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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REPORT OF THE CIVIL WORKS COMPONENT OF THE PROJECT TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL REPORTING AND AUDITING (PIFRA-II) (March 2010) PROJECT DIRECTOR, PIFRA-II OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL OF PAKISTAN ISLAMABAD Tel: +92 51 922 4034~40 Fax: +92 51 922 4044 email: atta@pifra.gov.pk url: www.pifra.gov.pk Acknowledgment and Disclaimer Acknowledgement The author of this environmental assessment study of the constructional activities under Phase-II of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) is thankful to all those persons who, directly and indirectly, helped in accomplishing this study. The author is specially indebted to Mr. Junaid Mushtaq Quresihi (Director General, PIFRA), Dr. Javaid Afzal (Senior Environment Specialist, the World Bank), Mr. Mohammad Omar Khalid (Environmental Consultant, the World Bank), Mr. Nazar Rauf Rathore (Director, PIFRA), and Mr. Atta ur Rehman, (Procurement Consultant, PIFRA) for the help, guidance, and patronage they extended all during the study. Disclaimer This EA report has been prepared by Shahid Ali Khan - the accredited environmental consultant for this study - with assistance of Dr. Khaqan Babar and Engineer Habib ul Haq. The author has tried to carry out this EA study in the best professional manner. However, lapses and lacunae cannot be ruled out. Effort has been made to conduct the study in consonance to the World Bank’s Operational Policies and Environmental Guidelines, international best practices in environmental assessment, and environmental legislative framework of Pakistan. The report is specific to the titled project and may not be of relevance to other situations. All rights of this EA report are reserved with the proponent (Project Director, PIFRA). Citation and reproduction of report’s contents must be under permission from the proponent. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page i i Abbreviations Abbreviations AAO PAAS AATI ADB AG AGPR AJK CDA CGA DAO dB DG DO EA EDO EIA EMP EPA ERP ERS FABS FATA FD GDI GDP GoP GRAP ha HDI HIV HSE ICT IEE INTOSAI IT IUCN JICA MICS MSDS MTBF NAM NCS NIPA NWFP OAG OP Pak-EPA PCO PCRWR PEPA PFM PIFRA PPE SAP SO SOP SPM sqm Assistant Audit Officer Pakistan Audit and Account Service Audit and Accounts Training Institute Asian Development Bank Accountant General Accountant General Pakistan Revenue Azad Jammu and Kashmir Capital Development Authority Controller General of Accounts District Accounts Officer Decibel Director General Dissolved Oxygen Environmental Assessment Executive District Officer Environmental Impact Assessment Environmental Management Plan Environmental Protection Agency Enterprise Resource Planning Emergency Response System Financial Accounting and Budgeting System Federally Administered Tribal Areas Finance Department Gender related Development Index Gross Domestic Product Government of Pakistan Gender Reforms Action Program Hectare Human Development Index Human Immunodeficiency Virus Health Safety and Environment Islamabad Capital Territory Initial Environmental Examination International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions Information Technology International Union for Conservation of Nature Japan International Cooperation Agency Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey Material Safety Data Sheet Medium Term Budgetary Framework New Accounting Module National Conservation Strategy National Institute of Public Administration North Western Frontier Province Office of Auditor General of Pakistan Operational Policy Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency Public Call Office Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources Pakistan Environmental Protection Act Public Financial Management Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing Personal Protection Equipment System Application Programming Sub Office Standard Operating Procedure Suspended Particulate Matter Square Meters EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page ii i Abbreviations SWM TB TDS TMA TO UNESCO WB WHO WWF Solid Waste Management Tubercle Bacillus Total Dissolved Solids Tehsil Municipal Administration Treasury Officer United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Bank World Health Organization World Wildlife Fund EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page iii Contents CONTENTS Section Contents Acknowledgment ................................................................................ Disclaimer ........................................................................................... Abbreviations ...................................................................................... Contents ............................................................................................. Executive Summary ............................................................................ Page No. i i ii iv viii 1. 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 INTRODUCTION Objectives of the EA Study ................................................................. Extent and Scope of the EA Study ..................................................... Methodology Employed for the EA Study ........................................... Project Description (PIFRA-II) ............................................................ PIFRA’s Components ......................................................................... PIFRA’s Objectives and Goals ........................................................... PIFRA’s Strategy and Approach ......................................................... PIFRA’s Achievements ....................................................................... Civil Works under PIFRA ................................................................... Staging of Construction Activities ....................................................... Document’s Structure ……………………………………………………. 