Environmental Safeguard Monitoring Report€¦ · Semi-annual Report (October to December 2018)...

Environmental Safeguard Monitoring Report

Project No. 50161-003 Quarterly Report June 2019

Bangladesh: Rupsha 800 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant Project

Prepared by the North-West Power Generation Co., Ltd for the Asian Development Bank.

This environmental safeguard monitoring report is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area.

This environmental safeguard monitoring report is a document of the borrower and made publicly

available in accordance with ADB’s Public Communications Policy 2011 and the Safeguard Policy

Statement 2009. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB’s Board of

Directors, Management, or staff.

Semi-annual Environmental Monitoring Report

Semi-annual Report (October to December 2018)

June 2019

Ban: Rupsha 800 MW Combined Cycle

Power Plant Project

Prepared by the North-West Power Generation Co., Ltd for the Asian Development Bank

Rupsha 800MW Combined Cycle Power Plant Project Semi-annual Environmental Monitoring Report

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ADB - Asian Development Bank

BAPEX - Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited

BIDC - Bangladesh Industrial Development Corporation

BPCL - Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation Limited

BR - Bangladesh Railway

CCPP - Combined Cycle Power Plant

CGS - City Gas Station

DOE - Department of Environment

ECR - Environmental Conservation Rules

EPCC - Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Commissioning

Contractor

FRSU - Floating Storage Regasification Unit

GRC - Grievance Redress Committee

GRM - Grievance Redressal Mechanism

HRSG - Heat Recovery Steam Generator

HSD - High Speed Diesel

IFC - International Finance Corporation

IOL - Inventory of Losses Survey

KDA - Khulna Development Authority

KNM - Khulna Newsprint Mill

KV - kilovolt

LA - Loan Agreement

MMSCFD - million standard cubic feet per day

ND - nominal diameter

NWPGCL - North-West Power Generation Co., Ltd

RHD - Roads and Highways Department

R-LNG - Regasified-Liquefied Natural Gas

RMS - Receiving and Metering Station

WB - World Bank

WHO - World Health Organization


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Brief Project Description 1

1.1.1 Component 1: Rupsha 800 MW CCPP 2

1.1.2 Component 2: Gas Supply to the Power Plant 2

1.1.3 Component 3: Power Transmission Interconnection 3

1.1.4 Component 4: Capacity Strengthening of NWPGCL 8

1.2 Nature and Size of the Project 8

1.2.1 Natural Gas (Primary Fuel) 8

1.2.2 HSD (Secondary Fuel) 9

1.3 Project Progress Status and Implementation Schedule 9

2.0 Compliance to National Regulations 11

2.1 National Applicable Policies and Legal Provision (Including

Environmental Conservation Rules 1997) 11

2.2 Applicable Environmental Standards both National and

International 11

2.2.1 Ambient Air Quality 11

2.2.2 Ground Water Quality 12

2.2.3 Surface Water Quality 14

2.2.4 Noise Level 14

3.0 Compliance to Environmental Covenants from the ADB Loan

Agreement 16

3.1 Schedule 5 Environment 16

4.0 Compliance to Environmental Management Plan 20

5.0 Safeguards Monitoring Results and Unanticipated Impacts 20

6.0 Implementation of Grievance Redress Mechanism and Complaints

Received from Stakeholders 20

6.1 Grievance Redressal Mechanism 20

6.2 Status of Implementation of the GRM 24

7.0 Conclusion and Recommendations 24


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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Layout Plan of Component 1 (800 MW CCPP) 5

Figure 2: Layout Plan of Component 2 (12 Km Natural Gas Pipeline) 6

Figure 3: Layout Plan of Component 3 (29.3 Km Transmission Line) 7

Figure 4: Flowchart of Complain / Grievance Procedure 22

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Status of Implementation of the Project 10

Table 2: National and International Legal Provisions Applicable To The

Rupsha 800 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant (Khalishpur,

Khulna) For Ensuring Environmental Protection 11

Table 3: Ambient Air Quality Standards/ Guidelines 12

Table 4: Bangladesh Standards for Drinking Water 13

Table 5: Bangladesh Standard for Inland Surface Water 14

Table 6: Noise Level Standards/ Guidelines 15

Table 7: Members of the Grievance Redress Committee (GRC) 24


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Executive Summary

During the period of October to December 2018, there is no physical activities at the project

site for all three (3) components namely (1): 800 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant; (2) Natural Gas

Pipeline (12 km) and (3) Transmission Line (29.3 km). The Engineering, Procurement, Construction

and Commissioning (EPCC) Contractor is yet to be appointed and therefore, the Environmental

Management Plan (EMP) whom the EPCC is contractually obliged to prepare is yet to be made

available. In this report, the relevant criteria for environmental compliance are identified. However,

since there is no physical activities at the project site (all three components), no monitoring activities

are conducted.


