Summary Environmental Impact Assessment

SUBREGIONAL TRANSPORT CONNECTIVITY PROJECT

IN

INDIA

June 2005

CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (As of 15 March 2005)

Currency Unit – India rupee/ (Re/Rs) Re1.00 = $0.02

$1.00 = Rs 43.55

ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank CPCB – Central Pollution Control Board DFO – Divisional Forest Officer EIA – environmental impact assessment EIRR – economic internal rate of return EMoP – Environment Monitoring Plan EMP – Environment Management Plan IEE – initial environment examination IRC – Indian Road Congress JWS – Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary kph – kilometers per hour MOSRTH – Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport

and Highways MWS – Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary NAAQ – National Ambient Air Quality NANQ – National Ambient Noise Quality NGO – nongovernment organization NH – National Highway NOx – nitrogen oxide PIU – project implementation unit PMC – project management consultant PMU – project management unit PWD – Public Works Department ROW – right of way RSPM – respirable suspended particulate matter RWS – Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary SGOS – State Government of Sikkim SGWB – State Government of West Bengal SIEE – summary initial environmental examination SPM – suspended particulate matter TA – technical assistance

NOTE In this report, “$” refers to US dollars.

CONTENTS Page

MAP

I. INTRODUCTION 1 II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 1

A. Location of the Projects 1 B. Need for the Projects 2 C. Proposed Projects 3 D. Project Schedule 4

III. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 4

A. Physical Environment 5 B. Biological Environment 7 C. Socioeconomic 10

IV. ALTERNATIVES 11 A. No Project 11 B. Alternative Transport Modes 11 C. Alternative Improvements 12 D. Alternative Alignment 13

V. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION

MEASURES 13 A. Design and Construction Phase 13 B. Operational Phase 17

VI. ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT 19 A. Benefits 19 B. Costs of Adverse Impacts, If Not Mitigated 19 C. Cost of Mitigation Measures 19

VII. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 20 A. Environmental Management Plan 20 B. Authorities and Implementation Responsibility 20 C. Monitoring Plan 20 D. Unexpected Impacts 21 E. Contingency Response Plan 21 F. Institutional Capacity to Address Environmental Concerns 21

VIII. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND DISCLOSURE 21

IX. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 23 APPENDIXES 1. Environmental Management Plan for the Barasat Bypass 24 2. Environmental Management Plan for Raiganj–Dalkhola 35 3. Environmental Management Plan for the Sevok–Gangtok Section 46 4. Environmental Management Plan for Panitanki/Fulbari Stretch 57 5. Environmental Management Plan for Hasimara–Jaigaon/Phuentsholing 68 6. Environmental Management Plan for Rehabilitation of Baharampur 77

and Maldah Bridges 7. Environmental Monitoring Plan 83

B a y o f B e n g a l

Ganga River

B a y o fB e n g a l

A r a b i a nS e a

I N D I A N O C E A N

Gulf ofCambay

KOLKATAMedinipur

Kharagpur

Asansol

Raniganj

PuruliaBankura

BaharampurSiuri

Panagarh

Barddhaman

Chunchura

Barasat BypassBarrackpur

Uluberiya

Joka

Haldia

BangaonChakda

Ranaghat

Krishnanagar

Moregram

Raiganj

Dalkhola

Islampur

MaldahGajol

Farakka

Darjiling

Gangtok

ShiliguriBanglabandaFulbari

JalpaiguriChofra Alipur Duar

Koch Bihar

Madarihat

FalakataChangrabandh

Burimari

Hasimara

Chalsa

Sevok

Hilli

to Delhi NH31

to Delhi

N5 to Dhaka/Mongla

NH34

NH34 SH10

SH1

Delhi

Kolkata

Shilong

Biratnagar

KakarbhittaPanitanki

Maikhola

to Kathmandu

HaParo

Chhukha

PhuentsholingJaigaon

THIMPHU

Raidak

O R I S S A

JHARKHAND

WEST BENGAL

B I H A R

S I K K I M

ASSAM

MEGHALAYA

RAJASTHAN

GUJARATMADHYA PRADESH

CHHATTISGARH

UTTARPRADESH

BIHAR

WESTBENGAL

JHARKHAND

SIKKIM

A S S A MMEGHALAYA

ARUNCHALPRADESH

MIZORAM

TRIPURA

O R I S S A

MAHARASHTRA

ANDHRAPRADESH

KARNATAKA

TAMILNADU

KERALA

GOA

HARYANA

UTTARANCHAL

BANGLADESH

NEPALBHUTAN

PAKISTANNEPAL

PEOPLE'S REPUBLICOF CHINA

BHUTAN

National CapitalState CapitalCity/TownProject RoadADB-Financed National and State Highway (Loan 1870-IND, Loan 1274-IND & Loan 1041-IND)Under Improvement to Four-Lane StandardNational HighwayRailwayProject BridgeRiverState BoundaryInternational Boundary

Boundaries are not necessarily authoritative.

SUBREGIONAL TRANSPORTCONNECTIVITY PROJECT

INDIA

0 20 40 60

Kilometers

N

05-1245 HR

89 00'Eo

89 00'Eo

87 00'Eo

87 00'Eo

23 00'No 23 00'No

26 00'No26 00'No

85 00'Eo

85 00'Eo

75 00'Eo

75 00'Eo

10 00'No10 00'No

25 00'No25 00'No

I. INTRODUCTION

1. This summary environmental impact assessment is based on three environmental assessment reports for the proposed Subregional Transport Connectivity Project (the Project) in India. These reports were (i) the initial environmental examination (IEE) of the proposed rehabilitation and improvement of Baharampur and Maldah bridges; (ii) the IEE of the proposed rehabilitation and improvement of the road connecting Fulbari (on the border of India and Bangladesh) to Panitanki (next to Kakarbhitta in Nepal), and the road connecting Hasimara (in India) to Jaigaon (next to Phuentsholing in Bhutan); and (iii) the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the proposed rehabilitation and improvement of national highways (NH) connecting Raiganj to Dalkhola and Sevok to Gangtok, as well as the construction of two bypasses in Dalkhola and Barasat in West Bengal Province. In addition, this summary took into account the reports of the rapid wildlife movement assessment that was carried out in Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary (MWS) area and Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary (RWS). 2. The Project initially was categorized as a “B” project, according to the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Environmental Assessment Guidelines of 2003. However, the environmental survey found that the Raiganj–Dalkhola and Sevok–Gangtok stretches pass through designated wildlife sanctuaries, and that the Barasat Bypass will require new construction. Based on these findings, these three subprojects were reclassified as “A” projects. Subsequently, EIAs for these subprojects were prepared. 3. The environmental assessment studies were carried out between August and December 2004. The technical assistance (TA) consultant prepared the IEE and EIA reports on behalf of the state Government of West Bengal (SGWB), state Government of Sikkim (SGS), and Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways (MOSRTH). 4. These EIA studies were based primarily on secondary data. The environmental study covered the project area, as well as the area of direct and indirect impacts. These environmental assessment reports were prepared in accordance with relevant laws and regulations of the Government of India; and with the Environmental Policy of the Asian Development Bank, 2002 and the Environmental Assessment Guidelines of the Asian Development Bank, 2003.1

II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT A. Location of the Projects 5. Six of the seven subprojects proposed under TA 6154-REG are in the state of West Bengal. The other one (the Sevok–Gangtok road subproject) passes through two states, Sikkim and West Bengal. Table 1 provides the location of each subproject.

Table1: Location of Subprojects Subproject State District Length

(in km) Barasat Bypass 24 Paraganas (North) 21.60 km Raiganj–Dalkhola (including Dalkhola bypass)

Uttar Dinajpur 48.50 km

Hasimara–Jaigaon Jalpaiguri 18.50 km

West Bengal

1 The executing agencies are obtaining the environmental clearance from the Ministry Forest and Environment.

2

Panitanki–Fulbari

Darjeeling 46.00 km

Sevok–Gangtok West Bengal and Sikkim

Darjeeling (West Bengal) and East Sikkim

92.00 km

Bridge Projects Baharampur Bridge, over Bhagirath River

Baharampur, Murshidabad 00.28 km

Maldah Bridge over Mahananda River

West Bengal

Maldah 00.33 km

km = kilometer Source: RETA 6154 for Preparing the Subregional Transport Connectivity Project, approved on 18 December 2003, in the amount of $800,000. B. Need for the Projects 6. The Project is needed primarily to improve connectivity within northeastern India and with neighboring countries, especially Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal. Brief explanations of the need for each subproject are provided in paras. 7–14.

1. Barasat Bypass

7. Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh are connected with Kolkata Port through NH 34 and NH 35. Intense urban development has caused congestion on many parts of these highways. Barasat town, which is part of greater Kolkata, is expanding quickly. In addition, the Belgharia Expressway and the second Vivekananda Bridge will increase traffic flowing from NH 2 and NH 6 directly into NH 34 and NH 35, congesting traffic in Barasat town. Therefore, NH 34 traffic should bypass Barasat Town in the future.

2. Raiganj–Dalkhola

8. The development of NH 34 from Kolkata (beyond Barasat) to Raiganj is covered by the ADB-funded West Bengal Corridor Development Project. However, the Raiganj–Dalkhola section of NH 34 was not included for improvement under that project. The condition of the Raiganj–Dalkhola stretch has deteriorated seriously. Rain seepage and water accumulation in potholes have weakened the road’s foundation. 9. Dalkhola town is on the northern end of NH 34, where the highway joins NH 31—the main east-west corridor from Gujarat in the west to Assam in the east. NH 34 passes through the main part of Dalkhola town, which is heavily congested already. Therefore, the town should be bypassed.

3. Sevok–Gangtok

10. Since this is the only road connecting the state of Sikkim and its capital Gangtok with the rest of the country, it is considered the lifeline of Sikkim. However, the road is narrow (1.5 lanes), has many hairpin turns, and is congested during the tourist months. Many areas are prone to landslides, and maintenance costs are high. Improving this road would strengthen Sikkim’s connection with the rest of the country.

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4. Hasimara–Jaigaon 11. The Hasimara–Jaigaon stretch is Bhutan’s most important road link with India. It is used for most of Bhutan’s trade with India and other countries. Traffic is expected to increase substantially over time, which will require a capacity expansion.

5. Panitanki–Fulbari

12. The Panitanki-Fulbari stretch is an important interregional link between Nepal () and Bangladesh (Fulbari) through India. Some sections require improvements and more capacity to cope with increases in cross-border trade.

6. Baharampur Bridge

13. Some 15,600 mechanized vehicles use this bridge every day. In addition, a large number of slow moving vehicles use the bridge. Therefore, widening and improving this bridge would reduce traffic congestion.

7. Maldah Bridge

14. The most recent traffic count (February 2004) showed that approximately 6,900 mechanized vehicles used the bridge every day. Trucks accounted for the largest proportion of the traffic distribution (3,500), followed by light vehicles (1,700), two-wheelers (900), and buses (800). The bridge also is used by non-motorized vehicles, such as bicycles (1,800) and rickshaws (300). Widening the bridge is required to reduce traffic congestion. C. Proposed Projects 15. Table 2 summarizes the proposed rehabilitation and improvement of each subproject.

Table 2: Summary of Proposed Project Activities

Subproject Component Proposed Works Remarks

1 Barasat Bypass Construction of new road with the proposed right of way (ROW) around 100 meters (m) to provide two-lane dual highway, with future provision for a three-lane dual highway on the median strip, and provision of hard shoulders of 1.5 m each.

Some additional land will be required at the interchange sites to accommodate the interchange ramps.

2 Raiganj–Dalkhola Section The existing formation width varies between 7 m and 10 m. The improvement will be done to achieve two-lane standard road with 7 m highway, 1.5 m hard shoulders, and 1 m earthen shoulders.

An average 4 m widening will be done. No additional land will be acquired in Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary area2 as the available ROW of 40–120 m is sufficient.

3 Dalkhola Bypass Construction of new road starting at kilometer (km) 446.27 to achieve a two-lane standard with 7 m highway, 1.5 m hard shoulders, and 1 m earthen shoulders.

Land already has been acquired, and no additional land acquisition will be required.

4 Sevok–Gangtok Improvement of existing road to achieve a The 92 km road passes

2 Although the road section from km 406 to 407 passes through, this portion has been legally excluded from the

sanctuary area. However, the sanctuary was expanded on one side of the road, which means the road area is between the sanctuary areas.

4

Subproject Component Proposed Works Remarks

Section two-lane road with 7.0 m highway and 0.9 m paved shoulder. Construction of 0.6 m of drains on hillside and parapet on valley side. The existing highway varies from 3.75–10 m.

through Hill Road.

The road also runs along rivers for almost entire stretch, with significant differences in elevation.

A small tunnel (around 62 m long) is at km 68.5 from Sevok. An engineering decision has not been made on whether this tunnel will be widened.

5 Hasimara–Jaigaon Section

The improvement will be done to achieve highway of 7.0 m, 1.5 m paved shoulder, and 1.0 m earthen shoulder on both sides of the road

No land acquisition.

6 Panitanki–Fulbari Section

The improvement will be done to achieve a highway of 7.0 m, 1.5 m paved shoulder, and 1.0 m earthen shoulder on both sides of the road. The expansion of the embankment around 3 m away from the back of the canal lining at the Siligury Bypass (canal road).

Land acquisition is required for canal road.

7 Baharampur and Maldah Bridges

Construct a new unidirectional, two-lane concrete or steel bridge on one side of the bridge. Utilize the existing bridge for traffic in the opposite direction.

No land acquisition is required.

Source: Source: RETA 6154 for Preparing the Subregional Transport Connectivity Project, approved on 18 December 2003, in the amount of $800,000. D. Project Schedule 16. As the environmental assessment studies were carried during the feasibility study for all subprojects, final detailed engineering was unavailable. The detailed project schedule for the proposed subprojects also was unavailable. For the purpose of the impact assessment studies, the construction period was assumed to be from 2006 to 2009, and the operation period was assumed to be 20 years.

III. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT

17. The environmental settings of the subproject areas vary considerably from Gangetic planes in West Bengal to Himalayan Mountains in West Bengal and Sikkim. The study areas were divided into three physiographic zones:

(i) Plain: Barasat Bypass, Raiganj–Dalkhola, and the two bridge subprojects at Baharampur and Maldah;

(ii) Terai: Hasimara–Jaigaon and –Fulbari subprojects; and (iii) Mountain: Sevok–Gangtok subproject.

18. The environmental conditions are quite similar to what is found in the respective physiographic zones. Brief descriptions of the environmental conditions of the study areas are provided in paras. 19–46:

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A. Physical Environment 1. Meteorology and Climate

19. The climate in the plains of West Bengal varies from moist-tropical in the Barasat area to subtropical in the Raiganj area, with transient characteristics in the bridge locations. The mean annual temperature varies from 6o C in winter to 42o C in summer. The mean annual rainfall in the study areas varies from 1,400 millimeters (mm) in Barasat to 2,300 mm in Raiganj. The project areas receive more than 50% of their rainfall between July and September. In these parts of West Bengal, the wind blows from northeast to southwest in the summer and from southeast to northwest in the winter. During transition periods, the wind direction is varied. The wind speed fluctuates between 8–16 km per hour (kph) during summer and 3–6 kph during winter. The study areas commonly have high winds in March and April. Cyclones also occur occasionally, causing extensive property damage. 20. In the terai zone, winter lasts about 4 months, though temperatures are relatively mild. The annual mean temperature in summer is 34.8° C, while in winter it is 12.8° C. Rain falls about 113 days a year, producing an average annual rainfall of about 3,700 mm. Winds are high during summers. 21. The climate in the mountainous region depends on elevation, slope, and type of land cover. The winter is more pronounced, and summer is relatively short. The average mean annual temperature in this region varies from 1.8O C in winter to as high as 22.9º C in summer. At the Gangtok3 observatory, the average wind speed during summer ranges from 4.5 to 5.4 kph. The wind direction is predominantly from south to north. At the Darjeeling observatory, winds came mainly from southwest, north, and east. The average annual rainfall is 3,647 mm.

2. Air Quality

22. Ambient air quality was monitored in all subproject areas. The existing air quality is comparable to the standard of ambient of rural agricultural conditions for India. However, the ambient air quality of larger urban areas such as Barasat, Maldah, Raiganj, Panitanki Morh, Gangtok, many human activities influence air quality. The air quality monitoring results showed the concentration of suspended particulate matter (SPM) ranges from 60 to 300 µg/m³. The concentration of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) ranges from 50 to 200 µg/m³, while nitrogen oxides (NOx) are from 25 to 125 µg/m³—of prime importance for the proposed projects. 23. The ambient air quality along the project road conforms to National Ambient Air Quality (NAAQ) standards, except in a few locations where the road is constricted or poor, commercial activity is high, or the road crossing is busy. SPM and RSPM levels were found to exceed the national standard at certain monitoring stations in urban, residential, and commercial areas such as junction of Belgharia expressway, Daltola junction, Kalijhora, and Indra bypass crossing Gangtok. This can be attributed to any combination of (i) heavier vehicular traffic, (ii) mixing of local motorized traffic, (iii) use of diesel generators, (iv) emissions from other machinery, (v) bad road conditions, (vi) construction activities, (vii) constricted roads, and (viii) frequent stops by trucks. Similarly, the concentration of NOx exceeded NAAQ standards at certain locations, such as Nalkura Girl’s High School in Barasat, Baharampur Bridge, and Belgharia expressway crossing. The use of diesel generators in the vicinity of Nalkura Girl’s High School caused the rise in NOx levels, which were considered temporary.

3 Indian Meteorology Department has set up meteorological stations at Darjeeling in the state of West Bengal, and

Gangtok, Swastik HQ and Ladong in Sikkim. These observatories provide the nearest source of meteorological data for this project area.

6

3. Noise 24. In almost all subproject locations, noise levels during the day (6 a.m.–9 p.m.) and at night (9 p.m.–6 a.m.) exceeded the location limit (primarily residential and sensitive location limits) as prescribed by India’s National Ambient Noise Quality (NANQ) standards. The noise level for some sensitive receptors, such as those near the Girl’s High School at Nalkula, Barasat, Kulik Bird Sanctuary at Raiganj, and MWS in the Sevok–Gangtok section, also exceeded NANQ.4 4. Surface and Ground Water 25. The study areas drain through numerous perennial and seasonal channels, which can overflow and cause flash floods. The subproject areas have irrigation canals and ponds in addition to rivers. A baseline study showed that none of the subproject areas suffers from water shortage. 26. The surface water quality was assessed for BOD (Biological Oxigen Demand), DO (Disolve Oxigen) and total Coliform—three key water quality parameters. Measured against the Primary Water Quality Criteria and Standards for Freshwater Classification (Central Pollution Control Board, 1979), the results showed that the water from Sunti Khal, Barasat and Rani Khola, Sevok could only be used for irrigation, industrial cooling, and controlled waste disposal. While water from the Tista River can be used for organized outdoor bathing, Bhagirathi, Mahananda, and Kulik river water can be a source of drinking water with conventional treatment followed by disinfection. However, water from Rongni Chu, Gangtok is best suited for propagation of wildlife. 27. In the Sevok–Gangtok section, the Tista River is part of the reserved forest boundary running from Sevok almost up to Rangpo. This river carries substantial silt, and disposal of debris or hill cut would exacerbate the problem. 28. The groundwater potential of the project areas in the plains and terai region of West Bengal is high. The depth of the groundwater in these regions varies from close to the surface in Barasat to 8–10 m below ground in the Raiganj area. The average yield of water in the project area is more than 40 liters/second. The water level drops 0.2 m to 1.5 m before the monsoons, which is offset by a rise of the same order after the monsoons. 29. In the mountainous Sevok–Gangtok stretch, groundwater is found within the upper weathered mantle of the hard rocks exposed in the area. Groundwater also can be found at deeper levels (60–100 m depth) in fractures, fissures, and joints. Limited quantities of groundwater (less than 6 liters/second) may be produced from bore wells or large diameter dug wells. In the bridge subproject areas, aquifers are at an average depth of 20–25 m. The average groundwater yield in these areas is more than 40 liters/second.

5. Geology and Seismology

30. The geology of the plains and terai regions of West Bengal are characterized by young, sedimentary rock. Seismically, these areas are classified as Zone III and IV,5 which mean they 4 The reasons for high noise levels are temporary, such as operation of small diesel generator sets due to power

cuts and for small commercial enterprises. At Raiganj Sanctuary area, the noise level is high due to horn blowing; in the MWS area, river flow and traffic raise the noise level.