1-7 1 1 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 7 7 8-12 2.7 OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 ..................................... IEE/EIA Regulations, 2000 ................................................................. Forest Act, 1927 ................................................................................. Provincial Wildlife Acts and Ordinances ….......................................... Antiquities Act, 1975 ........................................................................... Punjab Special Premises Ordinance, 1985 and the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act, 1994 ...................................................... World Bank Safeguard Policies .......................................................... 3. 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 BASELINE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC PROFILE Geography .......................................................................................... Topography ......................................................................................... Geology and Seismology .................................................................... Soil Morphology .................................................................................. Surface Hydrology and Wetlands ....................................................... Groundwater ....................................................................................... Meteorology, Climate and Air Quality ................................................. Forests, Habitats, and Ecologically Sensitive Areas .......................... Demographic Profile ........................................................................... Land Use / Agricultural Profile ............................................................ Natural Resources .............................................................................. Healthcare Profile ............................................................................... Educational Profile .............................................................................. Pollution and Environmental Issues .................................................... Socioeconomic Profile ........................................................................ 13-28 13 14 14 14 15 16 17 19 20 20 20 21 21 22 23 1.4.1 1.4.2 1.4.3 1.4.4 1.4.5 1.4.6 1.5 2. 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 Page iv Contents 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 4. 4.1 4.2 (i) (ii) 4.3 4.3.1 (i) (ii) 4.3.2 (i) (ii) 4.3.3 (i) (ii) 4.3.4 (i) (ii) 4.3.5 (i) (ii) 4.3.6 (i) (ii) 4.4 4.4.1 (i) (ii) 4.4.2 (i) (ii) 4.4.3 (i) (ii) 4.4.4 (i) (ii) 4.4.5 (i) (ii) 4.4.6 (i) Labor and Employment ..................................................................... Culture, Religion, and Customs .......................................................... Gender Issues .................................................................................... Poverty ................................................................................................ Baseline Conditions of the Major Sites (Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta) 24 24 25 25 THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MITIGATIONS Impact Assessment Methodology and Mitigation Strategy ................. Impacts relating to Design Aspects …………………………………….. Likely Impacts ..................................................................................... Recommended Mitigations ................................................................. Construction Phase Impacts …………………………………………….. Soil and Land ...................................................................................... Likely Impacts ..................................................................................... Recommended Mitigations ................................................................. Surface Waters ……........................................................................... Likely Impacts ..................................................................................... Recommended Mitigations ................................................................. Groundwater ....................................................................................... Likely Impacts ..................................................................................... Recommended Mitigations ................................................................. Air Quality ........................................................................................... Likely Impacts ..................................................................................... Recommended Mitigations ................................................................. Noise and Vibrations ........................................................................... Likely Impacts ..................................................................................... Recommended Mitigations ................................................................. Access, Easement, Health, and Worksite Safety ............................... Likely Impacts ..................................................................................... Recommended Mitigations ................................................................. Operation Phase Impacts ……………………………………………….. Soil and Land ...................................................................................... Likely Impacts ..................................................................................... Recommended Mitigations ................................................................. Surface Water Quality ......................................................................... Likely Impacts ..................................................................................... Recommended Mitigations ................................................................. Groundwater (Abstraction and Quality) .............................................. Likely Impacts ..................................................................................... Recommended Mitigations ................................................................. Air Quality ........................................................................................... Likely Impacts ..................................................................................... Recommended Mitigations ................................................................. Noise and Vibrations ........................................................................... Likely Impacts ..................................................................................... Recommended Mitigations ................................................................. Access, Easement, and Public Convenience …….............................. Likely Impacts ..................................................................................... 