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1.0 Introduction

Rupsha 800 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP) is developed to fulfil the

electricity demand for the country, as well as improving the power system reliability and

reducing load shedding. This will create a conducive environmental for attracting investors for

development of industries in the country. The project will be developed by North-West Power

Generation Co., Ltd (NWPGCL).

The project site is a developed but abandoned government industrial land of 50 acres

earlier belonging to Khulna Newsprint Mill (KNM) Limited. It is geographically located at around

22°51’11.32’’N latitude and 89°32’56.00’’E longitude on the eastern bank of the Bhairab River

and on the western side of Bangladesh Industrial Development Corporation (BIDC) Road. The

site is located at Khalishpur Upazila of Khulna District.

The objective of this report is to present the status of the environmental compliance of

the proposed Project. This report outlines the following:-

a) Identification of all project components included in the environmental compliance

reporting;

b) Reporting of the project progress and implementation up to the date of reporting;

c) Identification of criteria for environmental compliance;

d) Identification of criteria for compliance to ADB Loan Agreement and compliance status

to respective clauses;

e) Identification of all related environmental components to be managed and monitored

with through the Environmental Management Plan;

f) Reporting of the environmental monitoring results and recommendations for mitigation

measures in the event of breach of respective regulatory limits for a particular

environmental component;

g) Reporting on the status of implementation of Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM)

and complaints received from stakeholders.

1.1 Brief Project Description

The project targets to strengthen the energy security in Bangladesh. The country faces

serious electricity shortages in the short- to medium-term and needs to secure cost-effective,

new and diversified energy sources.

Key interrelated project components includes the following:-


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a) Development and operation of the Rupsha 800 MW gas-fired CCPP;

b) Construction of a gas distribution pipeline and related network infrastructure ensuring

reliable supply of fuel to the CCPP;

c) Construction of a power transmission interconnection facility to transfer the generated

power to the national grid at the existing substation in Khulna; and

d) Capacity strengthening of NWPGCL.

The project will establish the first power plant to use gas from the Bangladesh gas

transmission network in the southwestern region where its gas supply would be attributed to

the imported regasified-liquefied natural gas (R-LNG). The gas transmission and distribution

pipeline network in the southwestern region particularly Khulna is part of the project funded by

ADB, Loan2622/2633-BAN: Natural Access Improvement Project (formerly Clean Fuel

Development Project) approved on 26 March 2010 with a total amount of $537 million. Part of

the inland gas transmission pipeline network from Moheskhali FSRU is ADB funded Loan

3641/3642-BAN: Natural Gas Infrastructure and Efficiency Improvement Project approved on

18 November 2016 with a total amount of $227 million.

1.1.1 Component 1: Rupsha 800 MW CCPP

Rupsha 800 MW CCPP will be built in the (now abandoned) Khulna newsprint factory

premises. The power plant will use combined cycle gas turbine technology, comprising two

identical generating units, each nominally rated at 400 MW. Each combined cycle unit will

consist of one gas turbine and one heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), forming a one-on-

one configuration. At full capacity of 800 MW, the Rupsha power plant is capable of meeting

5% of the forecast peak demand of Bangladesh in year 2022. The cooling system will be

closed-loop forced-draught cooling tower system that will require 2,010 m3/hour of water to be

taken from the Bhairab River.

The layout of Component 1 is shown in Figure 1.

1.1.2 Component 2: Gas Supply to the Power Plant

Petro Bangla, the national gas utility and the single-buyer for the gas industry, will

procure LNG from international sources and deliver re-gasified LNG to Khulna City Gas Station

(CGS). The regional gas distribution company, Sundarbans Gas Company Limited (SGCL)

will deliver gas from the existing Khulna CGS in Arongghata to the Rupsha power plant in

Khalishpur. A new 24-inch (0.6 m) underground gas pipeline about 10 km long will be installed

from Khulna CGS to the Rupsha 800 MW power plant. The gas regulating and metering station


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(RMS) will be located at the Rupsha power plant. In addition, a new 20-inch (0.5 m)

underground gas pipeline 2 km long will be branched off from the line from Khulna CGS to

Rupsha power plant, to serve NWPGCL’s existing Khulna 225 MW power plant.