5 The Seismic Zoning Map of India (IS: 1893-Part I-2002) divides the Indian subcontinent into four seismic zones (II

to V) depending on the magnitude and damage intensity of seismic activity. Zone I and Zone II of the previous zonation (IS: 1893-1970) have been merged and now classified as Zone II. The Zone II denotes very low damage risk, while zone V denotes very high risk.

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are moderately active. 31. The Sevok–Gangtok terrain is geologically young, consisting of soft and hard rocks. The rocks along this stretch of the road have been subjected to thrusts, multi-phase folding, and faulting, which have rendered them weak and fragile. These structural elements of the rock have generated different sets of joints, making them susceptible to ingress of water. Natural conditions, high rainfall, and human activities have made the rocks vulnerable to landslides in some locations. 32. The survey data by the consultant who prepared the detailed project report found that the major part of the road is stable, though it has some active landslide zones and sinking zones. The stretch between Sevok (0.0 km) and Rangpo (52.0 km) has about 12 sliding zones and four sinking zones, while the road between Rangpo (52.0 km) and Gangtok (92.0 km) has five sliding zones and six sinking zones. Some minor and moderate sliding zones can be found at 7.0 km, 9.0 km, 18.0 km, 35.0 km, 37.5 km, 38.0 km, 38.6 km, 49.0 km, and 55.0 km. 33. The Seismic Zoning Map of India classifies the Sevok–Gangtok area as zone IV, which means it is at high risk of damage from seismic activities. The Sikkim–Darjeeling stretch has experienced many earthquakes of small (Mb6 4.0–4.9) and moderate (Mb 5.0–5.9) magnitude. B. Biological Environment

1. Fisheries

34. Fish is a major part of the diet for the people of Bengal. This dietary preference for fish, especially freshwater fish, is due largely to the widespread availability. While organized fishing is lacking in most places, fishing was observed in almost all the water bodies in the project areas, except in the Sevok–Gangtok section. The preferred species for fishing are major and minor Indian carp, catfish, and prawns.

2. Aquatic Biology

35. A species diversity study was conducted to assess the biological characteristics of select water bodies in the project areas. The species diversity of the Kulik River in the Raiganj–Dalkhola stretch was found to be 5.63, which indicated a good variety of species and aquatic plants. Blue green algae and zooplanktons also can be found in this river. Similar studies were conducted in the Tista River of the Sevok–Gangtok stretch and Mahananda Canal of Panitanki–Fulbari section. With a species diversity score 4.85, these water bodies are considered biologically healthy and moderately rich.

3. Forests

36. The forests and wildlife habitats in West Bengal are concentrated mostly in the south (Sunderban) and north (Buxa, Jaldapara, Mahananda, etc.). Bird-landing sites are common in West Bengal due to the abundance of wetlands, though few have been declared bird sanctuaries. The environmental conditions of the forest and wildlife in the subproject areas are described below.

(i) Barasat Bypass. The proposed bypass does not have a notified forest or wildlife habitat within a 7 km radius.

(ii) Raiganj. Domestic and international tourists are familiar with RWS, which is also known as the Kulik Bird Sanctuary. This sanctuary, between km 406 and km 407 on NH 34, is home to 49,420 open bill storks, 15,008 night heron, 6,224 egrets,

6 Mb stands for body wave magnitude on the Richter scale.

8

and 6,360 cormorants, according to the 2002–2003 census. Other migrant and local birds, jungle cat, jackal, flying squirrel, porcupine, rats, mongoose, yellow monitor lizards, and snakes also can be found in RWS. The forest within RWS is tropical moist deciduous, according to Champion and Seth’s classification system. The major tree species found in this forest are simul (Bombax cieba), sishu (Dalbergia sissoo), arjun (Terminalia arjuna), black plum (Syzigium cumini), minjiri (Cassia siamea), jarul (Lagerstroemia flosreginae), hizal (Barringtonia acutangula), sheaora (Streblus asper), khair (Acacia catechu), and ber (Ziziphus zuzuba). Although the sanctuary is on both sides of the road, the notification stipulates that the road area is excluded from the sanctuary.

(iii) Panitanki–Fulbari Section. Besides the planted forest of Tukriajhar, the subproject area does not have any other forests within a 7 km radius. One end of the Tukriajhar Reserve Forest runs for about 600 m along NH 31C from km 17 to km 18, about 100–200 m from the project road. The forest also touches the road on the right-hand side between km 20 and km 21 for about 500 m. The forest has almost pure stands of teak (Tectona grandis). Other trees include sal (Shorea robusta), shishu (Dalbergia spp), and siris (Albizzia lebbeck) The Panitanki–Fulbari stretch does not pass through any wildlife habitat, though elephants occasionally cross the road between Bagdogra and Panitanki. When the elephants stray, they do not travel in fixed corridors or at fixed frequency, according to consultations. However, they are known to cross NH 31C from the Bihar more to the Panitanki more at (i) Kamalpur Tea Estate to Pahargumgumia Tea Estate, (ii) Deomani Tea Estate to Hatighisha area, and (iii) the northern side to the Tukriajhar forest patch. Historically, elephants traveled from one forest block to another along traditional routes, with only sparsely populated and cultivated patches in between. However, with the rapid loss of forest tracts, elephants now stray when villagers drive them out to protect their life and property.

(iv) Hasimara–Jaigaon Section. The Hasimara–Jaigaon stretch does not pass through any forest or wildlife habitat, though it comes within 2 km of the Buxa Tiger Reserve at its nearest point. The Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary (JWS) is about 3 km from the project stretch on other side. The Buxa Tiger Reserve is a tropical rainforest with 150 species of plants, as well as a variety of creepers, orchids, grasses, bamboo, and cane. Trees such as teak, sal, and sishu are found in great numbers. The flora in JWS consists mainly of grasslands, savannahs, and deciduous forests of khair and shishu along the river. Many endangered animal species make their homes in these conservation areas, including elephants, leopards, jungle cat, bear, civet, and wild buffalo. Extensive tea gardens are found between the road and these conservation areas. Other than elephants, animals are not known to cross the project stretch. Local forest officials reported that they have not observed a specific corridor for movement.

(v) Sevok–Gangtok Section. This section of road passes through a number of reserved protected forest blocks of different forest divisions (Kurseong, Darjeeling, and Kalimpong). These forests are florally diverse. The vegetation is similar to that found in the lower hill (up to 800 m elevation) sal forest, lower hill dry mixed forests, lower hill wet mixed forests, and middle hill (800 m elevation and above) forests. This section, which is on the edge of MWS, passes along the east bank of the Tista River (which flows at a significantly differential elevation), from Sevok (0.0 km) to the junction of Kalijhora and Tista rivers (4.1 km).7 A 1996 survey indicated that the area is rich in mammals, avifauna (black and yellow

7 The MWS notification does not include any zonation (core zone and buffer zone). However, the project area, which

is along the edge of MWS, has been used as a tourism area, and the existing road is used regularly throughout the year.

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grosbeck, and black redstrat), butterflies and moths, amphibians, and reptiles. The key animal population is increasing, according to the recent census. Deer have the largest population, followed by wild boar, goral, elephant, and leopard. The vegetation in this sanctuary is similar to that found in the reserve forests.

(vi) Bridge Subprojects. Baharampur and Maldah bridges do not have any notified forest or wildlife habitat within a 7 km radius.

4. Status of Rare or Endangered Species

37. No rare or endangered species are found in the study areas of Barasat Bypass, Bhagirathi Bridge, and Mahananda Bridge. However, a number of endangered floral species (e.g. Siratia sikkimensis, Rubus senchalensis, Streptocaulon sylvestre, Ceropegia longifolia var. darjeelingensis) are present in the study areas8 of Panitanki–Fulbari, Hasimara–Jaigaon, and Sevok Gangtok sections. None of these is likely to be affected since the increase in road width will be small, and these species are outside the direct impact area. 38. RWS is home to the yellow monitor lizard (Varanus flavescens). Many endangered animals are found in the Sevok–Gangtok stretch, according to the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the 2002 amendments. The main endangered animals are tiger, leopard, wild boar, goral, wild dog, and elephant. Except for the elephants, which travel long distances, the endangered animals are confined primarily to MWS.

5. Roadside Trees and Plantations

39. Road and bridge projects also have long-term impacts on the trees and plantations within the direct impact area.

(i) Barasat Bypass. The Barasat area has a number of private fruit gardens and plantations. The site survey found that almost 24.5 hectares (ha) of plantation is within the subproject area (assuming a 100 m wide strip will be acquired for the road). The major plantations grow bamboo, mango, banana, and betel nut. Along Sunti Khal, a variety of subtropical species have grown over the years. Almost 3,500 trees are standing on the proposed alignment for the Barasat Bypass, according to initial estimates. Almost 30% of those trees are matured fruit trees, such as mango, guava, papaya, and jackfruit.

(ii) Raiganj–Dalkhola Section. The density of trees along the Raiganj–Dalkhola section is comparatively less that in Barasat. A conservative estimate put the number of trees within the proposed ROW at 5,000. The tree density is almost the same on both sides of the road. Bamboo and banana trees can be found in this section, in addition to common roadside species such as banyan (Ficus benghalensis), peepal, neem, and simul.

(iii) Panitanki–Fulbari Section. This section will require cutting an estimated 101 large9 roadside trees, 1,421 medium trees, and 1,925 small trees. The dominant species are shisham, siris, and banyan. Fruit trees such as mango, jackfruit, banana, and betel nut also can be found in this section. Numerous bamboo plants, which grow mainly in gardens, also will have to be cut. Some stretches within the proposed widening do not have any trees. The density of trees was found to be highest on the right-hand side of the Siliguri Bypass (from Goaltuli to Fulbari more). The left-hand side, where the Mahananda canal runs, has very few trees.

(iv) Hasimara–Jaigaon Section. In the Hasimara–Jaigaon stretch, about 95 large, 166 medium, and 124 small trees will have to be cut. Bamboos and dense

8 The area within a 7 km radius of the subproject. 9 Large trees have a girth of more than 30 cm, medium 15–30 cm; and small 0–15 cm.

10

hedges also can be found along the roadside. Some shade trees grown in the tea plantations (Indigofera tasmania, Dalbergia sissoo, Albizzia lebbeck, A. chinensis, Switenia sp, Melia dubia, etc.) also might have to be cut for the proposed road project.

(v) Sevok–Gangtok Section. An estimated 15,700 trees, with average girth of 50–100 cm, likely will have to be cut in a 30 m strip. This includes about 7,100 trees between Sevok to Gangtok, and about 8,600 trees between Rangpo to Gangtok. About 6,300 trees will have to be cut on the left-hand side, and 9,300 on the right-hand side between Sevok to Gangtok. The most common natural trees on the roadside are teak, sal, panisaj, chilauni, utis, bottle brush, mango, mahua, and Sirish.

(vi) Baharampur and Maldah Bridges. The dominant floral varieties in these study areas are fruit-bearing trees such as mango, jackfruit, bananas, and coconut. Banyan, peepal, and other common subtropical species also can be found in these areas.

C. Socioeconomic 40. The economic development of an area can be influenced by many factors, particularly geographic location, resource availability, and infrastructure. Compared to the other subprojects, the area around Barasat Bypass is comparatively more developed due to its proximity to the major population center of Kolkata and better infrastructure. The Sevok–Gangtok study area, which lacks proper infrastructure and has a narrow economic base, is the least developed. Although none of the study areas is heavily industrialized, almost all of them have a few small-scale industries. Most of these involve light engineering, chemicals, food and food processing, wood, textiles (cotton), and brick kilns. 41. The infrastructure in an area generally depends on its level of development. Since the areas adjoining Barasat Bypass are comparatively more developed than those around Raiganj–Dalkhola section, Barasat has better infrastructure facilities. In all subproject areas, groundwater is the primary source of drinking water. In the Sevok–Gangtok section, spring water is the preferred source for drinking water. The major settlements in all subproject areas have sewerage systems, except in the Sevok–Gangtok section. Gangtok does have a sewerage network. However, the sewerage system is not maintained properly in any of these places, and overflow during rainy season is common. The preliminary engineering report for the West Bengal Corridor Development Project found that flooding is a concern in the Raiganj–Dalkhola section. 42. Roads are the primary means of transportation for all study areas. In the Sevok–Gangtok area, almost the only mode of transportation involves roads, although Siliguri has a charter helicopter service. 43. An analysis of recent satellite imagery of areas within a 7 km radius of each subproject found that land use patterns vary considerably. Almost 52% of the land in the Panitanki–Fulbari section is cultivated (including tea gardens). About 38% of the land in the Barasat Bypass area is used for agriculture, while 75% of the land around the bridges is cultivated. Agriculture is a relatively minor land use in the other road subproject areas. Forest is the dominant land use in the Sevok–Gangtok section, with almost 83% of the land categorized as a type of forest.10 In the Hasimara–Jaigaon section, about 35% of the land is covered by forests. Forests cover only about 12% of the Panitanki–Fulbari section, and 8% of the Raiganj–Dalkhola section.

10 Dense forest, moderate forest, and low dense forest.

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44. The eastern grid of the national power grid provides most of the power and energy for the study areas. Some smaller, state-owned generation units operate near the proposed Barasat Bypass, most notably the Bandel Thermal Power Plant. In Sikkim, the project road passes five hydropower projects, including one at Gangtok and one at Ranipool. Power transmission lines and telephone lines and/or cables run along the roads in all the subproject areas. 45. Agriculture is the main contributor to the economy in all subproject areas except Sikkim, where tourism is one of the main economic activities. The Hasimara–Jaigaon and Panitanki–Fulbari sections have a number of tea gardens. The project areas do not have any major mineral deposits. While the subproject areas have few tourist spots, tourism is one of the main economic activities in Sevok–Gangtok section. However, tourism facilities are still being developed in the state of Sikkim, and the inadequate transportation system limits the tourism industry. 46. The population of an area depends on economic growth and geographic location. Therefore, the areas around the Barasat Bypass are most densely populated, with about 7,500 persons per square kilometer (km2). The areas around Sevok–Gangtok are the most sparsely populated. Other subproject areas are moderately populated, with approximately 800 persons per km2. Health and education facilities are well developed. While some religious sites are found along the project alignment, none is likely to be affected significantly by the Project.

IV. ALTERNATIVES A. No Project 47. Without the Project, the existing roads will continue to be the main transportation corridor connecting Kolkata to Sikkim and neighboring countries (Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh). Road conditions will continue to deteriorate as traffic increases. Traffic congestion is likely to get worse, and people living along the road will suffer from the degraded condition of the transportation system. Without the Project, the ambient concentrations of gaseous pollutants and noise will rise gradually in step with increases in the population and vehicles in the area. Moreover, if the highway is not improved, the increase in vehicles will cause more congestion. Slow traffic due to the hilly and narrow roads in Sevok–Gangtok, or poor road conditions in Raiganj–Dalkhola, will extend travel times and increase vehicular emissions. Noise from horn blowing also will increase significantly in traffic-congested areas. Road safety will continue to be an issue without the Project, particularly in the landslide-prone Sevok–Gangtok section, which lacks an adequate safety barn. Similarly, any accident involving the transportation of hazardous goods on the canal road of Kakarbhitta–Fulbari section could contaminate the canal water. This analysis demonstrates that pursuing the proposed Project is the better option. B. Alternative Transport Modes 48. West Bengal has two airports, one in Kolkata and the other in Siliguri in the northern part of the province. The Eastern Railway connects the major towns in West Bengal. However, the railway does not connect to Sikkim, because of the hilly and mountainous topography as part of Himalayan stretch. The national waterways connect Kolkata Port to the western side of West Bengal, as well as to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh provinces. The road network included in the proposed Project would become an important complementary mode of transportation, connecting West Bengal to the northern part of the province and the neighboring countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.

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C. Alternative Improvements 1. Improvement of Panitanki––Fulbari and Hasimara–Jaigaon

49. Alternative routes were not considered for these two roads. While the existing roads are mostly two lanes, they have not met the full two-lane standard.11 The ROW for both roads is adequate, and expansion of the ROW is needed. Therefore, improving and upgrading the existing roads was the option chosen.

2. Improvement of Bridges

50. Two alternative design options were considered for the improvement of the Maldah and Baharampur bridges: (i) removing the 1.5 m sidewalks on each side of the bridge, and installing a light steel cantilever deck for non-motorized vehicles; and (ii) constructing a new unidirectional, two-lane concrete or steel bridge for traffic, and utilizing the existing bridge for traffic in the opposite direction. The civil works involved in both options would have temporary impacts on air, water, noise, and safety. However, the construction of a new bridge would take longer, and the impacts would be greater. As such, the first option might seem preferable. However, that option would not be able to accommodate the continuing traffic growth, leading serious congestion again soon. The second option is preferred, because it would be able to handle traffic growth and offer the greatest long-term benefits.

3. Improvement of Raiganj–Dalkhola Section

51. The main concern in this section is the 1 km portion of road through (km 406 to km 407 on NH 34). Construction of a detour or bypass of was considered. However, this alternative alignment would require cutting more trees and the use of forest land. The Government of India discourages the diversification of sanctuary forestland. Therefore, upgrading and improving the existing road is the preferred option.

4. Improvement of Sevok–Gangtok Section

52. The Sevok–Gangtok section is an existing alignment that is entirely in mountainous terrain, offering few alternative options. The existing road passes along the eastern edge of MWS for approximately 4.1 km. Widening the pavement and shoulders within the existing formation is the preferred option, although the required tree cutting would disturb the roosting and feeding ground for arboreal species. Moreover, this scenario could lead to an increase in road accidents involving animals. Regulatory restrictions would make widening the MWS stretch impossible.12 Cutting hills and trees could increase the risk of landslides by softening hills and loosening the bonding provided by tree roots. In view of this, the preferred option is to not widen formation width. The average available formation width of 8.5 m can still support road improvements without compromising functionality. 53. An assessment of the alternatives for the proposed bypass of Gangtok City also was undertaken. The analysis concluded that the bypass is not recommended, because it would require the conversion of more forestlands, removal of vegetation, and greater resettlement. These environmental impacts would be larger than the deteriorated air and noise quality within the city limits.

11 The standard two-lane road has a 7 m carriageway, 1.5 m hard shoulder, and 1 m earthen shoulder on both sides. 12 Under the recent guideline from the Ministry of Forest and Environment, the conversion of protected area land to

another function is prohibited. Therefore, widening this part of MWS would not be allowed, because it would change the status of the land from protected area land to road land.

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D. Alternative Alignment 1. Barasat Bypass

54. Since the Barasat Bypass involves new construction, a number of alternatives were assessed. Besides the do-nothing option, two alternatives were selected for final analysis. The do-nothing option should not be pursued, because it would result in severe congestion in Barasat town, with associated air and noise pollution. The two alternatives used the same alignment, with different locations for rejoining NH 34 north of Barasat. The first option involved placing an exit at Moyna (km 27.4 on NH 34). However, this area has a high density of commercial activities, which would make accidents more likely. The second option would put the exit near Kamarhati (around km 30 on NH 34), which is not a residential area. The second option is preferred.

2. Dalkhola Bypass

55. NH 34 passes through the commercial area of Dalkhola town. The volume of traffic, particularly trucks and container vehicles, is very heavy. The existing road, which already is congested, cannot be expanded. A bypass, therefore, is needed. The proposal for the Dalkhola Bypass was prepared in the 1970s, and the land was acquired in 1980–1985. The proposed bypass still is considered the preferred option.

V. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

A. Design and Construction Phase 56. The environmental impacts associated with the construction are mostly temporary and confined to the project areas. The anticipated environmental impacts and mitigation measures for each road project are explained briefly in paras. 57–73.

1. Barasat Bypass

57. The new road will be constructed through a plain, which is used mostly for agriculture. The change in land use will be one of the major impacts. Almost 16% of the cultivable land will be converted into road land. Moreover, the road will become an additional permanent source of air and noise pollution. Although no forests are involved, about 3,500 plantation and other trees will have to be cut. 58. The project will affect four schools and one religious structure. The change in land use and introduction of a permanent source of air and noise pollution cannot be avoided. However, planting at least two similar trees for each one that will be cut should help compensate13. Noise barriers are to be constructed near the schools. These should be permanent, remaining in place during the operation phase. During construction, public safety is one of the major concerns in this road section, especially near the schools and commercial facilities such as the weekly market at Moyna. Therefore, safety measures—proper traffic signs, walking path, and road diversion—need to be provided 59. The proposed alignment has a number of ponds, including some that are used as community ponds. Beyond their ecological function, these ponds are a source of protein for

13 The Guidelines on Application of Forests (Conservation) Act, 1980 require every tree cut at least two trees should be planted.

