arise from: (i) loss of structures; (ii)

loss of livelihood systems/income opportunity (due to the loss of productive land or

impact to a structure where a livelihood activity is being carried out, regardless of the

legal status of ownership); and (iii) loss of community property resources (religious

structures, grazing land). The framework guides the compensation for lost assets,

livelihoods, community property, and resettlement and rehabilitation of project

affected people. However, as RGOB guidelines and legislation for these

circumstances has not been assessed to be equivalent to the World Bank’s operational

policy on involuntary resettlement, OP 4.12 will be followed. Stakeholder

consultations and social screening during the feasibility stage of each activity will

identify and categorize the level of impacts.

5.1 Negative List of Activities

Environmental and social approach proposed is to emphasize early consideration of

environmental and social risks and factors, avoidance of higher risks, and value-

addition to the projects by timely environmental and social inputs and long-term

sustainability of interventions. Hence, environmental and social steps and processes/

procedures are closely linked with overall grant making of the BTFEC and project

steps, processes and procedures. The approach is based largely on the Bhutan

environmental legislation, requirements, processes and procedures with some

improvement based on practical experiences and considering World Bank policies.

Any activity that falls within the negative list below will not be included under the

project for funding. However, if such activities will be supported through the overall

BTFEC’s grant program, it is expected that such activities will adhere to the RGOB’s

policies, regulations and guidelines related to environmental and social safeguards

management.

Any project/ activity located in the protected area or area proposed for

protection or area of known high conservation value or nearby an area, which

is known to be a critical wildlife habitat (irrespective of whether or not inside

a protected area). Critical wildlife habitats would essentially include habitats

of globally threatened species as per the red list prepared by the IUCN and

36

those that are listed as totally protected species in the FNCR, OR project/

activity that depend on resources from those areas.

Any project/ activity in areas where land slope is more than 45 degree and/ or

known high landslide/ erosion risk area.

Any project/ activity that leads to construction of dam / water retaining or

diversion structure that is 10 m or more in height, raising of an existing dam

height or if it presents with a special design complexity or pose significant

disaster risks if it breaks (e.g. downstream settlements, resources, etc. and in

zone of high seismicity, landslides or flood, including Glacial Lake Outburst

Flood (GLOF) areas.

Any project / activity that will require full Environmental Assessment by the

Bhutan Environmental Assessment Act and Regulation

Any activity that involves cutting of trees or land clearance within 100 feet on

either side of the banks or edge of the rivers, streams, water courses or water

sources kept as riparian reserve for conservation

Any project/ activity that will lead to purchase/ use of pesticides that fall in

WHO Class Ia and Ib, and Class II or pesticides that are banned by RGoB

(Annex 5 of banned pesticide in Bhutan)

Any activity that may adversely impact nationally and/or internationally

renowned/ listed cultural site (within 50 m of its premise).

Any activity that resettles or impact livelihood of 50 number of families

5.2 Environmental and Social Safeguards Processing Steps

Implementation will follow the following steps closely linking with activity planning,

design and implementation steps.

Step 1: Preliminary Environmental Information and Analysis

Step 2: Environmental and Social Screening and Assessment

Step 3: Environmental and Social Recommendation and Preparation of Project DPR

Step 4: Environmental Clearance and social clearances

Step 5: Social Management Plan

Step 5: Site-Environmental Management Plan

Step 6: Compliance and Final Monitoring

The project/grant program steps and environmental and social steps are linked as

described in the table below.

37

Table 5: Project/grant program steps and environmental and social processing steps

Project/grant program

step

Environmental Step Social Step Remarks

Pre-feasibility and/or

feasibility study (after

Dzongkhag/Park

Management selects the

concept for further

consideration)

Collection of preliminary

environmental information

together with sub project

pre-feasibility or

feasibility field

investigation. (by DEC)

Collect religious

monuments and structure

information (Park

Managers)

Obtain relevant NoCs.

Preliminary analysis of

project's environmental

risks and identification of

probable mitigation /

recommendations.

Community involvement

while developing the

project(s).

Collection of household

information, number of

families and land holding

(Park Managers)

Land ownership certification

(Dzongkhag Land Record)

Identify households without

ownership certificate issued

by RGOB

Pre-feasibility and/or

Feasibility Report

contains

environmental section

in which

environmental

situation of project

site/ immediate

surroundings, potential

risks to the project,

and probable

mitigations will be

described. Report

contains NoCs also.

Selection of sub project

pre-feasibility or

feasibility report for

preparing Project Report

or detailed project report

(DPR)

Review the environmental

information provided in

the pre-feasibility or

feasibility report, and

carry out Initial

Environmental Screening.

Prepare environmental

checklist based on the

preliminary information

and make the decision on

the need for a detailed

Environmental

Assessment

Stakeholders includes

Dzongkhag and RNR

officials, communities and

gewog official, meeting and

consultative meeting to be

conducted by Gup and Park

Managers

Review of land holdings,

census, property, livestock

information in consultation

with the Gewog

Administrative Officer, Gup,

Tshogpa and National Park

management unit.

Prepare social checklist based

on the preliminary

information and make the

decision on the need for a

detailed Social Assessment

Initial Environmental

screening will check:

i) if the project is

eligible, ii) if the

project is exempted by

Bhutan environmental

laws from further

environmental

investigation, and iii)

who is the Competent

Authority for

reviewing and issuing

environmental

clearance.

Checklists format will

be prepared by

BTFEC and filled out

by the independent

consultant

Preparation of project

DPR by Park

Management on behalf of

the community or the

Park.

National Park

Management also prepares

EI as required by Bhutan

law (if not exempted).

NoCs are checked and if

needed additional NoCs

obtained.

National Park Management

will prepare the Social

Impact studies.

NoCs has to be obtain from

the community by the NPM

Compensation issues should

be resolved in consultation

with the community and the

gewog administration by

NPM

Substitute lost lands or cash

compensation as per the Land

Act of Bhutan 2007.

Resettlement allowance in

cash equivalent to the

difference between


Act of Bhutan 2007 and full

replacement value as per

current values in the same

vicinity, plus value of all land

EI needs to be

prepared before DPR

preparation so that

environmental inputs

go into DPR.

EI and/or DPR also

contain all NoCs.

If there are impacts on

community land or

community livelihood

activities, an

additional report will

be prepared to

document the details

of proposed

compensations with

agreements from the

affected households

38

transaction fees and charges.

Allotment of replacement

land for families who become

landless including households

without land ownership

certificate after acquisition as

per provisions of the Land

Act of Bhutan 2007 and/or as

required by the World Bank

Involuntary Resettlement

policy.

If there are livelihood

impacts, provision of

compensation for the lost

livelihood based on market

prices and compensation to

commence livelihood

activities in an alternative

location and/or

compensation to start an

alternative livelihood as

required by the World Bank

Involuntary Resettlement

policy

Conduct detailed

Environmental

Assessment if needed

Conduct detailed Social

Assessment if needed

Detailed assessments

will be carried out

with the services of a

consultant

Incorporation of

environmental

recommendation into

project plan & design,

bids, contract/ MoU

(supported and ensured by

NPM)

Prior to finalization of

DPR including bid

documents or MoU.

Approval of DPR by

NEC/MOAF

Obtain EC, if not

exempted

Obtain all social related

clearance from the

community and gewog

administration

Prior to DPR approval

Approval of DPR by the

World Bank

Obtain clearance from the

World Bank

Obtain clearance from the

World Bank

Prior to final DPR

approval

Acquiring of land - Consultation meetings with

the local community who are

being affected

Provision of replacements,

allowances and

compensations identified

during the pre-

feasibility/feasibility

Document the process and

details of replacements,

allowances and

compensations provided as a

Resettlement Action Plan

(RAP)

This step is only

applicable if

community land will

be acquired or

livelihood impacts are

present due to project

activity

This step should be

completed before the

bidding process

commences

Preparation of

Environment and Social

Management Plans

Project proponent

prepares Site-

Environmental

Management Plan

Project proponent prepares

site social management plan

(only necessary if the RAP

has not been fully

implemented prior to bidding

process)

Cleared by the

Safeguard staff of the

BTFEC

39

Bidding and awarding

contract or signing MoU

Inclusion of

environmental

requirements to the bid

document

Brief prospecting

contractors/ implementer

on environmental

requirements

Inclusion of social

requirements to the bid

document

Brief prospecting contractors/

implementer on social

requirements

Prior to bidding

Post finalizing of MoU

Construction

mobilization order

Contractor ensures the

environmental

specifications, including

the site-specific

Environmental

Management Plan are

implemented

Contractor ensures the social

specifications, including the

site-specific Social

Management Plan are

implemented

Site-in-charge will

monitor the site-

EMP/SMP and clears

the construction plan if

EMP/SMP

implementation is

satisfactory

Supervision, and

monitoring

DEC and/or MOAF (by

itself or engaging private/

NGO) carry out

compliance monitoring

every three month (to each

EC required projects and

sample of EC not required

project)

Gewog administration Monitoring report is

shared with

Dzongkhag and NPM,

who will instruct site-

in-charge and

implementers for

necessary actions.

NPM and Dzongkhag

follow up on

implementation.

5.2.1 Preliminary Environmental Information and Analysis

The project and the overall grant program follow a demand-driven approach. Initial

concept of the project comes from the community or park management, usually

verbally, and pass through deliberations and scrutiny, first by respective Gewog, and

then by Dzongkhag. Once selected by Dzongkhag for further considerations, viability

in the form of pre-feasibility and/or feasibility study is carried by a Dzongkhag team

(which may consist of Dzongkhag sectoral staffs including engineer, forest officer,

environmental officer, agriculture officer, planning officer, etc).

During the pre-feasibility and feasibility field investigation, the Dzongkhag team will

check environmental risks by collecting environmental information of the project site

and its surroundings: a checklist has been prepared to help in this process (Annex 7.)

The team will observe the sites, make simple measurements and also discuss with the

local people and stakeholders. The team will analyze the environmental risks, and

identify possible measures for avoidance, minimization, or mitigation of the risks/

impacts. These will be shared with the technical members of the team for

consideration while detailing the project plans and designs. The pre-feasibility or

feasibility report will contain environmental and social chapter summarizing the

findings and recommendations.

The initial analysis of project-supported activities and proposed mitigation measures

are given in the table below:

40

Table 6: The initial analysis of project-supported activities and proposed mitigation measures

Expected

Outputs

Activities Environmental Impacts Social Impacts Mitigation Measures Timeframe Responsible

Institutes

Supporting

Agencies

Component 2: Improved Conservation management of the high altitude northern areas landscape (consisting of areas and associated alpine meadows, forest and agricultural ecosystem

At least 3

protected

areas covering

over

1,000,000

hectares under

improved

management

and protection

Review and update

of existing

management plans

for protected areas

• Better management of

protected areas

• Improved/ maintained

conservation status of

key biodiversity

• If there is increase in

faunal species, there is

likely to be

(a) domestic cattle and

wildlife conflict

which would

impact the socio-

economic of the

local community

(b) increased crop

depredation from

wild herbivores

and ungulates

o Develop and conduct a baseline

study of the existing

environment and its ecosystem

o Conduct socio-economic study

to understand the loss of

domestic cattle, agricultural

crops and its impacts

o Develop a combined

sustainable livelihood

management plan consistent

with the 3 park management

that already exists

Planning and

implementing

stages

JDNP, WCP

and BWS

Wildlife

Conservation

Division, Gewog

RNR staff, RDCs

and UWICE,

Department of

Forests

Zoning and

enforcement of

land-use regulations

• Land use information in

place that can be used

to develop solutions for

natural resource

management issues

• Reduced land

degradation

• The conservation of

ecosystems of high

biodiversity value

• Changes in land-use by

communities that may

have livelihood impacts

• loss of property and

affecting income

generation means • Opportunity to develop

financial or legal

incentives that can lead

to proper land use

decisions, or eliminate

one-sided central

planning leading to

over-utilization of the

land resources

• Improve long-term

quality of the land for

human use, and the

prevention or resolution

of social conflicts

related to land use

o Ensure zoning is carried out

taking the current land-use

practices by the communities

into consideration and any

changes to be done with full

agreement of the communities

o Substitute lost lands or cash


Act of Bhutan 2007.

o Resettlement allowance in cash

equivalent to the difference

between compensation as per

the Land Act of Bhutan 2007

and full replacement value as

per current values in the same



o Allotment of replacement land

for families who become

landless after acquisition as per

provisions of the Land Act of

Planning and

implementing

stages

JDNP, WCP

and BWS

Wildlife

Conservation

Division, Gewog

RNR staff, RDCs

and UWICE,

Department of

Forests

41

Bhutan 2007

Improved staff

training and

capacity for

conservation


protected areas

• - - Planning and

implementing

stages

JDNP, WCP

and BWS

Wildlife

Conservation

Division, Gewog

RNR staff, RDCs

and UWICE,

Department of

Forests

Population of

selected key

species stable

or increasing

Monitoring of

species of special

concern, especially

tigers and other

charismatic species

and research on

critical species

• Increased incidences of

wild animal hunting and

poisoning due to

increased livestock and

crop depredation

• Might disturb the

ecological balance due

to increase of key stone

species

• Better understanding of

conservation status of

keystone species that

will allow timely

interventions in the face

of threats

• Possibility of increased

incidences of human-

wild life conflict

• Might restrict the

developmental activities

for the farmers

o Conduct baseline study to

understand human wildlife

conflict situation within 3

protected areas to improve

knowledge on behaviours of

fauna, particularly focused on

human-animal conflict

o Develop human-animal co-

existence models

o Initiate the livestock and crop

insurance scheme on pilot basis

Planning stage JDNP, WCP

and BWS

Wildlife

Conservation

Division, Gewog

RNR staff, RDCs

and UWICE,

Department of

Forests and Park

Services

Engagement of local

communities in

ecosystem

management and

community

stewardship

• Improved status of

ecosystems that can

sustain conservation

needs and livelihoods

needs

• Opportunity to embody

responsible planning

and management

of natural resources with

community participation

and ownership

o Joint management planning and

implementation

Planning and

implementing

stages

JDNP, WCP

and BWS

Wildlife

Conservation

Division, Gewog

RNR staff, RDCs

and UWICE,

Department of

Forests

Improvement

of income

level and

well-being of

beneficiary

communities

Basic infrastructure

needs that

contribute towards

social development

• Inadequate attention to

environmental concerns

related to infrastructure

development activities

• Inadequate attention to

social concerns related

to infrastructure

development activities

o Incorporate use of code of

practices and environment,

health and safety guidelines

Planning and

implementing

stages

At least 2,500

hectares of

alpine

Pilot rangeland

(alpine meadow) co-

management with

• Positive environmental

impact to the

nearby/adjacent forest

• There is likely to be

positive impact to the

socio-economic benefit

o Demarcate and designate

proper area to develop grazing

land

Planning and

implementing

stages

Gewog

Administratio

n, Park Office

Gewog Livestock

Extension Agent,

Dzongkhag

42

meadows

brought under

sustainable

grazing

management

practice and

reduced

impact on

adjacent

forests

herders due to less or non-

grazing in the forest

land

• May induce use of

fertilizer, pesticides by

the local communities

• May increase use of

exotic grass or fodder

species

• Possible forest to

adjacent forest when

burning the shrubs for

next season as local

practices

• May induce land

degradation as mono

culture will be practiced

• In some cases there may

be increased

encroachment of forest

land due to success of

sustainable grazing

practices

• May lead to

unproductive forest

coverage due to

disturbance of natural

ecosystem

• Destruction of natural

habitat due to cutting of

slow growing trees for

more alpine meadow

grasslands for grazing

• Production of FYM may

demand farmers to keep

large numbers of cattle

thereby contributing to

overgrazing

to the community due to

increased productivity

• There is likely to be

increase in community

yak grazing and

improve the feed system

for better yield of dairy

products

o Avoid introduction of exotic

grass seeds

o Avoid meadow burning during

dry and windy seasons

o Use of pesticides, fertilizers

should be not be permitted as

per protected area guidelines

and rules and regulations

o Introduce and employ proper

collection, storage, and

dispersal methods for FYM so

that there is negligible waste

and increased production of

FYM per cattle

and local

community

Livestock Officer,

Livestock Health

Division, BHU,

Public Health

Division (DoH)

At least 2,500 Adoption of • Introduction of • Erosion of local o Exclude from the project any Planning and Local Gewog Agriculture

