Environmental Management Framework (emf) coastal embankment improvement project phase-i project (ceip-i) April 29, 2013 Dhaka Bangladesh Water Development Board Ministry of Water Resources Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

3.5 Implications of the World Bank Policies on CEIP & Environmental Category

61. 
    The project is classified as a Category A project, due to the complexity of environmental issues associated with project activities involving major civil works by reconstruction and rehabilitation of the coastal embankment to protect against tidal flooding and storm surges. Since the coastal area is of high ecological sensitivity and vulnerability certain negative environmental impacts may occur during the implementation and operational phase on overall polder system. There may be localized impact on the natural habitats especially on the fish spawning site and protected areas, during the implementation of the civil works. Sundarbans the largest Mangrove forest of South Asia is in close proximity of the 6 districts of 17 polders. Rehabilitation and reconstruction of polders may have indirect impact on the water flow quantity and pattern within the channels of Sundarbans.
    

61. 
    The environment assessment (OP/BP 4.01), natural habitats (OP/BP 4.04) and forests (OP/BP 4.36) policy have been triggered for the proposed operation. Although no direct impacts on physical cultural resources are expected, screening mechanism incorporated into the EA process will identify subprojects with archeological, paleontological, historical, religious, or unique natural values. Physical cultural resources (OP/BP 4.11) are considered in the environmental framework preparation.
    

3.6‘Public consultation and disclosure’ requirements by World Bank

61. 
    The Bank reaffirms its recognition and endorsement of the fundamental importance of transparency and accountability to the development process. Accordingly, it is Bank‟s policy to be open about its activities and to welcome and seek out opportunities to explain its work to the widest possible audience. According to ‘OP 4.01: Environmental Assessment’ of World Bank, the following conditions applies to the CEIP project.
    

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8. 
   Public Consultation:
   
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61. 
    For all Category A (e.g. CEIP project) and B projects the borrower should consult the project-affected groups and local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) about the project's environmental aspects and takes their views into account. The borrower should initiate such consultations as early as possible. For Category A projects, the borrower should consult these groups at least twice: (a) shortly after environmental screening and before the terms of reference for the EA are finalized; and (b) once a draft EA report is prepared. In addition, the borrower should consult with such groups throughout project implementation as necessary to address EA-related issues that affect them.
    

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   Disclosure:
   
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61. 
    For a Category A project, the borrower should provide relevant information on project interventions in a timely manner prior to consultation and in a form and language that are understandable and accessible to the groups being consulted. The borrower should provide a summary of the proposed project's objectives, description, and potential impacts for the initial consultation. For consultation after the draft EA report is prepared, the borrower should provide a summary of the EA's conclusions. In addition, for a Category A project, the borrower makes the draft EA report available at a public place accessible to project-affected groups and local NGOs. For SILs and FI operations, the borrower/FI ensures that EA reports for Category A subprojects are made available in a public place accessible to affected groups and local NGOs. The document needs to be translated into Bengali.
    

61. 
    Public availability of the EA report for Category A project in the borrowing country and official receipt by the Bank are prerequisites to Bank appraisal of these projects.
    

Chapter 4: Environmental and Social Baseline

4.1Introduction

61. 
    The coastal zone of Bangladesh covers about 39,600 km² comprising 14 districts (about 32% area of Bangladesh) and inhabited by about 31million people (adjusted population in 2010)⁹. The majority of the coastal area lies within the delta of the Ganges - Brahmaputra - Meghna (GBM) river system and has been formed by sedimentary deposits in recent geologic time. The study area of the project is the entire coastal polders of coastal region of Bangladesh. A total number of 139 polders in coastal area have been considered for the study (Figure 4.1). A small part of polder 26 falls in Jessore district, which is just outside coastal zone. List of the polders is given in Appendix - 1. Under this study, entire coastal zone is divided into four distinct zones as per previous study “Coastal Zone Water Management Program” presented in Figure 4.1. The four zones are:
    

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  Ganges Tidal Plain West (GTPW) zone is extended from the Indian border to the centre of the Baleswar and Gorai Rivers. The area is mainly distinguished by the presence of the Sundarbans. It is intersected by distributary rivers derived from the Ganges, mostly via the Gorai River, and is essentially a moribund delta formation; most of the inland rivers now carry little or no water in the dry season. There are 41 polders in this zone.
  

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  Ganges Tidal Plain East (GTPE) zone covers from the centre of the Baleswar and Gorai Rivers to the centre of the Tetulia River (the Tetulia River is the westernmost major channel carrying water from the Meghna River). This area comprises polders separated by rivers deriving from the Meghna Estuary, but not carrying any large fractions. 52 polders are located in this zone.
  

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  Meghna Deltaic Plain (MDP) zone lies between the middle of the Tetulia River on the west, and on the east the middle of the Feni River plus the Swandip Channel. This is the currently active estuary of the Meghna (carrying water from the Ganges and the Brahmaputra also). Most of the area is characterized by extensive erosion and deposition (accretion) of sediment by river and tidal actions. This zone comprises 18 polders.
  

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  Chittagong Coastal Plain (CCP) is located from the middle of the Feni River and Swandip Channel to the Teknaf peninsula and the Myanmar border. This is a narrow coastal plain between the Bay of Bengal and a range of hills. Hydrologically independent of the Meghna estuary, the plain is intersected by a number of small and medium-sized rivers, prone to flash floods that drain those hills. There are 28 polders in this zone. Distribution of the polders in four zones of coastal area is given in Table 4.1.