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people in the area. Therefore, a detailed drainage study needs to be carried out during engineering design to select suitable structures, including culverts, to minimize potential flooding and maintain the function of the ponds. Filling in ponds should be minimized, and unfilled roadside ponds should be improved by concreting the sides and plantations on the periphery. One mitigation measure that should be examined is replacing the ponds for fish in the borrow area. 60. Since the Barasat Bypass is a new road, a significant quantity of borrow soil will be required. To minimize the use of borrow soil, the possibility of using dredge material from Sunti Khal as borrow material, as suggested by local communities, should be considered. This would help minimize the conversion of productive land, while improving the condition of a heavily silted water body. In addition, the Government Indian will require the use of fly ash in the construction of Barasat Bypass due to its proximity to thermal power plants (within the 100 km radius of the proposed road alignment)14. In India, the use of fly ash is encouraged because it is a high-volume, low-toxicity waste with a relatively low ecological risk. The ash would be used in the road foundation, which is less susceptible to leaching. Still, fly ash should be analyzed for heavy metals before being used in road construction.

2. Raiganj–Dalkhola Section

61. One of the major concerns in this road section is the stretch from km 406 to km 407 on NH 34, which passes through RWS. Approximately 150 trees15 within the ROW and outside this wildlife sanctuary might need to be cut, including 35 that have been used regularly as nesting trees. About 700 of the estimated 1,200 nests in these 35 trees are in two old trees. Therefore, the alignment for the expansion within the ROW for this stretch will be adjusted to avoid cutting of these two trees. For this stretch, trees will be planted during construction. Adequate ROW is available within the sanctuary area, so the acquisition of additional sanctuary land is not needed. However, construction should begin only after obtaining environmental clearance under the Environment Protection Act, and permission for cutting of trees under the Forest Conservation Act/Wild Life Protection Act. The fence of the sanctuary should be maintained, and the construction should not damage to this fence. 62. Beyond the stretch passing through RWS, approximately 5,000 trees16 along the alignment will need to be cut. Not more than about 15% of the trees within 500 m of the project area will be cut. To mitigate the long-term impacts of vegetation loss, at least two similar trees will be planted for each one that will be cut. 63. Air and noise quality will deteriorate during construction for the entire project stretch, including the section of road that passes the sanctuary. In the stretch passing through, construction will be prohibited from June to November, which is the nesting period of the birds. In addition, worker camps, storage materials, construction machinery, crushing plant, and hot-mix plant will not be allowed within this stretch. Normal preventive measures—routine maintenance of machinery, sprinkling of water, and scheduling of project activities—have been proposed to minimize the impact on air and noise quality during construction. 64. Except for the proposed Dalkhola Bypass, major land use change is not required. However, productive lands might have to be used for borrow materials in this section. An alteration of drainage for this project is not anticipated. However, adequate cross-drainage structures must be provided in the flood-pone areas between km 403 and km 409, and between

14 The Government of India, Road Congress SP 58-2001, The Use of Fly Ash for Road Construction

15 Most of these trees were planted along the roadside. These planting trees grow fast, and have diameters less than 10 cm. The ROW that passes through has around 10 old trees, including two very near the boundary.

16 The quadrant method was used to estimate the trees to be cut.

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km 437 and km 443. Five educational institutions and two religious structures might be adversely impacted, because of their proximity to the project road. A permanent noise barrier has been proposed near the educational institutions, which should be retained through the operation phase. For the religious structures, safety concerns need to be addressed by providing proper and adequate traffic signals.

3. Panitanki––Fulbari Section

65. In this section, the only environmental impacts will be general construction-related impacts, such as cutting approximately 3,447 roadside trees, deteriorating air quality, and rising noise level. All the identified impacts are minor, and adequate mitigation measures have been proposed. However, contractors will be required to adopt and maintain safe working practices during construction. Appropriate signs at the construction sites should be displayed to make the road user aware of the construction works. Crushing plants and hot-mix plants should be located an adequate distance away from residential areas.

4. Hasimara–Jaigaon Section

66. Similar to Panitanki–Fulbari, construction on this section will not generate significant impacts. The expansion of the road within the ROW will require cutting about 385 roadside trees. The air and noise quality in Hasimara and Jaigaon townships will deteriorate during construction. Preventive measures, such as routine maintenance of machinery, sprinkling of water, and scheduling of project activities, will be required to minimize the impact on air and noise quality. The crushing plant, hot-mix plant, and worker camps will not be permitted within the town area. Construction work will be permitted only between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. 5. Sevok–Gangtok Section 67. Due to the climate (heavy rain and high winds), physiographic attributes (hilly terrain), and soil condition of this project area, erosion and landslides are the major concerns along the project road. Therefore, roadside stabilization is the main mitigation measure needed for this section. In addition, 4.1 km of this project road passes through MWS, and around 60 km passes through or along the reserve forests. As such, measures must be put in place to ensure that construction does not harm MWS and the reserve forests. The wildlife movement study showed that monkeys are the only species that moves around the project road. Elephants move along the riverside near the project area, basically passing under Carnation Bridge (at NH 31C, just before the start of the project stretch) and Kalijhora Bridge (at km 4.1). Since the river flows at a significantly different elevation, elephants are unlikely to cross over the road. Moreover, since the rehabilitation of Kalijhora Bridge has not been proposed, elephant movement is not expected to be disturbed. In any case, signs will be placed in the sanctuary area to educate the road user about the ecological sensitivity of the area, and to encourage adherence to the speed limits and other safety precautions during the construction and operation phases. To minimize the potential impact during construction—and to comply with legislative requirements17—the stretch that passes through MWS will not be widened.18 Minimal widening will be limited to the ROW in the stretch that passes through reserve forests. This project road will require cutting approximately 2,721 trees along 87.9 km of the road (excluding the 4.1 km area of MWS). Tree cutting will be minimized by widening one side of the road; and, as much as possible, avoiding cutting trees that have formed a green tunnel19. Tree cutting will be prohibited along the section of the project road that passes through MWS. In addition, the contractors will be provided with

17

The conversion from national park and wildlife sanctuary to another nonforest function is not permitted. 18 The average current width of the road in MWS area is 8.5 m. According to the engineer of the project preparatory

TA consultant, the road in this stretch can be rehabilitated without widening. 19 Green tunnel is tunnel that is formed due to thick canopies of the road side trees

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information about the ecological sensitivity of this project area, and will not be permitted to establish construction camps, crushing plant, and hot-mix plant within the MWS area or near other sensitive locations. 68. Because blasting can trigger landslides and cause flash floods, it will be used only where essential. A hydro-geological assessment of groundwater potential should be carried out before blasting to prevent flash floods. Blasting should be carried out in a controlled manner following required stabilization and precautionary measures. Hill cut rocks and other excess clearing will be used for construction, as much as possible. Measures must be adopted to ensure that hill cut rocks are not disposed of on the valley side or in the river. Therefore, the contractor will be required to submit a plan for using this material, as well as a storage and disposal plan for excess material to avoid contamination of surface waters and dumping in the forest area. The plan will emphasize the disposal of hill cut rocks through approved quarries for construction purposes. 69. An increase in air pollution and noise levels is predicted for the entire section during construction. Preventive measures, such as routine maintenance of machinery, sprinkling of water, and scheduling of project activities, will be required to minimize the impact on air and noise quality. The crushing plant, hot-mix plant, and worker camps will not be allowed within the town area. Construction work will be permitted only between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. in residential areas. 70. Since this is the only road connecting Sikkim with the rest of India through West Bengal, the diversion of traffic during construction is not an option. Traffic disturbances are an unavoidable impact during construction. In addition, the risk of road accidents could increase due the tortuous nature of traffic, undulating terrain, and paucity of proper parking facilities. To minimize this impact, proper traffic signs must be put in place, and road users should be informed through local newspapers and radio broadcasting. 71. The appropriate regulatory clearances and permission will be obtained before construction. These are covered by Environment Protection Act, 1986; Forests Clearance Act, 1980; Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; National Wild Life Board; and State Pollution Control Board. Permission for the use and handling of explosives under the Indian Explosive Act also will be obtained. Any additional mitigation measure proposed by the authorities will be complied with.

6. Baharampur and Maldah Bridges

72. In both bridge projects, the only significant impact identified was on air and noise quality. However, as the Bhagirathi River Bridge at Baharampur is not near any major settlements, a significant impact is not envisaged, even if a new two-lane bridge is built. However, Mahananda River Bridge is almost at the heart of Maldah town, surrounded by densely populated settlements. As such, the increase in air and noise pollution might cause major impacts. To minimize these impacts, construction works involving severe noise will be allowed only between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. 73. Contamination of water, particularly an increase in SS (Suspended Solid) due to construction, is anticipated as a temporary impact within the project area. This not expected to affect fish catching areas. To minimize this impact, where feasible, work on the riverbank will be minimized, storage of construction materials and machinery will not be permitted on the riverside, and prefabrication technology will be used as much as possible for construction. In addition, clean water through pumping and sanitation facilities will be provided to communities living near construction areas to substitute for river water for washing and cleaning.

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B. Operational Phase

1. Barasat Bypass

74. Air and noise quality are the two most critical issues for this subproject. In most of the project area, concentrations of CO and NOx are not expected to exceed NAAQ standards in the residential areas (i.e., 4000 µg/m3 and 80 µg/m3, respectively). However, SPM and RSPM levels are likely to exceed the limits for residential areas (i.e., 200 µg/m3 and 100 µg/m3, respectively). The noise level will exceed the prescribed limit for residential areas at night (45 dB [A]) at a distance of 75 m from the proposed centerline of the bypass with a vehicle operating at 60 kph. However, until 2010, the noise limit for residential areas during the day (55 dB [A]) will be met at a distance of 50 m from the proposed centerline by ensuring that the surroundings of the proposed bypass are well vegetated and ground absorption is more than 50%. To reduce the potential impact to the ambient air quality and noise, adequate vegetation will have to be in place to ensure that ground absorption does not fall below 50%. In this scenario, air quality along the road project would not be worse, and the daytime noise limit of 55 dB (A) at a distance of 75 m from the proposed centerline of the bypass could be achieved. 75. To assess the impact on air and noise quality, the environmental management plan (EMP) has recommended periodic monitoring. During the operation phase of the Project, green cover in the study area is expected to improve significantly. The implementation of safety measures, along with the provision of lay byes, service lanes, and underpasses, are likely to prevent accidents.

2. Raiganj–Dalkhola Section

76. Air and noise quality are the prime concerns in this section also. However, unlike Barasat Bypass, this is an existing highway with air pollution levels that are already high. While road improvements will reduce the quantum of emissions per vehicle, the number of vehicles is likely to increase considerably. As such, the CO concentration is likely to surpass the NAAQ standard for residential areas at a distance of 11 m from the centerline of the proposed road after 2020 if the vehicle is operating at 60 kph. However, if the vehicle is operating at 80 kph, the threshold limit will be reached in 2027. Under normal conditions, the limit for CO concentration is not likely to be surpassed at a distance beyond 31 m during the project lifecycle. The NOX concentration is likely to exceed the NAAQ limit for residential areas at a distance of 11 m from the centerline of the proposed road beyond 2020 if the vehicle is operating at 60 kph. At the same distance, the limit will be exceeded after 2025 if the vehicle is operating at 80 kph. However, at a distance beyond 31 m from the centerline of the proposed road, the threshold limit will not be exceeded within the life of the project. 77. With the improvement in surface roughness, removal of bottlenecks, and enhanced vegetation cover, the concentrations of SPM and RSPM are likely to get better in many places along the road. However, the average concentrations are likely to exceed the NAAQ limits for SPM and RSPM for residential areas. Moreover, the concentrations will rise over the years as traffic and other activities increase. To assess the impact on air and noise quality, the EMP has recommended periodic monitoring. 78. Within the stretch passing through, more traffic signs will be placed, particularly to limit speed and use of horn. Vehicles will not be allowed to stop along the sanctuary area.

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3. Panitanki––Fulbari Section

79. Accidents on Shiliguri Bypass, along the Mahananda Canal, are the only potential impacts during operation of this project road. Public consultations revealed that many vehicular accidents have occurred in this stretch, often with vehicles falling into the canal or leaking their load into the canal. To minimize this impact, the erection of guardrails along the canal and proper maintenance of the road have been proposed. Another proposal involves shifting the road embankment 3 m from the canal to enhance road safety and minimize the risk of accidental water contamination. 80. A number of positive environmental benefits are expected, such as (i) increase in vegetation cover as a result of the planned roadside plantation program, (ii) less emission from vehicles due to better surface quality, and (iii) elimination of bottlenecks. The air quality in areas such as Panitanki More and Bihar More is expected to improve during the operational phase. However, the noise levels are likely to rise because of the increase in vehicles. To assess the impact on air and noise quality, the EMP has recommended periodic monitoring.

4. Hasimara–Jaigaon Section

81. The most likely impact of this project will be on the air and noise quality of the settlements along this section, particularly Hasimara and Jaigaon towns. In Hasimara, air quality is likely to improve for the first 15 years of operation. To assess the impact on air and noise quality, the EMP has recommended periodic monitoring.

5. Sevok–Gangtok Section

82. Based on the traffic growth forecasts for this section, the levels of air pollutants (CO, NOx, SPM, and RSPM) are likely to remain within NAAQ standards. Background noise levels are already high in sensitive and residential areas, mostly because the tortuous hilly terrain results in higher river and traffic noise. An analysis using the Highway Noise Prediction Model shows that the maximum noise level increase at 30 m distance from the center of the road will be less than 2 dB (A) at 2009 traffic density, causing insignificant effect. Tree barriers between the road and villages and semi-urban and urban areas will be developed. The use of horns in high noise areas will be banned. 83. Local forest officials have raised concerns over a likely increase in accidents involving animals near MWS. To prevent such accidents, setting the speed limit for vehicles passing MWS at 60 kph has been proposed. The engineering consultant suggested maintaining surface roughness at 5.2 to achieve this speed limit. Restricting the use of pressure horns also has been proposed for this segment. In addition, stopping and parking will be prohibited within MWS. 84. Safety is always a sensitive issue on hilly roads, especially in sections where the roadside amenities are inadequate. Parking and other facilities will be provided along this section, with safety measures including signage and guardrails.

6. Baharampur and Maldah Bridges

85. Both bridge projects are expected to improve noise and air quality, as the congestion at the bridge mouth and on the bridge will be relieved through widening and segregation of non-motorized and motorized vehicles.

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VI. ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT

A. Benefits 86. The most prominent benefits envisaged from the proposed Project are improvements in road conditions that lead to savings in time and fuel. In addition, some unmeasured benefits from implementation of mitigation measures include improvement in vegetation cover after replanting; control of air, noise, and water pollution; and rehabilitation of borrow areas. B. Costs of Adverse Impacts, if Not Mitigated 87. The highest environmental costs are expected to be for new construction. The Barasat Bypass, for example, will require the conversion of about 180 ha of virgin agriculture land to non-agriculture use. For Raiganj–Dalkhola, Hasimara–Jaigaon, –Fulbari, and Sevok–Gangtok sections, the environmental costs are expected to be less since these roads already exist. The calculation of the environmental cost of the project, particularly for Barasat Bypass, Raiganj–Dalkhola, and Sevok–Gangtok,20 is presented Table 4

Table 4: Environmental Cost of Adverse Impact

(Rs million)

Item Barasat Bypass Raiganj–Dalkhola

Stretch Sevok–Gangtok

Stretch Total Roadside tree cutting

287.13 235.87 26.00 for RWS

211.88 760.88

Impact on air and noise quality

42.98 41.33 11.90 96.21

Impact on noise environment

1.79 7.62 3.11 12.52

Impact on water quality

0.01 0.01 0.04 0.06

Borrowing of earth

2.38 3.31 - 5.69

Fuel consumption

3,810.60 - - 3,810.60

Total 4,144.89 314.14 226.93 4,685.96 Note: Direct and indirect environmental costs were taken into consideration, especially the estimate of health and impact of air pollution, by using the World Bank methodology for calculating health impact of air pollution in Jakarta. The ecological value of stocked forests is based on Forests Conservation Act, 1980 (Government of India). C. Cost of Mitigation Measures 88. A number of measures have been proposed to mitigate adverse environmental impacts. These include (i) improvement of roadside ponds, (ii) construction of soak pits, (iii) installation of oil and grease traps in the refueling and wash down areas, (iv) replanting roadside trees, and (v) awareness and protection measures for sensitive locations. Mitigation costs for Barasat Bypass (Rs3.83 million), Raiganj–Dalkhola (Rs3.39 million), and Sevok–Gangtok (Rs2.7 million) totaled Rs9.92 million. 89. The monitoring plan envisages monitoring being conducted during the construction and operation phases. Visual checking for soil erosion, cutting of roadside plantations, and survival 20 Under ADB Environment Assessment Guidelines, economic assessment is required only for category "A" projects.

This summary EIA covers three category “A” projects and four category “B” projects. The economic assessment presented here details primarily the category "A" projects.

20

rate of roadside trees are nonrecurring costs. The nonrecurring monitoring costs for the three subprojects total Rs1.48 million (Rs0.20 million for Barasat Bypass; Rs0.45 million for Raiganj–Dalkhola; and Rs0.83 million for Sevok–Gangtok). 90. The recurring costs cover monitoring air, water, and noise quality in the project locations. During the operation phase, recurring monitoring costs total Rs0.52 million (Rs0.14 million for Barasat Bypass; Rs0.17 million for Raiganj–Dalkhola; and Rs0.21 million for Sevok–Gangtok). During the construction phase, this is expected to amount to Rs0.05 million each for Barasat Bypass and Raiganj–Dalkhola, and Rs0.14 million for Sevok–Gangtok. Training costs are estimated at Rs1 million each for Barasat Bypass, Raiganj–Dalkhola, and Sevok–Gangtok. No additional recurring costs are proposed for the category “B” projects.

VII. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN A. Environmental Management Plan 91. The EMP aims to ensure that adverse impacts of the Project are prevented or properly mitigated. Mitigation involves the adoption of the most suitable techno-economic option to reduce the effect to an acceptable level. The EMP consists of a set of mitigation, monitoring, and institutional measures to be taken in a time bound manner during the design, construction, and operation of the Project. The EMP identifies the parties responsible for implementing each action. Appendixes 1–6 of this report contain the EMPs developed for each subproject. 92. Since the construction time has not been decided, the implementation schedule for the EMP was prepared based on the assumption that the construction phase will be from 2006 to 2009, and operating phase shall be from 2010 to 2030. This schedule will be modified according to the final project implementation schedule. B. Authorities and Implementation Responsibility 93. As the executing agencies for the national highway improvement component, the National Highway Authority of India and MOSRTH will be responsible for all the policy decisions, including incorporation of the EMP requirements and updating of the EMP. SGWB will have the same responsibilities for the state highway improvement component. The chief engineers of MOSTRH and SWGB’s Public Works Department (PWD) will be responsible for implementing the EMP, and preparing semiannual reports on the implementation of the EMP. The project management unit (PMU) will assist the chief engineers by ensuring that contracts for contractors include the requirement to implement environmental mitigation actions the required monitoring. For this purpose, the PMU will engage a supervision consultant (environment) and contractor. C. Monitoring Plan 94. The monitoring plan was prepared considering the possible occurrence of impacts and required mitigation measures. Monitoring has been proposed for air quality, water quality, noise and vibration, soil erosion, and tree planting during construction and operation phases. The monitoring plan covers (i) the parameters to be monitored, (ii) standards to be followed, (iii) location of sampling and/or observation, (iv) duration and/or frequency of monitoring, (v) supervision responsibility, and (vi) costs. The project implementation unit (PIU) is expected to have primary responsibility for monitoring through the contractor during construction. During the operation phase, the state PWD, in close coordination with the State Pollution Control Board, will undertake continuous monitoring of the environmental quality. Certain preconstruction stage investigations—such as the hydro-geological investigation to assess groundwater potential in

21

the Sevok-Gangtok section for the prevention of flash floods—also have been proposed. The monitoring plan is in Appendix 7. D. Unexpected Impacts 95. If deviations in environmental quality persist, or if unexpected environmental impacts occur, the executing agencies will undertake an investigation to find out the causes and to prepare appropriate mitigation measures. The State Pollution Control Boards or other relevant agencies, including ADB, will be informed of necessary actions. E. Contingency Response Plan 96. Accidents and consequent spills are the main potential concerns that need to be handled through emergency actions. The EIA identified the most accident-prone areas as Shiliguri Bypass, along the Mahananda Canal, and Sevok–Gangtok. However, accidents could occur in other stretches of the project roads. Communication and response systems in these areas should be improved to minimize the response time. Local people wish to be informed about likely accidental spills, nature of contamination, and response. The executing agencies, in close coordination with relevant authorities, should ensure proper accidental spill management by developing in-house capabilities, or by associating with a competent third party 97. In case of landslides in the Sevok–Gangtok stretch, the road maintenance authorities should procure earth moving equipment and/or cranes. This equipment should be stationed at secured locations, preferably near identified landslide-prone areas or at least at both ends of the stretch. The executing agencies, through the road maintenance authority, should identify and train officials for a landslide emergency response team. They should be equipped with wireless communication tools for effective communication with other response team members and the local administration during emergencies. In addition to being trained to clear landslides, these officials should know how to create safe passages for traffic and rescue stranded passengers. F. Institutional Capacity to Address Environmental Concerns 98. Neither the state PWD nor MOSRTH has an environment department. Therefore, systematic environmental training will be provided to senior and managerial staff, as well as PIU staff. The aim of the training is to build capacity, and strengthen and institutionalize efforts to address environmental concerns related to their activities, particularly the implementation of the EMP and the Environment Management and Monitoring Plan (EMoP). To effectively implement and supervise the EMP and EMoP, at least one officer under the chief engineers of MOSRTH and PWD (at director level) should be assigned to work closely with the PMU’s environmental supervision consultant. For each subproject, the field engineering officer also should be trained to implement the EMP and EMoP. The training program suggested covers (i) effective implementation of mitigation measures, (ii) sound construction practices, and (iii) environmental performance monitoring. As envisaged, these trained staff will be assigned in the future to handle environmental concerns related to roads, and will become the initial basis for an environmental cell within the PWD.