29-45 29 29 29 30 30 30 31 31 32 32 32 33 33 33 33 34 34 34 34 35 35 35 36 36 36 36 36 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 37 38 38 38 38 38 38 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) 26 Page v Contents (ii) 4.5 4.5.1 4.5.2 4.5.3 4.5.4 4.6 4.6.1 4.6.2 4.6.2.1 4.6.2.2 4.6.2.3 4.6.2.4 4.6.2.5 4.6.2.6 4.6.3 4.6.3.1 4.6.3.2 4.6.3.3 4.6.3.4 4.6.3.5 4.6.3.6 4.6.4 5. 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.5.1 5.5.5 5.5.3 5.6 6. 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.6.1 6.6.2 6.7 TABLES 1.4.5 2.7 Recommended Mitigations ................................................................. Site Specific Measures ……………………..……………………..…….. Measures Common to Principal Sites ………………………………….. Audit House, Islamabad ...................................................................... Audit and Account Complex, Karachi ………………………………….. Audit Office and Academy Complex, Quetta ………………………….. Residual Impacts ……………………………...………………………….. Residual Impacts relating to Design Aspects ..................................... Construction Phase’s Residual Impacts ............................................. Soil and Land …………………………………………………………...… Surface Waters …………………………………………………………… Groundwater ….………………………….............................................. Air Quality ........................................................................................... Noise and Vibrations ........................................................................... Access, Easement, Occupational health and Worksite Safety …....... Operation Phase’s Residual Impacts .................................................. Soil and Land …………………………………………………………...… Surface Waters …………………………………………………………… Groundwater ….………………………….............................................. Air Quality ........................................................................................... Noise and Vibrations ........................................................................... Access, Easement, and Public Convenience ……………………........ Site Specific Residual Impacts ………………………………………….. 39 39 39 40 40 40 41 41 41 41 41 41 41 41 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 43 STAKEHOLDERS CONSULTATIONS ……………………………….. Objectives of the Consultations …………………………………………. Identification of the Relevant Stakeholders ……………………………. Consultation Methodology ………………………………………………. Issues Discussed …………………………………………………………. Outcome of the Consultations …………………………………………... Design Aspects …………………………………………………………… Construction Aspects …………………………………………………….. Operation Aspects ………………………………………………………... Measures to Address the Concerns ……………………………………. 46-51 46 46 47 48 48 48 48 49 49 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN ……………….…………. Institutional Setup for EMP Implementation ........................................ Roles and Responsibilities of the Designated Focal Persons ............ Environmental Mitigation Measures ………......................................... Internal Compliance Monitoring .......................................................... External Monitoring ............................................................................. Trainings and Capacity Building ......................................................... Training Plan ……………………………………………………………… Development of Training Material ....................................................... EMP Implementation Costs ................................................................ 52-67 52 53 54 63 63 63 64 65 65 Summary of the Salient Features of the Principal Sites ………… Relationship of WB OPs to PIFRA-II ………….…………………... EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) 6 10 Page vi Contents 3.6a 3.6b 3.6c 3.7 4.1a 4.1b 5.2a 5.2b 5.6 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.6.1 6.7a 6.7 PLATES Plate 3.0 ANNEXES Annex-1 Annex-2 Annex-3 Annex-4 Annex-5 Annex-6 Annex-7 Water Quality of Major Cities in Pakistan-Physical Parameter …. Water Quality of Major Cities in Pakistan-Chemical Analysis …... Water Quality of Major Cities in Pakistan-Microbiological Quality Air Quality Status of some Major Cities in Pakistan ……………... Modified Leopold Environmental and Social Impact Matrix (Unmitigated Impacts) …………………………………………..…... Modified Leopold Environmental and Social Impact Matrix (Residual Impacts) ………………….…………………………..…... Stakeholders into the Project and their Stakes (construction phase) ………………………………………………………………… Stakeholders into the Project and their Stakes (Operation phase) ………………………………………………………………… Summary of Stakeholders’ Concerns alongwith Remedial Measures …………………………………….……………………….. Designated Focal Persons for EMP Implementation (Construction and Operation Phases) ………….…...................... Environmental Responsibilities of the Designated Focal Persons Environmental Mitigation Measures ……...................................... Tentative Training Plan ……………………………………………... Breakup of Training and Capacity Building Costs ……………….. Tentative Costing of Training/Capacity Building and Monitoring Programs ……………………………………………………………... 16 17 17 18 Geographical Extent and Locations of the PIFRA-II Sites ........... 28 Indicative Terms of Reference for the EA Study …………………. List of the PIFRA sites Surveyed during the Study ...................... List of the Stakeholders Consulted during the Study ……………. Complete List of PIFRA-II Sites ……………..…………….……….. Selected Photographs of the Surveyed Sites ………..…………… Layout Plans of the Main Buildings at Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta ………………………………………………………………… Internal Monitoring Proforma ……………………………………….. 68 70 71 72 75 References …………………..……………………………………….. 