Owing to non-availability of gas, this 225 MW power plant is presently operating on

diesel. The following sources from imported regasified liquefied natural gas (R-LNG) and

domestic supply will provide adequate supply of natural gas for Component 1.

i) FSRU Moheskhali - 500 MMSCFD of R-LNG will be made available by April

2018 developed by Accelerate Energy, USA-Bangladesh

ii) Summit LNG Terminal Company Limited – 500 MMSCFD R-LNG will be made

available by October 2018

iii) GoB and RasGas (Qatar) has signed a deal in September 2017 for a 15-year

LNG sales and purchase agreement to supply 1.8 million (M) tons LNG/year for

5 years and 2.5 M tons/year for the next 10 years

iv) According to Petro Bangla, there will be additional supply (domestic) of 2,750

MMSCFD

v) By 2021, Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited

(BAPEX) will have 55 exploration wells and 31 development wells

The natural gas produced in Bangladesh is “sweet gas” (does not contain hydrogen

Sulphide) and thus, all the existing natural gas transmission and distribution pipeline networks

are designed for high quality natural gas.


1.1.3 Component 3: Power Transmission Interconnection

Electricity generated in the Rupsha power plant will be stepped-up to the transmission

voltage of 230 kilovolts (KV). A new 29.3 km transmission line will be built from Rupsha 800

MW CCPP to the existing Khulna South Substation. The conductor to be used is twin-

Aluminium Conductor Composite Core Hamburg, 8 and the line will have two circuits, each

capable of transferring 1,400 MW. The new transmission line will require three main river

crossings and three minor river crossings, and would traverse for 29.3 km, mostly through rice

fields. Upon reaching the existing Khulna South SS, the line will be terminated at two new line

bays and termination equipment to be installed under the project. Thereafter, electricity

produced at Rupsha power plant will flow into the 230 KV transmission network, to serve the

electricity demand in Khulna and elsewhere in the country. 10. Occupying an area of 12.96

acres, the Khulna South SS is part of the West Zone Power System Development Project


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funded by ADB and the Nordic Development Fund and was commissioned on 29 January

2007. The 4.7 km stringing is part of the 24-km four circuit 230 KV Mongla to Khulna South

SS transmission line project of the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) funded by

GoB. The 230 KV transmission line from Mongla to Khulna South SS has completed the

requirements of the Environmental Conservation Rules (ECR) 1997 of the Department of

Environment (DoE) for red category project. Together, these transmission lines form part of

the power evacuation interconnection facilities in southwestern Bangladesh.



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Figure 1: Layout Plan of Component 1 (800 MW CCPP)


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Figure 2: Layout Plan of Component 2 (12 Km Natural Gas Pipeline)

10 Km Pipeline from Aronghata

CGS to Rupsha 800 MW CCPP

2-Km Branch Off Line to Existing

Khulna 225 CCPP


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Figure 3: Layout Plan of Component 3 (29.3 Km Transmission Line)


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1.1.4 Component 4: Capacity Strengthening of NWPGCL

Strengthening institutional capacity has the following three major subcomponents:

i) Improving project implementation, management, and construction supervision

capabilities;

ii) Establishing enterprise resource planning system in NWPGCL; and

iii) Enhancing operation and maintenance practices through procurement and

installation of modern and high technology universal power plant operations

training simulator.

Project management and construction supervision support will be provided for the

development of Rupsha power plant. Enterprise resource planning system support includes

both hardware and software for introducing computerized management system for NWPGCL.

The enterprise resource planning system will substantially improve business process and

NWPGCL’s efficiency and transparency by computerizing the Financial Accounting, Budgeting

and Costing, Human Resource Management, Procurement Inventory, Planning and

Monitoring, Operations and Maintenance and Project Management and Accounting.