VIII. PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND DISCLOSURE 99. Informal meetings, interviews, and stakeholder consultations were organized as the environmental assessment studies were undertaken. Public consultations involved formal meetings as well as informal and ad hoc approaches. Relevant stakeholders, ranging from government officials to local people, were consulted to learn their concerns, apprehensions, and overall opinions. The consultations also aimed to understand the perceptions of the proposed

22

subprojects by people living in the affected areas. 100. The formal consultation was a workshop, which was held on 28 August 2004 at Hotel Kenilworth in Kolkata, West Bengal. It was attended by stakeholders from the executing agencies and other concerned agencies, including the local authority. At this workshop, the stakeholders were informed about the project and its likely impacts. 101. The informal consultations, which were held 2–20 September 2004, covered all the project roads. About 200 private citizens and 85 public officials were consulted. The informal consultation carried out during the fieldwork generally started by explaining the proposed subprojects, followed by an explanation of their potential impacts. The participants were asked to focus their responses on the potential impacts of the subprojects, particularly on (i) air and noise quality of the area due to traffic, (ii) groundwater availability, (iii) accident risks, and (iv) perceptions about how the projects might affect wildlife (particularly elephant movement). 102. The results of these consultations were used in preparing the environmental assessment reports. The respondents generally welcomed the Project, expecting that it would contribute to economic growth in the study area. In the Barasat Bypass section, people expressed concern about potential changes in their suburban setting, and possible increases in noise and air pollution. The communities, however, appreciated the benefits of having congestion-free traffic. 103. During the discussions of Raiganj–Dalkhola, people expressed concern about noise and air pollution, filling of roadside ponds, borrowing of earth from cultivable lands, accident hazards, etc. However, people were strongly in favor of the project as they expected air and noise pollution levels to fall substantially due to the proposed Dalkhola Bypass. 104. The residents of the villages along the Sevok–Gangtok stretch did not express any concern about air and noise pollution. A drinking water shortage was reported at the Kalijhora market, and near Melli bazaar. In Gangtok city, the people welcomed the project, expecting it to contribute to the economic development of their area. 105. Officials of the West Bengal State Pollution Control Board highlighted the need for the proposed projects to have a monitoring plan due to potential shifting in noise and air pollution in the Barasat Bypass. Irrigation Department officials noted that the areas near Nalkura and Bishnupur, along the proposed Barasat Bypass, are routinely flooded during monsoon season. SGWB and SGS officials reported that Sevok–Gangtok passes through fragile hills that are prone to landslides. 106. Divisional forest officers and officers suggested that acquisition of forestland would not be permitted. They also recommended that chain-linked fences along adjoining the project stretch be maintained. For the long-term plan, a study on developing an alternate route from Raignaj–Dalkhola that bypasses also was proposed. In the Sevok–Gangtok stretch, forest authorities did not raise any alarms over potential adverse impacts on wildlife. However, concerns were expressed about safety issues, such as landslides and blasting. The need to obtain a permit before cutting trees, even in the ROW, was emphasized. MWS officials reported that only the road formation is the ROW, and no permission has been granted for cutting trees. The use of barricades was discouraged, as this would cause habitat fragmentation. Setting a speed limit of 60 kph also was suggested. Divisional forests officers of Kurseong and Darjeeling division also raised objections about disposing of landslide debris, road construction waste, and hill cut materials in the river. A former engineer of the Central Water Commission reported that the Tista River carries substantial silt, and the riverbed is rising. The disposal of debris or hill cut material in the river would exacerbate the problem.

23

107. A prominent local nongovernment organization (NGO) at Raiganj expressed the view that the proposed subproject is long overdue, and is expected to lead to substantial fuel and time saving. The NGO did not express concern over any potential adverse impact on due to the project. An NGO active in the Sevok–Gangtok stretch reported that pipeline and railway projects in the past have affected the movement of elephants. The NGO suggested making the present road one-way, and using another existing stretch (NH 31 from Gangtok via Pakyong-Laba-Chel Bypass-Damdim) for traffic in the other direction. However, the NGO also supported the road as long as it was not widened in the MWS area. 108. Consultations over Hasimara–Jaigaon and Panitanki–Fulbari indicated that people expect high noise and air pollution during construction. Still, no one objected to the Project. On the contrary, people welcomed the Project and expressed the view that it would improve economy activity significantly. 109. The main public consultations on upgrading and/or building the two bridges confirmed that decongestion of the bridges is strongly desired. People expect it would lead to improved air and noise quality in the project area. Segregation of motorized and non-motorized traffic also was considered an important measure to maintain smooth traffic flow. 110. The State Pollution Board of West Bengal and Sikkim will conduct formal consultations on the results of the environmental assessment studies as part of the process of obtaining a Non Objection Certificate and forest clearance. The Ministry Forest and Environment will use the results of the consultation when it considers granting the environmental clearance.

IX. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 111. As explained in Section 2 of this report on Summary of Proposed Project Activities, the proposed improvement of these roads will generate mostly insignificant adverse environmental impacts. These impacts generally will be caused by the construction works, and will be temporary. Implementation of the prescribed mitigation measures will minimize the predicted adverse impacts. Moreover, the impacts will be monitored continually by implementing and updating the EMP and EMOP. However, the improvement and rehabilitation of roads within the sanctuaries and reserve forests will generate long-term and irreversible environmental impacts if the proposed mitigation measures are not implemented strictly. Therefore, continuous monitoring is needed during construction and operation. The necessary clearances, permissions, and consents for different stretches are to be obtained before construction begins, as defined under the EMP. 112. The assessment of environmental impacts was conducted as the feasibility study was being prepared. Therefore, the detailed engineering was not available. In this regard, any major changes during detailed design,21 or any major additional work other than the proposed project activities explained in Section 2 of this report, will require preparation of another environmental assessment. This additional assessment will have to be submitted to the State Pollution Control Board and other relevant Government agencies to obtain the necessary clearances. It also will have to be sent to ADB for concurrence before civil works commence. The executing agencies have to submit the detailed engineering designs to ADB, which will review them and decide whether major changes or major additional works have been included. 21 In this context, changes that need to be reported to ADB involve change on road alignment, widening of the road,

and changes in any proposed activity, such as an additional bridge, additional elevation of embankment, additional tunnel etc.

24 Appendix 1

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE BARASAT BYPASS Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

A. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PHASE SOIL Excavation of earth from borrow areas

Loss of topsoil Avoid the use of agricultural areas for borrowing of materials, unless requested by the landowner for making water /fish ponds or for lowering the land for making it irrigable.

Borrow areas During construction

- Contractor DSC, PIU

Movement of vehicles in the construction site and along the haulage routes

Compaction of soil

Construction vehicles, machinery and equipment will move, or be stationed in the designated ROW, to avoid unnecessary compaction of soil.

Throughout Project Corridor

During construction

- Contractor DSC, PIU

Movement, maintenance and fuelling of construction vehicles

Contamination of soil from fuel and lubricants

Construction vehicles and equipment will be maintained and refuelled in such a fashion that oil/diesel spillage does not contaminate the soil. Waste oil and oil soaked cotton/

cloth shall be sold off to MoEF authorized vendors

Hazardous Waste (Management & Handling) Rules

Throughout Project Road and borrow areas

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU

Site clearing, preparation, etc.

Contamination of soil from construction wastes and quarry materials

Non-bituminous wastes from construction activities will be dumped in borrow pits and covered with a layer of the conserved topsoil. Bituminous wastes will be

disposed off in an identified dumping site approved by the State Pollution Control Board

All construction sites Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU

1 To be added once the contract documentation is under preparation 2 Actual costs for the subprojects are expected to be considerably lower as a contract package will contain several components and some of the mitigation measures activities will be carried out simultaneously for several subprojects.

Appendix 1 25

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE BARASAT BYPASS Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Excavation of earth, cutting operations, embanking, clearing of vegetations

Soil Erosion High embankments will be provided with chutes and drains to minimize soil erosion. Stone pitching and retaining walls

will be made at high embankments in critical areas (> 40% gradient) Turfing of low embankments and

plantation of grasses and shrubs will be done for slope protection. This will follow the recommended practice for treatment of embankment slopes for erosion control, In borrow pits the depth of the pit

will be regulated so that the slope not steeper than 1: 4, from the edge of the final section of bank Wherever there are earth

materials to be cut for the road alignment and the slope grades are more than 1.5 %, the slope should be made a gentle slope but not vertical.

Indian Road Congress (IRC): 56-1974

All construction sites Throughout Project Road (on slopes and high embankment, especially near the bridges)

During construction Engineering Cost

Engineering Cost Rs 0.050 million (@ Rs 0.002 million per km)

Contractor DSC

PIU PIU

Procurement of construction materials

Quarries and Borrow Areas

Soil erosion along the road shall be visually checked as given in the environmental monitoring plan. Aggregate required for road

construction should be procured from quarries approved by State Pollution Control Board. To mitigate the adverse impact

during excavation of borrow pits, IRC:10-1961 guideline should be followed for excavation of earth from borrow areas.

The Air (Prevention and Control) of Pollution Act and Rules, 1981 S.O. 979 (E) dated 27th August 2003

Quarries and borrow areas

During the Design Stage and construction phase

Engineering Cost

Design Consultant

PIU

26 Appendix 1

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE BARASAT BYPASS Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

The use of Fly-ash

Fly-ash from thermal power plants within 100 Km radius of the project site must be used for road making purpose. Fly ash should be used following the guidelines as per Indian Road Congress specifications SP 58-2001. Indian fly ash is high volume and has generally no or low toxic. However, fly ash analysis be carried out specifically for heavy metals and leachability potential before its use.

WATER Use of water for construction

Drainage and run-off

The contractor shall ensure that construction debris do not find their way into the minor drainage channels which may get clogged.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU

i. To maintain the surface water flow/drainage, the following mitigation measures will be taken along the road

ii. Drainage line will be constructed all along the project road. Good engineering and

construction practiced should be followed

Earthwork and stonework and other construction activities

Contamination of water due to construction waste

Construction work close to the streams or other water bodies will be avoided, especially during monsoon period.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor

DSC, PIU

All necessary precautions will be taken to construct temporary or permanent devices to prevent water pollution due to increased siltation and turbidity. Wastes must be collected, stored

and taken to approve disposal site.

Appendix 1 27

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE BARASAT BYPASS Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Movement, maintenance and fuelling of construction vehicles

Contamination of water from fuel and lubricants

To avoid contamination from fuel and lubricants, the vehicles and equipment will be properly maintained and refuelled. Oil and grease traps will be

provided at fuelling locations, to prevent contamination of water.

Throughout Project Road Construction camp site

During construction

Engineering Cost Rs 0.060 million (@ Rs 0.060 million per trap)

Contractor

DSC, PIU

The slopes of embankment leading to water bodies will be modified and screened so that contaminants do not enter the water body. Water quality will be monitored as

envisaged in the Environmental Monitoring Plan

Sunti Khal Rs 0.008 million (@ Rs 0.008 million per sample)

Contractor through approved Monitoring agency

DSC, PIU

Setting up of Construction Camps

Sanitation and waste disposal in construction camps

The sewage system for construction camps will be properly designed (soak pits) and built so that no water pollution takes place.

At Construction camp locations, if set up (1 construction camp)

During construction

Rs 0.030 million for maintenance of hygienic condition at construction camps, if constructed (@ Rs 0.030 million per soak pit)

Contractor DSC, PIU

Use of water for construction

Conflict with local water demand

The contractor will make arrangements for water required for construction in such a way that the water availability and supply to nearby communities remain unaffected. For construction purposes, water

shall be drawn from surface water bodies on priority.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering cost

Contractor DSC, PIU

28 Appendix 1

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE BARASAT BYPASS Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Construction of bridges and culverts

Potential flooding, and increase SS Affecting the ecological function of the ponds and contamination of ground water

• Undertake detail drainage study to select suitable design structure like culverts • Minimize works in the bank of the rivers, streams • No storage construction materials and equipment nearby water bodies Non usage of bituminous material

or hazardous waste as filler Maintaining a safe distance of

minimum 3 mts between water body and edge of road Landscaping of area around the

protected pond (within 5 m of the ROW) (includes construction of bathing ghats, concreting the pond sides) Green belt plantation around the

protected surface water bodies

Project Stretch Throughout Project Road

During Design During construction

Engineering Cost 2 ponds @ Rs 0.1 million per pond = Rs 0.2 million

Design Consultant Contractor

PIU DSC, PIU

AIR Vehicular movement and running of machineries

Emission from construction vehicles and machinery

Road should be designed in such a manner that no traffic congestion in the populated are along the road. Road should be designed with

good geometry and roughness less than 4,000. All slopes and embankments will

be turfed as per best engineering practices to minimize the dust generation during operation of the road.

Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989

Construction sites

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU

Appendix 1 29

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE BARASAT BYPASS Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

All the machinery and plants will be placed at the downwind direction with respect to human settlements. All vehicles, equipment and

machinery used for construction will be regularly maintained to ensure that the pollution emission levels conform to the standards prescribed in Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The hot mix plant, crushers and

the batching plants will be sited at least 1 km in the downwind direction from the nearest human settlement.

Running of hot DG sets, mix plants, crushers, etc., transportation of raw materials, and other construction activities

Dust generation All precautions to reduce the level of dust emissions from the DG sets, hot mix plants, crushers and batching plants will be taken up

The Air (Prevention and Control) of Pollution Act and Rules, 1981

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor

DSC, PIU

Asphalt and hot-mix plants will be located at least 1 km away from inhabited areas along the road with the clearance from West Bengal Pollution Control Board. The hot mix plant will be fitted

with dust extraction units. Water will be sprayed in the

lime/cement and earth mixing sites, asphalt mixing site and temporary service and access roads. After compacting, water will be

sprayed on the earthwork regularly to prevent dust.

Construction sites near the major settlements (viz: Doltara and Nalkura,) and Hot mix plant

Rs 0.020 million (@ Rs 0.005 million per sample)

Contractor through approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU

30 Appendix 1

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE BARASAT BYPASS Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Vehicles delivering loose and fine materials like sand and fine aggregates shall be covered to reduce spills on existing road. Mixing equipment will be well sealed and equipped as per existing standards. Ambient air quality monitoring

should be carried out during construction phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken.

NOISE Running of construction machineries

Noise from vehicles, asphalt plants and equipment

The plants and equipment used for construction will strictly conform to MoEF noise standards.

Environmental (Protection) Rules, 1986 and Amendments made there under and State Factories Rules

At hot mix plant, batching plants & Construction sites

During the construction, till the closure of such sites

Contractor

DSC, PIU

Vehicles and equipment used will be fitted with silencer and maintained accordingly.

construction activity to be strictly carried out during day time only

Protection devices (ear plugs or ear muffs) will be provided to the workers operating in the vicinity of high noise generating machines

Trees will be planted along the road wherever needed.

Construction of noise barriers in sensitive areas (in front of school)

Noise measurements should be carried out along the road to ensure the effectiveness of mitigation measures.

Schools along the length of project road Monitoring at Doltala and Nalkura and Construction sites

Rs 1.2 million (@ Rs 0.3 million per noise barrier) Rs 0.009 million (@ Rs 0.003 million per sample)

Contractor through approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU

Appendix 1 31

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE BARASAT BYPASS Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

FLORA AND FAUNA Site Clearing and preparation

Loss or damage to vegetation

All efforts during the design stage should be made to minimize the tree felling requirement

Compensatory plantation should be started during construction phase parallel to the construction activities.

Monitoring of tree felling along the road

Throughout Project Road

During Design and construction phase

Rs 2.34 million ~Rs 0.010 million (@ Rs 0.00005 million per km)

Contractor

DSC, PIU

SAFETY AND ACCIDENT RISKS Vehicular movement

Accidents Design Improvements at curves. Provision of proper safety signage. Setting up speed limits Proper lighting arrangements will

be made.

Throughout Project Road, particularly near the settlements and sensitive locations (schools, health centres, etc.)

During the Design Stage

Design Consultant

PIU

Construction Activities

Accident risks To ensure safe construction in the temporary accesses during construction, lighting devices and safety signal devices will be installed. Traffic management will be done.

Adequate signage, barriers and persons with flags during construction to control traffic will be provided.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Contractor DSC, PIU

32 Appendix 1

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE BARASAT BYPASS Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Safety of workers undertaking various operations during construction will be ensured by providing helmets, masks, safety goggles, etc.

At every construction site, a readily available first aid unit including an adequate supply of dressing materials, a mode of transport, nursing staff and an attending doctor will be provided.

Road safety education will be imparted to drivers running construction vehicles.

B. OPERATION STAGE Runoff over steep slopes

Soil erosion Slopes and high embankment areas along the road shall be checked/ studied for soil erosion. In case soils erosion is found, suitable measures should be taken to control the soil erosion

Throughout Project road

Operation period

Rs 0.12 million (@ Rs 0.0055 million per km)

PIU PMU under EA

Drainage of runoff from roads into water bodies

Water Pollution Water quality monitoring should be carried out during operation phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken

Suntikhal Operation period

Rs 0.008 million (@ Rs 0.008 million per sample)

PIU PMU under EA

Vehicular movement

Contamination from spills due to traffic and accidents

The spills at the accident sites will be cleared immediately and disposed off properly

Throughout Project road

Operation period

PIU PMU under EA

Vehicular movement

Dust Generation Roadside tree plantations will be done and maintained.

Throughout Project road

Operation period

Already included in Design and Construction Stage

PIU PMU under EA

Appendix 1 33

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE BARASAT BYPASS Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Vehicular movement

Air pollution Bottlenecks should be avoided for smooth flow of traffic.

Plantation of pollutant adsorbing trees, such as kikar

Regular maintenance of the road will be done to ensure good surface condition

Ambient air quality monitoring should be carried out during operation phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken.

Nalkura

Operation period

Rs 0.005 million (@ Rs 0.005 million per sample)

PIU PIU

PMU under EA PMU under EA

Vehicular movement

Noise pollution Noise measurements should be carried out along the road to ensure the effectiveness of mitigation measures.

According to monitoring results, use of sound barriers / trees will be considered where warranted

Signs for sensitive zones (health centres / educational institutions etc.) will be put up where horn should not be blown or traffic speed need to be regulated

Monitoring at Doltala and Nalkura

Operation period

Rs 0.006 million (@ Rs 0.003 million per km)

PIU PMU under EA

Plantation Flora and Fauna (key stone species)

Monitoring of survival of trees at the rate of 75 % should be done in the first year of the operation phase and suitable mitigation measures should be taken to protect the trees

Efforts will be made for proper maintenance of planted trees, shrubs and grasses to maintain greenery and aesthetics

Throughout Project Road

Operation Stage

Rs 0.018 million (@ Rs 0.001 per km)

PIU in Consultation with Social Forestry Dept.

PIU

34 Appendix 1

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE BARASAT BYPASS Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Vehicular movement

Accidents involving hazardous materials

In case of spillage, the report to relevant departments will be made.

Efforts will be made to clean the spills of oil, toxic chemicals etc. as early as possible.

Throughout Project Road

Operation Stage

Engineering Cost

PIU PMU under EA

Vehicular movement

Safety Traffic management plan will be developed, especially along congested locations

Traffic control measures including speed limits will be enforced strictly.

