-
The implementing agency BWDB prepared The ‘Environmental Management Framework (EMF)’ by following five major steps (a) Reviewing policies, regulations and administrative frameworks; (b) Reviewing information on the polders and consultation with stakeholders; (c) Developing a Screening Matrix for identifying Important Environmental Component (IEC) and assessing impacts; (d) Developing guidelines for preparing sub-project specific environmental management plan; and (e) Identifying assessment criteria for strengthening institutional capacity for EMP implementation as well as mechanism for inter-agency co-ordination. The methodology for the preparation of the EMF is presented in Figure 1.1.
Figure 1 1: Methodology of EMF
1.4Structure of the Report
The report on Strategic Environmental Assessment of CEIP-1 Project has a total of 11 chapters as outlined below.
Chapter 1: Introduction: This chapter describes the background of the project, rationale of the EMF and methodology to prepare the EMF.
Chapter 2: Description of the Proposed Project: This chapter includes brief description of the proposed interventions under CEIP project.
Chapter 4: Environmental Policies, Legal and Administrative Framework: This chapter contains the brief of the relevant national and international policies, regulations and administrative procedures relevant for the CEIP project.
Chapter 5: Environmental and Social Baseline: This chapter presents the existing environmental and social baseline of the coastal areas.
Chapter 6: Analysis of Alternatives: This chapter presents the analysis of alternative. The chapter presents the impact with and without project and also sets up a guideline to conduct alternative analysis
Chapter 7: Possible Environmental Issues with Mitigation Measures & Benefit of the Project: The possible impacts of CEIP project interventions on the environmental and social components have been outlined in this chapter. It also outlined the possible environmental impact and associated mitigation measures.
Chapter 8: Environmental Management System: This chapter presents the Methodology of environmental screening and conducting Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and process of conducting Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and preparing environmental management plans to mitigate negative impacts, enhance positive impacts for specific sub-projects under CEIP project.
Chapter 9: Institutional Arrangement and Capacity Building: This chapter identified the gaps in institutional capacity of the BWDB and required institutional arrangements for implementing EMP.
Chapter 9: Public Consultation and Disclosure: This chapter presents the findings of public consultation and the process of public disclosure of the environmental assessment reports of the CEIP project.
Chapter 2: Description of the Proposed Project 2.1Proposed CEIP project -
BWDB’s long term objective is to increase the resilience of the entire coastal population to tidal flooding and natural disasters by upgrading the whole embankment system. With an existing network of embankment of nearly 6,000 km long with 139 polders, the magnitude of such a project is enormous. Hence a multi-phased approached will be adopted over a period of 15 to 20 years. The proposed Coastal Embankment Improvement Project –Phase 1 (or CEIP-I) is the first phase of this long term program. A strategic polder assessment was undertaken and a multi criteria analysis was developed to guide the gradual selection of polders. The key criteria are: physical condition of the embankment and the drainage system, economic activities in the polders (agriculture or fishery), population and socio economic conditions, environmental condition and economic efficiency considerations. Based on this assessment a first priority group of 17 polders was selected. Among the seventeen, 4-5 will be considered for the first package of investment..
-
The project will comprise the following components:
Component A – Rehabilitation and Improvement of Polders ($291 million).
-
Component A1: Rehabilitation and Improvement of Polder ($286 million). This component will finance activities that aim to increase community resilience to tidal flooding and storm surges. Investments include: (i) rehabilitation of critical portions of polder embankments including slope protection work, (ii) increasing embankment height in some stretches to improve resilience, (iii) repairing and upgrading drainage and flushing systems within polders, and (v) improving operations and maintenance (O&M). The reconstruction and rehabilitation works will be designed with improved standards so that protection is for both tidal flooding and frequent storm surges. It is expected that about 17 polders will be rehabilitated under this component. The final polder selection will depend on technical, environmental and social conditions.
-
Stakeholders and beneficiaries consultations and participation would be central to carrying out the improvement works to the polder system. The beneficiaries, through their formal and informal water management organizations (WMOs), will be involved in all stages of project implementation from identification of works, prioritization, design, and construction. Consultations will be carried out by the consultants and NGOs with support from the BWDB under component B1.