1.2 Nature and Size of the Project

The proposed project is a dual-fired combined cycle power plant (CCPP) that will use

natural gas as primary fuel with HSD as back-up. There will two units of 400 MW each

(2x400MW) with built-in low NOx emission control technology and closed-loop forced- draft

cooling tower system. Natural gas will be supplied by SGCL from the Khulna CGS through a

10 km, 24-inch gas distribution pipeline while HSD will be supplied by Bangladesh Petroleum

Corporation Limited (BPCL) from Daulathpur, Khulna. The net power generation capacity of

the proposed CCPP will be 767.84 MW in gas and 648.34 MW in HSD. If operated as simple

cycle power plant, the net power generation using natural gas will be 512 MW and 432 MW

with HSD.

1.2.1 Natural Gas (Primary Fuel)

The high-pressure gas transmission system already constructed. Approximately 1.5

km considering the source point of 24” ND pipeline and as per design to be operated at an

average of 600 psi with maximum operating pressure of 1000 psig and at worst condition

operating pressure will be 200 psig. This pipeline will be connected with source at one end at

the Connection Point and the other end will terminate at the inlet of the RMS. The pipeline will

be constructed on a strip of land of 8 m width (which is being used by NWPGCL as well for its


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gas pipeline) and is marked as required by the Gas Safety Rules, 1991, as amended up to

2003.

1.2.2 HSD (Secondary Fuel)

Use of HSD as fuel for power generation in the project will be only in case of

interruption in natural gas supply. This will be a back-up fuel for the project. As per the fuel

supply agreement, three days of HSD supply will be stored in two tanks with capacity

equivalent to 15 days operation at 80% output on HSD, while the plant is running on Gas. The

tanks will be installed on a bund of adequate size per environmental and safety requirements.

Total storage capacity at site will be 19,000 m3. HSD will be delivered via rail from BPC Depot

in Chittagong/Daulathpur/ Khulna up to the nearest rail head at Saidabad (i.e. Bangabandhu

Bridge West Railway Station), which is located approximately 3 km from the Project site.

NWPGCL has constructed an HSD unloading and pumping station at the railway

station and an HSD supply pipeline has been constructed up to the Saidabad Power

Generation Complex by NWPGCL. The unloading facility that has 30 rail car connections for

unloading purposes and screw type, electric motor driven, carbon steel pumps rated for

100m3/hr at 70m head, capable of pulling suction, have been provided. The unloading facility

has been designed to unload 3 complete trains (consists of 30 nos. oil tanker wagon having

capacity of 42 ton each wagon) per day. The available unloading oil tanker wagons having

capacity of 42 tons are available for use by BPC. BPC will use the same system for HSD

supply as per the common agreement; HSD pipeline is constructed in the month of July 2018

and tapped with S3 HSD pipeline. It is also to be noted that the HSD pipeline will have HSD

on it only during transfer of fuel from railway siding to the storage facility within the site and

after completion of transfer, the pipeline will be cleaned. This will avoid any risk during non-

operation of the HSD pipeline

1.3 Project Progress Status and Implementation Schedule

As of December 2018, the Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Commissioning

Contractor (EPCC) for the proposed project has yet to be appointed. The EPCC is expected

to be appointed in August to October 2019.

The draft EIA for all three (3) components are yet to be approved by the Department of

Environment (DoE) Bangladesh. The revised EIA for these components had been submitted

on 9th April 2019 and currently expecting approval from DoE Bangladesh.


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The status of implementation of the all three (3) components are as tabulated in Table

1. The implementation schedule is yet to be made available.

Table 1: Status of Implementation of the Project

No. Work Descriptions Status

1 Component 1: 800 MW CCPP

a Demolition of Abandoned Paper Mill Not yet started

b Appointment of EPCC In tendering process

2 Component 2: Natural Gas Pipeline (Total 12 km) Not yet started

3 Component 3: Transmission Line (Total 29.3 km) Not yet started


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2.0 Compliance to National Regulations

2.1 National Applicable Policies and Legal Provision (Including Environmental

Conservation Rules 1997)

All legal provisions relevant to environmental protection applicable to the planning,

construction, operation was identified according to the soon-to-approved EIA reports. Table 2

summarised all the relevant legal provisions.

Table 2: National and International Legal Provisions Applicable to The Rupsha

800 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant (Khalishpur, Khulna) For Ensuring

Environmental Protection

2.2 Applicable Environmental Standards both National and International

The relevant environmental standards (national as well as international) for thermal power

plants as applicable to the proposed Project are presented in the following tables:

2.2.1 Ambient Air Quality

According to the ECR 1997 and its subsequent amendment at 2006, the National

Ambient Air Quality Standards and International Standards (IFC/WHO) has been depicted in

Table 3.