43

hectares of

vulnerable

agricultural

land under

sustainable

community

land

management

practice and

reduced

impact on

adjacent

sustainable co-

management of

forests and

agricultural lands in

non-core wildlife

habitats and engage

local communities

as conservation

stewards

vegetables may

sometimes involve

introduction of exotic

species therefore

disturbances to natural

local ecosystem

• Mono-cultural

agricultural can bring

degradation of land/soil

fertility and less

resistance to pest and

diseases

• Use of pesticides,

fertilizer and herbicides

in the high altitudes

could have negative

impact

• Induce the use of exotic

and genetically

modified agricultural

seeds

• Improved sustainable

land management

practices through

informed decisions that

will improve protection

of critical sub-

watersheds and forest

resources

• Reduced impacts to the

adjacent forest areas

communities value,

customs and practices

due introduction of new

and possibly permanent

agricultural practices as

the local communities

have always been

nomadic culture

• Improved and

diversified agricultural

and forest products

•

pesticides that are classified as

class I,IIa, and IIb by WHO

o Develop Pest Management

Plans to manage the use of

pesticides within ecologically

acceptable levels, as well as

within health and safety

standards

o Apply chemical pesticides at

low limits and encourage

farmers at lower altitude to use

bio-digester as developed and

tested by National Organic

Programme - Encourage the

farmers to use the seeds

provided by druk seed

corporation and agriculture

extension agents

o Promote worm composting or

vermiculture with specific skill

development through farmers

training

o Promote regeneration of

degenerated forest lands outside

of protected areas

operation stage community,

Gewog

Administratio

n, Park Office

Extension Agent,

Dzongkhag

Agriculture Officer,

NPPC, RDC, Druk

Seed Corporation

At least

100,000

hectares of

forest lands

under

sustainable

management

(reduced

Provide

supplementary

income from

community-based

ecotourism and use

of Non Timber

Forest Products

(NTFPs) with value

• Indiscriminate

unsustainable harvesting

of cordyceps and other

medicinal species,

degradation of fragile

alpine ecosystem, and

destruction of alpine

slow growing alpine

• Increased income

• Disruption of

community relationship

within different gewogs

as a result of unclear

gewog boundaries

• Out migration of people

from community due to

o Development of sustainable

harvesting management plan

based on scientific information,

development and

implementation of field friendly

policy and regulation,

enforcing people to use

alternative energy sources such

Operation

stage

Local

community,

Gewog

Administratio

n, Park Office

Gewog Forestry

Extension Agent,

Research

Development

Centers (RDCs),

Dzongkhag Forestry

Officer, Social

Forestry Division,

44

pressures) and

providing

supplementary

income from

ecotourism

and use of

NTFPs

addition vegetation for fuelwood

• Increased visitation

beyond the carrying

capacity of the PA and

putting pressure on

animal habits and

behaviors

• Improper siting can lead

to land degradation and

loss of wildlife habitats

and deterioration of

scenery

• Development of tourism

facilities such as

accommodation, water

supplies, restaurants and

recreation facilities can

involve sand mining,

soil erosion and

extensive paving

• Habitat degradation

with air and noise

pollution due to

vehicles, solid waste

and littering, trampling,

tourism leisure

activities, etc.

increased income

• Improved incomes to

local communities

• Physical impacts caused

by tourism-related land

clearing and

construction, continuing

tourist activities and

long-term changes in

local economies and

ecologies

as solar and kerosene by

cordyceps collectors

o Immediate gewog boundary

demarcation carried out and

accordingly informing the

gewog administration and local

community

o - Improve and develop basic

amenities in the villages to

retain local rural communities

Territorial Forestry

Division, Policy

and Planning

Division (MoAF),

Land Commission

Secretariat,

Dzongkhag Land

Record Officer,

Dzongkhag Yargay

Tsogdu (DYT)

• Excessive harvesting of

medicinal plants and

other NTFPs leading to

extinction

• Loss of future income

from extinction due to

overharvesting

o Conduct detail ecological study

on the distribution and its

availability, parts used and their

status in IUCN red list, based

on scientifically written

management plan

Planning and

operation stage

Gewog

Adminsitartio

n, Local

Community

and Park

Office

Gewog Forestry

Extension Agent,

Research

Development

Centers (RDCs),

Dzongkhag Forestry

Officer, Social

Forestry Division,


Division,

Indigenous

Traditional

45

Medicinal Services

• Destruction of

vegetation through

cutting of slow growing

trees for firewood from

promotion ecotourism

activity

• Erosion of delicate

vegetation through use

of yaks and horses for

transportation

• Erosion of Bhutanese

culture and value

systems in the rural

areas

• Conflict of community

over grazing land

o Strict adherence to the

regulation passed by TAB for

the use of firewood by trekkers

and increasing use of LPG or

kerosene by tour operators

o Encouraging and supporting the

farmers residing along the

trekking route to develop home

stay facilities with minimum

tourist guesthouse standards

Planning and

operation stage

Local

community,

Gewog

Administratio

n, Park Office

Tourism council of

Bhutan, Dzongkhag

Engineering

Division, Nature,

Recreation and

Ecotourism

Division (DoFPS),

Department of

Forest and Park

Services

• Indiscriminate disposal

of non-biodegradable

waste along the tourist

trails

• Erosion of Bhutanese

culture and value

systems in the rural

areas

o Increased auditing of non-

biodegradable waste at the

entry and exit trekking point by

park officials and promotion of

livestock and vegetable

products by farmers and

organizing increased frequency

of cleaning campaign by TCB

Increased awareness education

to the rural community on the

importance of preserving native

culture for future sustainability

of tourism in the areas and

development and

implementation of stringent

code of ethics to be followed by

the visiting tourists /guests

o Improved waste management

system

Planning and

operation stage

Local

community,

Gewog

Administratio

n, Park

Office,

Tourism

Authority of

Bhutan

NRED (DoFPS),

NEC, Department

of Culture

(MoHCA)

Tourism Council of

Bhutan

• Degeneration of forests

as a result of harvesting

of billets for mushroom

spawning

• - o Promote mushroom varieties

that do not need billets for

spawning

o Plan and employ appropriate

silvicultural techniques, e.g

coppicing for harvesting billets

Planning and

operation stage

Gewog

Adminsitartio

n, Local

Community

and Park

Office

Gewog Forestry

Extension Agent,

Research

Development

Centers (RDCs),

Dzongkhag Forestry

46

o - Develop marketing strategy to

improve the market access

Officer, Social

Forestry Division,


Division, National

Mushroom Centre

Component 3: Mainstreamed conservation and sustainable forest and natural resources management approaches (developed under component 2) into national policies, strategies and

plans and replication of such approaches elsewhere in Bhutan

Procedures

and guidelines

for

establishing

sustainable

resources

management

development

and

documented

for at least 5

natural types

(e.g. grazing,

forestry,

protected

areas, water

and land

management)

Development of

guidelines for

establishing

sustainable

resources

management


natural resources

• Inadequste community

consultation in the

development of

guidelines that reduces

ownership, impacts to

the soci-economic well-

being of people

o The social issues should be

consulted

o Extensive issue should be

covered which involves, land

holdings, socio-economic

o Inventories and qualitative

traditional knowledge should be

recorded to avoid any social

conflict

o Loss of property and income

generation

o Procedures and guidelines

should focus on climate change

issues, socio-economic of the

local communities living within

the parks

o Inventories of 5 natural types of

landscapes such as grazing

area, type of forestry, water and

land management should be

made to avoid future

interventions

o Capacity building of the local

communities through training

o Substitute lost lands or cash


Act of Bhutan 2007.

o Resettlement allowance in cash

equivalent to the difference

between compensation as per

the Land Act of Bhutan 2007.

and full replacement value as

Initial stage till

the end of the

program

Department

of forest,

Wildlife

Conservation

Division, Park

Management

Units,

Gewogs and

Dzongkhag

representative

s

National

Environment

Commission

Secretariat,

Research

Development

Centers (RDCs),

Dzongkhag Forestry

Officer, Social

Forestry Division,


Division BTFEC,

donor agencies

47

per current values in the same



o - Allotment of replacement land

for families who become

landless after acquisition as per

provisions of the Land Act of

Bhutan 2007

Biodiversity

and

sustainable

natural

resource

management

consideration

incorporation

into revision

of at least 5

existing NRM

sector

policies,

strategies and

guidelines

(forestry,

agriculture,

grazing,

watershed

management)

Improvements to

NRM sector

policies, strategies

and


natural resources

• o Capacity building of the local

communities through training

o Capacity building of the local

park management and

implementers

Initial stage till

the end of the

program and

annually

Department

of forest,

Wildlife

Conservation

Division, Park

Management

Units,

Gewogs and

Dzongkhag

representative

s

National

Environment

Commission

Secretariat,

Research

Development

Centers (RDCs),

Dzongkhag Forestry

Officer, Social

Forestry Division,


Division BTFEC,

donor agencies

48

5.2.2 Social and Environmental Screening and Assessment

Social screening: Social screening will be carried out as part of the technical design

for each subproject to assess the precise nature and magnitude of social impacts. To

ensure consistency in the application of social screening criteria across different

sectors, MoAF would prepare and use a standard social screening format based on

upon the current NEC and the Wildlife Conservation Division environmental

screening guidelines and its past experience of executing similar projects. The

screening format should cover but not limited to following issues:

Loss of land, regardless of the status of ownership

Loss of structures

Loss of socio-economics

Impacts on vulnerable groups

Impacts on common community resources

To guide the MoAF in preparing a social screening format, a sample format is

provided as part of this framework in Annex 8.

Social screening will identify the potential for loss of land, assets/structures, socio-

economics, willingness of the community to donate land to the project, and other

significant social impacts. The findings the social screening will include

recommendations for the exclusion of the subproject if involuntary land acquisition or

serious social impacts are anticipated. Social screening will also enable the

categorization of subprojects based on their level of social impacts. Where the extent

of adverse social impacts is minor and no displacement or loss of assets or socio-

economics is expected, further social assessment will not be necessary. However, for

those subprojects where there is a potential for land acquisition and/or significant

social impacts, detailed social assessments/studies will be carried out and if required

appropriate social safeguard instruments developed. The screening will also identify

the vulnerable households among the affected and any gender disparities.

Environmental Screening: If the project is viable, the pre-feasibility/ feasibility report

will be sent to the NPM as a written proposal for funding support. NPM will review

the report for technical soundness and costs in view of possible funding support, and

if selected for funding, a team will be send to the field for preparing a Detailed Project

Proposal. DPR is actually a proponent's responsibility. However, as community lack

capacity, NPM/ NPM will prepare DPR on behalf of the community. At this stage,

project proponent needs to prepare detailed Environmental Information as required by

the Bhutan environmental law, if the project does not fall in the exempted category.

As the community lack capacity, they need to be supported in preparing the EI, and

this could be best done by NPM prior to the DPR. The EI contains a simplified

version of the Site EMP, and all required NoCs. The EI feedback and

recommendations need to be incorporated into the DPR, and thus help internalize the

environmental factors and adding value to the project and the grant program.

5.2.3 Environmental and Social Recommendations and Project DPR

The project DPR needs to internalize all relevant environmental and social

recommendations, factors and mitigations into the plan, design and costs as well as in

49

the contract clauses or MoU clauses. This may be supported and ensured by the

environmental and social experts in the NPM prior to finalization of the DPR.

In addition, during this stage an additional report should be prepared if there are

impacts on community land or community livelihood activities to document the

details of proposed compensations.

5.2.4 Environmental Clearance (EC) and Social Clearances

The project DPR is approved by the NPM or Steering Committee. Before approval,

environmental clearance (EC), as well as relevant social clearances needs to be

obtained. NECS is the competent authority for certain type of projects; whereas WCD

MoAF is mandated for EC for certain type of projects (Annex 6). The EI is submitted

to the concerned CA for obtaining EC. For the exempted projects EC is not required -

however, DPR must contain all relevant NoCs and incorporate environmental

recommendations made in the pre-feasibility/ feasibility (preliminary environmental

analysis).

Social clearances will be obtained from Chiwog communities those who have been

affected due to the project activities and the final clearance should be obtained from

the gup of the gewog.

5.2.5 Social Management Plan (Resettlement Framework)

This matrix is developed on the basis of relevant government and World Bank

policies as well as anticipated impacts under the proposed programs. It is expected

that the project land needs will be marginal and are expected to be obtained through

voluntary donation by individual households or communities, as practiced in earlier

World Bank projects.

Types of Impact Entitlement Unit Entitlements

Loss of private

lands

Affected HHs having

ownership certificate

issued by the RGoB

Substitute lost lands or cash compensation as per the

Land Act of Bhutan 2007.

Resettlement allowance in cash equivalent to the

difference between compensation as per the Land Act of

Bhutan 2007 and full replacement value as per current

values in the same vicinity, plus value of all land


Allotment of replacement land for families who become

landless after acquisition as per provisions of the Land

Act of Bhutan 2007.

Affected HHs without

ownership certificate

issued by RGOB

Replacement land and resettlement allowance in cash as

per the World Bank IR Policy agreed with the World

Bank

Affected Vulnerable HHs Additional assistance to be identified most vulnerable groups

to restore livelihoods.

Preferential treatment in employment in project

activities

Skill training and income generation support

Priority in Poverty reduction/social development

programs

Loss of residential

structures

Affected person/families Cash compensation in line with the Bhutan Schedule of

Rate.

To ensure compensation at replacement value,

rehabilitation assistance in cash equivalent to cover

depreciation over and above compensation determined

50

on the basis of BSR rates.

Loss of cash

crops

Affected HHs Compensation for cash crops and trees calculated as per

the Land Act of Bhutan 2007. 2007 (revised rates),

including non-title holders.

Loss of income Affected person/

Families

Rehabilitation assistance for lost or diminished livelihoods.

Preferential treatment17 in employment in project

activities

Skill training and income generation support

Priority consideration in poverty reduction/social

development programs

In the case of landless families who suffer partial or total

loss of livelihood, allotment of land free of cost.

Loss of

Community

Resources

Affected

Institution /community Compensation for re-establishing or re-constructing lost

community resources such as religious and cultural

structures or providing alternatives in consultation with

affected communities.

Temporary losses Affected

Person /families Cash compensation/transition allowance

5.2.6 Site-Environmental Management Plan

As recommended in the Application for Environmental Clearance Guidelines, the

Project Proponent will prepare Site-Environmental Management Plan during the

inception of the project or sub-project. The project proponent will conduct a

walkthrough together with local stakeholders including the community, Dzongkhag,

site-engineers, section officer, etc. before preparing site-EMP. Site-in-charge will

approve the site-EMP before works at site begins. The implementers will carry out the

activities of the project as per the Site-EMP. The Site-EMP will be also included in

the contractor documents with appropriate clauses to ensure the EMP is implemented.

Table presented below identifies a generic Environmental Management Plan to be

used in conjunction with the site-specific plan.

17

Construction contracts include provision that PAPs will have priority in wage labor/employment on

sub-project construction during implementation and post construction s maintenance works.

51

Impact Potential

Significance

Location Mitigation Measures Frequency of

Interventions

Implementing

Responsibility

Monitoring

Responsibility

Poor design impacting

structural integrity and safety of

infrastructure such as physical

trauma associated with failure

of structures, fires, injuries due

to falls or contact of machinery,

respiratory distress from dust,

fumes and noxious odours and

exposure to hazardous materials

High Project site Incorporate as appropriate the

following during planning, siting

and design phases:

Inclusion of buffer strips or physical

separations around project sites

Incorporation of siting and safety

engineering criteria to prevent

failures due natural and/or man-

made risks (such as wind, flooding,

landslides, fires, etc.

Application of locally regulated

building codes to ensure structural

integrity

Certification of designing and

constructing infrastructure, the

applicability and appropriateness of

structural criteria

During design

stage

Design engineer

Improper disposal of debris

during site clearing blocking

drains and waterways and

contaminating water

High Construction

area and

disposal

sites

Regular removal of debris generated

to an approved disposal site

If demolished material contains

hazardous waste, disposal should be

carried out as per the guidelines

provided the RGOB

All structures demolished should be

removed, and debris recycled or

disposed of in sites authorized by

the appropriate authority

At least once a

week; all debris

generated as part

of site clearing

including

demolition of

buildings should

be done before

construction

activities

commence

Contractor Supervising

Officer with

the support of

local

stakeholders

Improper storing and lengthy

stockpiled period of gravel/soil

washing off to low-lying areas

and sea

Moderate Construction

area

All materials should be stored in a

manner to minimize erosion. Silt

traps shall be placed where

appropriate to minimize

sedimentation of nearby waterways.

At the stage of

construction

planning


Officer

52

Impact Potential

Significance


Interventions

Implementing

Responsibility

Monitoring

Responsibility

Reduce the length of stockpiling

through proper planning of

construction stages.

Storm water congestion on site

can creating inconveniences to

the community and construction

work due to water stagnation;

this can also cause vector-borne

diseases


area

Drainage paths should be cut at the

early stages of the construction

work to divert the storm water out

Ensure water is not stagnated on the

construction area at all times

Eliminate any possible breeding

habitats

Early stages of

site preparation


Officer with

the support of

local

stakeholders

Overexploitation of water for

construction and labour camps

High Construction

site

Water should be obtained with a

consent from the relevant authority

Water use at site should be

monitored to manage possible over

use and improper use

Consent to be

taken by the time

of mobilization

Water usage to be

monitored daily


Officer with

the support of

local

stakeholders

Waste water generated during

construction and from labour

camps can also contaminate

water sources


areas and the

vicinity

Divert the waste water to an existing

sewage systems with the approval

of the relevant authority

Treat water generated through

construction activities, particularly

water mixed with paint and similar

hazardous material

To be set up at the

early stages of

mobilization

During the times

when hazardous

material are in use


Officer with

the support of

local

stakeholders

The use of machines working

with fuel, oils and lubricants on

work sites maybe a source of

water contamination risks by

infiltration


areas and the

vicinity

All machines should good

conditions without any possible

leaks

Handling of fuel, oils and lubricants

for the machines should be done on

designated workshops/ fuel sheds

located in the vicinity of the site

At all times Contractor Supervising

Officer with

the support of

local

stakeholders

Accidental spillage of oil and

chemicals impacting

groundwater and uncontrolled

site runoff to nearby coastal


areas and the

vicinity

Plan should be in place to respond

to such accidents

At the stage of

construction

planning


Officer with

the support of

local

53

Impact Potential

Significance


Interventions

Implementing

Responsibility

Monitoring

Responsibility

waters impacting water quality

due to suspended solids and

other contaminants.

stakeholders

Various types of waste such as

litter, human waste, food waste,

etc. from labour camps, as well

as construction-related wastes

will be generated can create

inconveniences to public and

school users, and contribute

negatively towards public

health; wastes that are not

disposed properly can become

breeding grounds for water

borne diseases and can

contribute to groundwater and

coastal water contamination;

and unsafe disposal of asbestos

from degraded roofs may cause

public health issues

High Construction

areas and the

vicinity

Waste management plan should be

agreed at the mobilization stage

A waste recycling plan shall be

prepared by the contractor to reduce

the amount of waste disposed

Waste generated during site

clearance should be disposed of in

areas approved by the local

authority

Construction sites shall be cleared

on a daily basis of any material that

can cause injury or potential

become a public health hazard

Proper and marked waste bins

should be located on construction

sites and labour camps

Disposal of hazardous materials

shall be done in a manner that does

not cause harm to surrounding

environment and public. Paints,

thinners and other material shall be

temporarily stored and disposed of

RGOB approved methodology and

sites in consultation with the local

authorities.

