Lok Sabha Question No. 696 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-07
Subject: Environment/Social Impact Assessment of National Inland Waterway-1
Ministry: SHIPPING
Asked by: JAGDAMBIKA PAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SHIPPING

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 696 TO BE ANSWERED  ON 7IH FEBRUARY,  2019

## ENVIRONMENT/ SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT  OF NATIONAL INLAND WATERWAY-1

## 696. SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

Will the Minister of SHIPPING be pleased to state:

## da  qlr.cra  i*

- (a)  whether  an environment  clearance was obtained for the National lnland WateMay No.1 and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons  therefor;
- (b)  whether a social and an Environment  lmpact Assessment  of the proposed project was conducted and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (c)  the details of negative impacts of the said prolect on the ecology  of Ganga river or the local human population inhabiting the surrounding area, if any?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY  OF SHIPPING (sHRr PON RADHAKRTSHNAN)

(a) to (c): The Jal Marg Vikas  project  (JMVP)  is being implemented for augmentation  of navigation capacity  on the Haldia  -  Varanasi  stretch of National waterway-1 on GangaBhagirathi-Hooghly  River System with technical and financial support of the World Bank. The Ministry of Environment, Forests & climate change (MoEF&cc)  has concurred with the decision that as per  extant legal position,  no prior Environment  Clearance  (EC) is required  for maintenance dredging in navigational channel for lnland  Waterways  inclucling dredging under JMVP. The clea ra nces/approva  ls and details of public consultation  under JMVp are at Annex.

To safeguard lhe environment  and ecology, lnland Waterways Authority of lndia (lWAl) has undertaken  Detailed  Environment  Assessment  (EA) for JMVP through renowned consultants as per requirement  under the World Bank operational  policies.  As part of the EA, extensive  consultations  with stakeholders  (including Locals and Civil Society Organisations) were carried out by the consultanls  in June, July, September, october and November  of 2015 and in February,2016 along the project Corridor. Additionally,  the draft cumulative  lmpact Assessment Report;  the Consolidated  Environmental  lmpact Assessment Report containing the Environment Management Plans (EMps) for maintenance dredging, barge operations,  the

Farakka Navigational Lock, the multimodal  terminals  at Sahibganj,  Varanasi and Haldia, the Executive  Summary, and the Consolidated  Social lmpact Assessment-cum-Resettlement Action Plan were  published  on the lnland Waterways  Authority  of lndia (lWAl) website in May, 20'16 for information  and comments  from the public. These reports were finalised on the basis of comments received from the public and the World Bank.

The National  Board for Wildlife (NBWL), MoEF&CC accorded permission for movement and plying  of inland vessets through the Turtle Wildlife Sanctuary,  Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh  on 12rh June 2017 as no dredging is proposed  in the wildlife  sanctuary areas such as Vikramashila Gangetic  Dolphin Sanctuary, Bhagalpur and Kashi Turtle Sanctuary, Varanasi.

lwAl commissioned  a consultancy  in December,2017  lo carry out a special study on the effect of navigational activities  on the Gangetic Dolphin.  The scope of the study on 'Effect  of Navigational Activities on Dolphin in the NW- 1 ' was finalized  in a brain-storming session held on 14th October,  2016 at lWAl, Noida with the subject experts from Patna University, Titka Manlhi Bhagalpur  University,  Wildlife  lnstitute of lndia, National  Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and also in consultation with the World Bank.

Under the JMVP, a Consultant  has been engaged by the lWAl for identification of Risk Assessment  (RA) and preparation of Disaster Management Plan (DMP) for National Waterway-1. The objective  of consultancy service is to assess the risk associated  with ongoing and proposed  cargo and passenger  movement and other navigational activities including  maintaining  fairway through NW-1 and identifying  abetment measures towards developing  a proposal for integration of IWT related disasters into existing  District  Disaster Management Plan (DDMP).