87 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) 44 45 46 47 49 52 53 55 64 66 67 82 85 Page vii Executive Summary EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES. 1 Introductory This document is the environmental assessment (EA) report of the impacts of the civil work activities of the second phase of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II). The term civil works, as used in this document, includes the planning and design activities as well as the post-construction usage and maintenance of the buildings constructed under the project. PIFRA is a World Bank (WB) financed project for reforming audit and accounting system and improving financial discipline in the public sector in the country, which was initiated in 1995. PIFRA-II is continuation of the reforms introduced in the first phase of the project. PIFRA-II contains a sizeable component of civil works to support the functional reforms of modernization of accounting systems and computerization of processes. The civil works include constructions as small as single rooms to multistory buildings. The civil works of PIFRA-II, owing to their very nature, are likely to affect the ambient environment at the project sites and therefore warrant EA. This project specific EA report identifies the adverse environmental impacts of the project with reference to their extent, magnitude, time of occurrence, reversibility, and amenability to mitigation. Review, assessment, screening, and mitigation of the negative environmental impacts of development projects, like PIFRA-II, are a mandatory legal obligation of the proponent under environmental laws of Pakistan in vogue. Furthermore, the WB Safeguard policies require environmental assessment of the projects proposed for Bank financing to help ensure that they are environmentally sound and sustainable. This report is, therefore, in compliance to both. ES. 2 Brief Introduction of PIFRA The Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA) is a cross sectoral project that envisages introducing reforms in the financial and accounting discipline and fiscal governance in the country. The primary objective of PIFRA is to modernize and bring the budgeting, auditing and accounting systems in the country in consonance with international practices by plugging the procedural loopholes. Some salient reforms of PIFRA, since its initiation in 1995, are the complete divesting of audit functions from accounting, introduction of New Accounting Module (NAM), large scale trainings, and skill enhancement and capacity building of the departmental functionaries. ES. 3 Civil Works Component of PIFRA-II The civil work activities of PIFRA-II include constructions at the federal and two provincial capitals (Karachi and Quetta), 81 districts, 15 tehsils, and 6 sites in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). These activities include: (i) repair, rehabilitation and renovation of the existing structures; (ii) structural modifications, alterations and upgrading of the existing buildings; (iii) addition of new rooms / blocks at the premises of the existing buildings; (iv) construction of new structures at virgin sites; (v) construction of new structures at the sites of demolished buildings; and (vi) installation of diesel fired generators to cater for electricity outages and breakdowns to ensure round the clock online connectivity. Most of these constructions have been either already accomplished or in the pipeline. Most of the district and tehsil level buildings consist of two to three room structures with a veranda and one or two toilets. The buildings at the capital cities are multistory structures. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page viii Executive Summary ES. 4 Environmental Assessment Study – Justification and Objectives Assessment of environmental impacts of developments prior to their construction is a legal prerequisite under Section 12 of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act (PEPA), 1997. Such an assessment may be either in the form of an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) or an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The WB, however, does not make such a distinction and employs the term Environmental Assessment (EA) for both types. PIFRA-II, being a developmental project (at least to the extent of civil work component), therefore, merits assessment of its environmental impacts. As PIFRA-II is a WB financed project, physical interventions of the project require their safeguard analysis in line with the World Bank’s Operational Policies (OPs), in particular the OP 4.01. The primary objective of the EA study is to identify the adverse environmental impacts of the project activities and propose suitable mitigation measures for their remediation. ES. 5 Scope of the EA Study As regards the physical scope, the study covers assessment of environmental impacts at all the project sites in various geographical regions of the country, because the geographical extent of PIFRA-II is the entire country and the AJK. Operational scope of the study, on the other hand, includes: (i) reviewing the existing environmental profile of the construction sites and of their corridor of influence; (ii) screening the project activities’ potential to affect the environment; (iii) assessing the extent and nature of the impacts; (iv) quantitative and qualitative characterization of the impacts; (iv) preparing environmental management plan to address the environmental issues; and (v) catering for lifelong sustainability of the project’s operational activities. ES. 6 Study Methodology Both primary and secondary sources of information and data have been used in carrying out the study. The primary sources included gathering pertinent information from visual inspection of the selected sites in all four provinces; obtaining pertinent information from the documents available at the individual sites; seeking information from the field staff of the proponent, engineering consultant, and the contractor; soliciting views of the relevant persons and the neighboring residents; and collecting further information from office of the project proponent at Islamabad. Besides the primary sources, secondary sources like office archives, background papers, departmental presentations, and web-sources have also been used during the study, particularly for establishing the existing and the baseline conditions. Owing to vast geographical extent of the project, visual inspection of all individual sites was not practicable. To overcome this difficulty, some prototype sites which reflected environmental features of a broader area or a geographical region were selected in all four provinces, Islamabad capital territory (ICT), and the AJK. The results of environmental investigations of the selected sites were extrapolated for other sites with similar geographic and environmental features, as the latter are likely to interact with the environmental parameters in almost a similar manner as the prototype sites. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page ix Executive Summary Photographs of the individual sites taken during field visits have been used to highlight some of the significant environmental concerns. Characterization of the impacts has been made with the help of a modified Leopold environmental impact assessment and quantification matrix. This matrix has been used to signify the relative weightage (on a numerical scale) of the impacts on various physical, ecological, and social environmental parameters within the radius of influence of the project sites. ES. 7 Stakeholder Consultations Stakeholder consultations have been used for eliciting viewpoint and concerns of the stakeholders over environmental implications of the project. The key stakeholders include the project’s funding authorities, sponsoring agencies, implementing authorities, construction contractors, and end-users and or the beneficiaries. Although, their concerns differed from each other depending on the nature and extent of their stakes, but the common stake of all was that the project must be a successful venture in terms of achieving its underlying objectives. ES. 8 Project’s Environmental and Social Impacts At the time of this EA study, constructional activities at some sites had either already been accomplished or being undertaken. The majority of these constructional activities, being of smaller magnitude and located at far off places all across the country, are environmentally benign. The mega structures under the project, however, are likely to produce some negative environmental impacts if they are constructed without observing the recommended mitigations. The environmental and social impacts relating to design aspects generally include ignoring the aspects of ease and access for the visitors to the completed buildings; not making full use of sunlight; inadequate ventilation; and lack of facilities like visitors’ lobby, toilets, drinking water, wheelchair ramps, side rails, and wheelchair-accessible toilets. The impacts relating to construction phase include non provision of septic tanks with the campsite toilets for treating sanitation effluent leading to its direct discharge onto land; erosion and destabilization of soil especially in hilly areas from non-systematic excavations and felling of trees; contamination of surface waters from direct discharges of wastewaters and withdrawal of water for construction needs; over abstraction of groundwater; and presence of dust and particulate matter in the ambient environment in higher than normal concentration from miscellaneous construction activities, improper onsite storing of materials, and movement of vehicles; non-removal of debris during construction; disposal of the demolition waste in an environmentally incompatible manner; and generation of noise from miscellaneous construction activities. The operation phase impacts may result from lack of appropriate facilities for the office staff and the visitors like non-availability of essential amenities (e.g., drinking water points and nonprovision of sitting benches), choking of sewerage lines from any cause, and a nonresponsive solid waste management system. Noise and exhaust emissions from generators would also contribute to operation phase impacts. ES. 9 Measures for Mitigation The mitigation measures relating to design stage include guidelines to ensure environment friendly designs of the buildings, incorporation of such structural features as would make the EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page x Executive Summary structures energy efficient ensuring optimum utilization of the daylight, and provision of essential civic facilities in the architectural layout of the buildings for the convenience of the visitors and the special persons. One of the most important measures of the design stage is provision of sanitary toilets with septic tanks in the buildings’ structure where the municipal sewage is either non-existent or not available at the site. The construction stage mitigation measures are in a hierarchical manner of firstly avoiding the activities and operations giving rise to the impacts and secondly countering the impacts by adopting mitigation recommendations, e.g., avoiding noisy activities at night time, designating enclosures for onsite storage of materials, and avoiding excessive water usage by adopting conservation practices on water use such as curing the masonry and concrete structures with wet gunny wraps instead of their direct showering with water. The operation phase mitigation measures include recommendations for provision of facilities like drinking water, toilets, waiting areas with sitting arrangements, and other public convenience facilities for the visitors, particularly the aged and the disabled. Unnecessary consumption of freshwater during project’s operation phase can be curtailed by fitting auto shutoff taps. Impacts on surface- and ground-water quality will be averted by ensuring unimpeded functioning of the septic tanks and preventing choking of the sewer lines where sewage network exists. The air quality impacts, like blowing of fugitive dust, is to be avoided by proper upkeep of internal pathways and regular water sprinkling of the unpaved land. ES. 10 Residual Impacts Despite implementation of mitigation measures, there could be the impacts that may not be completely abated leaving some residual impacts. The examples include destabilization of land from site clearing operations involving cutting of trees, gradual lowering of water table from groundwater abstraction, neighborhood noise from operation of generators, and compromised air quality from fossil fuel burning in the machinery and vehicles. ES. 11 Environmental Management Plan and the Monitoring Mechanism The Environmental Management Plan (EMP) provides a detailed mechanism for addressing all the environmental issues by designating appropriate authorities and focal persons for implementing the mitigation measures and ensuring environmental compliance of the project activities. The EMP also outlines the actions needed for coping with emergencies or crisis situations. Furthermore, the EMP also provides an elaborate mechanism for monitoring the unmitigated, mitigated and the residual impacts in the form of internal compliance monitoring and external auditing mechanisms to ensure long term sustainability of the project. The EMP also outlines the program for training and capacity building of the PIFRA-II functionaries and the contractors’ staff into environmental and social issues. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page xi 1. Introduction 1. INTRODUCTION This document is the report of the environmental assessment (EA) study of the civil work component of the second phase of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II). The term ‘civil work’, as used in this document, encompasses the pertinent aspects of the designs and the post-completion operations of the project buildings which have been either already constructed or yet to be taken up. PIFRA was launched in mid nineties for revamping and reforming the audit and accounting system in the country to conform to the international best practices. A number of reforms were introduced into the then existing accounting and auditing system in the country. The reforms introduced during the first phase of the project are being carried forward through the second phase, called PIFRA-II. The second phase is therefore an extension of the first phase for achieving the remaining targets of the project. The activities under PIFRA-II include a sizeable component of civil works. These civil works include renovation, rehabilitation, upgradation, and even altogether new construction of project buildings of the sizes ranging from as small as a single room structures to multistory complexes all across the country. As the civil work activities (aspects of design, construction, and operation of the buildings) under PIFRA-II carry a potential to affect the environment in a comprising manner; assessment of their potential to affect the environment is therefore necessary for ensuring environmental sustainability of these activities. 1.1 Objectives of the EA Study The primary objective of this EA study is to identify and address the adverse environmental impacts of the civil work activities under the project. The study was conducted at a time when some of the project buildings had been either already completed or were at an advanced stage of construction and it was not possible to review their impacts retrospectively. Luckily, the majority of the civil works, particularly those accomplished at the district and the subdistrict (or tehsil) level, comprised construction (which included design) and operation of small sized (one to three rooms) structures with one or two toilets each. These small sized local constructions either at the district or tehsil1 headquarters have been found mostly benign with regard to their potential to disturb the environment in an adverse manner. However, the large size buildings located each at the federal and at the two provincial capitals, owing to their size and large-scale consumption of resources, are likely to produce a few negative environmental impacts and are therefore the main focus of the study. One of the objectives of the study is to facilitate and enhance proponent’s capacity to handle the environmental issues effectively and thus ensure environmental compatibility of the project’s physical interventions. The recommendations made in the study are intended to make the project’s civil work activities conform to the World Bank’s Operational Policies, particularly OP 4.01, and the country’s legislations on environmental and social aspects. 1.2 Extent and Scope of the EA Study The study identifies both the direct as well as indirect environmental and social impacts of the project’s civil work activities and presents a framework for addressing and mitigating these impacts. Screening and characterization of the impacts has been carried out keeping in view 1 Tehsil is the vernacular for subdivision of a district EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 1 1. Introduction their temporal as well as spatial extent and by differentiating the significant from the less significant impacts for evolving a focused mitigation strategy. The study also suggests an environmental management and monitoring plan for avoiding, mitigating, and addressing the identified adverse impacts. Besides, the scope of the study includes the following: (i) Reviewing the existing environmental profile of the project sites and also of the surrounding wider region; (ii) Identifying the potential of the project’s activities to affect the immediate and the distant environment; (iii) Assessing the extent and nature of the project’s environmental impacts; (iv) Characterizing the important and significant foreseeable impacts; and (v) Preparing an environmental management plan to address the environmental challenges and to cater for long-term environmental sustainability of the project. Since PIFRA-II is a countrywide project with civil work components in the federal and the provincial capitals; Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK); and 81 district- and 15 sub-district sites, the geographical span of the EA study is the entire country. As regards the operational scope, the study covers all aspects of the civil work activities right from the design-planning stage to the end-use stage of the constructed buildings and their interaction with the environment. Annex-1 presents the terms of reference (ToR) and scope of the study as given by the project proponent. 1.3 Methodology Employed for the EA Study The information and data gathered from physical inspection of 11 selected project sites (the sample size) out of 107 sites in all four provinces and AJK was used as the basic and primary data for assessing the environmental and social impacts of the project activities. Annex-2 provides a list of the selected sample sites. Relevant data and information was also obtained by (i) consulting the project documents available at the sample sites; (ii) interviewing the proponent’s and the contractors’ site staff; (iii) soliciting views of the stakeholders, concerned persons and neighboring residents, and (iv) seeking further information from the PIFRA Head Office at Islamabad. Public and the stakeholder consultations were used as the main source of ascertaining views, concerns and apprehensions of the key stakeholders. Annex-3 provides a list of the persons consulted during the process. Because of the vast geographical span of the