Temporary storage areas should be

barricaded and marked.

During decommissioning activities,

hazardous material shall be

identified (e.g asbestos sheets) and

Planning part

should be carried

out as

construction

planning and

should be in place

by the time of

mobilization

At least weekly

disposal of waste

should take place


Officer with

the support of

local

stakeholders

54

Impact Potential

Significance


Interventions

Implementing

Responsibility

Monitoring

Responsibility

removed separately and

immediately to minimize

contamination and disposal to be

done according to national

guidelines.

Unsustainable and unapproved

extraction of construction

materials such as sand, timber,

gravel, etc. placing a burden of

the resources

Low Sites of

resources

Source construction material only

from RGOB approved sites and

licensed commercial vendors

At the time of

extraction /

purchasing


officer

Transportation of material to

and from the site creating

disturbances to residences can

cause injury and increase traffic

congestion in the area and

transportation of construction

material on open vehicles and

the high speed of vehicle

running can generate dust and

will cause potential safety

issues

High Construction

site and

vicinity

Plan transportation to take place

outside peak traffic hours.

Speed limits should be introduced

for various strategic points.

Vehicles should also have proper

reverse signaling (both light and

sound) to reduce possible accidents.

Material transportation should be

carried out in closed vehicles or

make arrangements to cover the

vehicles.

Emphasizing safety aspects among

drivers and use of licensed drivers

only

Avoiding dangerous routes and

times of the day to reduce risks of

accidents

Improve signage and visibility and

overall safety of roads used

Coordination with emergency units

to ensure that appropriate first aid is

provided in the event of accidents

Employing safe traffic control

Planning should

be done as part of

construction

planning

All other actions

to be carried out

at all times


officer

55

Impact Potential

Significance


Interventions

Implementing

Responsibility

Monitoring

Responsibility

measures, including road signs and

flag persons to warn of dangerous

conditions

Improper location of camps and

workers making space for

interactions with community

leading to negative social

impacts – applicable

particularly labour is bought in

from outside the community


site and

vicinity

Labour camps if needed to be set up

should be located in a site with

minimum interaction with the

community

Closely monitor the movements of

workers through strict labour

supervision.

Setting up of

labour camps and

access to

labourers should

be planned as part

of construction

planning

Supervision

should be carried

out at all times


Officer with

the support of

local

stakeholders

Construction sites that are not

cordoned off can contribute

towards potential safety hazards

to residents who are located

close to the construction site

High Construction

site and

vicinity

Vehicle drivers should maintain

appropriate speeds in order to avoid

accidents, especially when driving

in populated areas.

Strict labour supervision should be

undertaken of construction workers

Labour awareness programmes to

educate labourers on codes of

conduct shall be introduced

Safety regulations shall be followed

by contractors to minimize risks

Necessary barriers, warnings, signs

demarcating unsafe areas should be

followed according to standard

construction practices

Safety nets should be used to cover

buildings and prevent injury to

workers, as well as the community

living in the vicinity

Code of conduct

and safety

protocols should

be put in place as

part of

construction

planning

First aid facility

should be in place

as soon as the

contractor

mobilizes to the

site

Labour awareness

creation on safety

should be carried

out as soon as the

staff are

mobilized


Officer with

the support of

local

stakeholders

56

Impact Potential

Significance


Interventions

Implementing

Responsibility

Monitoring

Responsibility

Safety paths should be identified for

peoples movements.

Provide first aid facilities in case of

an emergency and safety protocols

during such event.

Provide safety equipment to

workers

Physical

interventions

should be in place

at all times of

construction

activities

During site preparation and

construction work noise will be

generated due to construction

related work creating

disturbances to residents living

close to the construction site;

and construction-induced traffic

movement from pick-ups,

excavators, dump trucks, etc.,

use of powerful mechanical

equipment, and demolition of

existing buildings will also

contribute to noise pollution.

High Construction

site and

vicinity

Noise shall be kept to minimum

required standards during school

hours in order to prevent any

inconveniences

Where possible, usage of noise

generating equipment should be

kept to the minimum

Strict labour supervision should be

undertaken to reduce noise

Equipment used on site shall be in

good serviced condition.

All times during

construction

activities


Officer with

the support of

local

stakeholders

Dust generated during

excavation work, backfilling,

reinstatement work, demolition

activities, cement mixing,

handling construction material,

truck movement in the site area

can impacts the air quality

during construction; dust

generated during clearing and

construction work can cause

difficulties for students who

have respiratory problems, soil/

gravel kept for long periods

High Construction

site and

vicinity

Materials such as gravel and soil

shall be covered during transport

Frequent watering down of

construction site shall be needed to

minimize dust generation

Put up dust barriers in

decommissioning areas and areas of

extensive earth works and cement

mixing areas

Excessive dust generating activities

should be planned out during off

peak traffic times

All times during

construction

activities


Officer with

the support of

local

stakeholders

57

Impact Potential

Significance


Interventions

Implementing

Responsibility

Monitoring

Responsibility

without proper cover can

generate dust and become an

inconvenience to surrounding

residents; transportation of

materials to site will also

generate dust; and

decommissioning of existing

structures can also create dust

that is potentially hazardous.

Gaseous emissions from

construction plants, paint and

vehicles contributing to air

pollution

High Construction

site and

vicinity

The vehicles should be maintained

well to reduce excessive emissions

Construction plants and paint

storage and mixing areas should be

away from areas used by residences

Operation of construction plants and

painting should preferably take

place during off peak traffic times

All times during

construction

activities


Officer with

the support of

local

stakeholders

58

5.2.7 Compliance and final monitoring

Regular supervision and quality control of the construction will be done by the site

team (site engineer and section officer). NECS/DEC and/or WCD MOAF will carry

out periodic environmental compliance monitoring18

, all project for which EC is

required and on representative sample of those project for which EC is not required,

as required by the Bhutan law. Periodic compliance monitoring will be carried out

once in three months in general (one monitoring mid-way of construction if

construction period is three month or less, two monitoring if construction period is

three to six months, every three month for more than six-month construction period).

However, if new environmental and/or social issues not identified during the

assessment have risen or the mitigations measures agreed have not been adequately

implemented, monitoring will need to be done more frequently.

Besides, final environmental and social monitoring for demobilization certification

will also be carried out. Project resources, if necessary, will be made available to

WCD MOAF for engaging private party or NGO in supporting the periodic

compliance and final monitoring. Quarterly report will be produced with consolidated

screening information of all sites and will be shared with the World Bank, which

includes efforts made by the project towards avoidance of potential impacts on natural

habitats, forest resources and/or cultural/heritage/religious sites. Consolidated

monitoring reports will be prepared by the MOAF bi-annually for activities supported

through project financing and will be shared with the World Bank team. An annual

environmental and social audit will be conducted to assess the effectiveness of

safeguard screening and ESMP implementation.

5.3 Consultations and Grievance Addressing

Environmental consultation and grievance addressing: Consultations are inbuilt in

the project planning, design and implementation approach. Pre-feasibility and

feasibility team will conduct and record consultations with the stakeholders including

local body, communities, users such forest users committee or water-users committee,

schools/ clubs and other stakeholders as part of the assessment. During construction,

the site supervision team will consult regularly with the affected people/community as

well as local stakeholders for their observations and feedback, and the periodic

monitoring team from Dzongkhag or from WCD or from NECS or NGOs will also

consult with these stakeholders.

For the grievances, the project implementation and/or supervision team at site will

keep a feedback register and let the local stakeholder know that they may register

their project related complaints or comments or suggestions. The project team will

review these feedbacks and take appropriate actions. Complaints may also be

registered at the gewog/Dzongkhag, which is close to the site. The gewog will take up

these complaints with the project team and forward the complaints to Dzongkhag.

Complainant has the option of filing the case with the Dzongkhag administration or

even to the court.

18

Periodic or surprise compliance monitoring is the responsibility of the Competent Authority issuing

the Environmental Clearance.

59

Social Grievance redress mechanism: Bhutan has a robust grievance redress system.

Any issue on grievances will be verified at the gewog level by the gup. The poorest of

the poor grievance issues are put up to Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs by the

Dzongkhag, which get forwarded to the His Majesty’s Secretariat for compensation.

Informal traditional dispute mechanisms, based primarily on negotiations between

aggrieved parties and through community meetings to reach consensus on a

satisfactory resolution, are already practiced in Bhutan in general and in the

participating gewogs in particular. These traditional dispute practices appear to

function well and are generally accepted by all community members as a satisfactory

means for resolving disputes and grievances. The project will rely on these existing

systems for addressing grievance from the project. However, to make the grievance

redress process more systematic, but still working within traditional community

norms and practices, aggrieved parties will follow following steps.

Any complaining parties will submit a formal complaint to the Tshogpa of the

Chiwog for consideration;

If it cannot be resolved within the jurisdiction of the Tshogpa of the Chiwog,

the grievance case will be submitted to the GT. The GT will review the

grievance case and call a public hearing.

Where the complainant does not agree with the recommendation of the public

hearing, he or she can file the case with the Dzongkhag Administration for

review and intervention. The Dzongkhag Administration will review the case

and make recommendations to resolve the case.

The complainant can always file his or her case in court at any time where the

case will be reviewed and settled.

Any appeals to the above mentioned committees will be recorded in a register,

identifying the name of the aggrieved party, date of grievance registered, nature of

grievance, and measures suggested to address the grievance, including escalating

resolution of the grievance to MOAF or RGOB for recourse through traditional

judicial practices, and date of grievance redress.

As part of the World Bank requirement BTFEC will use the existing Dzongkhag

Administration Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC) consisting of the Dzongkhag

Administration grievance redressal team, as well as a community leader from the

project area, a representative from the affected household and a representative from a

non-governmental organization located in the area. Any issue that has not been

handled at the local level should be moved to the GRC to be set up at the MOAF with

representatives from the community affected, a non-governmental organization and

representative from the BTFEC (preferably the safeguard staff). This process should

be followed for any grievance due to the project finance and before advising the

aggrieved party to seek legal support. All proceedings of the GRCs should be

properly recorded and made available to public in accessible places.

5.4 Environmental and Social Management Cost

Project level environmental and social mitigation costs will be internalized within the

project DPR. The subproject preparation cost should also include any environmental

study/ assessment cost, and each project EI or EMP will have estimates for specific

60

item wise mitigation cost for each relevant subproject. This will be reflected in the

subproject DPR, and will be confirmed before approval of project DPR.

5.5 Specific considerations on Natural Habitats, Forestry, Pest Management

and Physical Cultural Resources

5.5.1 Natural Habitats

During the preliminary environmental investigations and environmental screening of

a grant proposal if it was determined that there is significant impact to natural habitats

(i.e. degradation of natural habitats), an environmental assessment should be

conducted to identify the magnitude of the impacts, possible impact avoidance

measures and/or measures to off-set the impacts. If the site is a critical natural habitat,

alternative site for the proposed activity need to be identified. The approved

mitigation measures in such circumstances will need to include in the preparation of

site-specific environmental management plans.

5.5.2 Forestry

While the project does not support commercial extraction of natural forest resources

or activities that may cause significant impacts to forest resources, as a precautionary

measure, a verification will be made that such activities are not supported by the

project. All construction material extraction should be from RGOB designated timber

production areas. In case this is not possible, an environmental assessment should be

conducted to identify the magnitude of the impacts, possible impact avoidance

measures and/or measures to off-set the impacts. Similar to natural habitats, the

approved mitigation measures in will need to be included in the preparation of site-

specific environmental management plans.

5.5.3 Pest Management

The pest management issues which can be potentially raised by the project may relate

to possible both direct and indirect effect of stimulating greater use of agro-chemicals

associated with more intensive cultivation and/ or higher crop value.

The objective of ESMF in this regard is to encourage adoption of Integrated Pest

Management (IPM) approach and increase beneficiaries’ awareness of pesticide-

related hazards and good practices for safe pesticides use and handling as well as to

provide relevant training and information dissemination activities.

Principles of the Integrated Pest Management: The primary aim of pest management

is to manage pests and diseases that may negatively affect production of crops so that

they remain at a level that is under an economically damaging threshold. Pesticides

should be managed to reduce human exposure and health hazards, to avoid their

migration into off-site land or water environments and to avoid ecological impacts

such as destruction of beneficial species and the development of pesticide resistance.

One important strategy is to promote and facilitate the use of Integrated Pest

61

Management (IPM) through preparation and implementation of an Integrated Pest

Management Plan (PMP).

Integrated pest management consists of the judicious use of both chemical and

nonchemical control techniques to achieve effective and economically efficient pest

management with minimal environmental contamination. IPM therefore may include

the use of:

a) Mechanical and Physical Control;

b) Cultural Control;

c) Biological Control, and

d) Rational Chemical Control.

Integrated Pest Management is the use of multiple techniques to prevent or suppress

pests in a given situation. Although IPM emphasizes the use of nonchemical

strategies, chemical control may be an option used in conjunction with other methods.

Integrated pest management strategies depend on surveillance to establish the need for

control and to monitor the effectiveness of management efforts. World Bank Group in

the Environmental, Health, and Safety Guidelines provides the following stages

should be considered when designing and implementing an Integrated Pest

Management Strategy, giving preference to alternative pest management strategies,

with the use of synthetic chemical pesticides as a last option. As a first essential step,

those who make pest management decisions should be provided with training in

identification of pests and beneficial (e.g. natural enemy) species, identification of

weeds, and field scouting methods to evaluate which pests are present and whether

they have reached an economic control threshold (the density at which they begin to

cause economically significant losses).

Alternatives to Pesticide Application: Where feasible, the following alternatives to

pesticides should be considered:

Rotate crops to reduce the presence of pests and weeds in the soil ecosystem;

Use pest-resistant crop varieties;

Use mechanical weed control and / or thermal weeding;

Support and use beneficial organisms, such as insects, birds, mites, and

microbial agents, to perform biological control of pests;

Protect natural enemies of pests by providing a favorable habitat, such as

bushes for nesting sites and other original vegetation that can house pest

predators and by avoiding the use of broad-spectrum pesticides;

Use animals to graze areas and manage plant coverage;

Use mechanical controls such as manual removal, traps, barriers, light, and

sound to kill, relocate, or repel pests.

Pesticide Application: If pesticide application is warranted, users are recommended

take the following actions:

Train personnel to apply pesticides and ensure that personnel have received

applicable certifications or equivalent training where such certifications are

not required;

Review and follow the manufacturer’s directions on maximum recommended

dosage or treatment as well as published reports on using the reduced rate of

62

pesticide application without loss of effect, and apply the minimum effective

dose;

Avoid routine “calendar-based” application, and apply pesticides only when

needed and useful based on criteria such as field observations, weather data

(e.g. appropriate temperature, low wind, etc.),

Avoid the use of highly hazardous pesticides, particularly by uncertified,

untrained or inadequately equipped users. This includes:

Pesticides that fall under the World Health Organization Recommended

Classification of Pesticides by Hazard Classes 1a and 1b should be avoided in

almost all cases, to be used only when no practical alternatives are available

and where the handling and use of the products will be done in accordance

with national laws by certified personnel in conjunction with health and

environmental exposure monitoring;

Pesticides that fall under the World Health Organization Recommended

Classification of Pesticides by Hazard Class II should be avoided if the project

host country lacks restrictions on distribution and use of these chemicals, or if

they are likely to be accessible to personnel without proper training,

equipment, and facilities to handle, store, apply, and dispose of these products

properly;

Avoid the use of pesticides listed in Annexes A and B of the Stockholm

Convention, except under the conditions noted in the convention and those

subject to international bans or phaseouts;

Use only pesticides that are manufactured under license and registered and

approved by the appropriate authority and in accordance with the Food and

Agriculture Organization’s (FAO’s) International Code of Conduct on the

Distribution and Use of Pesticides;

Use only pesticides that are labeled in accordance with international standards

and norms, such as the FAO’s Revised Guidelines for Good Labeling Practice

for Pesticides;

Select application technologies and practices designed to reduce unintentional

drift or runoff only as indicated in an IPM program, and under controlled

conditions;

Maintain and calibrate pesticide application equipment in accordance with

manufacturer’s recommendations. Use application equipment that is registered

in the country of use;

Establish untreated buffer zones or strips along water sources, rivers, streams,

ponds, lakes, and ditches to help protect water resources;

Avoid use of pesticides that have been linked to localized environmental

problems and threats.