(JMVP):

## Clearances  and approvals received

- . Wildlife clearance  for the movement of vessels through  Kashi Turtle Wildlife Sanctuary, Varanasi:  The National Board  for Wildlife (NBWL), MoEF&CC  recommended  for movement and plying of inland vessels  through the Turtle Wildlife  Sanctuary,  Dislrict  Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh vide letter dated 12rh June, 2017 of UP State Board  for Wildlife.
- . Oil Spill Disaster Contingency  Plan approved  by lndian Coast Guard, Haldia on 22nd December  20'16.
- . CRZ Clearance for the Multimodal Terminal at Haldia:  The MoEF&CC granted  the CRZ clearance for Multimodal Terminal at Haldia  on 6th November 2017.
- . National Ganga River Basin Authority  (NGRBA) examined  and supported the proposal for construction of New Navigational Lock at Farakka on 28.02.2016
- . ln addition,  a Project Oversight  Committee  (POC) is constituted  to provide critical guidance and evaluation  of the project. Representatives  of the States, through which NW-'1 passes, are included in this Committee to facilitate closer interaction,  sharing and dissemination  of views on issues that may concern the respective  State Governments.  The Committee comprises  of senior represenlatives of lWAl, Central Water Commission and concerned State Governments of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. The Committee is expected  to meet once in three months at lWAl, Noida or in the capital or project sites of any of the four States.
- . The ICAR-Central  lnland Fisheries  Research  lnstitute (ICAR-ClFRl), Barrackpore had carried  out a special  study on the 'lmpact assessment  of coal transportation  through barges along the National Waterway-1  (Sagar to Farakka) along river Ganga. The study revealed no significant changes in water quality parameters.

## Public consultations

Detailed Environmental  Assessmenl  (EA) has been undertaken lbr all the proposed components  to identify the environmental  issues associated  with the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP). The Environmental  lmpact Assessment was carried  out in line lvith the World Bank Operational Policies, IFC Guidelines and MoEF&CC Guidelines

The environmental  assessments were carried out in substantial consultation with stakeholders,  to ensure that the environmental  assessment and other compliance requirements  are in alignment with the policies and procedures as specified by the Government of lndia and the World Bank Group safeguard  policies.

Stakeholder's  view and perception  was assessed  through informal and formal public consultation  meetings.  The different stakeholder's  viz. government  officials, NGOs, village panchayats (village administration),  people (male, female)  were contacted  and consulted during the course of the study. Stakeholders were informed about the project components  and likely  environmental  impacts before seeking their views. ln each consultation,  all efforts were made to have adequate  participation  from women  as well. Consultations  have been carried

out for the project in two stages. First stage consultation was undertaken during  impact assessment  process  to identify the concerns  of people, which were duly addressed  through appropriate  mitigation meaSures.  Second Stage consultation waS undertaken after preparation of EIA report to assess the adequacy  and acceptability  of the proposed  mitigation measures and management  plan.

## Period  of Public Consultation

Haldia Terminal.

SePtember, 2015

Farakka Lock:

June, 2015

Sah ibganj  Terminal:

Varanasi Terminal:

Buxar Area.

Patna:

July-November,  201 5

Octobe  r-N ovember, 2015

February, 2016

February, 2016

The draft ESIA reports (the clA, the consolidated EA containing the EMPs for maintenance dredging and barge operations; the stand-alone  EMPs for Farakka  Lock, Sahibganj,  Varanasi and Haldia Terminals, and the Executive  Summary, and consolidated Social  lmpact Assessment cum Resettlement  Action Plan) were disclosed on the lWAl website in May, 2016.

Based on the comments  from stakeholders,  the EIA reports were revised in September, 2016. These revised versions of the ESIA reports are uploaded  on lwAl website in December, 2016.

An executive  summary  of consolidated  EA report is available  for public scrutiny in local language  (Hindi and Bengali) versions  at lwAl website. EIA report for entire Jal Marg Vikas Project  and its executive  summary  is also disclosed  at lwAl website and as per provisions of World Bank disclosure  policies.

Any new investments  in future that an EIA reports will also follow the World Bank for disclosure. require  use of a safeguard instrument such as operational  policies for public consultation  and public  consultations ensured involvement  of public, NGO, experts in the  project's pre-planning  stage itself and addresses  of their concerns  and expectations  from the  project' The community members,  government  officials and NGO members opined that the proposed project would contribute  to social and economic  development  of the region. The  proposed pro.iect would  contribute to increased  employment opportunities  for the local people  during and after pro.iect implementation. The communities welcomed the project and all were in favour of the project. However,  some of the fishermen  and land holders have raised some concerns  about the fishing activities/yie  ld and the compensation  to be given. Major issues highlighted  during consultations  were adequate compensation  against the land, loss of livelihood,  provision  of alternate  employment,  river water  pollution.  fish yield and disruption of fishing  activities. Each of the issues raised  by stakeholders  was analysed  for practical and scientific basis, and for developing an appropriate mitigation, management and monitoring plan, depending on its importance and practicality

*r<***