project activities, which cover whole of the country, physical inspection of all the sites was found not practicable. Accordingly, sample prototype sites, which reflected environmental features of a broader area or region, were selected in all four provinces, Islamabad capital territory (ICT), and AJK. Results of the study and the environmental profiles of the selected sites were thus extrapolated for the nearby sites with similar geographic and environmental features, as the latter were also likely to interact with the environment in almost a similar manner as the prototype sites. Annex-4 provides a complete list of the sites / buildings included in the work scope (new constructions, expansion, upgradation, renovated, refurbishment, and repairing of existing structures) of PIFRA-II. The significant environmental concerns have been highlighted with the help of photographs taken during sites’ visits (Annex-5). The identified impacts have been quantified with the help EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 2 1. Introduction of a modified Leopold environmental impact assessment and quantification matrix. Relative significance of the impacts on various physical parameters, ecological domain and social aspects has been highlighted by assigning positive and negative numerical values to the impacts; positive sign indicating beneficial impacts and the negative sign indicating adverse impacts. Besides the primary data sources, secondary sources like the office archives, project’s background papers, departmental presentations, and web links have also been used all during the study. The secondary data sources, in particular, have been used extensively in establishing the baseline environmental profile of the project sites. The World Bank (WB) Safeguard Policies and the Government of Pakistan’s (GoP) notified rules, regulations, and laws on the subject of environment have also been used as reference guidelines for preparing recommendations based on the study’s outcome and inferences. 1.4 Project Description (PIFRA-II)2 The Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA) was launched in 1995 by the Government of Pakistan pursuant to recommendations of the two international consultancies, M/s Price Waterhouse and M/s CIPFA International. These recommendations provided a basis for introduction of reforms for improving, revamping and modernizing the system of financial management and accounting and the budgetary discipline in the country. Successful completion of PIFRA-I, as was endorsed by various review missions of the World Bank Group and other financial partners, paved the way for PIFRA-II, the second round of reforms. PIFRA-II is largely an extension of its precursor project but with enhanced scope and geographical extent. Besides wider geographical coverage, PIFRA-II emphasizes on developing knowledge and skills reflective of a ‘culture’ of technology-supported best practices. Accordingly, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) prepared a comprehensive project document (PC-1) for PIFRA-II. The PC-1 incorporates the project plan, the targeted goals, and the implementation strategies as were discussed and finalized by GoP with financial partners of the project in January 2003. 1.4.1 PIFRA’s Components The major components of the PIFRA-II comprise the following: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) Trainings and capacity building; Strengthening the audit processes; Change management and communication; Expanding the Financial Accounting and Budgeting System (FABS); and Streamlining and rationalizing the procurement procedures 1.4.2 PIFRA’s Objectives and Goals PIFRA-II, being a successor and continuum of PIFRA-I, has the same set of objective as of PIFRA-I, which, interalia, include the following: (i) Modernize the governmental (public) audit procedures and adopt internationally accepted auditing standards; (ii) Establish effective accounting and reporting systems; (iii) Strengthen financial management practices; (iv) Generate financial information, which is more useful, complete, reliable and timely. The improved data will facilitate program management by government decision-makers; and 2 Based on the information provided by the Director General PIFRA, OAG, Islamabad 2009 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 3 1. Introduction (v) Tighten internal controls and minimize the occurrence of errors and irregularities in the processing of payments and receipts. The envisaged goals for PIFRA-II, as contained in the project documents, are summarized as under: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) Replication of the Financial Accounting and Budgeting System (FABS); Capacity building of the Office of the Auditor General (OAG); Capacity building of the Office of the Controller General of Accounts (CGA); and Project management These targets are to be achieved by extending the computerized system of accounting and budgetary control introduced under PIFRA-I at 81 sites located in all provinces, all ministries at the federal level, all departments at the provincial level, finance offices at the districts i.e., EDO-F (Executive District Officer - Finance), and 15 key Tehsil Municipal Administrations (TMAs). Extensive trainings and capacity building programs are also an important component of PIFRA-II. 1.4.3 PIFRA’s Strategy and Approach The implementation strategy of PIFRA-II revolves around transforming the OAG as a hub for managing the public finances efficiently and in line with the international best practices. The cardinal pillars of this strategy include the following aspects: (i) Organizational restructuring into (a) audit operations, and (b) human resource and system development; (ii) Development of an adequate technology infrastructure; (iii) Basing operations on well-defined and distinct databases and information management to improve performance; and (iv) Development of standards and guidance regimens to ensure quality of the outputs and to guide the operations 1.4.4 PIFRA’s Achievements Some of the salient achievements since launching of PIFRA are as under: (i) Transformation of the accounting system from single- to double-entry accounting; (ii) Reengineering of the accounting processes; (iii) Establishment of a countrywide network of fully computerized core accounting units operating on SAP (System Application