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Table 3: Ambient Air Quality Standards/ Guidelines

The Bangladesh National Ambient Air Quality Standards have been taken from the Environmental

Conservation Rules, 1997 which was amended on 19th August 2005 vide S.R.O. No.220-Law/2005.

WHO Ambient Air Quality Guideline Values (2005 and 2000), which are also being referred in the World

Bank and IFC’s General EHS Guidelines (2007). Represents the standard values applicable to the

Project

As per the WB/IFC General EHS guidelines, ambient air quality results need to be

compared with the relevant ambient air quality guidelines and standards by applying national

legislated standards, or in their absence, the current WHO air quality guidelines or other

internationally recognized sources, such as the United States National Ambient Air Quality

Standards and the relevant European Council Directives. Since, Bangladesh has its own

national ambient air quality standards, these local standards are considered as the applicable

standard for the project.

2.2.2 Ground Water Quality

According to the Rule 12, Schedule-3 (B), ECR 1997, standard for drinking water has

been depicted in Table 4.


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Table 4: Bangladesh Standards for Drinking Water


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2.2.3 Surface Water Quality

According to the Rule 12, Schedule-3 (A), ECR 1997, standard for surface water has been

depicted in Table 5.

Table 5: Bangladesh Standard for Inland Surface Water

Best Practice-Based Classification

Paramete

r

pH BOD (mg/l)

DO (mg/l)

Total Coliform (Number/100)

Source of drinking water for supply only

after disinfecting 6.5-8.5 2 or less 6 or above 50 or less

Water usable for recreational activity 6.5-8.5 3 or less 5 or more 200 or less

Source of drinking water for supply after

conventional treatment 6.5-8.5 6 or less 6 or more 5000or less

Water usable by fisheries 6.5-8.5 6 or less 5 or more -

Water usable by various process and

cooling industries 6.5-8.5 10 or less 5 or more 5000 or

less

Water usable for irrigation 6.5-8.5 10 or less 5 or more 1000 or less

Source: Rule 12, Schedule-3; Environmental Conservation Rules, 1997

DO = Dissolve Oxygen, BOD = Biological Oxygen Demand, mg/l = Milligram per Liter, pH =

Negative decimal logarithm of the hydrogen ion activity in a solution

Notes:

1. In water used for pisciculture, maximum limit of ammonia presence as Nitrogen is 1.2 mg/l.

2. Electrical conductivity for irrigation water – 2250 μhoms/cm (at a temperature of 25°C); Sodium

less than 26%; boron less than 0.2%.

2.2.4 Noise Level

According to The Bangladesh National Ambient Noise Standards have been taken from Schedule

4 (Standards for Sound) of the Environmental Conservation Rules, 1997 amended October 7, 2006,

as shown in Table 6.


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Table 6: Noise Level Standards/ Guidelines

Category of Area/ Bangladesh** IFC-WHO***

Receptor Day (dB(A)) Night (dB(A)) Day (dB(A)) Night (dB(A))

Silent Zone 45 35 55 45

Residential Area 55 45 55 45

Mixed Area 60 50 - -

Commercial Area 70 60 70 70

Industrial Area 75 70 70 70

Note:

The Bangladesh National Ambient Noise Standards have been taken from Schedule 4 (Standards for

Sound) of the Environmental Conservation Rules, 1997 amended October 7, 2006.

Guidelines values are for noise levels measured out of doors. Source: Guidelines for Community

Noise, World Health Organization (WHO), 1999

As per IFC EHS noise level guidelines, Noise impacts should not exceed the levels presented in the

above table.


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3.0 Compliance to Environmental Covenants from the ADB Loan Agreement

3.1 Schedule 5 Environment

Covenants Reference Compliance Status Implementation Arrangements LA,

Schedule 5,

Para 2

Details of monitoring, environmental and social safeguards implementation will be provided in the EMP once the EPCC is appointed.

NWPGCL shall ensure that its project management unit has adequate qualified staff to undertake necessary tasks of procurement, construction supervision, inspection and testing of equipment, payments to contractors, monitoring, environmental and social safeguards implementation and reporting progress of the Project.