Pesticide Handling and Storage: Contamination of soils, groundwater, or surface

water resources, due to accidental spills during transfer, mixing, and storage of

pesticides should be prevented by following the hazardous materials storage and

handling recommendations. These are the following:

Store pesticides in their original packaging, in a dedicated, dry, cool, frost-

free, and well aerated location that can be locked and properly identified with

signs, with access limited to authorized people. No human or animal food may

be stored in this location. The store room should also be designed with spill

63

containment measures and sited in consideration of potential for

contamination of soil and water resources;

Mixing and transfer of pesticides should be undertaken by trained personnel in

ventilated and well lit areas, using containers designed and dedicated for this

purpose.

Containers should not be used for any other purpose (e.g. drinking water).

Contaminated containers should be handled as hazardous waste, and should be

disposed in specially designated for hazardous wastes sites. Ideally, disposal

of containers contaminated with pesticides should be done in a manner

consistent with FAO guidelines and with manufacturer's directions;

Purchase and store no more pesticide than needed and rotate stock using a

“first-in, first-out” principle so that pesticides do not become obsolete.

Additionally, the use of obsolete pesticides should be avoided under all

circumstances; A management plan that includes measures for the

containment, storage and ultimate destruction of all obsolete stocks should be

prepared in accordance to guidelines by FAO and consistent with country

commitments under the Stockholm, Rotterdam and Basel Conventions.

Collect rinse water from equipment cleaning for reuse (such as for the dilution

of identical pesticides to concentrations used for application);

Ensure that protective clothing worn during pesticide application is either

cleaned or disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner;

Maintain records of pesticide use and effectiveness.

Pest Management Plan: The entity which will be dealing with pest management

within the projects to be supported under the project has to be guided by the Pest

Management Plan. The content of the Pest Management Plan should apply to all the

activities and individuals working. It should be emphasized also that non-chemical

control efforts will be used to the maximum extent possible before pesticides are

used.

The Pest Management Plan should be a framework through which pest management

is defined and accomplished. The Plan should identify elements of the program to

include health and environmental safety, pest identification, and pest management, as

well as pesticide storage, transportation, use and disposal. Management Plan is to be

used as a tool to reduce reliance on pesticides, to enhance environmental protection,

and to maximize the use of integrated pest management techniques.

The Pest Management Plan shall contain pest management requirements, outlines the

resources necessary for surveillance and control, and describes the administrative,

safety and environmental requirements. The Plan should provide guidance for

operating and maintaining an effective pest management program/ activities. Pests

considering in the Plan may be weeds and other unwanted vegetation, crawling

insects and other vertebrate pests. Without control, these pests provoke plants’

deceases. Adherence to the Plan will ensure effective, economical and

environmentally acceptable pest management and will maintain compliance with

pertinent laws and regulations. The recommended structure of a Pest Management

Plan is presented in the Annex 9. The need for a stand-alone and comprehensive Pest

Management Plan will be decided based on the findings of the preliminary

environmental investigation and environmental screening steps, and/or environmental

64

assessment. If the impacts due to a given grant is low, pest management requirements

will be included as part of the Environmental Management Plan.

Measures to raise awareness and educate potential beneficiaries regarding safe

pesticide handling and use of Integrated Pest Management: These measures are

targeted at providing a framework for educating farmers regarding pesticides handling

and promoting integrated pest management (IPM) and thus, understanding and

managing pest problems in the horticultural sector, reducing human and

environmental health risks associated with pesticide use, and protecting ecosystem by

conserving beneficial agents such as natural enemies of pests and pollinators to

increase productivity. The proposed activities would also cover field demonstrations

with improved pesticides usage as well as IPM technologies. BTFEC will be the

coordinator for the implementation of these activities.

The training will be focused on at least the following areas:

Pest characteristics

Control measures, including IPM approaches in horticultural sector, involving

agricultural, physical, biological, and chemical control methods

Safety issues (for pest handling, transportation, usage and storage)

Field demonstrations on Pest problems diagnosed and related IPM

opportunities identified in horticultural sector, pest management practices,

including agricultural, physical, biological and chemical control methods

5.5.4 Physical Cultural Resources

While the project will follow the procedures in place by the RGOB for PCRs

identified that may be impact due to project activities during the identification and

preparation stages, for materials that may be discovered during project

implementation, procedures to be used in chance findings is described in Annex 10. If

PCRs have been identified that may get affected by the project activities, measure that

will need to be put in place to project PCRs should be included as part of the

environmental management plan for the site.

65

Chapter 6 – Institutional Arrangements and Capacity

6.1 Institutional Arrangement

Institutional arrangement for social and environmental management has been

designed in harmony of existing institutional system in the country and overall project

and grant program implementation arrangement. The institutional entity and their

roles and responsibilities are as follows.

National Environment Commission Secretariat (NECS): NECS is involved only in the

higher risks projects and those for which NECS is the Competent Authority (See

Annex 6). In the project within its mandate, NECS will review the Environmental

Clearance applications including project Environmental Information (EI) and issue or

deny Environmental Clearance. NECS is also responsible, as an EC issuance entity,

for periodic and spot check for environmental compliance. NECS, if necessary, may

delegate some of these functions to another agency including to DEC. NECS, as an

apex agency in environmental assessment in Bhutan, has a role of overall watch dog

and also providing need-based guidance and coordination in matters related to

environmental management.

WCD Ministry of Agriculture and Forests. WCD Ministry of Agriculture and Forest

is responsible for screening projects under its jurisdiction, for which it is the

Competent Authority (see Annex 6.) WCD will issue Environmental Clearance for

the project for which it is the CA, and is also responsible for periodic environmental

monitoring for compliance and final environmental monitoring. WCD of MOAF will

be also responsible in managing the social issues.

National Park Management (NPM). The role of NPM is overall oversight,

coordination, and technical support. The environmental management related function

of NPM include reviewing the environmental section of the pre-feasibility and

feasibility studies, and checking the following: is the project eligible?, is it exempted

from further environmental investigation?, is EI required for this? Who is the

Competent Authority?

NPM will be responsible for collecting detailed environmental information of sub-

projects for which EI and EC are required, as required by EAA, RECOP and

Application Guidelines for Environmental Clearances. EI, where, required will be

prepared prior to project DPR so that EI feeds into the DPR. NPM in coordination

with DEC will also plan and organize environmental orientations, awareness, and

training. NPM may enhance its capability by engaging environmental consultant for

such services.

District/ Dzongkhag Environmental Committee (DEC). DEC will be responsible for

collecting preliminary environmental information of project and its locality during

pre-feasibility/ feasibility stage. DEC will write environmental section of the pre-

feasibility/ feasibility report. DEC will ensure that all No Objection Certificates are

obtained. DEC also supports project supervision team in supervising and recording

environmental mitigation activities. DEC also will support site-supervision team in

reviewing and approving Implementer's/ Contractor's Construction Site

Environmental Management Plan.

66

Dzongkhag and local Community. During pre-feasibility/ feasibility and during EI

preparation stage, Dzongkhag and local community will help the DEC and/ or NPM

in obtaining environmental information, share their observations and insights,

concerns and suggestions, and in securing NOCs. During project implementation,

they will observe the construction activity and report any non-compliance or

grievances.

Implementer and/or Contractor. Application Guidelines for Environmental Clearance

requires implementers’ and/ contractor to have Construction Site Environmental

Management Plan. Implementer/ contractor will prepare such plan and have it

approved by Site-Incharge before beginning construction. Implementer/ contractor

will consult site supervision team, and Dzongkhag and community and conduct joint

walk-through while preparing such plan.

6.2 Capacity Assessment and Strengthening

Consultations and interactions with various stakeholders including MoAF, DECs,

NGOs and communities revealed that inadequate capacity at various levels is a

constraint in effective and efficient environmental management of the project.

Although Bhutan's environmental legislation requires ministries to establish an

environmental unit, there is no environmental unit at the MOAF yet. WCD of the

ministry has been assigned the environmental CA function. There is no environmental

staff at the ministry or WCD. Capacity of NECS is adequate for the type of activities

envisaged under the project: but NECS staffs are already overstretched. DEC has an

Environmental Officer deputed from NECS in recent times. At present, NECS and

WCD both have not been able to carry out periodic monitoring and spot check at

desirable levels. The DEC Environmental Officer is responsible not only for

Dzongkhag's activities but also asked to support various line agencies. The

Environmental Officer is obviously very busy and overloaded. There is good

awareness of environmental process at the Dzongkhag level due to orientations

organized by NECS and projects. Dzongkhags and communities knowledge and

insights of local environment are very good, but their ability to prepare documents

that is required by the legislations and guidelines is very low. Contractors also lack

capacity in preparing the construction site environmental management plan.

In order to overcome the capacity weaknesses identified above, the project will

include the following specific measures for strengthening capacity:

Table 6: Need based training and seminar: Type of Training/ capacity

building

Duration Target Group Institutions Expected results

Training on basic GIS and

environmental Assessment

1 month DoL, NSSC, WMD

and Forest Officers of

the project area

To be identified A well established database

system of the project area

Training/workshops on

Waste Management

1 month Stakeholders of the

project Area, Forest

Officers,

NECS, Tourism

Council of

Bhutan (TCB)

A well informed

stakeholders on waste

management system

Training on Environmental

Leadership

2 week Forest Officers of

Project area

To be identified A well informed forest

officers on environmental

management system

Awareness workshop on 1 month Community and local Department of A well prepared community

67

Community Patrolling stakeholders Forests and

Parks (DFP)

on how to patrol for illegal

poachers

Awareness program on

firewood consumptions and

alternative technology

10 days Community schools

and local stakeholders

NECS and DFP Reduction of fuel wood

consumption in the project

area

Training on Sustainable

Harvesting of High altitude

medicinal plants

1 week Community and

Forest Officers

Indigenous

Hospital and

DFP

Good harvesting technique

and providing sustainable

livelihood approach

Awareness on soil

conservation

1 week Stakeholders and

local communities

NSSC and DFP Well managed soil

conservation

Training program on

ecotourism and community

tourism

10 days Local Communities TCB and NRED A well prepared ecotourism

system by the local

communities

Basic training on responsible

tourism and as service

industry

10 days Local Communities TCB and NRED A well prepared ecotourism

system by the local

communities

Training on Environmental

Education

2 weeks Community schools,

local stakeholders and

forest officials

NECS A well informed teachers

and communities

Capacity building on species

conservation

2 week Community schools,

local stakeholders and

forest officials

DFP, NBC and

NRTI

A well trained stakeholders

on local species

conservation

Study Tour on best practices

of highland pasture

management

2 week Local stakeholders

and forest officials

To be identified A well informed

stakeholders and forest

officials

Basic training program on

Environmental Impact

Assessment (EA)

4 week Local stakeholders

and forest officials

NECS A well trained stakeholders

on environmental

assessments

Strengthen environmental competency through provision of human resources.

Recruitment of an Environmental Specialist/ consultant to support NPM in various

environmental functions described in previous sections. The specialist support may be

needed more in the initial stage due to preparatory works, system/tools establishment,

and orientations/training. The input could be gradually reduced.

Communities and contractor will need to be trained or made aware in various

activities assigned to them: this could be done through need-based support by hiring

short-term consultants.

Organizing targeted and need-based awareness, orientations and training tailored to

the needs of different stakeholders including awareness to project community,

practical training to contractors/implementers and site supervision team/staff, and

orientations to project stakeholders at centre and districts.

Engaging private sector or NGO or local organization such as School Nature Clubs

for certain type of environmental activities, for example for monitoring and awareness

raising in the project/project area.

NECS and/or WCD MOAF may access project fund for engaging NGO or private

sector for performing periodic compliance monitoring of project. Project may also

support hiring short-term consultant, if needed; to support DECs in doing project's

environmental management works.

Reviewing environmental consequences and performance of already built similar

structures for lesson learning purpose, dissemination of the lessons, and refining the

approaches and guidelines.

68

Annex 1. List of officials and stakeholders Laya Gewog, Gasa (12-13, July 2012)

Sl. No. Name Gender Village From vulnerable

household

Group Discussion

1 Kinley Dorji Male Lungo No

2 Chhimi Dema Female Lupcha No

3 Pema Thinley Male Lupcha No

5 Rinchen Male Pashi No

6 Sangay Tenzin Male Neylu No

7 Phurpa Lhamo Female Lupcha No

8 Lhaba Tsering (Tshoga) Male Lungo No

9 Passang (Tsogpa) Male Tongra

Household Interview

1 Dendup Male Tongra No

2 Tenzin Male Longu No

3 Lhakpa Sithup (Tsogpa) Male Toko No

4 Pemba Male Lungo No

5 Lhaba Tshering Male Pashi No

6 Bidha Female Neylu No

7 Kinley Lhadon Female Lupcha No

8 Pema Tshering Male Lupcha No

9 Khando Male Neylu No

10 Wangyel Male Toko No

11 Pey Male Lukcha No

12 Wangyel (Tshopa) Male Neylu No

Goenkhamae Gewog, Gasa (14th July, 2012)


household

Group Discussion

1 Karma Tsherin (Gup) Gayza

2 Phub Lhamo Female Khailo No

3 Tshering Female Khailo No

4 Namgay Male Gayza No

5 Shaya Dorji Male Jabisa No

6 Penjor Male Damji No

7 Zeko Male Damji No

Household Interview

1 Nim Dem Female Khailo No

2 Zam Female Thangkha Yes

3 Gyem Lhamo Female Zomina Yes

4 Kinley Male Bajina Yes

69

5 Pachu Dem Female Damji Yes

6 Tshering (shopkeeper) Male Khailo No

7 Namgay Tshering Male Tsahithang No

8 Ugyen Tshering Male Yemina No

Goenkhatoe Gewog, Gasa (15th July, 2012)


household

Group Discussion

1 Kaka (tsogpa) Male Remi No

2 Pema Dorji(Gup) Male Choley No

3 Lham Tshering Male Tsepgang No

4 Dorji Male Choley No

5 Thinley Mo Female Remi No

6 Tshering Dendup Male Baychhu No

7 Dema Female Baychhu No

Household Interviews

1 Tashi Chophel Male Tsepgang No

2 Dorji Male Choley No

3 Karma Male Tsheringkha Yes

4 Sangay Dem Female Tsepgang Yes

5 Gyem Lham Male Mani Yes

6 Tashi Male Baychhu No

7 Bago Male Choley No

8 Santen Wangchuk Male Tsepgang No

9 Chador Male Mani No

10 Gaki Female Baychhu No

Lunana Gewog, Gasa (16th July, 2012)


household

Group Discussion

1 Gyam Tshering Male Haide No

2 Kaka Male Thangza No

3 Lungten wangmo Female Threlga No

4 Ugyen Penjor Male Ramina No

5 Dawa Male Haide NO

6 Yangzom Female Threlga No

Household Interview

1 Drawo Male Tshozhong No

2 Rinchen Dorji Male Tenche No

3 Selden Male Tshozhong No

4 Dorji Bider Male Threlga No

5 Gyem Tshering Male Remina No

6 Kinley Zam Female Thangza No

70

7 Pema Female Remina No

8 Pem Gyam Female Thangza No

Lingshi, Thimphu (19, July 2012)


household

Group Discussion

1 Wangdi (Gup) Male Gangyuel No

2 Rinzin Sither Male Miseryul No

3 Jigme Choden Female Zangbuel thang No

4 Kencho Goenpo Male Gayphug No

5 Pema Dema Female Khangyul NO

6 Tenzin Namgyel Male Lhalung No

7 Samten Choden Female Shayul No

Household Interview

1 Thinley Lhendup Male Khangyul No

2 Kencho Edon Female Lhalung No

3 Yeshi Dorji Male Chhuzurkha No

4 Norbu Rinzin Male Gangyul No

5 Dorji Wangmo Female Shayul No

6 Karma Dorji Male Gangyul No

7 Tsering Wangdi Male Khangyul No

8 Rinchen Dendup Male Zangbuelthang No

Naro Gewog, Thimphu (20th July, 2012)


household

Group Discusssion

1 Wangchuk (Gup) Male Tasithang No

2 Phub Dorji (tsogpa) Male Naro No

3 Dema Female Barshong No

4 Jigme Male Tegithep No

5 Thsewang Dorji Male Gulona No

Household Interview

1 Rinchen Tshering Male Sichhu No

2 Tshering Male Jagaythang No

3 Karma Choden Female Barshong No

4 Chimbi Male Mentsiphug No

5 Yeshi Dorji Male Yumthang No

7 Dechen Dema Female Thangkana No

8 Gangla Male Naro No

Soe Gewog, Thimphu (22nd

July, 2012)


household

71

Group Discussion

1 Chhimi Dorji (Mangme) Male Jangothang No

2 Passang Dorji Male Zomphu No

3 Zangmo Female Jangothang No

4 Chencho Male Dozoten No

5 Yangki Lhamo Female Tekithang No

6 Tshering Peljor Male Damgochong No

Household Interview

1 Nidup Tshering Male Dotarithang Yes

2 Tshering Lham Female Jumphu Yes

3 Dorji Wangmo Female Damgochong No

4 Phurpa Dorji Male Tekithang No

5 Pema Khando Male Dogyel Lachu No

6 Pelzom Female Zomphu No

7 Ugyen Dorji Male Dozoten No

Nubi Gewog, Trongsa (23rd

-24th July, 2012)