-
Improving the embankment system will provide stronger protection to people living inside polders from storm surges; hence reducing the recovery time after a natural disaster such as a cyclone. Improving the internal drainage system will enhance agriculture production, which is the primary source of livelihood for coastal population. Protecting assets and enhancing agricultural production will bring in much needed economic growth to the coastal population.
-
Component A2: Afforestation ($5 million). Afforestation is critical to the security of embankment. Planting of selected mangrove and other salt tolerant species are planned as a protective belt on the tidal inundation zone on the riverside of the embankment. Planting of a range of commercial wood, fruit and other tree species in phase with livelihoods needs of landless, marginalized and poor villagers are proposed on the inside of embankments. Plantings would commence after clarification of land-use and land ownership issues and the completion of earthworks in restored embankments. The afforestation component will engage community participation in pro-poor approaches to encourage ownership and benefit sharing in an attempt to achieve social, environmental and economic sustainability. The component will finance efforts to build capacity of local government institutions, Water Management Organization, NGOs and community organizations in secondary maintenance schemes for improved O&M, foreshore and embankment afforestation and protection of embankment toe against erosion.
Component B–Implementation of Social Action and Environment Management Plans (US$56 million).
-
Component B1: Implementation of Social Action Plan (US$3 million). This component will support consultation with and strengthening of polders’ stakeholders and beneficiaries as well as formal and informal water management organization (like water management groups, water management associations and embankment management groups). Under this component, intensive social mobilization will be piloted in 6 polders to establish participatory WMOs that will be responsible for the operation and minor maintenance works of the polders. The establishment of WMOs will follow an eight step process, as identified in the Guidelines for Integrated Planning for Sustainable Water Resources Management, published by BWDB in 2008. Social mobilization is expected to last around two years, during which time the WMOs will be established and trained in participatory planning, as well as in operation and minor maintenance activities. It is expected that the detailed design of the polders identified under the pilot scheme will engage in a participatory planning exercise with BWDB in the identification of civil works, and that construction activities will be supported by local community members, where possible. Finally, small works, including minor periodic maintenance and operation of minor hydraulic infrastructure would be undertaken by the WMOs under a memorandum of understanding with BWDB. In the remaining polders, Polder Committee(s) will be established to determine the competing needs and uses for water resources, and to decide on the operation of hydraulic infrastructure. Should the participatory approach prove to be successful, it would be scaled up under the next phase of investments. Technical assistance will be provided to local NGOs executing the social mobilization for this sub component. It will also support the implementation of social action plan identified during the consultative, design and implementation phases.
-
Component B2: Implementation of Resettlement Action Plans (US$49 million). Polder scheme rehabilitation is a complex project that involves a variety of issues ranging from land acquisition, physical and economic displacement of people and other unanticipated impacts. Generally there are squatters on the embankments as they are safe structures. A Social Management and Resettlement Policy Framework (SMRPF) has been prepared and will be disclosed in accordance with Bank guidelines. This component will finance the implementation of the Resettlement Action Plans (RAP), embankment monitoring and public consultation plans. The component will finance the resettlement and rehabilitation of persons adversely affected by the project. It will also support the development of a system to computerize land acquisition and resettlement data with Global Position System (GPS) reference and independent institute to undertake surveys and verify field data in order to guard against improper targeting of beneficiaries and/or false delivery of benefits in case of SAP/RAP.
-
Component B3. Implementation of Environment Management Plan (US$4 million). An overall environmental assessment of the polder system; an Environmental Management Framework (EMF) for the project; and Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for polders targeted under the first package of investment have already been prepared. This component will finance: (i) the preparation of EIAs for all remaining polders; (ii) the implementation of the Environment Management Plan (EMP) and environmental mitigation and enhancement measures; and (iii) the establishment of an environmental monitoring system in BWDB to enable it to track continuous improvement in environmental performance of the polder system. Some of the items under EMP will be integrated with the civil works and included in the budget of Component A1.
