Consultancy Services for Environmental Quality Assessment, Ecological Survey and Consultation for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) & Household and Focused Group Discussion (FGD) for Social Survey Study for Social Impact Assessment (SIA) under Feasibility Study and Detailed Design of Construction of Kewatkhali Bridge over the river Brahmaputra at Mymensingh with Railway Overpass & Approach (including Service Road) Road Project

900m bridge, 200m Railway Overpass and 6.10 Kilometer more/less Approach Road

Kewatkhali Bridge is part of the Dhaka-Mymensingh-India border corridor, which is strategically important for both regional and local connectivity. The link between those regions will help facilitate cross-border trade with India. Currently, resident in the north central districts on the eastern side of the Bramhaputra River is connected with Dhaka through Mymensingh city by the existing Shambuganj Bridge. The Shambuganj Bridge is a two-lane bridge with 455 meter in length and 11 meters in width. With the increase of vehicles, the expansion of towns toward the proposed bridge location and the resulting congestion around the crossing point, an improvement is required to move traffic away from the town and to reduce travel time by expanding the bridge capacity.

The Project is a substantial solution to ease traffic congestion in Mymensingh City by diverting traffic away from the city’s busy central area. The project will provide a connectivity link to a population of over 11 million in Mymensingh Division and some part of Dhaka Division composed of Mymensingh District (5.11 million population), Netrokona District (2.23 million population), Sherpur District (1.36 million population) and Kishoreganj District (2.91 million population). It will also provide a safer and more efficient connectivity link for passenger and freight traffic from Mymensingh-Sherpur road, Mymensingh-Phulpur-Haluaghat road, Mymensingh-Netrokona road and Mymensingh-KIshoreganj road to connect to the N3 highway to Dhaka. It is anticipated that these will result in greater integration of local markets with national markets and growth generation in the north-central region.

The project is a substantial attempt to ease traffic congestion in Mymensingh City by diverting traffic away from the city’s busy central area. The Government of Bangladesh with the Consultant will carry out the project, Feasibility Study and Detailed Engineering Design to construct Kewatkhali Bridge over the Brahmaputra River at Mymensingh with the overpasses and the approach roads, with partial support from the special fund of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). An environmental study was conducted covering Environmental Quality Monitoring, FGD and Baseline Environmental Survey, as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) during the detailed design of the proposed project. DSCL was engaged by DDC ltd).

The DSCL was engaged to carry out the environmental study covering two scopes: (i) Environmental Quality Monitoring Survey (Air Quality Monitoring, Noise & Vibration, Surface Water Quality, Ground Water Quality, Sediments Quality, and Soil Sampling); and (ii) Baseline Environmental Survey (Fish Species Survey, Ecological Survey, Flora & Fauna, Dolphin Species, Critical Species, Biodiversity Conservation, Ecosystem, Migratory Birds, and Stakeholder Consultation meetings). Based on the outcome & result of these survey and investigation, prepared Environmental Quality Monitoring Report, Baseline Environmental Survey Report and Focused Group Discussion Report

Environmental Quality Monitoring & Testing:

§  Carry out sampling and testing activities for environmental quality monitoring.

§  Conduct ambient air quality monitoring at five locations for 8 hours duration in each location and carry out testing of defined parameters, such as Suspended particulate matter (SPM), particulate Matter PM2.5 and PM10, SO2, Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Lead (Pb).

§  Carry out ambient noise level measurement at six locations for 30-minute duration during the daytime and nighttime.

§  Carry out vibration level measurement at five locations during the daytime.

§  Collection of surface water samples from 4 locations and carry out testing of defined parameters, such as pH, Temperature, Turbidity, Electric conductivity (EC), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen demand (BOD), Total Dissolve Solids (TDS), Total suspended Solids (TSS), and Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Total coliform (TC), and Fecal Coliform (FC), Nitrate and Phosphate.

§  Collection of groundwater samples at 03 locations and carry out testing of defined parameters, such as pH, Electric Conductivity (EC), Turbidity, Salinity, Total Coliform (TC), Fecal Coliform (FC), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Dissolved Solid (TDS), Chlorides (Cl-), Arsenic (As), Iron (Fe) and Manganese.

§  Collection of sediment samples at 02 locations and carry out testing of defined parameters for riverbed sediment quality, such as, Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Cupper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Lead (Pb), and Zinc (Zn).