Environment LA, Schedule

5, Para 3

The environmental monitoring will be carried out in all three phases i.e. pre- construction, during construction and post- construction phase or operation phase

The borrower shall ensure, or cause NWPGCL to ensure, that the preparation, design, construction implementation, operation and decommissioning of the project and all project facilities comply with (a) All applicable laws and regulations of the

Borrower relating to the environment, health, and safety;

(b) The environmental safeguards; (c) All measures and requirement set forth in

the respective EIA and EMP, and any corrective or preventive actions set forth in a Safeguards Monitoring Report

Safeguards – Related Provisions in Bidding Documents and Works Contracts

LA, Schedule

5, Para 7

The Borrower shall ensure, or cause the Project Executing Agency to ensure, that all bidding documents and contracts for Works contain provisions that require the contractor to: (a) Comply with the measures and

The safeguards- related provisions in bidding documents and work contracts will be followed strictly and update time to time for further requirements.


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Covenants Reference Compliance Status requirements relevant to the contractor set forth in the EIA, the EMP, the RP (to the extent they concern impacts on affected people during construction), and any corrective or preventive actions set out in a Safeguards Monitoring Report;

(b) Make available a budget for all such environmental and social measures;

(c) Provide the Borrower with a written notice of any unanticipated environmental, resettlement or small ethnic community people risks or impacts that arise during construction, implementation or operation of the project that were not considered in the EIA, the EMP, the RP;

(d) Adequately record the condition of roads, agricultural and other infrastructure prior to starting to transport materials and construction;

(e) Fully reinstate pathways, other local infrastructure, and agricultural land to at least their pre-project condition upon the completion of construction.

Safeguards- Monitoring and Reporting LA, Schedule 5,

Para 8

The borrower shall do the following or shall cause NWPGCL to do the following: (a) Submit Semi-annual Safeguards

Monitoring Reports to ADB for disclosure on ADB’s website , and disclose relevant information from such reports to affected persons promptly upon submission;

(b) If any unanticipated environmental and or social risks and impacts arise during construction, implementation or operation

The Safeguards monitoring will be carried out in all three phases i.e. pre- construction, during construction and post- construction phase or operation phase. The first environment and social safeguard monitoring reports were submitted covering October to December 2018. The next submission will cover January-June 2019, including the results of the baseline monitoring conducted in May 2019 as an annex.


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Covenants Reference Compliance Status of the project that were not considered in the EIA, the EMP or the RP, as applicable, promptly inform ADB of the occurrence of such risks or impacts, with detailed description of the event and proposed corrective action plan;

(c) No later than the June 2019, engage a qualified and experienced external expert under a selection process and terms of reference acceptable to ADB, to verify information produced through the Project monitoring process, and facilitate the carrying out of any verification by such external expert; and

(d) Report any actual or potential breach of compliance with the measures and requirements set forth in the EMP or the RP promptly after becoming aware of the breach.

Labor Standards LA, Schedule

5, Para 10

The Borrower shall ensure, or cause NWPGCL to ensure, that the core labor standards and the Borrower’s applicable laws and regulations are complied with during Project Implementation. The Borrower shall include specific provisions in the bidding documents and contracts financed by ADB under the Project requiring that the contractors, among other things, (a) Comply with the Borrower’s applicable laws

and regulations and incorporate applicable workplace occupational safety norms;

(b) Do not use child labor (c) Do not discriminate workers in respect of

employment and occupation; (d) Do not use forced labor;

The labor standards will be followed strictly.


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Covenants Reference Compliance Status (e) Allow freedom of association and effectively

recognize the right to collective bargaining; (f) Disseminate, or engage appropriate service

providers to disseminate, information on the risks of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS to the employees of contractors engaged under the Project and to members of the local communities surrounding the Project area, particularly women.

The Borrower shall strictly monitor compliance with the requirements set forth in paragraph 10 above ad provide ADB with regular reports

LA, Schedule

5, Para 11

Regular monitoring reports will be prepared and submitted


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4.0 Compliance to Environmental Management Plan

The EMP is to be prepared by the EPCC Contractor. As this has yet to be appointed, the

EMP is currently not available.

5.0 Safeguards Monitoring Results and Unanticipated Impacts

No monitoring was conducted during this reporting period due to absence of any physical

works at the project site (all three Components).