household

Group Discussion

1 Thuba (Mangme) Male Bimji No

2 Wangchuck (Tsogpa) Male Jangthang No

3 Palden Lhendup (Tsogpa) Male Semji No

4 Kezang Jurmi (Tsogpa) Male Dorjen No

5 Dawa Gyeltshen (Tsogpa) Male Sinphu No

6 Chimi Dukpa (Tsogpa) Male Bimji No

Household Interview

1 Pem Dem Female Drezhig Yes

2 Tsang Tsa Male Sinphu Yes

3 Kinley Wangmo Female Thangngyel Yes

4 Leki Wangmo Female Thangngyel Yes

5 Katamo Female Kaba Yes

6 Chogay Male Bimji Yes

7 Sumcho Female Ganthang Yes

8 Buthimo Female Bjee Trong Yes

9 Lemo Female Bjee Yes

Tang Gewog, Bumthang (24th-25

th July, 2012)


household

Group Discussion

1 Dechen Zangmo Female Jamshong No

2 Jamtsho Male Chutey No

3 Tshering Dorji Male Khangrab No

72

4 Choni Dorji Male Chutey No

5 Pema Lhamo Female Khangrab No

6 Rinchen Lhamo Female Khangrab No

Household Interview

1 Ugyen Dema Female Gamling Yes

2 Leki Dema Female Tandingang No

3 Ugyen Lhamo Female Tandingang Yes

4 Duba Male Tandingang No

5 Phurba Male Chutey Yes

6 Phub Wangmo Female Khangrab Yes

7 Pema Wangdi Male Khangrab No

8 Pangla Male Tandingang No

Bumdeling Gewog, Trashi Yangtse (27th July, 2012)


household

Group Discussion

1 Tshering Gyeltshen Male No

2 Sonam Dendup Male Tarphel No

3 Dechen wangmo Female Traphel No

4 Lobzang Pema Female Signphel No

5 Phurba Tshering Male Chang No

6 Tshering dema Female Tsaling N 0

7 Dorji Gyeltshen Male Ngangteng No

8 Sangay Gyeltshen Male Zhapang No

9 Ugyen Dema Female Ngangteng No

10 Tshering Choden Female Pangkhar No

Household Interview

1 Tenzin Deki Female Tarphel No

2 Cheki Dorji Male Lamdra No

3 Karma Male Tarphel No

4 Pema Gyelpo Male Betsamang No

5 Pema Tsewang Male Ngalemang No

6 Shedra Namgyel Male Bumdeling No

7 Mani Zangmo Female Teney No

8 Choney wangmo Female Khenkhar No

9 Wangdi Male Ngalemang No

10 Bumpa Lhamo Female Phanteng No

11 Sangay Drukpa Male Singphel No

12 Lhakpa Tshering Male Singphel No

13 Thangyey Wangmo Female Bamdel No

Sherimung Gewog (28th

-29th July, 2012)

73


household

Group Discussion

1 Tashi Dorji (Gup) Male Soenakhar No

2 Dechen Gyalpo Male Yarab No

3 Tshomo Female Jabgang No

9 Thukten Male Thramo No

5 Choney Jamtsho Male Thiling No

6 Ugyen Zangmo Female Muhung No

7 Dolma Female Drongphu No

Household Interview

1 Kezang Namgay Male Yarab Yes

2 Rinchen Female Soenakhar Yes

3 Sangay Dorji Male Drongphu No

4 Sangay Wangmo Female Serzhong No

5 Tashi Tobgay Female Gangmung No

6 Tshewang Male Shiling No

7 Sangay Wangmo Female Soenakhar No

8 Tshewang Dorji Male Soenakhar No

Khoma Gewog, Lhuntse (30th

July, 2012)


household

Group Discussion

1 Sither Tshering (Gup) Male No

2 Lungten Female Sinphu Yes

3 Yeshi Tshewang Male Khoma Yes

4 Jamtsho Male Rongmateng No

5 Kuenzang Dolma Female Rongmateng No

6 Jigme Dorji Male Goenpa Karpo No

7 Sonam Pelmo Female Goenpa Karpo No

8 Goenpo Male Nylamdung No

Household Interview

1 Pema Wangmo Female Khoma Yes

2 Machemo Female Khoma Yes

3 Dorji Choden Female Pangkhar Yes

4 Pemo Female Pangkhar Yes

5 Gaydenmo Female Pangkhar Yes

6 Jigmela Male Pangkhar Yes

7 Jangchub Dorji Male Taya No

8 Sonam Wangdi Male Serphu No

9 Ugyen Wangdi Male Pamgkhar No

10 Dechen Palden Female Pangkhar No

74

Chhokhor Gwog, Bumthang (2nd

August, 2012)

Sl. No. Name Gender Village From Vulverable

household

Group Discussion

1 Pema Tshering (Tsogpa) Male Dhur No

2 Lemo Female Dhur No

3 Tashi Tshering Male Lusabe No

4 Sonam Phuntsho (Tsogpa) Male Kharsa No

5 Tashi Wangmo Female Kharsa No

6 Ugyen Thinley Male Thangbe No

7 Thsering Dorji (Tsogpa) Male Dorjibe No

8 Tashi Wangmo Female Goling No

Household Interview

1 Sonam Yangchen Female Dhur No

2 Jemba Male Kharsa No

3 Wangchuk Dema Female Kharsa No

4 Chekey Lhendup Male Changwang No

5 Gorden Male Dawathang No

6 Sonam Tshering Male Dhur No

7 Tashi Lhamo Female Nasphel No

8 Kuenga Phuntsho Male Zhebjaythang

Sephu Gewog, Wangduephodrang (3rd

– 4th August, 2012)

Sl. No. Name Gender Village From Vulverable

household

Group Discussion

1 Sangay Dorji (Mangme) Male Bimbilo No

2 Lam Dorji (Tsogpa) Male Buso No

3 Phurba (Tsogpa) Male Naldra No

4 Mani (Tsogpa) Male Rukubji No

5 Pema (Tsogpa) Male Bimbilo No

6 Rinchen (Tsogpa) Male Longtey No

Other people met during the field consultation from 11th July - 4th August, 2012

Sl.

No. Name Gender Designation Organization

1 Duptho Male Member of Parliament Bumdeling-Jamkhar

2 Pangkey Dukpa Male Park Manager BWS

3 Tashi Male Forester Sherzhong Range, BWS

4 Kinley Phuntsho Male Gewog Adm Officer Gangzur Gewog

5 Tashi Dorji Male Forestry Officer WCP

6 Phub Dorji Male Deputy Ranger Officer WCP

75

7 Ratan Giri Male Forester Sephu Range, WCP

8 Tenzin Male Assistant Forestry Officer Chokhor Range, CWP

9 Leki Wangdi Male Forester Laya Range, JDNP

10 Jigme Lhaden Female Forester Khoma Range, BWS

11 Pema Thinley Male Sr. Ranger Officer JDNP

12 Karma Jamtsho Male Assistant Forestry Officer Gasa Range, JDNP

13 Dargay Male Sr. Ranger Officer Lingshi Range, JDNP

14 Damcho Dorji Male Sr. Ranger Officer GFEA, Lingshi

15 Namgay Dorji Male Assistant Forestry Officer JDNP

16 Phub Tshering Male Deputy Range Officer Lingshi Range, JDNP

17 Yonten Male Forester Soe Range, JDNP

18 Pema Dorji Male Assistant Forestry Officer Soe Range, JDNP

19 Sonam Younten Male Deputy Ranger Officer Laya Range, JDNP

20 Sangay Dorji Male Forester Gasa Range, JDNP

21 Jangchuk Dorji Male Sr. Range Officer Sherzhong Range, BWS

22 Sangay Drakpa Male Sr. Range Officer Bumdeling Range, BWS

Table: Summary of Primary Stakeholders Consulted at the Local Level

Gewog No. of

people

Male Female Belonging to

Vulnerable

Household

Focus Group Discussion No. % No. % No. %

Laya (JDNP) 9 7 77.8 2 22.2 0 0.0

Goenkhamae (JDNP) 7 5 71.4 2 28.6 0 0.0

Goenkhatoe (JDNP) 7 5 71.4 2 28.6 0 0.0

Lunana (WCP) 6 4 66.7 2 33.3 0 0.0

Lingshi (JDNP) 7 4 57.1 3 42.9 0 0.0

Naro (JDNP) 5 4 80.0 1 20.0 0 0.0

Soe (JDNP) 6 4 66.7 2 33.3 0 0.0

Nubi (WCP) 6 6 100.0 0 0.0 0 0.0

Tang (WCP) 6 3 50.0 3 50.0 0 0.0

Bumdeling (BWS) 10 5 50.0 5 50.0 0 0.0

Sherimung (BWS) 7 4 57.1 3 42.9 0 0.0

Khoma (WCP) 8 5 62.5 3 37.5 2 25.0

Chhokhor (WCP) 8 5 62.5 3 37.5 0 0.0

Sephu (WCP) 6 6 100.0 0 0.0 0 0.0

Household Interviews No. % No. % No. %

Laya (JDNP) 12 10 83.3 2 16.7 0 0

Goenkhamae (JDNP) 8 4 50.0 4 50.0 4 50

76

Goenkhatoe (JDNP) 10 8 80.0 2 20.0 3 30

Lunana (WCP) 8 5 62.5 3 37.5 0 0

Lingshi (JDNP 8 6 75.0 2 25.0 0 0

Naro (JDNP) 8 6 75.0 2 25.0 0 0

Soe (JDNP) 7 4 57.1 3 42.9 2 28.6

Nubi (WCP) 9 2 22.2 7 77.8 9 100

Tang (WCP) 8 4 50.0 4 50.0 4 50

Bumdeling (BWS) 13 8 61.5 5 38.5 0 0

Sherimung (BWS) 8 4 50.0 4 50.0 2 25

Khoma (WCP) 10 4 40.0 6 60.0 5 50

Chhokhor (WCP) 8 5 62.5 3 37.5 0 0

77

Annex 2. Summary of consultation

Out of 207 households, the team identified that 26 households is likely to be affected

due to the projects. Although this just an assumption made during the consultation but

this can only be verified once the project area is identified. The main assumption of

these affected households are due to small land holdings and will have minimal

negative impacts.

Geogs HH

#

Concern Responses Responsibility

Khoma 2 1 HH small land holding

1 HH disabled lady

Awareness program as well as

to avoid or minimize land to

be taken for the project from

the affected ones

NPM, National

Land Commission

(NLC)

Sherimung 2 Small land holding - do - NLC

Tang 4 Small land holding - do - NLC

Nubi 9 5 HH small land holding

4 HH single parent

- do - NPM, NLC

Soe 2 Small land holding - do - NLC

Goenkhatoe 3 Small land holding - do - NLC

Goenkhamae 4 3HH Small land holding

1 HH single parent

- do - NPM, NLC

The consultative meeting was held with the representative of the following gewogs:

1. Laya Gewog, Gasa,

2. Goenkhamae Gewog, Gasa,

3. Goenkhatoe Gewog, Gasa,

4. Lunana Gewog, Gasa,

5. Lingshi Gewog, Thimphu,

6. Naro Gewog Thimphu,

7. Soe Gewog Thimphu,

8. Nubi Gewog, Trongsa,

9. Tang Gewog, Bumthang,

10. Bumdeling Gewog Trashi Yangtse,

11. Sherimung Gewog Monggar,

12. Khoma Gewog, Lhuntse,

13. Choekhor Gewog, Bumthang and

14. Sephu Gewog, Wangdiphodrang

Laya Gewog, Gasa (12th

-13th

July, 2012)

Perception and Understanding of the Project

The people participated in the field consultation meeting and interview were familiar

with the proposed project activities for the sustainable financing for biodiversity

conservation and natural resources management of the HANAS areas. Majority of the

local community got similar activity support, although, smaller in magnitude from the

government and other organization like HEVETAS. Distribution of fodder tree

seedlings, fodder grass seeds, portable milk processing equipments, solar power,

fodder grass cutter, breeding bull and certain quantity of barbed wire for fencing were

some of the activity support provided in the past to the people of Laya. The

participants also expressed the importance of establishing community forest and its

associated social and economic benefits for future generation. So, the people of Laya

78

feel that the proposed project will bring them immense benefits in improving their

socio-economic as well as reducing pressure to the forestry resources.

Social Impact

The people consulted were unable to relate any significant negative impacts from the

proposed project; rather they felt that the project would definitely improve their socio-

economic conditions through development of pasture, supply of more number of

breeding bull and better breed of yak, distribution of high yielding fodder tree

seedlings, fodder grass seeds, promotion of organic farming and vegetable production,

and yak product diversification. To encourage the discussion on potential adverse

social impacts, few scenarios such as social disharmony among communities due to

inequitable sharing of project benefits. To this, the Gup responded that the benefits

will be distributed on the priority basis taking into consideration the economic

condition of the household in consultation with other local GYT members in the

gewog as well refer to the past list of beneficiary. When asked about the increasing

incidences of livestock depredation by the wild predators and more people coming in

conflict with wild animals, they informed that they have a very strong agreement

signed between the community and the Gewog Administration not to indulge in

killing wild animals at any cost. While discussing on this issue, the gup brought out

the problem of not being able to acquire environmental clearance for the construction

of farm road from Gasa to Laya which has been approved by the GYT and DYT. In

consulting with the JDNP officials on this matter, it was reported the environmental

clearance for the construction of road was denied as the proposed farm road passes

through the Takin corridors in Tsarijathang. The gup also expressed his unsatisfaction

over the allotment of natural resources, especially, the timber resources for the

construction of community service centers in the gewog.

Dispute Resolutions

Any nature of disputes in the community is first resolved by the tsogpa of the village.

If the dispute is not able to settle at the village level, the tsogpa forwards the case to

the gewog level, where the gup and mangi collectively attempt to resolve the disputes.

If the dispute is not settled at the gewog level, then the case is forwarded to

Dzongkahg Thrimkhang (District Court) and subsequently, it goes to High Court and

eventually to the Supreme Court for appeal if the person is not satisfy with the

judgments passed by the lower courts. Majority of the disputes are of petty in nature

and get resolved either at the village level or gewog level. Only those cases which are

serious in nature get forwarded to the higher courts.

Offences related to the forestry and wildlife is being dealt by the forestry officials.

Almost all the cases get resolved at the Range Office level by the Range Officer. In

the event of case being not able to resolve at the Range level, then it is forwarded

either to park head office or territorial division head office or subsequently to

respective district court.

Role of GYT, RNR and Park Officials

GYT members felt that the project would be best managed and implemented by the

park office with close collaboration with the gewog administration. However, they

strongly felt that the GYT members should be actively involved in terms of

collaboration and coordination in planning and implementation so that the project

activities provide maximum benefits to the community and it fits into the overall

79

gewog five year plan and also in keeping with the mandate entrusted by the GYT

Chathrim 2002. The gewog RNR and park officials informed that the project will

immensely support to achieve their regular plan activities to enhance the rural socio-

economic and they see their role as immediate technical guide and assistance to the

local people. The park official feels that they will gain additional cooperation from

the local community in managing the natural resources and biodiversity conservation

through this project. In terms of monitoring both social and environmental impacts,

they would assist the GYT in preparing the monitoring framework for the impact

assessment.

Vulnerable Group

When asked about the number of household vulnerable in the gewog, tsogpa and gup

uprightly responded that none of the household in laya gwog is vulnerable as of now.

This is mainly due to the legalization of cordyceps collection in 2004 by His Majesty

the fourth Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. The local communities make

adequate income from the sale of cordyceps annually to sustain and lead a

comfortable life in terms of recurrent food, cash and expenditure for their school

going children. In terms of ethnicity, the communities are all layaps, considered as

bjobs, and cannot be differentiated as being socially or culturally distinct from one

another.

Goenkhamae Gewog, Gasa (14th

July, 2012)


The people participated in the field consultation meeting and interview were familiar

with the proposed project activities for the sustainable financing for biodiversity

conservation and natural resources management of the HANAS areas. Many people

from the community were involved in the agriculture product enhancement program

supported by UNDP where the households were distributed potato seeds and other

vegetables to increased organic farm product from the gwog. Few of the people also

got training in farmyard manure preparation from the locally available raw materials.

Some farmers were sent for in-country study tour to get exposed to farming and

livestock rearing practices and dairy management cooperatives. Also the community

forest management was another component of the study tour for the farmers. Barbed

wire for fencing was distributed from CDG and it has proved very helpful in reducing

the crop raiding by wild boar, sambar and barking deer. Trenches around the

agriculture field was also dug with the support of some project to deter wild ungulates

from crop depredation but it was not so successful, rather it has proved very fatal for

the livestock. The local communities of Goenkhamae are infact very excited to grab

the project opportunity to enhance their socio-economic and income generation.

Social Impact

None of the people consulted were unable to relate any significant negative impacts

from the proposed project; rather they foresee tremendous benefits from the proposed

project in improving their socio-economic conditions. The proposed project would

help the community to reduce unproductive cattle by promotion of artificial

insemination, distribution of breeding bull, and jersey. This will help minimize the

human wildlife conflict in the gewog. Development of silvo-pasture and promotion of

agricultural products through distribution of potato and vegetable seeds like

asparagus, mushroom cultivation, and increased training on the preparation and use of

organic manure and natural weed control to promote organic farm products. The issue

80

of inequitable sharing of project benefits can be resolved through priority ranking and

establishing the practical criteria by GYT in collaboration with RNR and park

officials.