§  Collection of soil samples at 02 locations and carry out testing for physical, chemical, and biological parameters, such as Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Cupper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Lead (Pb), and Zinc (Zn).

§  Collection of Benthos and plankton at 02 locations to identify invertebrates and plankton species (phytoplankton-Zooplankton).

§  The above samples were tested at different laboratories, such as, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) laboratory, Dhaka University (DU) laboratory, Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) laboratory, and some were tested at in-house laboratory or at site by field testing kits.

Baseline Environmental Survey:

§  Conduct various baseline environmental survey.

§  Fish species survey to identify the abundant, type and habitat area of different fish species, including the fishing gears used, fish catch, and the methods adopted for fishing.

§  Conducted ecological survey within the buffer zone to compare with previous data on the population of creature.

§  Preparation of inventory on flora and fauna for animal and plant groups, including Plants (only endangered or unusual formations), Invertebrates (if these are in any way impacted), and Vertebrates (Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals).

§  Secondary data and selected transect surveys were adopted to prepare the list of animals and plants identified or known to exist within the 5km radius, including data on presence, absence, local, scientific and English common names, seasonal appearance, relative abundance macro-/micro-habitats, protection categories.

§  Identification of critical ecological species and determine its protection status considering different criteria, such as IUCN’s threatened category (Red Data Book – both National and global threatened category); Species protected under Bangladesh Wildlife Preservation Act (1974); Species included in CITES; Species  protected under any protocol, conventions and any other agreement; Species considered as flagship species, keystone species or other significant species; and Endemicity of the species.

§  Assessment of biodiversity to determine its conservation significance at the level of species as well as the level of ecosystem and for the survival of the critical species within the project area.

§  Identification of potential impacts on existing ecosystem considering lethal or sub lethal effects to biota; disturbances to animals (frightening, avoidance, etc.); destruction of important vegetation habitat; reduction/disturbances to natural breeding and recruitment; permanent degradation of migration and migratory pattern; disturbance to resting and roosting sites for local area animals; hindrance of the natural regeneration process in the project corridor; and reduction of the aesthetic values of habitat/ecosystem.

§  Assist with the migratory birds’ survey to know what type/species of birds visiting the area by consultation with the local population within the 5km radius of the proposed bridge location and from the secondary sources. Some of the migratory birds include Grey-Headed Lapwing (LC), Black- Headed Ibis (NT), Common-Tern (LC), Indian River-Tern (NT), Long-Legged Buzzard (LC), Short-Eared Owl (LC), Comb Duck (LC) etc.

§  Carry out Gangetic Dolphins survey to identify their presence, availability, and habitat up to 2km towards both upstream and downstream from the bridge location.

Baseline Social and Resettlement survey including Social Impact Assessment (SIA)

Provide an existing baseline assessment enhanced utilizing current assessment methodology.

Assessing all project components of the proposed area and providing data, results and analysis for the Project Area, Local Study Area and Regional Study Area, including a cumulative effect assessment.

Describe the socio-economic impacts of construction and operation of the Project, including:

a)         impacts related to:

i)          local training, employment, and business opportunities.

ii)         regional and provincial economic benefits.

iii)        housing.

iv)        recreational activities.

v)         hunting, fishing, trapping, gathering, and trafficking; and

vi)        impacts to traditional land use and social and cultural implications.

b)         impacts of the Project on the availability of affordable housing and the quality of health care services. Provide a summary of any discussions that have taken place with the local municipalities and the local environmental public health office concerning housing availability and health care services respectively.

c)         Identify any impacts expected on primary and secondary highway systems and other regional roads caused by anticipated traffic changes.

d)         the impact on local and regional infrastructure and community services, including consideration of municipal “hard services”, education/training services, social services, urban and regional recreation services, law enforcement and emergency services; and

e)         Describe municipal growth pressures as they relate to the Project and the need for additional Crown land to meet these needs.

Stakeholder Consultation:

§  Conduct focused group discussion in at 04 locations.

§  The FGD (Focused Group Discussion) covered the disclosure of the project, project activities, interventions, and typical environmental and social impacts of the project. consultation covered finding of the ecological assessment and environmental survey and investigation, specific impacts and proposed mitigation measures as discussed during first round

§  Planning and organization of FGD meeting, including selection of venue, date, time etc.