Throughout Project road

Operation stage

Engineering Cost

PIU PMU under EA

Appendix 2 35

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR RAIGANJ – DALKHOLA SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference

To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervisi

on

A. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PHASE SOIL Excavation of earth from borrow areas

Loss of topsoil Avoid agricultural areas for borrowing of materials, unless requested by the landowner for making water /fish ponds or for lowering the land for making it irrigable.

Borrow areas During construction

- Contractor DSC, PIU

Movement of vehicles in the construction site and along the haulage routes

Compaction of soil Construction vehicles, machinery and equipment will move, or be stationed in the designated ROW, to avoid unnecessary compaction of soil.

Throughout Project Corridor

During construction

- Contractor DSC, PIU

Movement, maintenance and fuelling of construction vehicles

Contamination of soil from fuel and lubricants

Construction vehicles and equipment will be maintained and refuelled in such a fashion that oil/diesel spillage does not contaminate the soil. Fuel storage and refuelling sites will

be kept away from drainage channels. Waste oil shall be sold off to MoEF

authorized vendors

Hazardous Waste (Management & Handling) Rules

Throughout Project Road and borrow areas

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU

Site clearing, preparation, etc.

Contamination of soil from construction wastes and quarry materials

Non-bituminous wastes from construction activities will be dumped in borrow pits and covered with a layer of the conserved topsoil. Bituminous wastes will be disposed

off in an identified dumping site approved by the State Pollution Control Board

All construction sites Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU

Excavation of earth, cutting operations, embanking, clearing of

Soil Erosion High embankments will be provided with chutes and drains to minimize soil erosion. Stone pitching and retaining walls will

be made at high embankments in critical

All construction sites Throughout Project Road (on slopes and

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC and Contractor

PIU PIU

1 To be added once the contract documentation is under preparation 2 Actual costs for the subprojects are expected to be considerably lower as a contract package will contain several components and some of the mitigation measures activities will be carried out simultaneously for several subprojects.

36 Appendix 2

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR RAIGANJ – DALKHOLA SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference

To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervisi

on

vegetations areas (> 40% gradient) Turfing of low embankments and

plantation of grasses and shrubs will be done for slope protection. This will follow the recommended practice for treatment of embankment slopes for erosion control, In borrow pits the depth of the pit will

be regulated so that the sides of the excavation will have a slope not steeper than 1: 4, from the edge of the final section of bank. Wherever there are earth materials to

be cut for the road alignment, care will be taken in places, where the slope grades are more than 1.5 percent, to ensure that cut side of the earth is not absolutely vertical. It will have gentle slope while cutting. Soil erosion along the road shall be

visually checked as given in the environmental monitoring plan.

Indian Road Congress (IRC): 56-1974.

high embankment, especially near the bridges)

Engineering Cost Rs. 0.100 million (@ Rs. 0.002 million per km)

Procurement of construction materials

Quarries and Borrow Areas

Aggregate required for road construction should be procured from quarries approved by State Pollution Control Board. Air and noise emissions from quarry should be within the prescribed limit. Non-productive, barren lands, raised

lands, riverbeds, waste lands have been recommended for borrowing earth materials; no productive land will be used for this purpose. To mitigate the adverse impact during

excavation of borrow pits, IRC:10-1961 guideline should be followed for excavation of earth from borrow areas.

The Air (Prevention and Control) of Pollution Act and Rules, 1981

Quarries and borrow areas

During the Design Stage and construction phase

Engineering Cost

Design Consultant

PIU

WATER

Appendix 2 37

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR RAIGANJ – DALKHOLA SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference

To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervisi

on

Use of water for construction

Drainage and run-off

The contractor shall ensure that construction debris do not find their

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU

way into the minor drainage channels which may get clogged

To maintain the surface water flow/drainage, proper mitigation measures will be taken along the road, like: Drainage line will be constructed all

along the project road. Good engineering and construction

practiced should be followed

Earthwork and stonework and other construction activities

Contamination of water due to construction waste

Construction work close to the streams or other water bodies will be avoided, especially during monsoon period. All necessary precautions will be

taken to construct temporary or permanent devices to prevent water pollution due to increased siltation and turbidity. Wastes must be collected, stored and

taken to approve disposal site.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor

DSC, PIU

38 Appendix 2

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR RAIGANJ – DALKHOLA SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference

To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervisi

on

Movement, maintenance and fuelling of construction vehicles

Contamination of water from fuel and lubricants

To avoid contamination from fuel and lubricants, the vehicles and equipment will be properly maintained and refuelled. Oil and grease traps will be provided

at fuelling locations, to prevent contamination of water. The slopes of embankment leading to

water bodies will be modified and screened so that contaminants do not enter the water body. Water quality will be monitored as

envisaged in the Environmental Monitoring Plan

Throughout Project Road Construction sites Kulik river

During construction

Engineering Cost Rs. 0.12 million (@ Rs. 0.06 million per oil and grease trap) Rs. 0.008 million (@ Rs. 0.008 million per sample)

Contractor Contractor through approved Monitoring agency

DSC, PIU DSC, PIU

Setting up of Construction Camps

Sanitation and waste disposal in construction camps

The construction camps will be located away from the habitation/Sanctuary area

At Construction camp

During construction

Rs. 0.060 million (@ Rs. 0.030

Contractor DSC, PIU

The sewage system for such camps will be properly designed (soak pits) and built so that no water pollution takes place.

locations, if set up (2 construction camp)

million per soak pit)

Use of water for construction

Conflict with local water demand

The contractor will make arrangements for water required for construction in such a way that the water availability and supply to nearby communities/Sanctuary remain unaffected. For construction purposes, water shall

be drawn from surface water bodies on priority.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering cost

Contractor DSC, PIU

Appendix 2 39

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR RAIGANJ – DALKHOLA SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference

To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervisi

on

Surface water (ponds)

Filling of ponds in a manner so as to prevent contamination of ground water

Non usage of bituminous material or hazardous waste as filler Maintaining a safe distance of

minimum 3 mts between water body and edge of road Landscaping of area around the

protected pond (within 5 m of the ROW) (includes construction of bathing ghats, concreting the pond sides) Green belt plantation around the

protected surface water bodies

Throughout Project Road

During construction

~ 3 ponds @ Rs. 0.1 million per pond = Rs. 0.3 million

Air

Vehicular movement and running of machineries

Emission from construction vehicles and machinery

Road should be designed in such a manner that no traffic congestion in the populated are along the road. Road should be designed with good geometry and roughness less than 4,000. All slopes and embankments will be

turfed as per best engineering practices

Construction sites

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU

to minimize the dust generation during operation of the road. All the machinery and plants will be

placed at the downwind direction with respect to human settlements. All vehicles, equipment and

machinery used for construction will be regularly maintained to ensure that the pollution emission levels conform to the standards prescribed in Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The hot mix plant, crushers and the

batching plants will be sited at least 1 km in the downwind direction from the nearest human settlement/Sanctuary area

Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989

40 Appendix 2

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR RAIGANJ – DALKHOLA SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference

To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervisi

on

Running of hot DG sets, mix plants, crushers, etc., transportation of raw materials, and other construction activities

Dust generation All precautions to reduce the level of dust emissions from the DG sets, hot mix plants, crushers and batching plants will be taken up.

The Air (Prevention and Control) of Pollution Act and Rules, 1981

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor

DSC, PIU

Asphalt and hot-mix plants will be located at least 1 km away from inhabited areas along the road with the clearance from West Bengal Pollution Control Board. The hot mix plant will be fitted with

dust extraction units. Water will be sprayed in the

lime/cement and earth mixing sites, asphalt mixing site and temporary service and access roads.

Construction sites near the major settlements

Rs. 0.030 million (@ Rs. 0.005 million per

Contractor through approved monitoring

DSC, PIU

After compacting, water will be sprayed on the earthwork regularly to prevent dust.

(Raigunj wildlife sanctuary

sample) agency

Vehicles delivering loose and fine materials like sand and fine aggregates shall be covered to reduce spills on existing road. Mixing equipment will be well sealed and equipped as per existing standards.

and Karam dighi and other hot mix and crushing plants

Ambient air quality monitoring should be carried out during construction phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken.

Appendix 2 41

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR RAIGANJ – DALKHOLA SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference

To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervisi

on

Noise Running of construction machineries

Noise from vehicles, asphalt plants and equipment

The plants and equipment used for construction will strictly conform to MoEF noise standards.

Vehicles and equipment used will be fitted with silencer and maintained accordingly.

construction activity to be strictly carried out during day time only

Protection devices (ear plugs or ear muffs) will be provided to the workers operating in the vicinity of high noise generating machines

Tree plantation will be done along the road wherever needed.

Environmental (Protection) Rules, 1986 and Amendments made there under and State Factories Rules

At hot mix plant, batching plants & Construction sites All schools along the proposed stretch Monitoring at Raigunj wildlife sanctuary and karandighi and

During the construction, till the closure of such sites During construction

Rs. 1.5 million (5 barriers @ 0.3 million) Rs. 0.012 million (@

Contractor Contractor through approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU DSC, PIU

Construction of noise barriers in

sensitive areas. These barriers should be retained even to serve during operation period.

Noise measurements should be carried out along the road to ensure the effectiveness of mitigation measures

Construction sites

Rs. 0.003 million per sample)

FLORA AND FAUNA Site Clearing and preparation

Loss or damage to vegetation

All efforts during the design stage should be made to minimize the tree felling requirement

Throughout Project Road

During Design and construction

Rs. 1.2974 million

Contractor

DSC, PIU

42 Appendix 2

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR RAIGANJ – DALKHOLA SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference

To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervisi

on

Compensatory plantation should be started during construction phase parallel to the construction activities. Monitoring of tree felling along the road

phase Rs. 0.026 million (@ Rs. 0.00005 million per km)

Contractor

DSC, PIU

Raigunj wildlife Sanctuary

Adverse impact on wildlife habitat

Maintain fencing on either side of road stretch in the boundaries of Raigunj wildlife sanctuary Prevent cutting of Two big tree (with

large number of nests on it) , falling in ROW by adjusting road alignment No construction should be allowed

during June to November in the Raiganj Sanctuary area. Comply with the conditions likely to be

imposed under Environmental clearance letter to be granted by Ministry of Environment & Forests for the project.

Raigunj wildlife sanctuary Km 407 at Raigunj wildlife sanctuary and Km 407.1

During construction During Design

Rs. 0.1 million (1 km X 3 mts height 2)

SAFETY AND ACCIDENT RISKS Vehicular movement

Accidents Design Improvements at curves. Provision of proper safety signage. Setting up speed limits Proper lighting arrangements will be

made.

Throughout Project Road, particularly near the settlements and sensitive

During the Design Stage

Design Consultant

PIU

locations(schools, health centres, etc)

Construction Activities

Accident risks To ensure safe construction in the temporary accesses during construction, lighting devices and safety signal devices will be installed. Traffic management will be done. Adequate signage, barriers and persons with flags during construction to control traffic will be provided

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Contractor DSC, PIU

Appendix 2 43

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR RAIGANJ – DALKHOLA SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference

To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervisi

on

Safety of workers undertaking various operations during construction will be ensured by providing helmets, masks, safety goggles, etc. At every construction site, a readily

available first aid unit including an adequate supply of dressing materials, a mode of transport, nursing staff and an attending doctor will be provided. Road safety education will be

imparted to drivers running construction vehicles.

B. OPERATION STAGE Runoff over steep slopes

Soil erosion Slopes and high embankment areas along the road shall be checked/ studied for soil erosion. In case soils erosion is found, suitable measures should be taken to control the soil erosion

Throughout Project road

Operation period

Rs. 0.275 million (@ Rs. 0.0055 million per km)

PIU PMU under EA

Drainage of runoff from roads into water bodies

Water Pollution Water quality monitoring should be carried out during operation phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken

Kulik river

Operation period

Rs. 0.008 million (@ Rs. 0.008 million per sample)

PIU PMU under EA

Vehicular movement

Contamination from spills due to traffic and accidents

The spills at the accident sites will be cleared immediately and disposed off properly

Throughout Project road

Operation period

PIU PMU under EA

Vehicular movement

Dust Generation Roadside tree plantations will be done and maintained.

Throughout Project road

Operation period

Already included in Design and Construction Stage

PIU PMU under EA

44 Appendix 2

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR RAIGANJ – DALKHOLA SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference

To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervisi

on

Vehicular movement

Air pollution Bottlenecks should be avoided for smooth flow of traffic. Plantation of pollutant adsorbing

trees, such as kikar Regular maintenance of the road will

be done to ensure good surface condition

Operation period

PIU

PMU under EA

Ambient air quality monitoring should be carried out during operation phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken.

Raigunj wildlife sanctuary

Rs. 0.005 million (@ Rs. 0.005 million per sample)

PIU PMU under EA

Vehicular movement

Noise pollution Noise measurements should be carried out along the road to ensure the effectiveness of mitigation measures. According to monitoring results, use

of sound barriers / trees will be considered where warranted Signs for sensitive zones (health

centres / educational institutions etc.) will be put up where horn should not be blown or traffic speed need to be regulated

Monitoring at Raigunj wildlife sanctuary and karandighi

Operation period

Rs. 0.006 million (@ Rs. 0.003 million per km)

PIU PMU under EA

Plantation Flora and Fauna (key stone species)

Monitoring of survival of trees at the rate of 75 % should be done in the first year of the operation phase and suitable mitigation measures should be taken to protect the trees

Throughout Project Road

Operation Stage

Rs. 0.050 million (@ Rs. 0.001 per km)

PIU in consultation with Social Forestry Dept.

PIU

Efforts will be made for proper maintenance of planted trees, shrubs and grasses to maintain greenery and aesthetics

Appendix 2 45

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR RAIGANJ – DALKHOLA SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference

To Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervisi

on

Vehicular movement

Accidents involving hazardous materials

In case of spillage, the report to relevant departments will be made. Efforts will be made to clean the spills

of oil, toxic chemicals etc. as early as possible.

Throughout Project Road

Operation Stage

Engineering Cost

PIU PMU under EA

Vehicular movement

Safety Traffic management plan will be developed, especially along congested locations Traffic control measures including

speed limits will be enforced strictly.

Throughout Project road

Operation stage

Engineering Cost

PIU PMU under EA

46 Appendix 3

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE SEVOK – GANGTOK SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervis

ion

A. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PHASE SOIL Movementmaintenance and fuelling of construction vehicles

Contamination of soil from fuel and lubricants

Construction vehicles and equipment will be maintained and refuelled in such a fashion that oil/diesel spillage does not contaminate the soil. Fuel storage and refuelling sites will be

kept away from drainage channels. Oil and grease traps to be constructed at

the wash down and refuelling areas Waste oil shall be sold off to MoEF

authorized vendors

Hazardous Waste (Management & Handling) Rules 1989 / 2004

Throughout Project Road and borrow areas Refuelling areas at all construction sites

During construction

Engineering Cost Rs. 0.100 Million (Rs. 0.025 million for each oil and grease trap)

Contractor DSC, PIU

Site clearing, preparation, etc.

Contamination of soil from construction wastes and quarry materials

Spoil disposal plan needs to be prepared. Non-bituminous wastes from

construction activities will be dumped in borrow pits and covered with a layer of the conserved topsoil. Bituminous wastes will be disposed off in

an identified dumping site approved by the State Pollution Control Board Precautions should be taken that no tree

is cut in Mahananda Wild Life Sanctuary area. No change in formation width in the sanctuary area. No Camp is located in the Sanctuary

area including the open area near bridge at Km 4.1 . In Mahananda Wild Life Sanctuary Area

and other reserved forests area follow all the conditions (to be

Forst Conservation Act, 1980, Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, Environment Protection Act, 1986

All construction sites Throughout Project Road Km 0 to 4.1

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU

1 To be added once the contract documentation is under preparation 2 Actual costs for the subprojects are expected to be considerably lower as a contract package will contain several components and some of the mitigation measures activities will be carried out simultaneously for several subprojects.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE SEVOK – GANGTOK SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervis

ion

imposed by respective authority for different parts of the stretches viz Sanctuary, Reserved Forests etc.) under Environmental clearance, Forests clearance, permission from Chief Wild Life Warden, No objection certificate from National Wild Life Board, No objection Certificate of State Pollution Control Board.

Excavation of earth, cutting operations, embanking, clearing of vegetations

Soil Erosion Construction planning to be scheduled in a manner that soil is not laid bare at hill cutting areas Fissures and cracks to be grouted with

saw dust-sand-cement slurry Removal of loose big boulders and other

debris from the slope High embankments will be provided with

chutes and drains to minimize soil erosion. Benching to be provided along upper

part of the slope Surface drains to be provided for entire

road length Scour holes to be filled up by stone

material Retaining walls with pile foundation and

RCC masonry to be provided Return walls to be provided in all bridges

and culverts Blasting to be avoided, if necessary only

controlled blasting to be carried out Ground water potential be assessed before blasting at any of the portion. If Ground water potential is high, the blasting should be avoided in that area to prevent contamination as well-uncontrolled flow of ground water (flash floods). Stabilisation measures should also be taken before start of blasting as may be required.

Road design to withstand earthquakes of

Indian Explosives Act, 1884

All construction sites Throughout Project Road (on slopes and high embankment) Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor

PIU

48 Appendix 3

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE SEVOK – GANGTOK SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervis

ion

intensity 6.0 Mb (body-wave magnitude on Richter scale) Soil erosion along the road shall be

visually checked as given in the environmental monitoring plan.

(on slopes and high embankment)

Rs. 0.184 million (@ Rs. 0.002 million per km)

DSC

PIU

Procurement of construction materials

Quarries and Hill cut Rocks

Aggregate required for road construction should be procured from quarries approved by State Pollution Control Board. Air and noise emissions from quarry should be within the prescribed limit. Dumping to be carried out only on land

free from any social or R&R issue and away from any water body. The Hill cut rocks should not be disposed

of to the valley side or river bodies. It should be used for road construction to the extent feasible. The remaining hill cut rocks should either be transported to quarries like in Rangpo or Shiliguri or should be stored at safe identified locations and utilised for construction purposes. The environmental aspects should be assessed before start of storage of hill cut rocks at the site.

The Air (Prevention and Control) of Pollution Act and Rules, 1981

Quarries During the Design Stage and construction phase

Engineering Cost

Design Consultant

PIU

WATER Use of water for construction

Drainage and run-off

The contractor shall ensure that construction debris do not find their way into the minor drainage channels which may get clogged To maintain the surface water

flow/drainage, proper mitigation measures will be taken along the road, like: • Drainage line will be constructed all along the project road. • Good engineering and construction practiced should be followed

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor SC, PIU

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE SEVOK – GANGTOK SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervis

ion

Use of water for construction

Drinking water availability

Spring water not to be used for construction purposes

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering cost

Stone work and other construction activities

Contamination of water due to construction waste including hill cut rocks

Construction work close to the streams or other water bodies should be avoided to the extent feasible and especially during monsoon period. All necessary precautions will be taken

to construct temporary or permanent devices to prevent water pollution due to increased siltation and turbidity. Construction wastes (debris etc.) must

be collected, stored and used in construction activities to the extent feasible. The balance should be disposed off away from water bodies and without damaging the vegetation/trees. These disposal site should preferably be identified in advance and consent from State Pollution Control Board be obtained as part of NOC process. .

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor

DSC, PIU

Movement, maintenance and fuelling of construction vehicles

Contamination of water from fuel and lubricants

To avoid contamination from fuel and lubricants, the vehicles and equipment will be properly maintained and refuelled. Oil and grease traps will be provided at

fuelling locations, to prevent contamination of water

Throughout Project Road Tista river (Kalishora, Rangpo and

During construction

Engineering Cost Rs. 0.048 million (@Rs. 0.008

Contractor Contractor through approved

DSC, PIU

The slopes of embankment leading to water bodies will be modified and screened so that contaminants do not enter the water body. Water quality (including biological

parameters) will be monitored as envisaged in the Environmental Monitoring Plan

Singtan) and Rangni Chuk (Lukhbir, sinking zone at chainage 76.0 km and Lepcha Jhora)

million per sample)

Monitoring agency

50 Appendix 3

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE SEVOK – GANGTOK SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervis

ion

Setting up of Construction Camps

Sanitation and waste disposal in construction camps

The construction camps will be located away from the habitation. Construction of oil and grease trap at all

construction camps The sewage system for such camps will

be properly designed (soak pits) and built so that no water pollution takes place.