Dispute Resolutions Any nature of disputes in the community is first resolved by the tsogpa of the village.
















park office in close collaboration with the gewog administration. However, they





Chathrim 2002. In terms of project activity fund disbursement, they felt that the park

authority needs to consult and seek prior approval from the GYT. Also, they felt that

the monitoring of the project activity and achievement should be done by the donor

agency. The gewog RNR and park officials informed that the project will immensely

support to achieve their regular plan activities to enhance the rural socio-economic

and they see their role as immediate technical guide and assistance to the local people.

The park official feels that they will gain additional cooperation from the local

community in managing the natural resources and biodiversity conservation through

this project. In terms of monitoring both social and environmental impacts, they

would assist the GYT in preparing the monitoring framework for the impact

assessment.

Vulnerable Group

Although majority of the people in the community are self sufficient and average

income group with few households considered rich by the village standard based on

the size of land holdings and annual income generated. Tsogpa and gup guesstimated

that are about four households appropriately fall into the vulnerable group due to

limited land holding and female headed household with young children. Generally,

people in the gewog are not differentiated into any communal group and none of the

people are socially and culturally vulnerable.

Goenkhatoe Gewog, Gasa (15th

July, 2012)

81


Many of the people who participated in the stakeholders meeting were able to recall

the activities that they have implemented in the past from the regular RGoB funbding

as well as few donor supported project. During the discussion, the people could

perceived that the project was about improving their socio-economic through

improved agriculture, pasture/tsamdo development, livestock product enhancement

and rural enterprise development and at the same time about the conservation and

improvement of their natural environment. They attach great deal of importance to

environmental protection and prevention of forest and land degradation for long term

benefits and ecosystem sustenance. These people were also provided and

implemented similar agriculture and livestock program activities from the regular

RGoB finance but in small scale. Plantation of mani ruta (Saussurea lappa),a

medicinal plant has also taken up with support of dazongkhag forestry sector and now

people are facing difficulty in marketing the products as they couldn’t find buyers

other than ITMS.

Social Impact

People hardly envisage negative impacts from the proposed project; rather they

foresee tremendous benefits that would contribute towards realizing the overarching

goal of gross national happiness. People felt that the reduction of unproductive cattle

and improved pasture development near their household will reduce the issue of

human wildlife confrontation in the gewog. Support for the renovation of Lhakhangs

and sacred sites (neys) will ensure the timely onset of monsoon rains for the farm

works and good harvest annually to compliment the efforts being made from the

agriculture sector by providing high yielding cereals and vegetable seeds.

Dispute Resolutions Normally, disputes among the communities are very few and mostly get resolved at

the local level. Dispute in the community is first resolved by the tsogpa of the village.
















park office in close collaboration with the gewog administration. However, they




82


Chathrim 2002. The gewog RNR and park officials informed that the project will

immensely support to achieve their regular plan activities to enhance the rural socio-

economic and they see their role as immediate technical guide and assistance to the

local people. The park official feels that they will gain additional cooperation from

the local community in managing the natural resources and biodiversity conservation

through this project. In terms of monitoring both social and environmental impacts,

they would assist the GYT in preparing the monitoring framework for the impact

assessment.

Vulnerable Group

Tsogpa and gup couldn’t identify any vulnerable household from the gewog as they

are all average income people and none of them hit badly so far by any sort of disaster

or tragedy. People in the gewog are not differentiated into any ethnic group and none

of the people are socially and culturally vulnerable.

Lunana Gewog, Gasa (16th

July, 2012)


Based on the views put forth by the people participated in the consultative meeting, it

indicates that the local communities of Lunana haven’t had the opportunity to

implement any project activities except the distribution of breeding bull. So, the

people have limited knowledge about the proposed project activities but they are of

the opinion that this proposed project will provide enormous benefits for the

improvement of their socio-economic. Majority of them were worried about the loss

of their livestock to the wild predators such as snow leopard and wild dog. When

asked about the livestock compensation from the Wildlife Conservation Division and

JDNP, they responded that none of them had received any sort of compensation so

far. People felt that it may be because of remoteness of the area and inaccessibility for

most of the time due to snow cover for verification of livestock kill on the spot.

Social Impact and Dispute Resolution

The participants for the meeting reported that people are migrating out of the gewog

although at small numbers due to harsh climatic condition and limited scope for

development with increasing income from the cordyceps collection. Their current

route to market centers via Ganglakarchung remains under snow cover for most of the

time posing serious impediments for the local community. Additionally, lack of

electricity and road facilities were some of the socially connected issues that were

raised during the meeting which might forced people to migrate out from the gewog

in search of better facilities. In view of the above, the meeting participants felt that

there are lots of positive benefits from the proposed project that would help retain

people in the gewog and make the life more comfortable. Majority of them were

desperately proposing feeder road via Punakha and electrification in the gewog to

reduce fuelwood consumption in addition to support for livestock and grazing land

improvement through distribution of breeding bull, improved breed livestock and high

yielding agricultural and vegetable seeds suitable for high altitude. Disputes among

the local community are very few and are dealt in a similar fashion described for other

gewogs.

83


GYT members felt that involvement of local people in planning the proposed project

activities is the most essential part of the project implementation strategy that needs to

adapted as the target beneficiary are local community. They also felt important to

conduct stakeholder meeting to discuss the project activities and get it endorsed

during the GYT meeting for better cooperation and coordination during the project

implementation phase. Involvement of RNR and park officials for the project

planning and implementation were seen as necessity for technical backstopping and

guidance as the local community lack the required capacity. Also involvement of

these officials guarantees their stay and more interaction with the local communities

as it hardly happens at present due to harsh environmental conditions.

Vulnerable Group

Regarding vulnerable group in the gewog, the GYT members present in the meeting

assured that there are no households falling in the category of vulnerable group as the

local communities make substantial cash income annually from the cordyceps

harvesting. Infact, the people of Lunana are financially advanced from majority of the

people from other gewogs residing in the park as the cordyceps in their region are

superior in terms of quality and quantity. Culturally, all the people of Lunana are

considered of the same ethnicity.

Lingshi Gewog, Thimphu (19th

July, 2012)


Support for the distribution of solar power to every household on cost sharing basis

(50% DoE and 50% JDNP), portable milk screamer unit, and fodder grass seeds for

pasture development were some of the activities that the participants could described

in the meeting after explaining the possible project activities from the proposed

project. Similarly, people felt that the proposed project will bring huge benefits to the

local community in terms of promoting livestock and agriculture productions through

sustainable agriculture land and pasture development. They expect to reduce the loss

of their livestock to the wild predators drastically with this upcoming project and

could initiate livestock insurance scheme to reduce potential human wildlife conflicts

in the gewog. The local community is also exploring to establish the community

medicinal plant management groups to supply medicinal plant raw materials for

ITMS.


People do not foresee any adverse negative social impacts from the proposed project

activities rather they anticipate tremendous benefits that would contribute towards

improvement of their socio-economic opportunities. People felt that the reduction of

unproductive cattle and improved pasture development near their household will

reduce the issue of human wildlife confrontation in the gewog. Support for the

creation and maintenance of mule tracks and repair of bridges with RCC will greatly

enhance the tourism opportunity and accessibility for local communities in the gewog.

Hardly any disputes among households are expected from the proposed projects as

84

they will get equal opportunity to participate in the projects with support of gewog

administration, RNR and park officials. In case of disputes, proper resolving

mechanism is in place and can be handled as per the procedures laid down in the

gewog administration code of ethics.


Here again, the GYT members felt that the project activities could be best

implemented by the park authority as they have all the required technical capacities.

However, they felt that activity planning should be developed in consultation with the

local community and GYT members as the project has to benefit local people and

need to fit into the gewog five year plan. RNR and park officials are ready to provide

technical backstopping to the gewog administration for implementation and

monitoring of the proposed project activities.

Vulnerable Group

Tsogpa and gup could identify only one vulnerable household that is needed to give

special attention during the implementation of the proposed project. She is a disabled

woman with a school going daughter and also has limited (20 decimal) land holding

only. Rests of the households in the community are more or less having access to

adequate income generation to run their family. There isn’t any person in the

communities who are considered socially lower than others and are vulnerable.

Naro Gewog, Thimphu (20th

July, 2012)


People participated in the meeting could understand the proposed project activities

very clearly as they have been receiving support from the government at smaller scale

for the distribution of solar panel for lighting, portable milk processing equipment,

heating stove (Bukhari) and barbed wire to fence the pasture land. They felt that the

additional support for similar program activity would enhance the income generation

opportunities as the livestock rearing is the main source of socio-economic sustenance

for the local community of Naro. Support for the maintenance and creation of mule

tracks, poultry farm development, installation of medicinal plant drying unit, incense

processing unit, promotion and retrieval of traditional handicraft weaving from the

yak hair, construction and maintenance of bridges with RCC, supply of electricity and

restoration of degraded pasture and agriculture land due to frequent landslide are

some of the activities proposed in the meeting.


The meeting participants could not think of any negative social impact that would

arise from the proposed project activity rather the project of this nature will bring

more synchronization among the local communities as they need to come together for

planning and implementation of the activity. They also foresee a scope for enhancing

the rapport between forestry officials and community as the proposed project is

gearing towards achieving sustainable conservation of high altitude ecosystem

through promotion of livestock, agriculture and ecotourism programs which is also

85

the main areas discussed for the 11th

five year plan submitted to the government

through GYT. However, the tsogpa of Naro gewog raised the danger of spreading

bovine diseases to the wild animals if necessary precautions are not taken at the right

time as they practiced a system of transhumance. Also, people felt that there is a need

for establishing special conservation fund to compensate the livestock lost to snow

leopard and wild dog as they lose significant number of livestock annually to these

predators.


GYT members felt that the proposed project would be best implemented with strong

involvement of government officials especially the gewog RNR and park officials,

however, they strongly felt that they should be actively involved in terms of



gewog five year plan.

Vulnerable Group

In the meeting, we were informed that there are no people or household falls into the

vulnerable categories as per the WB safeguard policies as they get adequate income

from the sale of cordyceps and livestock products annually. In terms of land holding,

all the households in the gewog have very limited agriculture land but they have been

fortunate enough to receive 50 decimals of land kidu (grant) from His Majesty the

Fifth King of Bhutan recently.

Soe Gewog, Thimphu (22nd

July, 2012)


In regards to project perception and understanding, the people gathered for the

consultative meeting could vividly described few government supported activities

such as distribution of grass seeds for pasture improvement and solar panel for

lighting. However, they felt that the proposed project is going to bring enormous

returns through enhancement of livestock programs and agriculture products and they

are positively looking forward to implement it with the technical support from gewog

RNR and park officials. People felt that the proposed project would help them to

accelerate the achievement of their five year planned programs, which is mainly focus

on agriculture and livestock product promotion.


People hardly envisage any negative impacts from the proposed project; rather they

foresee tremendous benefits that would contribute towards realizing the goal of self-

sufficiency attainment through promotion of better agricultural technologies and

livestock rearing opportunities. People felt that the reduction of unproductive cattle

and improved pasture development near their household will help them to reduce

winter fodder shortage and increase the livestock products subsequently.


86

Similar to other GYT members, they too felt that they don’t have an adequate human

resource capacity to handle the project separately by gewog administration. They

would very much want to implement the project activities collaboratively for better

success and impact. In terms of project activity planning, GYT would take a lead role

in collaboration with park and RNR officials.

Vulnerable Group

Although none of the people are socially vulnerable but the people participated in the

meeting identified two households that needs special attention during the planning

and implementation of the proposed project.

Nubi Gewog, Trongsa (23rd

– 24th

July, 2012)

Similar to government supported projects implemented by other gewogs stated above,

the people of Nubi gewog has also implemented project activity like distribution of

CGI sheet for house roofing to some households with the financial support from

WCP. Nearly 90% of the households in the gewog are covered with CGI sheet roofing

either with the support from park office or self finance. Distribution of improved

agricultural seeds, fodder grass seeds, fruit tree seedlings, construction and

maintenance of irrigational canals are some of the other government supported project

activities implemented in the gewog. People felt that they have good knowledge of

implementing such project activities that might provide support from the proposed

project.

The people participated in the consultative meeting could not identify any negative

impact that would jeopardize the relations among the local communities. In regards to

GYT, RNR and park officials’ role in project implementation, they felt the success of

the project will depend on the strong involvement of local community at the project

planning stage. The GYT members felt that their role is to coordinate and facilitate

the project activity discussion and planning to derive maximum benefit which will

have lasting impact for the community.

Nubi gewog reported maximum number of households in a vulnerable group that

needs to be taken care while planning and implementing the proposed project

activities. Majority of the vulnerable households belong to age group of more than 65

years and they have either no younger ones to look after or limited relatives to support

them. They are already receiving assistance from HM’s office.

Tang Gewog, Bumthang (24th

– 25th

July, 2012)

In regards to project awareness and understanding, people of Tang seemed to have

more exposure compared to other gewogs as they got an opportunity to implement

SWISS supported project especially in the livestock sector. Many of the households

were beneficiary of

Bumdeling Gewog, Trashiyangtse (27th

July, 2012)

During the consultative meeting held in Bumdeling, the views of people on project

awareness and understanding, social impact from the proposed project activities and

87

system of dispute resolution weren’t different from the people of other gewog. Most

of the people participated in the meeting were of the opinion that their income

generating scope would be broadened with additional financial support for agriculture

and livestock production enhancement programs. One of the new issues raised by the

participants of the meeting was the submergence of wetland due to constant flood and

landslide in Bumdeling areas posing serious threats not only to the winter roosting

habitat for cranes as well as to the local community. Annually, 2-3 acres of paddy

field are being lost to the floods despite constant protection works being carried out

with the support of BWS. As of now, atleast 70-80% of productive paddy field is

destroyed by the floods.

Mr. Duptho, Member of Parliament from Jamkhar Bumdeling consistency strongly

felt the need to carry out detail study to understand the causes of flood in the area to

help develop long term permanent solution. He was of the opinion that the temporary

protection woks carried out with the support of BWS and other donors are not really

solving this flood problem.

The local community felt that the gewog has huge potential to promote butterfly

tourism in addition to cultural tourism as the place has lot renowned holy sites such as

Rigsum Goenpa, Dechen Phodrang and Pemaling. The Bhutan Swallow Tail which

was declared as national butterfly recently is found at Tarphel which is few hours

walk from Bumdeling. Also, they felt that support in the promotion of mass

production of special variety of chilly, locally known as worka bangala is another

unique opportunity.

Few people were of the opinion that jersey, an improved breed of livestock, is not

doing well in the gewog unlike other places and need for some study to point out the

possible factors responsible for the failure of jersey rearing program.

Sherimung Gewog, Mongar (28th

– 29th

July, 2012)

People participated in the meeting and individual interview had similar views on the

project perception and understanding as well as social impact from the proposed

project and dispute resolution system. Even for the role of GYT, RNR and park

officials, they felt the same way as stated by other GYT members. The most

prominent constraints pointed by the meeting participants were the shortage of water

for drinking and irrigation as they have noted the drying up of water sources in the

gewog. The reason they felt was due to scanty rainfall over past few years and could

be attributed to climate variability impact as they have seen the forest cover

increasing. Another problem increasingly faced by the community of Sherimung

gewog is the heavy crop depredation by wild herbivores and ungulates such as wild

boar, monkeys and porcupine. Annually, they lose half an acre to one acre of crop to

these wild predators’ particularly wild boars and monkeys. Limited accessibility to

market place is also one factor that has restricted the people’s interest to invest extra

time in agricultural field. The main source of income needed for the sustenance of

their family is drawn from working as daily wage labourer and engagement in petty

works in the construction industry in other regions. It is reported that some of male

member of the family never returned to their village in the process of accumulating

cash income for family sustenance. They either get married in the place they worked

or get employed in the construction industry as carpenter or mason. The gup and

88

tsogpa reported that there are two households that falls within the vulnerable group

and may have to consider additional attention during the project planning and

implementation.

89

Annex 3. Project area Gewog map

90

Annex 4. National Policies and Acts

National Forest Policy, 1974 and National Forest Policy 2011

The essence of the National Forest Policy 1974 is primarily on conservation of forests

and associated resources for their ecological values and secondarily on their

exploitation for economic benefits but within the limits of sustainability. It hinges on

the following four guiding principles:

Protection of the land, its forest, soil, water resources and biodiversity against

degradation, such as loss of soil fertility, soil erosion, landslides, floods and other

ecological devastation and the improvement of all degraded forest land areas,

through proper management systems and practices;

Contribution to the production of food, water, energy and other commodities by

effectively coordinating the interaction between forestry and farming systems;

Meeting the long-term needs of Bhutanese people for wood and other forest

products by placing all production forest resources under sustainable

management;

Contribution to the growth of national and local economies, including exploitation

of export opportunities, through fully developed forest based industries, and to

contribute to balanced human resources development through training and

creation of employment opportunities.

National Forest Policy 2011. Consultation with communities is required.

Construction of road through the established community forest may loose the

naturally or artificially grown forest resources, which were managed by

community forest management group. So, the loss of resources may have to be

compensated as per the guidelines.

Forest and Nature Conservation Act, 1995

The first environmental legislation to be passed in Bhutan was the Bhutan Forest Act,

1969, which brought all forest resources under government custody with the intent to

regulate forest utilization and control excessive forest exploitation. This law was

repealed in 1995 with the enactment of the Forest and Nature Conservation Act

(FNCA), 1995, in keeping with evolving conservation needs and to allow for

community stewardship of forests. The objective of the FNCA is to “provide for the

protection and sustainable use of forests, wildlife and related natural resources of

Bhutan for the benefit of present and future generations”. It covers forest

management, prohibitions and concessions in government reserved forests, forestry

leases, social and community forestry, transport and trade of forestry produce,

protected areas, wildlife conservation, soil and water conservation, forest fire

prevention, and enforcement and penalties.