6.0 Implementation of Grievance Redress Mechanism and Complaints Received

from Stakeholders

6.1 Grievance Redressal Mechanism

Public participation, consultation and information disclosure shall be undertaken as part

of the local EIA process to discuss and address major community and environmental concerns.

Continuous public participation and consultation shall be emphasized as a key component for

successful project implementation.

During the operational phase of the project, the complaints that may be anticipated are

mostly related to noise and vibration of the Power Plant. However, unforeseen issues may occur.

To settle such issues effectively, an effective and transparent channel for lodging complaints and

grievances will be established. The Grievance Redressal Mechanism should be scaled to the

risks and adverse impacts of the project. It should address affected people’s concerns and

complaints promptly, using an understandable and transparent process. It should also be readily

accessible to all sections of the community at no cost and without retribution.

The GRM will be implemented during both the construction and operational period of the

project to ensure that all complaints from local communities are dealt with appropriately, with

corrective actions being implemented, and the complainant being informed of the outcome. It will

be applied to all complaints from affected parties. The mechanism will be accessible to diverse

members of the community, including more vulnerable groups such as women and youth. Multiple

means of using this mechanism, including face-to-face meetings, written complaints, telephone

conversations should be available.


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Confidentiality and privacy for complainants should be honored where this is seen as

necessary or important. A GRM and procedures will be set up to provide opportunity for project

affected persons to settle their complaints and grievances amicably. The grievances redress

procedures and mechanism shall ensure that project affected persons are provided with the

appropriate compensations and that all administrative measures are in line with the law. It also

allows project affected persons not to lose time and resources from going through lengthy

administrative and legal procedures. Grievances are first preferred to be settled amicably.

NWPGCL will set-up a Grievance Redress Committee (GRC) that will address any

complaints during both the construction and operational period of the project. But at present, no

grievance is recorded regarding this project.


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Figure 4: Flowchart of Complain / Grievance Procedure


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The representation in the committee makes project affected persons to have trust and

build confidence in the system. The grievance redress committee reports its plan and activities

to the Implementation committee.

The GRC will maintain a Complaints Database, which will contain all the information on

complaints or grievances received from the communities or other stakeholders. This would

include: the type of complaint, location, time, actions to address these complaints, and final

outcome.

The procedures to be followed and adopted by the grievance redress should be

transparent and simple to understand or uniform process for registering complaints provide

project affected persons with free access to the procedures. The response time between

activating the procedure and reaching a resolution should be as short as possible. An effective

monitoring system will inform project management about the frequency and nature of

grievances.

The GRC will arrange half yearly meetings where the activities and the

outcomes/measures taken according to the Complaints Database are to be monitored and

reviewed by third party consultant to ensure the required transparency.

In addition to the above, if there are any grievances related to environmental management

issues in the project area, the GRC will record these grievances and suggestions and pass it on

to the relevant consultant for necessary action and follow-up. GRC will be responsible to response

for the grievances within a time limit. The initial movement to identify the causes should be taken

within 48 hours. The GRC will not take more than two weeks to take the final initiative.

In case a dispute is not resolved by arbitrational tribunal, then if any of the Party

disagrees, the aggrieved party has the right to appeal to the ordinary courts of law. However, the

preferred option of dispute settlement ought to be the option of settling the dispute amicably

because recourse to courts may take a very long-time even years before a final decision is made

and therefore, should not be the preferred option for both parties.


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6.2 Status of Implementation of the GRM

The representation in the committee makes project affected persons to have trust and

build confidence in the system. The grievance redress committee reports its plan and activities to

the Implementation committee. The framework for the GRC is presented in Table 7.

Table 7: Members of the Grievance Redress Committee (GRC)

S.l. No. Designation

01 - to be duly assigned -

02

03

04

05

06

07

During the reporting period, the project is in infant stage where the Contractors for each

components of the project are yet to be awarded. As such, there was no progress on the

implementation of the GRM, nevertheless, it will be institutionalized and function accordingly as

per Social Safeguard covenants.

7.0 Conclusion and Recommendations

This report presents the first biannual report (covering October to December 2018) for the

proposed Project. In this report, the relevant criteria for environmental compliance are identified.

However, since there are no physical activities at the project site (all three components), no

monitoring activities are conducted.

Environmental Safeguard Monitoring Report€¦ · Semi-annual Report (October to December 2018)...

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