At Construction camp locations, if set up (4 construction camp)

During construction

Rs 0.100 million (@ Rs. 0.025 million per oil and grease trap) Rs 0.100 million (@ Rs. 0.025 million per soak pit)

Contractor DSC, PIU

Use of water for construction

Conflict with local water demand

The contractor will make arrangements for water required for construction in such a way that the water availability and supply to nearby communities remain unaffected. For construction purposes, water shall

be drawn from surface water bodies on priority.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering cost

Contractor DSC, PIU

Air Vehicular movement and running of machineries

Emission from construction vehicles and machinery

Road should be designed in such a manner that no traffic congestion in the populated area along the road. Road should be designed with good

geometry and roughness less than 4,000. All vehicles, equipment and machinery

used for construction will be regularly maintained and fitted with pollution control equipment to ensure that the pollution emission levels conform to the standards prescribed in Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. All the machinery and plants like hot mix

plant, crushers and the batching plants will be sited at least 1 km in the downwind direction from the nearest human settlement

Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989

Construction sites

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE SEVOK – GANGTOK SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervis

ion

and Mahananda Wild life sanctuary boundary. Green belt plantation will be done in a

two layered manner Specific focus for plantation to be given

in Mahananda wild life sanctuary and slide prone areas

Running of hot DG sets, mix plants, crushers, etc., transportation of raw materials, and other construction activities

Dust generation All precautions to reduce the level of dust emissions from the DG sets, hot mix plants, crushers and batching plants will be taken up. Asphalt and hot-mix plants will be

located at least 1 km away from inhabited areas along the road with the clearance from State Pollution Control Board. The hot mix plant will be fitted with dust

extraction units as per the conditions imposed by State Pollution Control Board under NOC. Water will be sprayed in the lime/cement

and earth mixing sites, asphalt mixing site and temporary service and access roads.

The Air (Prevention and Control) of Pollution Act and Rules, 1981

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor

DSC, PIU

After compacting, water will be sprayed on the earthwork regularly to prevent dust. Vehicles delivering loose and fine

materials like sand and fine aggregates shall be covered to reduce spills on existing road. Mixing equipment will be well sealed and equipped as per existing standards. Ambient air quality monitoring should be

carried out during construction phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken.

Construction sites near the major settlements (viz: Gangtok city and Mahananda wild life sanctuary) and Hot mix plant

Rs. 0.030 million (@ Rs. 0.005 million per sample)

Contractor through approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU

52 Appendix 3

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE SEVOK – GANGTOK SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervis

ion

Noise Running of construction machineries and blasting activity

Noise from vehicles, asphalt plants and equipment

The plants and equipment used for construction will strictly conform to MoEF noise standards.

Vehicles and equipment used will be fitted with silencer and maintained accordingly.

Construction equipments to be placed in inhabited areas only

Construction activity to be strictly carried out during day time only

Blasting to be avoided as far as possible. No blasting or cutting measures should be applied in Mahananda Wild life Sanctuary area.

Protection devices (ear plugs or ear muffs) will be provided to the workers operating in the vicinity of high noise generating machines

Green belt plantation to be done in two layers

Noise measurements should be carried out along the road to ensure the effectiveness of mitigation measures.

Environmental (Protection) Rules, 1986 and Amendments made there under and State Factories Rules Indian Explosives Act, 1884

At hot mix plant, batching plants & Construction sites Monitoring at Gangtok city and Mahananda wild life sanctuary and Construction sites

During the construction, till the closure of such sites

Rs. 0.018 million (@ Rs. 0.003 million per sample)

Contractor Contractor through approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU

DSC, PIU

FLORA AND FAUNA

Site Loss or damage to • All efforts during the design stage

Throughout During Contractor DSC, PIU

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE SEVOK – GANGTOK SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervis

ion

Clearing and preparation

vegetation should be made to minimize the tree felling requirement Compensatory plantation should be

started during construction phase parallel to the construction activities. Restriction of speed limits and usage of

pressure horns on the highway Road construction to be restricted to day

time only No debris to be disposed off on the

valley side Monitoring of tree felling along the road

The Formation width should not be

changed in Mahananda Wild Life Sanctuary Area.

Wild Life Protection Act, 72

Project Road 0 to 4.1 KM

Design and construction phase

Rs. 2.52 million Rs. 0.045 million (@ Rs. 0.00005 million per km)

Contractor

DSC, PIU

SAFETY AND ACCIDENT RISKS

Vehicular movement

Accidents Design Improvements at curves. Provision of proper safety signage. Setting up speed limits Proper lighting arrangements will be

made. Making provision of pre alerts before

start of blasting and or start of construction .since construction activity in hills will create hazardous movement situation requiring adequate controls.

Throughout Project Road, particularly near the settlements and sensitive locations (schools, health centres, etc)

During the Design Stage

Design Consultant

PIU

Construction Activities

Accident risks To ensure safe construction in the temporary accesses during construction, lighting devices and safety signal devices will be installed.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Contractor

DSC, PIU

54 Appendix 3

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE SEVOK – GANGTOK SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervis

ion

Traffic management will be done. Adequate signage, barriers and persons with flags during construction to control traffic will be provided. Safety of workers undertaking various

operations during construction will be ensured by providing helmets, masks, safety goggles, etc. At every construction site, a readily

available first aid unit including an adequate supply of dressing materials, a mode of transport, nursing staff and an attending doctor will be provided. Road safety education will be imparted

to drivers running construction vehicles.

B. OPERATION STAGE Runoff over steep slopes

Soil erosion Slopes and high embankment areas along the road shall be checked/ studied for soil erosion. In case soils erosion is found, suitable measures should be taken to control the soil erosion

Throughout Project road

Operation period

Rs. 0.506 million (@ Rs. 0.0055 million per km)

PIU PMU under EA

Drainage of runoff from roads into water bodies

Water Pollution Water quality monitoring should be carried out during operation phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken

Tista river (Kalishora, Rangpo and Singtan) and Rangni Chuk (Lukhbir, sinking zone at chainage 76.0 km and Lepcha Jhora)

Operation period

Rs. 0.048 million (@ Rs. 0.008 million per sample)

PIU PMU under EA

Vehicular movement

Contamination from spills due to traffic and accidents

The spills at the accident sites will be cleared immediately and disposed off properly

Throughout Project road

Operation period

PIU

PMU under EA

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE SEVOK – GANGTOK SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervis

ion

Vehicular movement

Dust Generation Roadside tree plantations will be done and maintained.

Throughout Project road

Operation period

Already included in Design and Construction Stage

PIU PMU under EA

Vehicular movement

Air pollution Bottlenecks should be avoided for smooth flow of traffic. Plantation of pollutant adsorbing trees,

such as kikar Regular maintenance of the road will be

done to ensure good surface condition Ambient air quality monitoring should be

carried out during operation phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken.

Gangtok city and Mahananda wild life sanctuary

Operation period

Rs. 0.010 million (@ Rs. 0.005 million per sample)

PIU PIU

PMU under EA PMU under EA

Vehicular movement

Noise pollution Noise measurements should be carried out along the road to ensure the effectiveness of mitigation measures.

Gangtok city and Mahananda wild life sanctuary

Operation period

Rs. 0.006 million (@ Rs. 0.003 million per km)

PIU PMU under EA

Plantation Flora and Fauna (key stone species)

Monitoring of survival of trees at the rate of 75 % should be done in the first year of the operation phase and suitable mitigation measures should be taken to protect the trees Efforts will be made for proper

maintenance of planted trees, shrubs and grasses to maintain greenery and aesthetics Enough speed and caution signage to be

placed in the Mahananda Wild Life Sanctuary area.

Throughout Project Road

Operation Stage

Rs. 0.092 million (@ Rs. 0.001 million per km) Engineering Costs

PIU in consultation with Social Forestry Dept,

PIU

Vehicular movement

Accidents involving hazardous materials

In case of spillage, the report to relevant departments will be made. Efforts will be made to clean the spills of

oil, toxic chemicals etc. as early as possible.

Throughout Project Road

Operation Stage

Engineering Cost

PIU

PMU under EA

56 Appendix 3

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE SEVOK – GANGTOK SECTION Institutional Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2 Implementation Supervis

ion

Vehicular movement

Safety Traffic management plan will be developed, especially along congested locations Traffic control measures including speed

limits, pre alerts, and adherence to signage will be enforced strictly.

Throughout Project road

Operation stage

Engineering Cost

PIU PMU under EA

Appendix 4

57

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PANITANKI/KAKARBITTA – FULBARI Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

A. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PHASE SOIL Excavation of earth from borrow areas

Loss of topsoil Avoid agricultural areas for borrowing of materials, unless requested by the landowner for making water /fish ponds or for lowering the land for making it irrigable.

Borrow areas During construction

- Contractor PIU, Road Authorities

Movement of vehicles in the construction site and along the haulage routes

Compaction of soil Construction vehicles, machinery and equipment will move, or be stationed in the designated ROW, to avoid unnecessary compaction of soil. Parking shall be strictly restricted to

RoW

Throughout Project Corridor

During construction

- Contractor PIU, Road Authorities

Movement, maintenance and fuelling of construction vehicles

Contamination of soil from fuel and lubricants

Construction vehicles and equipment will be maintained and refueled in such a fashion that oil/diesel spillage does not contaminate the soil. Fuel storage and refueling sites will be

kept away from drainage channels. Unusable debris shall be dumped in

nearest landfill sites.

Hazardous Waste

Throughout Project Road and borrow areas

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor PIU, Road Authorities

Waste oil and shall be sold off to MoEF authorized vendors

(Management & Handling) Rules

Site clearing, preparation, etc.

Contamination of soil from construction wastes and quarry materials

Good engineering practices shall be followed to minimize waste generation Non-bituminous wastes from

construction activities will be dumped in borrow pits and covered with a layer of the conserved topsoil. Bituminous wastes will be disposed off in

an identified dumping site approved by the State Pollution Control Board

All construction sites Throughout the Project Roads

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor PIU, Road Authorities

1 To be added once the contract documentation is under preparation 2 Actual costs for the subprojects are expected to be considerably lower as a contract package will contain several components and some of the mitigation measures activities will be carried out simultaneously for several subprojects.

58 Appendix 4

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PANITANKI/KAKARBITTA – FULBARI Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

All conditions imposed by State Pollution Control Board specially for hot mix plant etc should be strictly followed

Excavation of earth, cutting operations, embanking

Soil Erosion High embankments will be provided with chutes and drains to minimize soil erosion. Stone pitching and retaining walls will be

made at high embankments in critical areas Turfing of low embankments and

plantation of grasses and shrubs will be done for slope protection. This will follow the recommended practice for treatment of embankment slopes for erosion control. In borrow pits the depth of the pit will be

regulated so that the sides of the excavation will have a slope no steeper than 1: 4 from the edge of the final section of bank. Wherever there are earth materials to be

cut for the road alignment, care will be taken in the rolling terrain, where the slope grades are more than 1.5 percent, to ensure that cut side of the earth is not absolutely vertical. It will have gentle slope while cutting. Soil erosion along the road shall be

visually checked as given in the environmental monitoring plan.

Indian Road Congress (IRC): 56-1974

Kakarbhitta to Panitanki More Siliguri Bypass, Ghoshpukur-Goaltuli stretch crossing Mahananda canal Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost Engineering Cost Rs.0.010 million

Contractor DSC

PIU, Road Authorities PIU, Road Authorities

Procurement of construction materials

Quarries and Borrow Areas

Aggregate required for road construction should be procured from quarries approved by WB Pollution Control Board. Air and noise emissions from quarry should be within the prescribed limit.

The Air (Prevention and Control) of Pollution Act and Rules,

Quarries and borrow areas

During the Design Stage and construction phase

Engineering Cost

DSC PIU, Road Authorities

Appendix 4

59

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PANITANKI/KAKARBITTA – FULBARI Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

1981 Non-productive, barren lands, raised

lands, riverbeds, waste lands have been recommended for borrowing earth materials; no productive land will be used for this purpose. To mitigate the adverse impact during

excavation of borrow pits, IRC:10-1961, guideline should be followed for excavation of earth from borrow areas.

WATER Use of water for construction

Drainage and run-off The contractor shall ensure that construction debris do not find their way into the minor drainage channels which may get clogged. To maintain the surface water

flow/drainage, proper mitigation measures will be taken along the road, such as: Drainage line will be constructed all

along the project road. (ii) Good engineering and construction

practiced should be followed

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU, Road Authorities

Earthwork and stonework and other construction activities

Contamination of water due to construction waste

Construction work close to the streams or other water bodies will be avoided, during monsoon period. All necessary precautions will be taken

to construct temporary or permanent devices to prevent water pollution due to increased siltation and turbidity. Wastes must be collected, stored and

taken to approve disposal site.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor

DSC, PIU, Road Authorities

60 Appendix 4

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PANITANKI/KAKARBITTA – FULBARI Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Movement, maintenance and fuelling of construction vehicles

Contamination of water from fuel and lubricants

To avoid contamination from fuel and lubricants, the vehicles and equipment will be properly maintained and refueled. Oil and grease traps will be provided at

fuelling locations, to prevent contamination of water. The slopes of embankments leading to

water bodies will be modified and screened so that contaminants do not enter the water body. Specific precautions should be followed while working on Mahananda Canal section (Siliguri Bypass) Water quality will be monitored as

envisaged in the Environmental Monitoring Plan

Throughout Project Road Mahananda Canal

During construction

Engineering Cost Rs. 0.024 million

Contractor Contractor through approved Monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, ROAD AUTHORITIES DSC, PIU, Road Authorities

Setting up of Construction Camps

Sanitation and waste disposal from construction camps

The construction camps will be located away from the habitations and water bodies. The sewage system for such camps will

be properly designed and built so that no water pollution takes place.

At Construction camp locations, if set up

During construction

Rs. 0.050 million for maintenance of hygienic condition at construction camps, if constructed

Contractor DSC, PIU, Road Authorities

Use of water for construction

Conflict with local water demand

The contractor will make arrangements for water required for construction in such a way that the water availability and supply to nearby communities remain unaffected. For construction purposes, water shall

be drawn from surface water bodies on priority after seeking permission from the relevant authorities.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering cost

Contractor DSC, PIU, Road Authorities

Air

Appendix 4

61

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PANITANKI/KAKARBITTA – FULBARI Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Vehicular movement and running of machineries

Emission from construction vehicles and machinery

Roads should be designed in such a manner that there is no traffic congestion even in the populated areas.

Construction sites

During construction

Engineering Cost

DSC, Contractor

PIU, Road Authorities

Road should be designed with good geometry and roughness less than 2,000. All slopes and embankments will be

turfed as per best engineering practices to minimize the dust generation during operation of the road. All the machinery and plants will be

placed at the downwind direction with respect to human settlements. All vehicles, equipment and machinery

used for construction will be regularly maintained to ensure that the pollution emission levels conform to the standards prescribed in Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The hot mix plant, crushers and the

batching plants will be sited at least 1 km in the downwind direction from the nearest human settlement.

Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989

Running of hot DG sets, mix plants, crushers, etc., transportation of raw materials, and other construction activities

Dust generation All precautions to reduce the level of dust emissions from the DG sets, hot mix plants, crushers and batching plants will be taken up. Asphalt and hot-mix plants will be

located at least 1 km away from inhabited areas along the road with the clearance from WB Pollution Control Board. The hot mix plant will be fitted with dust

extraction units. Water will be sprayed in the lime/cement

The Air (Prevention and Control) of Pollution Act and Rules, 1981

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

DSC, and Contractor

PIU, Road Authorities

62 Appendix 4

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PANITANKI/KAKARBITTA – FULBARI Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

and earth mixing sites, asphalt mixing site and temporary service and access roads. After compacting, water will be sprayed

on the earthwork regularly to prevent dust. Vehicles delivering loose and fine

materials like sand and fine aggregates shall be covered to reduce spills on existing road. Mixing equipment will be well sealed and equipped as per existing standards. Ambient air quality monitoring should be

carried out during construction phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken.

Panitanki More, one construction site and Hot mix plant

Rs. 0.045 million

Contractor through approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, Road Authorities

Noise Running of construction machineries

Noise from vehicles, asphalt plants and equipment

The plants and equipments used for construction will strictly conform to MoEF noise standards.

Vehicles and equipment used will be fitted with silencer and maintained accordingly.

Protection devices (ear plugs or ear muffs) will be provided to the workers operating in the vicinity of high noise generating machines

Environmental (Protection) Rules, 1986 and Amendments made there under and State Factories Rules

At hot mix plant, batching plants & Construction sites:

During the construction, till the closure of such sites

DSC, PIU, Road Authorities

Noise barriers /dense trees will be

planted along the road

Primary school: Km 19-20/ NH 31C Nursery School: Km 14-15/ NH31C Gurudwara: Km 562-Km

Engineering Cost

Contractor

DSC, PIU, Road Authorities

Appendix 4

63

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PANITANKI/KAKARBITTA – FULBARI Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

563/ NH31

Noise measurements should be carried out along the road to ensure the effectiveness of mitigation measures.

Panitanki More

Rs. 0.009 million

Contractor Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, Road Authorities

FLORA AND FAUNA Site Clearing and preparation

Loss or damage to vegetation

All efforts during the design stage should be made to minimize the tree felling requirement Monitored tree felling along the road

Compensatory plantation should be

started during construction phase parallel to the construction activities. Workers are to be strictly advised

against illegal felling of trees especially in the forest area. Avoid constructing Truck parking facility in Takurea Jhar Forest area

Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980

Throughout Project Road Near Tukriajhar Forest, Panitanki

During Design and construction phase

Rs. 0.026 million Rs. 0.689 million (including plantation and maintenance)

Contractor Social Forestry Dept.

DSC, PIU, Road Authorities PIU, Road Authorities

Construction Activity

Protection of Flora and Fauna

Awareness shall be created amongst workers to not venture into forests and harm any straying animals. No construction camp should be

established within 500m of Tukriajhar forest

Near Tukriajhar Forest Within 500m of Tukriajhar forest

During Construction During Construction

Engineering Cost Engineering Cost

Contractor, DSC Contractor, DSC

PIU, Road Authorities PIU, Road Authorities

SAFETY AND ACCIDENT RISKS Vehicular movement

Accidents Design Improvements at curves. Provision of proper safety signage. Setting up speed limits

Throughout Project Road, particularly

During the Design Stage

Engineering cost

DSC PIU, Road Authorities

64 Appendix 4

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PANITANKI/KAKARBITTA – FULBARI Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Proper lighting arrangements will be made Appropriate sign boards for ‘Work at

progress’, safety to be displayed.

near the settlements and sensitive locations (schools, health centers, etc)

Construction Activities

Accident risks To ensure safety in the temporary accesses during construction, lighting devices and safety signal devices will be installed. Traffic management will be done.

Adequate signage, barriers and persons with flags during construction to control traffic will be provided. Safety of workers undertaking various

operations during construction will be ensured by providing helmets, masks, safety goggles, etc. At every construction site, a readily

available first aid unit including an adequate supply of dressing materials, a mode of transport, nursing staff and an attending doctor will be provided. Road safety education will be imparted

to drivers running construction vehicles.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering cost

Contractor DSC, PIU, Road Authorities

OPERATION STAGE Runoff over steep slopes

Soil erosion Slopes and high embankment areas along the road shall be checked/ studied for soil erosion. In case soils erosion is found, suitable measures should be taken to control the soil erosion

Throughout Project roads

Operation period

Rs. 0.106 million

PIU, Road Authorities

PMU

Accidental spillage of chemicals or oil tankers into water bodies

Water seepage and accidental water pollution

Specific action would required to be taken for the safety and stability of the road as well as preventing accidental fall of loaded trucks into the Mahananda canal. Some of the measures include

Road along Mahananda Canal

Operation period

Engineering Cost

PIU, Road Authorities

PMU

Appendix 4

65

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PANITANKI/KAKARBITTA – FULBARI Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Improvement and maintenance of lining River bed clearing

Mechanical strengthening of underneath

soil Monitoring of the lining and road

condition and providing adequate embankment or barrier on canal end of the road Water quality monitoring should be

carried out during operation phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken

Km 5.503 to Km 9.75 of canal Km 2.3 to Km 5.503 of canal Km 1.83 – Km 2.16 of canal Along the entire stretch of project road along the canal Along Mahananda canal near Goaltuli more

During the project life every 2 years 3 years

Rs. 0.1 million 0.024

Vehicular movement

Contamination from spills due to traffic and accidents

The spills at the accident sites will be cleared immediately and disposed off properly

Throughout Project roads

Operation period

- PIU, Road Authorities

PMU

Vehicular movement

Dust Generation Roadside tree plantations will be done and maintained.