Forest and Nature Conservation Rules, 2000

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In accordance with the powers and duties conferred under the FNCA, the MoA

has promulgated the Forest and Nature Conservation Rules (FNCR), 2000, for:

preparation, review, approval, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of

forest management plans;

reservation of government reserved forests, allotment of land and land rights in

government reserved forests, regulation of activities in lands allotted for private

use, collection of forest produce from government reserved forests, compensation

for acquired lands, prohibitions, restrictions and concessions in government

reserved forests, and forestry lease;

creation of private and community forests, including procedures for registration of

private and community forests and effects consequent upon registration,

management and use of community forest resources, and responsibilities and

powers of the community forest management group and concerned government

agencies;

transport and trade of forest produce, including extraction and marketing

procedures and inspection of forest produce in transit or in trade;

declaration of protected areas, administration of PAs , and prohibitions in PAs;

protection of wildlife and use of certain wild species;

prevention of forest fires, land clearance, and activities potentially impacting soil,

water and wildlife resources; and

Enforcement and penalties for offences related to all of the above.

Environmental Assessment Act, 2000

The Environmental Assessment Act (EAA), 2000, establishes procedures for the

assessment of potential effects of strategic plans, policies, programs, and projects on

the environment, and for the determination of policies and measures to reduce

potential adverse effects and to promote environmental benefits. The Act requires the

RGoB to ensure that environmental concerns are fully taken into account when

formulating, renewing, modifying and implementing any policy, plan or program as

per regulations that may be adopted within the appropriate provision of the Act. It

makes environmental clearance (EC)19

mandatory for any project/ activity that may

have adverse impact(s) on the environment.

Based on the review of environmental information submitted by the project applicant,

the National Environment Commission Secretariat (NECS) or the Competent

Authority (CA)20

may issue/ deny EC or determine the need for a full environmental

assessment (EA). Where a full EA is determined necessary, the applicant will be

asked to prepare EA documents according to the terms of reference (ToR) approved

19

Article 6.11 of the EAA defines Environmental Clearance as the decision, issued in writing by the NECS or the

relevant Competent Authority, to let a project proceed, which includes terms (and conditions) to ensure that the

project is managed in an environmentally sound and sustainable way. 20

Article 6.2 of the EEA defines a Competent Authority as any agency of RGoB who has the power to issue

development consent for a project.

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by the NECS. On approval of the ToR by the NECS, the applicant is required to carry

out a full EA and consequently submit the EA Report to the NECS. The NECS will

review the EA report and accordingly issue/ deny EC.

The NECS or CA may issue EC when it is satisfied that: (a) the effects of the project

on the environment are foreseeable and acceptable; (b) the applicant is capable of

carrying out the terms of EC; (c) the project, alone or in connection with other

programs/ activities, contributes to the sustainable development of the Kingdom and

the conservation of its natural and cultural heritage; (d) adequate attention has been

paid to the interests of concerned people; and (e) the project is consistent with the

environmental commitments of the Kingdom.

EC for a project shall be reviewed and may be revised and renewed at least every five

years, unless a shorter period is stated. The NECS or CA may review and modify the

terms whenever there is: (a) unacceptable risks to the environment resulting from the

project which were not known at the time the clearance was issued; (b) availability of

improved and cleaner technology; and (c) a need to bring the project into compliance

with changes to the laws of the country.

Non-compliance with environmental terms specified in the issuance of environmental

clearance makes the offender liable to penalties that may include compensation for

environmental damage, fines, sanctions, and suspension or revocation of

environmental clearance in part or full.

Regulation for the Environmental Clearance of Projects, 2002

The Regulation defines responsibilities and procedures for the implementation of the

EAA concerning the issuance and enforcement of EC for individual projects and to:

provide meaningful opportunities for public review of potential environmental

impacts of projects;

ensure that all projects are implemented in line with the sustainable development

policy of the Royal Government;

ensure that all foreseeable impacts on the environment, including cumulative

effects are fully considered prior to any irrevocable commitments of resources or

funds;

ensure that all feasible alternatives are fully considered;

ensure that all feasible means to avoid or mitigate damage to the environment are

implemented;

encourage the use of renewable resources, clean technologies and methods;

ensure that concerned people benefit from projects in terms of social facilities;

help strengthen local institutions in environmental decision making; and

help create a uniform, comprehensive data base on the environmental and cultural

conditions and assets in the country.

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At the minimum, all EC applications must contain the following information:

The potential adverse effects of the project on the environment including direct,

indirect and cumulative effects;

How the project complies with relevant sectoral guidelines or codes of practices,

if any, issued by the NECS or CA;

How the impacts of the project will be avoided, minimized or reduced; and

The environmental benefits of the project, including how the project will benefit

concerned people and use clean and sustainable technologies.

All ECs must contain terms and conditions adequate to fully protect the environment

and satisfy the requirements set forth in the Regulation. The EC shall be subject to

and contingent upon public notice and the absence of any appeal within 30 days. At

the minimum, the EC shall specify binding mitigation and compliance measures, and

appropriate monitoring, recording and reporting requirements. Non-compliance with

environmental terms prescribed in the issuance of EC makes the offender liable to

penalties that may include compensation for environmental damage, fines, sanctions,

and suspension or revocation of EC in part or full. The NECS or CA may renew the

EC after expiry of its duration if the project is in compliance with the environmental

terms or may change the terms and conditions at the time of renewal with a sound

justification for such changes in writing to the holder.

The Act requires that all CAs establish an environmental unit to implement the EA

process for projects/ activities assigned to them. The NECS may require the applicant

to designate a focal person to ensure compliance with the terms of EC. All significant

projects are required to establish an environmental unit responsible for ensuring

compliance with the terms of EC.

Annex 2 of the Regulation lists projects/ activities for which competent authorities

have been assigned for screening and issuance/ denial of environmental clearance,

and projects/ activities that do not require EC.

Regulation for Strategic Environmental Assessment 2000

The purpose of this regulation is to:

Ensure that environmental concerns are fully taken into account by all government

agencies when formulating, renewing, modifying or implementing any policy,

plan or programme, including FYPs;

Ensure that the cumulative and large scale environmental effects are taken into

consideration while formulating, renewing, modifying or implementing any

policy, plan or programme;

Complement project-specific environmental reviews as per RECOP and to

encourage early identification of environmental objectives and impacts of all

government proposals at appropriate planning levels;

Promote the design of environmentally sustainable proposals that encourage the

use of renewable resources and clean technologies and practices; and

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Promote and encourage the development of comprehensive natural resource and

land use plans at the local, Dzongkhag and national levels.

It outlines the duties of government agencies formulating, renewing, modifying, or

implementing any policy, plan, or program, the principles of strategic environmental

assessment, and essential contents of the environmental statement.

Sectoral Environmental Assessment Guidelines and ECOPs

The sectoral guidelines for EA were first formulated in 1999, preceding the enactment

of the EAA in 2000. The guidelines then pertained to hydropower, power

transmission lines, highways and roads, forestry, mining and mineral processing, and

new and existing industries. In 2003/04, the NECS undertook a revision of the

existing sectoral EA guidelines with assistance from the Asian Development Bank

(ADB). In addition, it also developed new guidelines for tourism and urban

development sectors and environmental codes of practices (ECOP) for storm water

drainage system and installation of underground and overhead utilities. To support

environment friendly road construction, the Department of Roads (DoR) has

developed ECOP for roads.

In issuing ECs for roads, one of the terms and conditions specified by the NECS is

that the road construction must be in line with the ECOP developed by the DoR and

the Sectoral EA Guidelines for Highways and Roads issued by the NECS.

Information required to be submitted for EC in accordance to the sectoral EA

guidelines include:

Applicant’s details;

Project objectives;

Relevance to overall planning;

Funding and costs, including environmental management costs;

Project description, including project location, category and length of the road,

road specifications, management of excavated materials, and quantity of

explosives and the techniques that will be employed in their use;

Alternatives in terms of the project itself and road alignment;

Details of public consultation;

Project site environmental details such as topography, geology and water courses;

Project site ecological details such as land use and vegetation, protected areas, and

wildlife and flora;

Project site social details such as beneficiary population and affected properties

(including cultural properties);

Impacts and mitigation measures.

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Pesticides Act of Bhutan, 2000

The Pesticides Act of Bhutan (PAB), 2000, has been enacted with the objective to:

ensure integrated pest management (IPM) is pursued, limiting the use of

pesticides as the last resort;

ensure that only appropriate types and quality of pesticides are introduced in the

country;

ensure that pesticides are effective when used as recommended;

minimize deleterious effects on human beings and the environment consequent to

the application of pesticides; and

enable privatization of sale of pesticides as and when required.

Biodiversity Act of Bhutan, 2003

The Biodiversity Act of Bhutan, 2003, was ratified by the National Assembly in

August 2003. The Act asserts the sovereignty of the country over its genetic

resources, the need to promote conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity

resources as well as equitable sharing of benefits arising from sustainable use, and the

need to protect local people’s knowledge and interests related to biodiversity. It lays

down the conditions for the grant of access, benefit sharing, and protection, and

describes various rights, offences and penalties.

DYT and GYT Chathrims, 2002

In the context of decentralized environmental management, the DYT and GYT

Chathrims, 2002, have laid down a number of provisions. These Chathrims were

enacted with the main aim to support the decentralization policy and empower locally

elected community bodies (DYTs and GYTs) with the authority and responsibility to

decide, plan and implement development programmes and activities, including those

concerning environmental management, in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

Powers and functions vested in the DYTs and GYTs in relation to environmental

management are specified below.

Environment-related provisions in DYT Chathrim, 2002

Article 8 of the DYT Chathrim 2002 gives the DYT the power and function to:

promote awareness and dissemination of national objectives (section 3);

adopt procedures and rules to implement national laws, wherever relevant (section

10); and

96

make recommendations on activities with major environmental impacts such as

construction of roads, extraction and conservation of forests, mining and

quarrying (section 13).

Article 9 of the DYT Chathrim 2002 gives the DYT the power and function to adopt

and enforce regulations with respect to:

designation and protection of monuments and sites of cultural and historical

interests (section 1);

designation and protection of areas of special scenic beauty or biodiversity as

Dzongkhag parks and sanctuaries (section 2);

control of noise pollution (section 8);

establishment of quarries and mines in accordance with Mines and Mineral

Management Act 1995; and

protection of public health as per prevailing national guidelines or acts (section

14).

Article 10 of the DYT Chathrim, 2002, gives the DYT broad administrative power

and function to give direction and approval on:

construction of farm and feeder roads (section 5);

forest management plan including extraction, conservation and forest road

construction in accordance with the FNCA (section 8);

protection of forests, tsamdo and all types of government and community lands

from illegal house and similar construction and other encroachments (section 19);

control of construction of structures, whether on national, communal or private

lands, within 50 feet of highways, including enforcement of measures such as

cessation of construction and demolition of the structures (section 20);

choice of trekking routes and camps for tourists (section 22); and

mobilization of voluntary actions in times of natural catastrophes and emergencies

(section 26).

Article 13 of the DYT Chathrim 2002 gives the Dzongkhag Administration the

powers and functions to:

construct farm and feeder roads, in conjunction with the NEC (section 5);

determine the choice of design, construction methods and building materials for

forms, which do not have to follow standard designs in conformity with

acceptable technical and structural norms (section 12); and

approve allocation of timber permits as per the rules and regulations issued by the

MoA from time to time (section 16).

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Environment-related provisions in GYT Chathrim 2002

Article 8 of the GYT Chathrim 2002 gives the GYT the power and function to adopt

and enforce regulations at the Dzongkhag level with respect to:

safe disposal of waste (section 1);

control and prevention of pollution of air, soil and water (section 2);

sanitation standards (section 3);

control of communicable livestock diseases within the Dzongkhag in accordance

with the Livestock Act 2001 (section 4);

allocation of safe and clean drinking water from water supply schemes (section 5);

allocation of irrigation water, in accordance with the provision of the Land Act

1979 (section 6); and

protection and harvesting of edible forest products in the local area in accordance

with the Forest and Nature Conservation Act 1995 (section 8).

Article 9 of the GYT Chathrim 2002 gives the GYT broad administrative power and

function at the Dzongkhag level with respect to:

Administration, monitoring and review of all activities that are part of the

Dzongkhag plan, including the maintenance of community properties such as

lhakhangs, goendeys and their nangtens, chhoerten, mani dangrem, water supply

schemes, irrigation channels, footpaths, mule tracks, farm and feeder roads,

suspension and cantilever bridges, micro-hydels, basic health units and outreach

clinics, lower secondary school and community schools, and extension centers of

the RNR sector (section 2);

Conservation and protection of water resources, lakes, springs, streams, and rivers

(section 7);

Custody and care of communal lands, community forests, including sokshing and

nyekhor tsamdo, medicinal herbs and accordingly prevention of illegal house

construction and all other types of encroachments on land and forests (section 8);

Prevention of construction of structures, whether on national, communal or

private lands, within 50 feet of highways falling in local area (section 9); and

Protection and preservation of ney, nyekhang or yulha and zhiday, which are not

part of custody of a monastic body or central agencies (section 10).

The Land Act of Bhutan 2007

The Act established autonomous National Land Commission (NLC) ,which took over

land administration from the Ministry of Agriculture. According to the Act, the

function of the Commission is to lay down policies, programs, regulations and

guidelines in accordance with the Act. The commission is empowered to issue lag

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thram (ownership certificate) and has the authority to register land or amend change

in thram. The NLC is empowered to acquire land, allot substitute land and approve

compensation.

To support the implementation of the Land Act of Bhutan 2007, the NLC formulated

Land Rules and Regulations (2007) which define the institutional functions,

procedural requirements and regulatory provisions for management of national land

records, land ownership entitlements and land rights, land registration, land

conveyance, land acquisition and compensation, land grants, allotment of government

land, cadastral survey, documentation and mapping, land conversion, land lease,

easement, and annulment of land.

Key provisions are as follows,

a) The Government as defined in these rules shall acquire a registered land only for public

interest.

b) Any Government Institution proposing acquisition shall state the public interests for

which the land is to be acquired.

c) Acquisition of land occupied by religious monuments shall not be acquired.

d) Land under acquisition shall be taken over only after registering the substitute land in the

name of the affected landowner or cash compensation has been made to the landowner.

e) Any Government Institution or Dratshang applying for acquisition shall be responsible to

provide cash compensation or facilitate providing substitute land or both, subject to the

approval of the Land Commission.

f) A Property Assessment and Valuation Agency (PAVA) established under the ministry of

finance to valuation and fixes the value of land and any other collateral property that may

be acquired.

g) The value of compensation for the land acquired including any landed property shall be

as per 151 to 154 of the Land Act of Bhutan 2007.

h) If registered land is acquired from rural areas the landowner shall have the discretion to

opt for substitute land or cash compensation.

i) The agency intending to acquire shall submit the application to the Secretariat projecting

the purpose and the extent of area of land required for proposed acquisition.

j) The Commission Secretariat shall verify and confirm the public interest of the proposed

acquisition, shall arrive at a decision on the proposal, instruct the Dzongkhag/Thromde

Committee to conduct and prepare a detailed report if proposal is found feasible.

k) The Dzongkhag Committee shall serve a notice to the landowner of the government’s

intention to acquire land at least 120 days prior to the acquisition of the land if the

Secretariat approves that the proposed acquisition may be processed.

l) For Thromde, the Executive Secretary shall convey the intention of the Government to

acquire land at least 120 days before the acquisition of land to the concerned land owner.

m) The Dzongkhag/Thromde Committee shall prepare a detailed report, specifying the

compensation to be provided, including clearance certificates under the applicable laws if

substitute land is to be provided, including survey report.

Summary of the Process for Land Acquisition as per the Land Act of Bhutan 2007.

2007 ( see below table)

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Policies and Regulations on IPs and Vulnerable Peoples

An overview of available literatures shows that Bhutan has not defined Indigenous

People (IP) and Vulnerable Community (VC) officially and there is no legislation

specifically tailored for IPs, minor ethnic groups or vulnerable groups.

Steps Details of the Procedures Time Required to Process

1. Submission of application to NLC secretariat for land acquisition

2. Evaluation and verification of requisition by NLC Decision within 2 weeks

after receipt of the

application

3. If feasible, the Secretariat shall instruct the Dzongkhag/Thromde

Committee to submit a detailed report.

If not feasible, the NLCS rejects the proposal and informs the

applicant, stating the reasons.

4. The Dzongkhag Committee shall issue a notice to the landowner of

the

Government’s intention to acquire land.

At least 120 days prior to

the

acquisition of the land

5. The Dzongkhag Committee shall prepare a detailed report in the

format prescribed under Annexure PLA Form (1) to PLA Form (7)

Specify the compensation to be provided, based on the valuation of

the PAVA

If compensation includes substitute land, clearance certificates under

the

applicable laws such as Forest and Nature Conservation Act and

Environment Act

If Chhuzhing is to be acquired for purpose other than Chhuzhing the

compliance of Chhuzhing conversion requirements prescribed under

Section 166 of the The Land Act of Bhutan 2007..