Component C- Construction Supervision, Monitoring & Evaluation of Project Impact, Supervision of Social and Environment Plans, and Delta Monitoring (US$32 million)
-
Component C1: Detailed Design and Construction Supervision (US$16 million). This component will cover consulting services for (i) surveys, designs of remaining polders to be included in the project (other than the 5 for which detailed designs have already been completed), and (ii) construction supervision of rehabilitation and improvement of coastal embankments. This will include facilitating consultations with local communities in identifying needs and suitable design of the embankment as well as with other stakeholders such as local government, upazilla and union level governments. The component will finance surveys required prior to construction work.
-
Component C2: Monitoring and Evaluation of Project Impact and Supervision of EMP, SAP/RAP (US$4 million). This component will cover consulting services for continuously monitoring project activities and providing feedback to the government and the implementing agency on the project’s performance. This includes supervising the implementation of the EMP, SAP and RAP. In addition, it will provide third party assessment and monitoring of key aspects of project implementation. The project will also look into the feasibility of undertaking an impact evaluation.
-
Component C3: Long Term Monitoring, Research and Analysis of Bangladesh Delta and Coastal Zone (US$12 million). The Bangladesh Delta and its coastal zone is a crucial region for Bangladesh, and it is subject to a multitude of complex natural phenomena that are not fully understood as of now. The region is experiencing fast paced changes due to changes in river morphology, fluvial processes, human intervention, and climate change. To tackle this knowledge gap and enhance people’s understanding of this complex environment, the project will support a comprehensive monitoring and morphological assessment of the Bangladesh Delta. A program to extend the current monitoring systems in Coastal Bangladesh is also essential to generate data, information, and new knowledge for assessments of effects of multiple drivers on the environment of coastal zone and guide future design, rehabilitation and improvement requirements. The monitoring will cover sediment rates and composition; erosion rates; sea level rise; subsidence rates; tidal dynamics changes; river cross section changes and meander migration; shoreline changes; and any relevant geomorphological attributes.
-
This work will be carried out by key institutions in Bangladesh, such as IWM, CEGIS, Dhaka University, BUET, and BWDB, in cooperation and twining arrangements with international institutions and experts in the topic of estuarine and coastal morphology and geomorphology. This twining arrangement is needed to build in-house capacity and guide local institutions and experts to improve their understanding of the physical processes of such a complex delta system. The project will support the installation and operation of needed equipment and systems on the ground, technical expertise, provision of advanced technology and equipment, high resolution specialized remote sensing images, and the capability to analyze these images. The project will support procurement of goods, services, and incremental operation costs in carrying out this research and analysis, and the development of databases and information systems that will be made available widely both within and outside of Bangladesh.
Component D – Project Management, Technical Assistance, Training and Strategic Studies (US$21 million).
-
This component will support BWDB in implementing the project through the establishment of a fully functioning Project Management Unit (PMU). It will provide resources for needed strategic studies (including the continuous updating of the strategic polder assessment as well as all necessary preparatory studies for following phases of the CEIP), institutional capacity building, technical assistance and training.
Component E – Contingent Emergency Response Component ($0 million)
-
In case of a major natural disaster, the Government may request the Bank to re-allocate project funds to this component (which presently carries a zero allocation) to support response and reconstruction8. This component would allow the Government to request the Bank to cancel project funds from Immediate Response Mechanism (IRM) portfolio projects and designate them as IRM funds to be engaged to partially cover emergency response and recovery costs. This component could also be used to channel additional funds should they become available as a result of the emergency.
-
Disbursements under an Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) will be contingent upon the fulfillment of the following conditions: (i) the Government of Bangladesh has determined that an eligible crisis or emergency has occurred and the Bank has agreed and notified the Government; (ii) the Ministry of Finance has prepared and adopted the Contingent Emergency Response (CER) Implementation Plan that is agreed with the Bank; (iii) Bangladesh Water Development Board has prepared, adopted, and disclosed safeguards instruments required as per Bank guidelines for all activities from the CER Implementation Plan for eligible financing under the CERC.
-
Disbursements would be made either against a positive list of critical goods and/or against the procurement of works, and consultant services required to support the immediate response and recovery needs of the GoB. All expenditures under this component, should it be triggered, will be in accordance with BP/OP 8.0 and will be appraised, reviewed and found to be acceptable to the Bank before any disbursement is made.
Table 2 1: Estimated project cost by component (US$ million)
|