Throughout Project roads

Operation period

Already included in Design and Construction Stage

Social Forestry division

PIU, Road Authorities

Vehicular movement

Air pollution Bottlenecks should be avoided for smooth flow of traffic. Plantation of pollutant adsorbing trees,

such as neem, mango etc.

Operation period

PIU, Road Authorities

PMU

66 Appendix 4

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PANITANKI/KAKARBITTA – FULBARI Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Regular maintenance of the road will be done to ensure good surface condition Parking space shall be provided at the

custom check posts to avoid decongestion and subsequent idling of vehicles. Ambient air quality monitoring should be

carried out during operation phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken.

Panitanki More

Rs. 0.015 million

Vehicular movement

Noise pollution Noise measurements should be carried out along the road to ensure the effectiveness of mitigation measures. According to monitoring results, use of

sound barriers / trees will be considered where warranted Signs for sensitive zones (health centers

/ educational institutions etc.) will be put up where horn should not be blown or traffic speed need to be regulated

Panitanki More Primary school: Km 19-20/ NH 31C Nursery School: Km 14-15/ NH31C Gurudwara: Km 562-Km 563/ NH31

Operation period

Rs. 0.009 million

PIU, Road Authorities

PMU

Plantation Flora and Fauna (key stone species)

Monitoring of survival of trees should be done at regular interval and suitable mitigation measures should be taken to protect the trees Efforts will be made for proper

maintenance of planted trees, shrubs and grasses to maintain greenery and aesthetics

Throughout Project Road

Operation Stage

Rs. 0.29 million

Forest Dept.

PIU, Road Authorities

Vehicular movement

Accidents involving hazardous materials

In case of spillage, the report to relevant departments will be made. Efforts will be made to clean the spills of

oil, toxic chemicals etc. as early as possible.

Throughout Project Road

Operation Stage

Engineering Cost

PIU, Road Authorities

PMU

Appendix 4

67

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR PANITANKI/KAKARBITTA – FULBARI Institutional

Responsibility Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

The lining of the road has to be checked periodically and improved to prevent seepage of canal water to the road

Siliguri Bypass (along Mahananda Canal)

Accident of straying wildlife

The elephant squad of Mahananda WLS shall be informed immediately of straying elephants who shall drive them back into forests. Appropriate road signs (As samples

provided in IEE shall be displayed at places generally taken by elephants) Restrictions as low noise, speed limit

and alertness on wildlife shall be displayed in the areas.

Along NH31C

0.010 million Engineering Cost

PIU, Road Authorities

PMU

Vehicular movement

Safety Traffic management plan will be developed, especially along congested locations Traffic control measures including speed

limits will be enforced strictly. Shock absorbers to be provided on

either side of the road in this stretch.

Throughout Project road Siliguri Bypass Road

Operation stage

Engineering Cost Engineering Cost

PIU PMU

68 Appendix 5

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR HASIMARA – JAIGAON/PHUENTSHOLING Inst’l. Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures

Ref. to Law & Contract Documents

1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2 Implement

ation Supervision

A. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PHASE SOIL Excavation of earth from borrow areas

Loss of topsoil Avoid agricultural for borrowing of materials, unless requested by the landowner for making water /fish ponds or for lowering the land for making it irrigable.

Borrow areas During construction

- Contractor DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Movement of vehicles in the construction site and along the haulage routes

Compaction of soil Construction vehicles, machinery and equipment will move, or be stationed in the designated ROW, to avoid unnecessary compaction of soil. Parking shall be strictly restricted to RoW

Throughout Project Corridor

During construction

- Contractor DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Movement, maintenance and fuelling of construction vehicles

Contamination of soil from fuel and lubricants

Construction vehicles and equipment will be maintained and refueled in such a fashion that oil/diesel spillage does not contaminate the soil. Fuel storage and refueling sites will be

kept away from drainage channels. Unusable debris shall be dumped in

nearest landfill sites. Waste oil shall be stored in containers

labeled ‘Waste Oil’ and ‘Hazardous’ sold off to MoEF authorized vendors

Hazardous Waste (Management & Handling) Rules

Throughout Project Road and borrow areas

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

A.1.1. Site clearing, preparation, etc.

Contamination of soil from construction wastes and quarry materials

Good engineering practices shall be followed to minimize waste generation All spoils will be disposed off as desired

and the site will be restored back to its original conditions before handing over. Non-bituminous wastes from construction

activities will be dumped in borrow pits and covered with a layer of the conserved topsoil. Bituminous wastes will be disposed off in an identified dumping site approved by the State Pollution Control Board

All construction sites Throughout the Project Roads

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

1 To be added once the contract documentation is under preparation 2 Actual costs for the subprojects are expected to be considerably lower as a contract package will contain several components and some of the mitigation measures activities will be carried out simultaneously for several subprojects.

Appendix 5 69

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR HASIMARA – JAIGAON/PHUENTSHOLING Inst’l. Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures

Ref. to Law & Contract Documents

1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2 Implement

ation Supervision

A.1.2. Excavation of earth, cutting operations, embanking

Soil Erosion Stone pitching and retaining walls will be made at high embankments in critical areas Turfing of low embankments and

plantation of grasses and shrubs will be done for slope protection. This will follow the recommended practice for treatment of embankment slopes for erosion control, In borrow pits the depth of the pit will be

regulated so that the sides of the excavation will have a slope no steeper than 1: 4 from the edge of the final section of bank. Wherever there are earth materials to be

cut for the road alignment, care will be taken in the rolling terrain, where the slope grades are more than 1.5 percent, to ensure that cut side of the earth is not absolutely vertical. It will have gentle slope while cutting. Soil erosion along the road shall be

visually checked as given in the environmental monitoring plan.

Indian Road Congress (IRC): 56-1974.

Throughout Project Road along Gobarjyoti stream,

During construction

Engineering Cost Engineering Cost Rs 0.016 million

Contractor DSC

PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB) PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Procurement of construction materials

Quarries and Borrow Areas

Aggregate required for road construction should be procured from quarries approved by WB Pollution Control Board. Air and noise emissions from quarry should be within the prescribed limit.

The Air (Prevention and Control) of Pollution Act and Rules, 1981

Quarries and borrow areas

During the Design Stage and construction phase

Engineering Cost

DSC PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Non-productive, barren lands, raised lands, riverbeds, waste lands have been recommended for borrowing earth materials; no productive land will be used for this purpose. To mitigate the adverse impact during

excavation of borrow pits, IRC:10-1961, guideline should be followed for excavation of earth from borrow areas.

70 Appendix 5

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR HASIMARA – JAIGAON/PHUENTSHOLING Inst’l. Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures

Ref. to Law & Contract Documents

1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2 Implement

ation Supervision

WATER Use of water for construction

Drainage and run-off

The contractor shall ensure that construction debris do not find their way into the minor drainage channels which may get clogged. To maintain the surface water

flow/drainage, proper mitigation measures will be taken along the road, like:

i. Drainage line will be constructed all along the project road.

ii. Good engineering and construction practiced should be followed

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Earthwork and stonework and other construction activities

Contamination of water due to construction waste

Construction work close to the streams or other water bodies will be avoided, during monsoon period. All necessary precautions will be taken to

construct temporary or permanent devices to prevent water pollution due to increased siltation and turbidity. Wastes must be collected, stored and

taken to approve disposal site.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor

DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Movement, maintenance and fuelling of construction vehicles

Contamination of water from fuel and lubricants

To avoid contamination from fuel and lubricants, the vehicles and equipment will be properly maintained and refueled. Oil and grease traps will be provided at

fuelling locations, to prevent contamination of water.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor

DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

The slopes of embankments leading to water bodies will be modified and screened so that contaminants do not enter the water body. Water quality will be monitored as

envisaged in the Environmental Monitoring Plan

River Gobarjyoti Rs 0.008 million

Contractor through approved Monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Appendix 5 71

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR HASIMARA – JAIGAON/PHUENTSHOLING Inst’l. Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures

Ref. to Law & Contract Documents

1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2 Implement

ation Supervision

Setting up of Construction Camps

Sanitation and waste disposal from construction camps

The construction camps will be located away from the habitations and water bodies. The sewage system for such camps will

be properly designed and built so that no water pollution takes place.

At Construction camp locations, if set up

During construction

Rs 0.025 million for maintenance of hygienic condition at construction camps, if constructed

Contractor DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Use of water for construction

Conflict with local water demand

The contractor will make arrangements for water required for construction in such a way that the water availability and supply to nearby communities remain unaffected. For construction purposes, water shall be

drawn from surface water bodies on priority after seeking permission from the relevant authorities.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering cost

Contractor DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

AIR Vehicular movement and running of machineries

Emission from construction vehicles and machinery

Roads should be designed in such a manner that there is no traffic congestion even in the populated areas. Road should be designed with good

geometry and roughness less than 4,000. All slopes and embankments will be

turfed as per best engineering practices to minimize the dust generation during operation of the road. All the machinery and plants will be

placed at the downwind direction with respect to human settlements. All vehicles, equipment and machinery

used for construction will be regularly maintained to ensure that the pollution emission levels conform to the standards prescribed in Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The hot mix plant, crushers and the

batching plants will be sited at least 1 km in the downwind direction from the nearest human settlement.

Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989

Construction sites During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

72 Appendix 5

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR HASIMARA – JAIGAON/PHUENTSHOLING Inst’l. Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures

Ref. to Law & Contract Documents

1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2 Implement

ation Supervision

Running of hot DG sets, mix plants, crushers, etc., transportation of raw materials, and other construction activities

Dust generation All precautions to reduce the level of dust emissions from the DG sets, hot mix plants, crushers and batching plants will be taken up. Asphalt and hot-mix plants will be located

at least 1 km away from inhabited areas along the road with the clearance from WB Pollution Control Board. The hot mix plant will be fitted with dust

extraction units. Water will be sprayed in the lime/cement

and earth mixing sites, asphalt mixing site and temporary service and access roads. After compacting, water will be sprayed

on the earthwork regularly to prevent dust. Vehicles delivering loose and fine

materials like sand and fine aggregates shall be covered to reduce spills on existing road. Mixing equipment will be well sealed and equipped as per existing standards. Ambient air quality monitoring should be

carried out during construction phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken.

The Air (Prevention and Control) of Pollution Act and Rules, 1981

Throughout Project Road Old Hasimara town, Jaigaon Market and Hot mix plant

During construction

Engineering Cost Rs 0.45 million

Contractor Contractor through approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB) DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

NOISE Running of construction machineries

Noise from vehicles, asphalt plants and equipment

The plants and equipment used for construction will strictly conform to MoEF noise standards. Vehicles and equipment used will be

fitted with silencer and maintained accordingly. Protection devices (ear plugs or ear

muffs) will be provided to the workers operating in the vicinity of high noise generating machines Noise barriers / dense trees will be

planted along the road.

Environmental (Protection) Rules, 1986 and Amendments made there under and State Factories Rules

At hot mix plant, batching plants & Construction sites: School: Km 2-3 Madrasa: Km 2-3

During the construction, till the closure of such sites

Contractor

DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Appendix 5 73

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR HASIMARA – JAIGAON/PHUENTSHOLING Inst’l. Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures

Ref. to Law & Contract Documents

1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2 Implement

ation Supervision

Noise measurements should be carried

out along the road to ensure the effectiveness of mitigation measures.

Old Hasimara town Dalsinghpura Tea Garden

Engineering Cost Rs 0.018 million

Contractor Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB) DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

FLORA AND FAUNA Site Clearing and preparation

Loss or damage to vegetation

All efforts during the design stage should be made to minimize the tree felling requirement Monitored tree felling along the road Compensatory plantation should be

started during construction phase parallel to the construction activities. Workers are to be strictly advised against

illegal felling of trees especially in the forest area.

Forest Conservation Act, 1980

Throughout Project Road Near Dalsinghpura Tea Garden.

During Design and construction phase

Rs 0.009 million Rs 0.24 million

Contractor Social Forestry Dept.

DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB) PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Construction Activity

Wildlife Disturbance

Constructional activities are strictly prohibited during night time (6.00PM to 10.00AM) Awareness shall be created amongst

workers to not venture into forests and harm any straying animals. The construction site and camp shall be

located nearby areas of road. Caution should be exercised that camps are no not located close to either of the Buxa Tiger Reserve and Jaldapara wildlife sanctuary, (At least 1 Km distance from these sanctuary should be ensured).

Within 500m of Dalsinghpura Tea Garden Near Dalsinghpura

During Construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor, DSC

PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

SAFETY AND ACCIDENT RISKS

Vehicular movement

Accidents Design Improvements at curves. Provision of proper safety signage. Setting up speed limits Proper lighting arrangements will be

made Appropriate signboards for ‘Work at

progress’ to be displayed.

Throughout Project Road, particularly near the settlements and sensitive locations (schools, health centers, etc)

During the Design Stage

Engineering cost

DSC PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

74 Appendix 5

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR HASIMARA – JAIGAON/PHUENTSHOLING Inst’l. Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures

Ref. to Law & Contract Documents

1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2 Implement

ation Supervision

Construction Activities

Accident risks To ensure safety in the temporary accesses during construction, lighting devices and safety signal devices will be installed. Traffic management will be done.

Adequate signage, barriers and persons with flags during construction to control traffic will be provided. Safety of workers undertaking various

operations during construction will be ensured by providing helmets, masks, safety goggles, etc. At every construction site, a readily

available first aid unit including an adequate supply of dressing materials, a mode of transport, nursing staff and an attending doctor will be provided. Road safety education will be imparted to

drivers running construction vehicles.

Throughout Project Road

During construction

Engineering cost

Contractor DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

B. OPERATION STAGE Runoff over steep slopes

Soil erosion Slopes and high embankment areas along the road shall be checked/ studied for soil erosion. In case soils erosion is found, suitable measures should be taken to control the soil erosion Maintenance of plants on the

embankment of River Gobarjyoti (for 5m on either side of the road)

Throughout Project roads Embankment of River Gobarjyoti

Operation period First year of Operation Period

Rs 0.101 million 0.010 million

PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB) PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

PMU PMU

Vehicular movement

Contamination from spills due to traffic and accidents

The spills at the accident sites will be cleared immediately and disposed off properly

Throughout Project roads

Operation period

PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

PMU

Vehicular movement

Dust Generation Roadside tree plantations will be done and maintained.

Throughout Project roads

Operation period

Already included in Design and Construction Stage

Social Forestry division

PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Appendix 5 75

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR HASIMARA – JAIGAON/PHUENTSHOLING Inst’l. Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures

Ref. to Law & Contract Documents

1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2 Implement

ation Supervision

Vehicular movement

Air pollution Bottlenecks should be avoided for smooth flow of traffic. Plantation of pollutant adsorbing trees,

such as neem, mango etc. Regular maintenance of the road will be

done to ensure good surface condition Parking space shall be provided at the

custom check posts to avoid decongestion and subsequent idling of vehicles. Ambient air quality monitoring should be

carried out during operation phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken.

Old Hasimara town and Jaigaon Market

Operation period

Rs 0.03 million

PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

PMU

Vehicular movement

Noise pollution Noise measurements should be carried out along the road to ensure the effectiveness of mitigation measures. According to monitoring results, use of

sound barriers / trees will be considered where warranted Signs for sensitive zones (health centers /

educational institutions etc.) will be put up where horn should not be blown or traffic speed need to be regulated

Old Hasimara town Dalsinghpura Tea Garden School: Km 2-3 Madrasa: Km 2-3

Operation period

Rs 0.018 million Engineering cost

PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

PMU

Plantation Flora and Fauna (key stone species)

Monitoring of survival of trees should be done at regular interval and suitable mitigation measures should be taken to protect the trees Efforts will be made for proper

maintenance of planted trees, shrubs and grasses to maintain greenery and aesthetics

Throughout Project Road

Operation Stage

Rs 0.018 million

Forest Dept.

PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Vehicular movement

Accidents involving hazardous materials

In case of spillage, the report to relevant departments will be made. Efforts will be made to clean the spills of

oil, toxic chemicals etc. as early as possible.

Throughout Project Road

Operation Stage

Engineering Cost

PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

PMU

76 Appendix 5

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR HASIMARA – JAIGAON/PHUENTSHOLING Inst’l. Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures

Ref. to Law & Contract Documents

1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2 Implement

ation Supervision

Accident of straying wildlife

The elephant squad of Buxa tiger reserve or Jaldhapra or Mahananda WLS shall be informed immediately of straying elephants in the road area. Appropriate road signs (As samples

provided in IEE shall be displayed at places generally taken by elephants Restrictions as low noise, speed limit and

alertness on wildlife shall be displayed in the areas.

In consultation with forest/ wildlife officers

0.02 million Engineering Cost

PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

PMU

Vehicular movement

Safety Traffic management plan will be developed, especially along congested locations Traffic control measures including speed

limits will be enforced strictly.

Throughout Project road

Operation stage

Engineering Cost

PIU PMU

Appendix 6 77

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR REHABILITATION OF BAHARAMPUR AND MALDAH BRIDGES Institutional

Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

A. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PHASE SOIL Waste Handling Contamination of soil Oil interceptors shall be provided at

the wash down and re-fueling areas. Vehicles shall be maintained

properly and refueled at designated areas only Oil and grease spill and oil soaked

materials are to be stored in containers labeled ‘Waste Oil’ and ‘hazardous’ and sold off to SPCB/ MoEF authorized vendors Demolition waste shall be used for

construction as far as possible. Soil erosion along the embankment

shall be visually checked as given in the environmental monitoring plan.

Hazardous Waste (Management & Handling) Rules

During Construction

Engineering Cost 0.03

Contractor DSC

DSC, PIU, PWD PIU

WATER Partial demolition/ Construction of the bridges

Contamination of water and disturbance to benthic life due to disposal of demolition/ construction debris

Demolition/ Construction of the bridge should be done during least flow in drain Good Engineering Practices shall

be followed to ensure that the debris do not find their way into the rivers underneath. Pre-fabrication technology may be

adopted for construction of the bridge.

Along the bridge

During demolition and construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU, PWD

1 To be added once the contract documentation is under preparation 2 Actual costs for the subprojects are expected to be considerably lower as a contract package will contain several components and some of the mitigation measures activities will be carried out simultaneously for several subprojects.

78 Appendix 6

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR REHABILITATION OF BAHARAMPUR AND MALDAH BRIDGES Institutional

Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Movement, maintenance and fuelling of construction vehicles

Contamination of water from fuel and lubricants

To avoid contamination from fuel and lubricants, the vehicles and equipments will be properly maintained and refueled. Oil and grease traps will be

provided at fuelling locations, to prevent contamination of water. Water quality will be monitored as

provided in the Environmental Monitoring Plan

Construction Site Fuelling stations Upstream and Downstream of the bridges on River Mahananda and River Bhagirathi.

During construction

Engineering Cost 0.064

Contractor Contractor through approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, PWD DSC, PIU

Use of water for construction

Conflict with local water demand

The contractor will make arrangements for water required for construction in such a way that the water availability and supply to nearby communities remain unaffected. For construction purpose water

shall be drawn from surface water bodies on priority.

Along the bridge

During construction

Engineering cost

Contractor DSC, PIU, PWD

AIR Demolition (partial) and Construction of Bridge

Air Pollution Regular maintenance of machinery to be carried out. Curtain should be provided around

the demolition site where feasible. Air quality monitoring should be

carried out.

Along the bridges (Bridges at Maldah and at Baharampur)

During construction

Engineering Cost 0.02

Contractor Contractor through approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, PWD DSC, PIU

Appendix 6 79

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR REHABILITATION OF BAHARAMPUR AND MALDAH BRIDGES Institutional

Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Procurement of construction materials form Quarries

Air emissions from Quarries

Aggregates required for bridge construction should be procured from quarries approved by WB Pollution Control Board. Air and noise emissions from quarry should be within the prescribed limit.

The Air (Prevention and Control) of Pollution Act and Rules, 1981

Quarries During the Design and construction phase

Engineering Cost

Design Consultant

PIU, PWD

Running of hot mix plants, crushers, etc., transportation of raw materials, and other construction activities

Dust generation All precautions to reduce the level of dust emissions from the hot mix plants, crushers and batching plants will be taken up. Only WB Pollution Control Board

approved hot-mix plants shall be used. Asphalt plants shall be located in a

downwind direction from the nearest settlements The hot mix plants will be fitted with

dust extraction units. Water will be sprayed in the

lime/cement and earth mixing sites, asphalt mixing site. Vehicles delivering loose and fine

materials like sand and fine aggregates shall be covered to reduce spills. Mixing equipment will be well sealed and equipped as per existing standards. Ambient air quality monitoring

should be carried out during construction phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken.