The location of the substitute land from rural area in compliance with

Section 155 of the The Land Act of Bhutan 2007..

Ensure compliance of restrictions under Section 137 of these rules

Survey report which shall include cadastral maps indicating clearly

the total area, location and identification of the land to be acquired

and substitute land

If compensation includes cash compensation the responsibility of the

particular Government Institution to pay cash compensation.

6. Payment of compensation, release, and registration of acquired land

substitute land

Upon final decision the Secretariat shall Convey to Dzongkhag

Committee and the landowner whose land is acquired.

Transfer of land ownership

and registration of acquired

land in the name of the

applicant within 30 days

from

the decision of the Land

Commission

7. Release of substitute land from the Government land and register

substitute

land in the name of the person whose land was acquired

Cause the applicant to make the necessary cash payment if cash

compensation is decided by the Land Commission

Ensure taking over of acquired only after compensation is provided

to the

Landowner

Within 30 days from the

decision of the

Commission

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However, Bhutan’s overall development philosophy is based on all-inclusive,

nondiscriminatory development, which is gaining further ground with the growing

impetus on decentralization. The national decentralization policy is geared towards

enhancing local governance and promoting broad-based participation at the local

community level. While geogs are officially considered the smallest unit for planning

and administration of development programmes, local activities and priorities

emanate from the chiwog21

level. Each chiog is represented in the GYT (Geog Yargye

Tshogchung or Block Development Committee) by its tshogpa (Representative of a

chiwog). The tshogpa convenes chiwog meetings to discuss and draw consensus on

local activities and priorities before submitting them to the GYT.

21

A groups of households for which a tshogpa is responsible. Larger villages are usually divided into

two or more chiogs while smaller villages constitute a single chiog.

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Annex 5. Permissible pesticides list to Bhutan

Insecticide 1. Chlopyrifos 20 EC

2. Cypermethrin 10E

3. Dimethoate 30EC

4. Fevelerate 0.4D

5. Malathion 5D

6. Malathion 50 EC

Fungicide 1. Carboxin 75WP

2. Captan 50WP

3. Carbendazin 50WP

4. Copper Oxychloride 50WP

5. Hexaconazole 5EC

6. Mancozeb 75WP

7. Metalaxyl 8%

8. Propiconazole 25 EC

9. Sulfur 80WP

10. Tricylazole 25 WP

Herbicide 1. Glyphossate 41 SL

2. Metribuzin 70WP

Rodenticides 1. Zinc Phosphate 80W/W

Acaricides 1. Dicofol 18.5 EC

Non Toxic 1. Sticker/spreader (sandovit)

2. Tree spray oil (TSO)

Bio- pesticide 1. Trichoderma viride

Source: National Plant Protection Center, Department of Agriculture, MOAF,

Thimphu

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Annex 6. Environmental Clearance Requirements

(According to RECOP Annex 2)

A. Exempted Activities

Activities not requiring Environmental Clearance are:

Consultancy firms

Cinemas no involving land use change

Barber shops

Communication services (telephone, TV cable services, etc.)

Umbrella repairs

Seedling nurseries

Carpet production without dyes

Restaurants

Hotels not involving land use change (taking into account waste disposal)

Arts and handicrafts

Electronic/ electrical repair services

Tailoring

Candle production

Potato chip production

Contracts

Incense production

Jari (Bhutanese tea leaves) production

Noodle production

Audiovisuals

Cobbling

Training institutes not involving land use changes

Desktop publishing

Photo studio without developing and printing facilities

Indoor games

Cycle repairs

Beauty parlours

Quilt making

Clearing and forwarding agencies

Health clubs

Tours and travel services

Discotheques

Textile production without dyes

Manufacture of organic fertilizers

Road resurfacing

Road maintenance

Bioengineering

Bridge maintenance not involving land use change

Road improvement (base course, black topping and permanent works)

Construction of buildings (individual residential houses in rural areas)

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Goods and passenger transport

Cottage mills

Goldsmith and blacksmith units

Laundry services

Tyre and tube repair services

Day care centre for children

B. Relevant Competent Authority for Environmental Clearance

Application for Environmental Clearance of activities that are not listed below is

required to be submitted to the National Environmental Commission Secretariat.

Competent Authority: Ministry of Trade and Industry

Department of Industry

Automobile services

Wooden/ steel furniture units

Sawmills

Printing Press

Tyre rethreading activities

Stone crushing activities

Bakery/ confectionaries

Oil mills

Manufacturing of handmade paper

Brick/ hollow-block manufacturing

Fabrication activities

Tiles production

Poultry farms

Carpet production using dyes

Textile production using dyes

Photo studios

Dry cleaning units

Department of Trade

Operation of fuel stations not involving land use changes

Department of Geology and Mines

Quarrying/ mining, covering less than 3 hectares

Mineral exploration

Emergency responses to natural disasters/ hazards

Competent Authority: Ministry of Works and Human Settlements (previously Ministry

of Communications)

National Authority for Construction Standards and Quality Control

Road widening/ curve improvement

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Construction of urban roads

Location of housing colony (temporary/ permanent)

Construction of urban drainage

Permanent works (retaining walls, breast walls, causeways)

Utilities and service lines

Road realignment (less than 1 km and not falling within a protected area)

River training works

Monsoon damage restoration works

Bridges

City Corporation

Construction of buildings

Any other activities within municipal boundary duly approved by the government

Competent Authority: Ministry of Agriculture

Department of Forestry Services

Surface collection of sand and boulder

Allocation of forest produces to rural communities outside FMUs

Community forest harvesting

Private forest harvesting

Afforestation

Reforestation

Management and collection on non-wood forest produce

All activities within an Forest Management Unit (road construction, logging

operations, reforestation)

Forest sanitation operations

Department of Agriculture

Irrigation channels

Activities related to agricultural research and development

Competent Authority: District Environmental Committee

Construction of:

1. Power tiller road

2. Mule tracks

3. Private road less than 500 meters

4. Community School

5. RNR centres including staff quarters

6. Geog centres including staff quarters

7. Labour camps

8. Outreach clinic centers

9. Farm roads less than 5 km

10. Solid waste disposal

11. Rural Water supply schemes

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Annex 7. Sample Checklist for Environmental Risk Identification

and Analysis

(for information collection, risk identification, and analysis)

Will the subproject and/or activity likely to affect the following? Where, why, and to

what extent? What can be done to avoid, minimize, or mitigate?

1. Protected Areas and known natural habitat (national parks, wildlife

reserve, legally protected or area proposed for protection, unprotected but

of known high conservation value) or biodiversity corridor, or nearby an

area which is known to be a critical wildlife habitat, and those area that

are listed as totally protected species in the FNCR.

2. Forest (national forest, reserve forest, religious forest, community forest,

private forest – core forest or fringe forest)

3. Known route of wildlife or wild bird movement

4. High risk of landslides and erosion prone areas

5. Flood Prone / River Cutting / Low Lying Areas

6. Water Sources / Water Bodies such as pond, lakes, springs, drinking

water sources etc.

7. Historical / religious / Cultural Sites such as monastery, temple, fort,

palace, other religious sites, etc.

8. Aesthetically important places / valued natural landscapes / viewpoints

9. Local/ Community Infrastructures (Irrigation canal, water supply, foot

trails, trails bridges, religious trees & resting places, electricity poles,

telephone poles etc.)

10. Agricultural land, private property (land, house, structure), local

resources, community forests, etc.

11. Increased use of chemical pesticide and fertilizer

12. Risk of disaster (such as from dam break or from fire, or from accidental

release of chemicals, etc.).

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Annex 8. Sample Social Screening format

A. General Information

Title of the Subproject:

Site Locality:

Screening Date:

B. Project Related Information

B1 Activities includes: (described in brief regarding subproject activities)

B2. Describe existing land use/occupancy of site and surroundings in brief and

accordingly draw a free-hand map (Please use separate sheet)

C. Socio-economic Information

C1 What are the asset(s) that would be affected due to Subproject Interventions? Yes or

No

Land ……….

Physical Structure (dwelling or commercial)………..

Trees/crops…….

Natural Resources (Water bodies/ Forest/ Public Pond)….

Community Resource Property…..

Others (please specify)….

C2 Land

C.2.1 Ownership of Land: Public/Private……………..

C.2.2 Type of Land: Agricultural/ Homestead/ Low Land /Fallow/ Pond/Others

Please specify……………….

Does the subproject require additional land permanently or on a temporary

basis?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sometimes as part of road/canal/community resource property upgrading

interventions, subprojects may require small parcels of land permanently to

meet engineering design requirements. In such case what would be the land

procurement policy?

Direct Purchase…Yes/no…………; voluntary donation……yes/no…;

acquisition ……….. Yes/no……………………………?

To except voluntarily donated land what would be the legal procedure?

In case of land acquisition, will there be physical and/or economic

displacement of people?

C2.3 Is there any squatter/ encroacher/ leaseholder residing on public lands? Yes/ No

and specify type

If yes.

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What would be the total numbers of Affected Families?

Is there any possibility of physical displacement?

How will their livelihoods be affected? (example: due to loss of shelter and

housing structure, loss of income source, loss of grazing field/ social

network/ family bondage etc) Do the affected families have school going

children? Yes/no

If yes,……………..how many such children are there?

Among the affected household, is there any person holding long term lease?

Yes/no…………… if yes, Land uses for what

purpose?...................................., Till how many years remains out of total

leasing period?...........................

C3 Structure (Housing/Commercial)

C 3.1 Type and total number of Housing structure that would be affected:

C 3.2 Is there any commercial/ business structure that would be affected?

C 3.3 Ownership types of the affected structures: Private/ Leaseholder/squatter/encroacher

Please specify

C 3.4 Is there any tenant identified using the affected structure? Yes/No

C 4. Trees and Crops

C 4.1 Is there any tree/plant that might be affected? Yes/no……… Total estimated number

by size………………………………………………?

C 4.2 Is there any social forestry /plantation project that would be affected?

Yes/no…………….

C 4.3 Is there any common fruit bearing tree that would be affected? Yes/no…………

Species…………..

C 4.4 Any agricultural land included within the subproject footprint? Yes/no…………

If yes, please provide necessary information regarding productivity of land, type and

quantity of Crop that might be affected and market value

…………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………

………………..

C 5. Is there any Community Resource Property that would be affected?

Yes/No................ Please Specify………………….. Who are the beneficiaries of the

affected Community Resource? What is their reaction- Positive/negative?...................

Did they support the project?. Yes/No..............................What are the reasons to

support/ stand against the project?

C6. Is there any Natural Resource that might be affected? Yes/No……………

If yes, please describe regarding dependency on the Affected Resources

C7. Indigenous Peoples

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C 7.1 Is there any community of Indigenous Peoples residing within or adjacent the project

site? Yes/No………..For how long .....................?

C 7.2 Any Households of Indigenous Peoples would be affected?

Yes/No……………………

If yes, how many families would be affected?.........................

C 7.2 Is there any way that proposed project may pose any threat to cultural tradition and

way of life of indigenous Peoples? Yes/No………………………

C 8 Beneficiaries

C 8.1 Who are the Beneficiaries? How they would be benefited by the subproject?

Access to health facilities/services? Yes/No.........

Better access to schools, education and communication? Yes/No.........

Project activities would provide income-generating source. Yes/No.........

Please describe

Subproject shall promote marketing opportunities of the local products?

Yes/No…… If yes, how would that happen? Please elaborate

Are people ready to co-operate with the project? Yes/No...............

Please elaborate the reasons

C 9 How will the subproject create opportunities for Beneficiaries?

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Annex 9. Recommended Format for a Pest Management Plan

1. Background which would outline

the purpose of the Plan,

indicate pest management authorities, and

pest management program objective;

2. Responsibilities of individuals

3. General Information which should provide data on land use and soil, in the area

where the pesticides are applied; climate, geo-morphology, settlements in the area

of concern, population, surface water, etc. as well as inventory of land use and

layout of facilities

4. Priority Areas that Require Pest Management

5. Integrated Pest Management

5.1 Principles of the Integrated Pest Management are:

a) Mechanical and Physical Control. This type of control alters the

environment in which a pest lives, traps and removes pests where they are not

wanted, or excludes pests. Examples of this type control include: harborage

elimination through caulking or filling voids, screening, etc.

b) Cultural Control. Strategies in this method involve manipulating

environmental conditions to suppress or eliminate pests. For example,

spreading manure from stables onto fields to dry prevents fly breeding.

Elimination of food and water for pests through good sanitary practices may

prevent pest populations from becoming established or from increasing

beyond a certain size.

c) Biological Control. In this control strategy, predators, parasites or disease

organisms are used to control pest populations. Sterile flies may be released to

lower reproductivity. Viruses and bacteria may be used which control growth

or otherwise kill insects. Parasitic wasps may be introduced to kill eggs, larvae

or other life stages. Biological control may be effective in and of itself, but is

often used in conjunction with other types of control.

d) Chemical Control. Pesticides kill living organisms, whether they will be

plants or animals. At one time, chemicals were considered to be the most

effective control available, but pest resistance rendered many pesticides

ineffective. The trend is to use pesticides which have limited residual action.

While this has reduced human exposure and lessened environmental impact,

the cost of chemical control has risen due to requirements for more frequent

application. Since personal protection and special handling and storage

requirements are necessary with the use of chemicals, the overall cost of using

chemicals as a sole means of control can be quite costly when compared with

nonchemical control methods.

5.2 Integrated Pest Management Outlines. This sub-chapter addresses each major

pest or category of similar pests is addressed, by site, in separate outlines.

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5.3 Annual Plan for Surveillance, Prevention, and Control. In this sub-chapter has

to be indicated the number of man-hours expended for surveillance, prevention,

and control of pests.

6. Health and Safety. This chapter should contain health and safety requirements as

follows:

6.1 Medical Surveillance of Pest Management Personnel. All personnel who

apply pesticides have to are included in a medical surveillance program.

6.2 Hazard Communication. Pest management personnel are given hazard

communication training, to include hazardous materials in his workplace.

Additional training is to be given to new employees or when new hazardous

materials are introduced into the workplace.

6.3 Personal Protective Equipment.

In this chapter has to be described approved masks, respirators, chemical resistant

gloves and boots, and protective clothing (as specified by applicable laws,

regulations and/or the pesticide label) are provided to pesticide applicators. These

items are used as required during the mixing and application of pesticides.

Pesticide-contaminated protective clothing is not be laundered at home but

commercially. Severely contaminated clothing is not laundered, but is considered

a pesticide-related waste and disposed, as applicable for hazardous waste.

6.4 Fire Protection. The fire safety protection requirements have to be

established; the pest management coordinator has to control implementation of

measures to prevent fire.

7. Environmental Considerations.

7.1 Protection of the Public. Precautions are taken during pesticide application to

protect the public, on and off the installation. Pesticides should not be applied

outdoors when the wind speed exceeds 155 m/min. Whenever pesticides are

applied outdoors, care is taken to make sure that any spray drift is kept away from

individuals, including the applicator. Pesticide application indoors is

accomplished by individuals wearing the proper personal protective clothing and

equipment. At no time are personnel permitted in a treatment area during pesticide

application unless they have met the medical monitoring standards and are

appropriately protected.

7.2. Sensitive Areas. No pesticides are applied directly to wetlands or water areas

(lakes, rivers, etc.) unless use in such sites is specifically approved.

7.2. Endangered/Protected Species and Critical Habitats. Protected migratory

birds which periodically occur on the installation cannot be controlled without a

permit. The Pest Management Coordinator periodically evaluates ongoing pest

control operations and evaluates all new pest control operations to ensure

compliance with the list of endangered species No pest management operations

are conducted that are likely to have a negative impact on endangered or protected

species or their habitats without prior approval from environmental authorities.

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7.3. Environmental Documentation. An environmental assessment which

specifically addresses the pesticide use program on the installation has been

prepared. This plan is referenced in the assessment as documentation of pesticide

use.

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Annex 10. PCR Chance Find Procedure

If any person discovers a physical cultural resource, such as (but not limited to)

archeological sites, historical sites, remains and objects, or a cemetery and/or

individual graves during excavation or construction, the Contractor shall:

1. Stop the construction activities in the area of the chance find;

2. Delineate the discovered site or area;

3. Secure the site to prevent any damage or loss of removable objects. In cases of

removable antiquities or sensitive remains, a night guard shall be arranged

until the responsible local authorities take over;

4. Notify the Supervising Officer who in turn will notify the responsible local

authorities immediately (within 24 hours or less);

5. Responsible local authorities are in charge of protecting and preserving the

site before deciding on subsequent appropriate procedures. This would require

a preliminary evaluation of the findings to be performed by archeologists. The

significance and importance of the findings should be assessed according to

the various criteria relevant to cultural heritage; those include the aesthetic,

historic, scientific or research, social and economic values used by the RGOB;

6. Decisions on how to handle the finding shall be taken by the responsible

authorities. This could include changes in the layout (such as when finding an

irremovable remain of cultural or archeological importance) conservation,

preservation, restoration and salvage;

7. Implementation for the authority decision concerning the management of the

finding shall be communicated in writing by relevant local authorities; and

8. Construction works could resume only after permission is granted from the

responsible local authorities concerning safeguard of the physical cultural

resource.

The Supervising Officer must have capacity to manage the processes in the plan. At a

minimum, expert opinion should be sought from government agencies or specialist

consultants for the following:

Issues with relocation / removal that cannot be resolved through the

procedures in this plan.

Restoration of damages to physical cultural resources or graves caused by

construction‐related

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