Environmental Safeguard Monitoring Field Kit: Project Implementation Directorate, Nepal

ENVIRONMENTAL SAFEGUARD MONITORING FIELD KIT

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTORATE, NEPAL

FEBRUARY 2023

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO)

© 2023 Asian Development Bank

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Some rights reserved. Published in 2023.

ISBN 978-92-9270-047-8 (print); 978-92-9270-048-5 (electronic); 978-92-9270-049-2 (ebook)

Publication Stock No. TIM230051-2

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22617/TIM230051-2

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Notes:

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Cover design by Bhuvan Adhikari.

On the cover: From the left to right (1) sewer pipe laying, (2) traditional waterspout, and (3) project work (Photos by DB Singh, ADB and PID/KUKL, Nepal).

CONTENTS

TABLES, FIGURES AND BOXES

FOREWORD

The Kathmandu Valley is home to ancient cities with rich cultural heritage, temples and monuments including seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They all contribute to the Valley’s distinct historic character shaping the cultural identity of its inhabitants and providing immense benefits to the economy.

Over time, the ancient structures have suffered much damage from long exposure to extreme weather conditions, earthquakes, and years of neglect. Such sites are mostly surrounded by dense and dynamic human settlement where urban development pressure is high. Hence, the challenge is to ensure the monuments and old structures are protected during development work as the cities continue to grow. One development work that is especially relevant in this regard is the underground water supply and sewerage pipe laying in the narrow lanes of the old settlements in the Kathmandu Valley without causing damage to the vulnerable structures and disrupting the daily lives of its residents.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has published this Environmental Safeguard Monitoring Field Kit to support the Project Implementation Directorate (PID) of the Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) in carrying out their work by complying with the environmental safeguard requirements. This practical guide will support PID staff in following a systematic procedure for environmental planning, compliance monitoring, and reporting while implementing the work. The field kit could also be a useful reference document to other stakeholders related to the water supply and sanitation sector.

Let me congratulate Deepak Bahadur Singh, environment specialist, ADB and Nawa Raj Khatiwada, ADB consultant for their dedicated work in publishing this useful guide. I would also like to thank Saswati Belliappa, senior safeguards specialist and Saugata Dasgupta, senior project management specialist, ADB for their support in the preparation of this kit. My gratitude to PID/KUKL and its Safeguard Unit for their valuable feedback in finalizing the document.

I hope this field kit will receive full government attention and will be put into wider use in the sector that may help to protect and preserve the unique environment, vulnerable structures, and cultural heritage while carrying out development works in Nepal.

Arnaud Cauchois

Country Director

Nepal Resident Mission

Asian Development Bank

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Environmental Safeguard Monitoring Field Kit was prepared by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The purpose of this field kit is to help the Project Implementation Directorate (PID) of the Kathmandu Uptyaka Khanepani Limited, Nepal (KUKL) in following standard environmental safeguard procedure and practices, including environmental management planning, monitoring, and reporting while carrying out water supply and sanitation related infrastructure development works. The Field Kit suggests procedural guide, formats, templates, checklists, samples, and standards for ready reference and use. It is also relevant and helpful as a reference guide to other stakeholders and agencies working in water supply and sanitation infrastructure development. Deepak Bahadur Singh, environment specialist, South Asia Department, ADB authored this publication, with the support of Nawa Raj Khatiwada, environment consultant, ADB. The field kit was prepared under the overall support and guidance provided by Saswati Belliappa, senior safeguards specialist and Saugata Dasgupta, senior project management specialist, South Asia Department, ADB. We acknowledge the valuable inputs provided by Laxmi Pant, chief of the Safeguard Unit, PID and her team in preparation of this field kit. We also acknowledge all who directly and indirectly supported in its publication.

ABBREVIATIONS

Chapter 1

FIELD KIT

A. Purpose

1.   The purpose of the Environmental Safeguard Monitoring Field Kit (also referred to hereinafter as the Kit) is to provide a handy and readily implementable on-the-job field guide to the environment experts, staff of the employer, consultants, and contractors of the Project Implementation Directorate (PID) of Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), the public company that manages water supply and sanitation services to the Kathmandu Valley. The Kit aims to assist the PID and related stakeholders in following environmental safeguard requirements at the planning, implementation, and commissioning stages of the water supply and wastewater management systems. To assist the safeguard staff, the Kit provides ready-made formats, templates, outlines, and checklists that the user can readily retrieve from the Annexes. They can also be retrieved by clicking on the hyperlinked word in the soft copy of the main text.

B. Applicability

2.   The primary intent of the Kit is to support in environmental safeguard-related activities during the planning, implementation, and operation stages of a project, with focus on monitoring and reporting during work implementation and commissioning. The Kit can be referred to while preparing environmental assessments, heritage impact assessments (HIAs), engineering designs and estimates, bidding and contract documents, and site-specific environmental management plans (SEMPs) (Chapter 3). Also, the Kit is applicable to other stakeholders in general implementing water supply and wastewater management projects.

C. Limitation

3.   The scope of this Field Kit is limited to the environmental safeguard measures related to the implementation and operation of water supply (service reservoir tank, bulk distribution system, distribution network) and wastewater treatment and sewer laying works. Measures for the planning stage, particularly on conducting environmental impact assessment (EIA) or initial environmental examination (IEE) is not presented in detail. The Kit does not consider environmental safeguard measures related to headwork and/or intake for water diversion and tunnel works since these structures are beyond the scope of the PID. Meanwhile, the checklists presented in the Kit need to be updated and made project-specific or used in combination with other site-specific checklists.

D. Guide for Field Kit Users

4.   The Field Kit has