The Air (Prevention and Control) of Pollution Act and Rules, 1981

At the locations of hot mix plant, asphalt plant for Maldah and Baharampur bridges

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor through approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, PWD

NOISE Construction of Bridge

Noise pollution

Construction activities to be prohibited between 10PM and 6AM

Along the bridge

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU, PWD

80 Appendix 6

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR REHABILITATION OF BAHARAMPUR AND MALDAH BRIDGES Institutional

Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Running of construction machineries

Noise from vehicles, asphalt plants and equipment

The plants and equipment used for construction will strictly conform to MoEF noise standards.

Vehicles and equipments used will be fitted with silencer and maintained accordingly.

Protective devices (ear plugs or ear muffs) will be provided to the workers operating in the vicinity of high noise generating machines

Noise measurements should be carried out along the bridge to ensure the effectiveness of mitigation measures.

Environmental (Protection) Rules, 1986 and Amendments made there under and State Factories Rules

At hot mix plant, batching plants & Construction site

During the construction, till the closure of such sites

Contractor through approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, PWD

Partial demolition of existing bridge

Noise due to demolition

Construction machineries to be provided with silencers and limitation of construction time

Along the bridges

During demolition

Included in Engineering cost

Contractor DSC, PIU, PWD

Procurement of construction materials form Quarries

Air emission from Quarries

Aggregates required for construction should be procured from quarries approved by WB Pollution Control Board. Air and noise emissions from quarry should be within the prescribed limit.

The Air (Prevention and Control) of Pollution Act and Rules, 1981

Quarries During the Design and construction phase

Engineering Cost

Design Consultant

DSC, PIU, PWD

SAFETY AND ACCIDENT RISKS Vehicular movement

Accidents Provision of proper safety signage. Provision of proper lighting

arrangements Setting up speed limits

At the two ends of the bridges

During the Design Stage

Engineering Cost

Design Consultant

DSC, PIU, PWD

Appendix 6 81

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR REHABILITATION OF BAHARAMPUR AND MALDAH BRIDGES Institutional

Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Construction Activities

Accident risks To ensure safe construction in the temporary accesses during construction, lighting devices and safety signal devices will be installed. Traffic management will be done.

Adequate signage, barriers and persons with flags during construction to control traffic will be provided. Safety of workers undertaking

various operations during construction will be ensured by providing helmets, masks, safety goggles, etc. At the construction site, a readily

available first aid unit including an adequate supply of dressing materials, a mode of transport, nursing staff and an attending doctor will be provided. Traffic safety education will be

imparted to drivers running construction vehicles.

Access roads during construction At places of deflection of traffic Along the bridge The construction site

During construction

Engineering Cost

Contractor DSC, PIU, PWD

B. OPERATION STAGE Vehicular movement

Contamination from spills due to traffic and accidents

The spills at the accident sites will be cleared immediately and disposed off properly

Throughout the bridges

Operation period

PIU PMU

Vehicular movement

Air quality Regular maintenance of the bridges will be done to ensure good surface condition Ambient air quality monitoring

should be carried out during operation phase. If monitored parameters are above the prescribed limit, suitable control measures must be taken.

Bridge at Maldah and Bridge at Baharampur

Operation period

0.03

PIU PIU through approved monitoring agency

PMU

82 Appendix 6

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR REHABILITATION OF BAHARAMPUR AND MALDAH BRIDGES Institutional

Responsibility

Activities Environmental

Issue/ Component

Remedial Measures Reference To

Law and Contract

Documents1

Approximate Location

Timeframe

Mitigation Cost 2

Implementation

Supervision

Vehicular movement

Noise pollution Noise measurements should be carried out over the bridges to ensure the effectiveness of mitigation measures.

Bridge at Maldah and Bridge at Baharampur

Operation period

0.018 PIU through approved monitoring agency

PMU

Vehicular movement

Accidents involving hazardous materials

In case of spillage, the report to relevant departments will be made. Efforts will be made to clean the

spills of oil, toxic chemicals etc. as early as possible.

Bridge at Maldah And Bridge at Baharampur

Operation Stage

Engineering Cost

PIU, PWD

PMU

Vehicular movement

Safety Traffic control measures, as speed limits will be enforced strictly. Emergency Response Plan shall be

developed for accidents as vehicular or falling off the bridge.

Bridge at Maldah and Bridge at Baharampur

Operation stage

Engineering Cost

PIU PMU

Appendix 7 83

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN FOR BARASAT BYPASS Environmental

Component Project stage Parameter Standards Location Duration /

Frequency Cost

(Million Rs) Implementation Supervision

SPM, RSPM, SO2, NOx, CO, HC

National Ambient Quality Standards

All sites of Hot mix plant

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week, once every year for a week (summer)

Rs 0.015 million Considering 3 years of construction period

Contractor through a approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU Construction Phase

SPM, RSPM National Ambient Quality Standards

Construction sites near the major settlements (viz: Barasat – Doltara and Nalkura)

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week, twice every year for a week (winter and summer)

Rs 0.060 million Considering 3 years of construction period

Contractor through a approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU

Air

Operation Phase

SPM, RSPM, SO2, NOx, CO, HC

National Ambient Quality Standards

Barasat – Nalkura Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week for a week every sixth year of operation phase

Rs 0.015 million

PIU through an approved monitoring agency

PMU under EA

Construction Stage

pH, BOD, COD, TDS , TSS, DO, Oil & Grease and Pb

As Water quality standards (IS 10500)

Barasat – Suntikhal during the dry and rainy season .

Rs 0.008 million

Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU Water Quality

Operation Phase

pH, BOD, COD, TDS , TSS, DO, Oil & Grease and Pb

As Water quality standards (IS 10500)

Barasat – Suntikhal End of summer before the onset on monsoon for every ninth year of operation period

Rs 0.016 million

PIU through an approved monitoring agency

PMU under EA

Noise and Vibration

Construction Phase

Noise Level in dB (A)

As per National Noise standards

Monitoring at Barasat – Doltala and Nalkura, and Construction sites (1 nos.)

One day hourly measurement, once in six months

Rs 0.054 million Considering 3 years of construction period

Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU

84 Appendix 7

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN FOR BARASAT BYPASS Environmental

Component Project stage Parameter Standards Location Duration /

Frequency Cost

(Million Rs) Implementation Supervision

Operation Phase

Noise Level in dB (A)

As per National Noise standards

Monitoring at Barasat – Doltala and Nalkura

One day hourly measurement, During September – November, for every sixth year of operation phase

Rs 0.018 million

PIU through an approved monitoring agency

PMU under EA

Fly ash Quality Construction Phase

Heavy Metals and leachability tests

-- Source of fly ash Once before start of use of fly ash from a source

Part of engineering cost

Contractor PIU

Construction Phase

Visual check for Soil erosion

-- On slopes and high embankment

After first precipitation Rs 0.050 million

DSC PIU Soil Erosion

Operation Phase

Study of Soil erosion

-- On slopes and high embankment

Once during 3rd year of operation phase

Rs 0.12 million PIU through a competent organisation

PMU under EA

Construction Phase

Monitoring of trees felling

As laid out in the detailed design for project

Entire stretch of project road

During felling of trees Rs 0.010 million

Contractor DSC, PIU Road Side Plantation

Operation Phase

Survival rate of trees success of re-plantation

The survival rate should be at least 70% below which re-plantation shall be done.

Entire stretch of project road

Once during 3rd year of the operation phase

Rs 0.054 million

PIU in consultation with Social Forestry Department.

PMU under EA

Appendix 7 85

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN FOR RAIGANJ – DALKHOLA

Environmental

Component

Project stage Parameter Standards Location Duration / Frequency

Cost (Million Rs)

Implementation Supervision

SPM, RSPM, SO2, NOx, CO, HC

National Ambient Quality Standards

All sites of Hot mix plant

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week, once every year for a week (summer)

Rs. 0.030 million Considering 3 years of construction period

Contractor through a approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU Construction Phase

SPM, RSPM National Ambient Quality Standards

Construction sites near the major settlements (viz: Raigunj wildlife sanctuary and Karam dighi)

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week, twice every year for a week (winter and summer)

Rs. 0.060 million Considering 3 years of construction period

Contractor through a approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU

Air

Operation Phase

SPM, RSPM, SO2, NOx, CO, HC

National Ambient Quality Standards

Raigunj wildlife sanctuary

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week for a week every sixth year of operation phase

Rs. 0.015 million PIU through an approved monitoring agency

PMU under EA

Construction Stage

pH, BOD, COD, TDS , TSS, DO, Oil & Grease and Pb

As Water quality standards (IS 10500)

Kulik river Once during the dry season.

Rs. 0.008 million Contractor through a approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU Water Quality

Operation Phase

pH, BOD, COD, TDS , TSS, DO, Oil & Grease and Pb

As Water quality standards (IS 10500)

Kulik river End of summer before the onset on monsoon for every ninth year of operation period

Rs. 0.016 million PIU through an approved monitoring agency

PMU under EA

Construction Phase

Noise Level in dB (A)

As per National Noise standards

Raigunj wildlife sanctuary and karandighi And Construction sites (2 nos.)

One day hourly measurement, once in six months

Rs. 0.072 million Considering 3 years of construction period

Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU Noise and Vibration

Operation Phase

Noise Level in dB (A)

As per National Noise standards

Raigunj wildlife sanctuary and karandighi

One day hourly measurement, During September – November, for every sixth year of operation phase

Rs. 0.018 million PIU through an approved monitoring agency

PMU under EA

Soil Erosion Construction Phase

Visual check for Soil erosion

-- On slopes and high embankment

After first precipitation Rs. 0.100 million DSC PIU

86 Appendix 7

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN FOR RAIGANJ – DALKHOLA

Environmental

Component

Project stage Parameter Standards Location Duration / Frequency

Cost (Million Rs)

Implementation Supervision

Operation Phase

Study of Soil erosion

-- On slopes and high embankment

Once during operation of 3rd year

Raigunj – Rs. 0.275 million

PIU through a competent organisation

PMU under EA

Monitoring of trees felling

As laid out in the detailed design for project

Entire stretch of project road

During felling of trees Rs. 0.026 million Contractor DSC, PIU Construction Phase

Upkeep of fencing of the sanctuary area along the road

-- Km 406 to Km 407 (Raignaj Wild Life Sanctuary Area)

During felling of trees and road construction activity

Part of engineering costs

Contractor DSC, PIU

Road Side Plantation and wildlife

Operation Phase

Survival rate of trees success of re-plantation

The survival rate should be at least 70% below which re-plantation shall be done.

Entire stretch of project road

Every year for 3 years Rs. 0.150 million PIU in consultation with Social Forestry Department

PMU under EA

Appendix 7 87

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN FOR SEVOK – GANGTOK

Environmental Component

Project stage Parameter Standards Location Duration / Frequency

Cost (Million Rs)

Implementation Supervision

SPM, RSPM, SO2, NOx, CO, HC

National Ambient Quality Standards

All sites of Hot mix plant

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week, once every year for a week (summer)

Rs. 0.060 million (Considering 3 years of construction period)

Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU Construction Phase

SPM, RSPM National Ambient Quality Standards

Construction sites near the major settlements (viz: Gangtok city and Mahananda wildlife sanctuary)

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week, twice every year for a week (winter and summer)

Rs. 0.060 million (Considering 3 years of construction period)

Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU

Air

Operation Phase

SPM, RSPM, SO2, NOx, CO, HC

National Ambient Quality Standards

Gangtok city and Mahananda wildlife sanctuary

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week for a week every sixth year of operation phase

Rs. 0.030 million

PIU through an approved monitoring agency

PMU under EA

Construction Stage

pH, BOD, COD, TDS , TSS, DO, Oil & Grease and Pb

As Water quality standards (IS 10500)

Tista river (Kalishora, Rangpo and Singtan) and Rangni Chuk (Lukhbir, sinking zone at chainage 76.0 km and Lepcha Jhora

Once during the dry season.

Rs. 0.048 million

Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU Water Quality

Operation Phase

pH, BOD, COD, TDS , TSS, DO, Oil & Grease and Pb

As Water quality standards (IS 10500)

Tista river (Kalishora, Rangpo and Singtan) and Rangni Chuk (Lukhbir, sinking zone at chainage 76.0 km and Lepcha Jhora

End of summer before the onset on monsoon for every ninth year of operation period

Rs. 0.096 million

PIU through an approved monitoring agency

PMU under EA

88 Appendix 7

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN FOR SEVOK – GANGTOK

Environmental Component

Project stage Parameter Standards Location Duration / Frequency

Cost (Million Rs)

Implementation Supervision

Potential source of ground water (as part of hydrology study)

Construction Stage

Ground Water sources or aquifer assessment following Standard hydro geological assessment practices

-- Entire stretch (potential locations requiring blasting)

Before start of blasting

Part of engineering costs.

PIU through Contractor

PMU under EA

Construction Phase

Noise Level in dB (A)

As per National Noise standards

Gangtok city and Mahananda wildlife sanctuary And Construction sites (4 nos.)

One day hourly measurement, once in six months

Rs. 0.108 million (Considering 3 years of construction period)

Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, Engineer, PWD - road

Noise and Vibration

Operation Phase

Noise Level in dB (A)

As per National Noise standards

Gangtok city and Mahananda

One day hourly measurement, During September – November, for every sixth year of operation phase

Rs. 0.018 million

PIU through an approved monitoring agency

PMU under EA

Construction Phase

Visual check for Soil erosion

-- On slopes and high embankment

After first precipitation Rs. 0.184 million

DSC PIU Soil Erosion

Operation Phase

Study of Soil erosion

-- On slopes and high embankment

Once during operation of 3rd year

Rs. 0.506 million

PIU through a competent agency

PMU under EA

Construction Phase

Monitoring of trees felling

As laid out in the detailed design for project

Entire stretch of project road

During felling of trees Rs. 0.045 million

Contractor DSC, PIU Road Side Plantation and wildlife

Operation Phase

Survival rate of trees success of re-plantation

The survival rate should be at least 70% below which re-plantation shall be done.

Entire stretch of project road

Every year for 3 years Rs. 0.276 million

PIU in consultation with Social Forestry Department

PMU under EA

Appendix 7 89

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN FOR PANITANKI/KAKARBHITTA – FULBARI

Environmental Component

Project stage Parameter Standards Location Duration / Frequency

Cost (Million Rs)

Implementation Supervision

SPM, RSPM, SO2, NOx, CO, HC

National Ambient Quality Standards

Location of Hot Mix Plant and one construction site

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week, once every year for a week (summer)

0.03 (considering 3

years of construction

period)

Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, Road Authorities

Construction Phase

SPM, RSPM National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Panitanki More

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week, for a week once every year (summer)

0.015 (considering 3

years of construction

period)

Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, Road Authorities

Air

Operation Phase

SPM, RSPM, SO2, NOx, CO, HC

National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Panitanki More

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week once in year for a week for first 3 years of operation

0.015 PIU, Road Authorities

PMU

Construction Stage

pH, BOD, COD, TDS , TSS, DO, Oil & Grease and Pb

Primary Water Quality Criteria

Mahananda Canal

Once during the dry season.

0.024 Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, Road Authorities

Water Quality

Operation Phase

pH, BOD, COD, TDS , TSS, DO, Oil & Grease and Pb

Primary Water Quality Criteria

Mahananda Canal

Once before the onset on monsoon every year for first 3 years of operation.

0.024 PIU, Road Authorities

PMU

Construction Phase

Noise Level in dB (A)

As per National Ambient Noise standards

Panitanki More

One day hourly measurement, once in year during the construction period

0.009 (considering 3

years of construction)

Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, Road Authorities

Noise and Vibration

Operation Phase

Noise Level in dB (A)

As per National Ambient Noise standards

Panitanki More

One-day hourly measurement, once in year for the first 3 years of operation period.

0.009 PIU, Road Authorities

PMU

90 Appendix 7 ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN FOR PANITANKI/KAKARBHITTA – FULBARI

Environmental Component

Project stage Parameter Standards Location Duration / Frequency

Cost (Million Rs)

Implementation Supervision

Construction Phase

Visual check for Soil erosion

-- On slopes and high embankment

After precipitation 0.020 DSC PIU, Road Authorities

Soil Erosion

Operation Phase

Study of Soil erosion

-- On slopes and high embankment

Once during 3rd year of operation

0.080 PIU PMU

Construction Phase

Monitoring of tree felling

As laid out in the detailed design for project

Entire stretch of project road

During felling of trees Rs 0.026

Social Forestry Division.

PIU, Road Authorities

Road Side Plantation

Operation Phase

Survival rate of trees success of re-plantation

The survival rate should be at least 75% below which re-plantation shall be done.

Entire stretch of project road

Once during the 3rd year

Rs 0.053 Social Forestry Division.

PIU, Road Authorities

Appendix 7 91

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN FOR HASIMARA- JAIGOAN/PHUENTSHOLING

Environmental Component

Project stage Parameter Standards Location Duration / Frequency

Cost (Million Rs)

Implementation Supervision

SPM, RSPM, SO2, NOx, CO, HC

National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Location of Hot Mix Plant

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week, once every year for a week (summer)

0.015 (considering 3

years of construction

period)

Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Construction Phase

SPM, RSPM National Ambient Quality Standards

Old Hasimara town and Jaigaon Market

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week, for a week once every year (summer)

0.03 (considering 3

years of construction

period)

Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Air

Operation Phase

SPM, RSPM, SO2, NOx, CO, HC

National Ambient Quality Standards

Old Hasimara town and Jaigaon Market

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week once in year for a week for first 3 years of operation

0.03 PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

PMU

Water Quality Construction Stage

pH, BOD, COD, TDS , TSS, DO, Oil & Grease and Pb

Primary Water Quality Criteria

River Gobarjyoti Once during the dry season after construction in the stretch.

0.008 Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Construction Phase

Noise Level in dB (A)

As per National Ambient Noise standards

Old Hasimara Town Dalsinghpura Tea garden

One day hourly measurement, once in year during the construction period

0.018 (considering 3

years of construction)

Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Noise and Vibration

Operation Phase

Noise Level in dB (A)

As per National Ambient Noise standards

Old Hasimara Town Dalsinghpura Tea garden

One-day hourly measurement, once in year for the first 3 years of operation

period.

0.018 PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

PMU

Soil Erosion Construction Phase

Visual check for Soil erosion

-- On slopes and high embankment

After precipitation 0.016 DSC PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

92 Appendix 7 ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN FOR HASIMARA- JAIGOAN/PHUENTSHOLING

Environmental Component

Project stage Parameter Standards Location Duration / Frequency

Cost (Million Rs)

Implementation Supervision

Plantation and maintenance of plants on the embankments of rivers

Gobarjyoti jhora After 3 years from work on the jhora area

0.010 Contractor PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Operation Phase

Study of Soil erosion

--

On slopes and high embankment

Once during 3rd year of operation

0.101 PIU PMU

Construction Phase

Monitoring of tree felling

As laid out in the detailed design for project

Entire stretch of project road

During felling of trees 0.009

Social Forestry Division.

PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Road Side Plantation

Operation Phase

Survival rate of trees success of re-plantation

The survival rate should be at least 75% below which re-plantation shall be done.

Entire stretch of project road

Once during the 3rd year

0.018 Social Forestry Division.

PIU, BRO/ PWD (WB)

Appendix 7 93

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN FOR BAHARAMPUR AND MALDAH BRIDGES

Environmental Component

Project stage Parameter Standards Location Duration / Frequency

Cost (Million Rs)

Implementation Supervision

Construction Stage

SPM, RSPM National Ambient Air Quality Standards

At Maldah and Baharampur bridges

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week twice for a week during Construction Phase

0.02 Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, PWD

Air Quality

Operation Phase

SPM, RSPM, SO2, NOx, CO, HC

National Ambient Air Quality Standards

At Maldah and Baharampur bridges

Continuous 24-hourly, twice a week, once a year for a week during the first three years

0.03 PIU, PWD PMU

Water Quality Construction Stage

TSS, Turbidity, BOD, DO, COD, pH, Oil and grease, Pb, Cr

Primary Water Quality Criteria (Category C)

Upstream and down stream of the bridges on River Mahananda and Baharampur

Twice during construction period.

0.064 Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, PWD.

Construction Stage

Noise Level in dB (A)

As per National Ambient Noise standards

At Maldah and Baharampur bridges

One day hourly measurement, twice during construction phase

0.012 Contractor through an approved monitoring agency

DSC, PIU, PWD

Noise

Operation Phase

Noise Level in dB (A)

As per National Ambient Noise standards

At Maldah and Baharampur bridges

One day hourly measurement, Once in a year for the first three years

0.018 PIU, PWD PMU

Soil Construction Phase

Visual check for Soil erosion

-- Embankments along river in the study area

After precipitation 0.030 DSC PIU, PWD