Product) and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning); (iv) Establishment of the accounting system with features of accrual-basis accounting like reporting of commitments and assets / liabilities with an upgrade path for full accruals; and (v) Introduction of modernized formats for financial reports of the public sector. These developments have been progressively implemented through a central accounting network at the selected sites under PIFRA-I, whereas, PIFRA-II covers the remaining sites. Civil works to accommodate Information Technology (IT) equipment and staff have already been accomplished at a number of sites and are in progress at others. In order to inculcate the international best practices in the accounting and auditing system, the OAG has adopted EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 4 1. Introduction the auditing standards of the International Organization of the Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI). Extensive capacity building and training programs have also been undertaken at all levels and is a regular feature of the project. Various evaluation reports of the project have acknowledged it as a successful intervention. 1.4.5 Civil Works under PIFRA The civil work component of the project’s overall portfolio includes new constructions and upgradations of the existing structures for accommodating the staff, clients, visitors, computers, IT equipment, and the office record. Various activities which form part of the civil works include the following: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) Repair, rehabilitation and renovation of the existing structures (subject to feasibility); Alteration and upgradation of the existing buildings; Addition of new rooms / blocks at the premises of the existing buildings; Construction of new structures at virgin sites; Construction of new structures at the site(s) of demolished structures; and Installation of diesel fired generators to cater for electricity outages / breakdowns. Project’s portfolio includes altogether new constructions, upgradations, and renovation of structures at the federal and the provincial capitals, at 81 district accounts offices, at 15 subdistrict offices, and at 6 sites in AJK. Construction activities range from cement plastering to relaying of floors, partitioning of rooms, complete replacement of debilitated structures and other similar interventions to make the existing structures compatible to project’s requirements. The majority of these constructions have been either already accomplished or are being taken up by award of contract to local contractors. The small-scale repair and renovation activities are generally taken up without elaborate architectural drawings. However, construction of large sized new structures either at virgin sites or at the sites of the demolished building is carried out under a proper code of planning, architectural designing, and structural layout drawings. The Audit House, Islamabad and the Audit and Account Complex, Karachi at the virgin sites and the Audit Block and Academy Complex, Quetta at a demolished site are each spanned over 7.2 acres, 2.5 acres, and 2.7 acres, respectively. These three sites are subject to all the standard codal formalities applicable to construction of multistory and large sized buildings. The layout plans of the main buildings at Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta have been given in Annex-6. The Audit House, Islamabad is being constructed next to the existing building of the Office of the Auditor General of Pakistan on a vacant piece of land measuring 10,000 square meters. The scheduled completion time of the construction which started in August 2008 is 24 months. Main building comprises two basements, to be used as parking, Ground and three floors, for accommodating Office of the Auditor General and the PIFRA Head Office. Besides other amenities, there will be four passenger lifts, two main stairways, firefighting arrangements, and exits for emergency evacuation. According to the estimates given in the bill of quantities, construction of the building will consume approximately 340 tons cement; 672 tons steel; 18,000 cubic meters gravel aggregate; 9,000 cubic meters sand; 2000 cubic meters bricks; 1.5 tons asphalt; 80 cubic meters timber; and 17000 cubic meters water3. 3 Project documents “Construction of Audit House, Islamabad”-PIFRA EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 5 1. Introduction The available land area for the Audit and Account Complex, Karachi is around 77,800 square meters. In this first phase, construction will be confined to an area of approximately 33,350 square meters which comes to about half of the available land area. There will be two main blocks of the building. The first one, which is on the front of the second one, will comprise a basement and four floors and the second one will consist of a basement and five storeys. Basements of both blocks will be used for parking and for setting up operational and maintenance control rooms. The frontal block will house the Offices of the Controller General of Accounts and the rear one the Office of the Auditor General of Pakistan. The departmental training academy will be located inside the Audit Block. Provision of necessary facilities like passenger lifts, smoke detection and firefighting system, and public toilets is included in the work scope of the project. The scheduled period of construction, which commenced in July 2008, is 24 months. According to the estimates given in the bill of quantities, construction of the building will consume approximately 460 tons cement; 903 tons steel; 24,500 cubic meters gravel aggregate; 12,300 cubic meters sand; 2200 cubic meters bricks/cement blocks; 1.75 tons asphalt; 95 cubic meters timber; and 22,900 cubic meters water4. The Audit Complex and Academy at Quetta is also a large structure over land area of around 7,000 square meters. It will comprise two separate blocks; the Audit Office Block and the Training Academy Block. The Audit Block will be four storey building and the Academy Block three storey each with basements. Whereas, basement of the Audit Block will be used for parking, that of the Academy Block will be used as dining hall and mess for the trainees. Construction at this site started in October 2008 with approved construction span of 24 months. According to the estimates given in the bill of quantities, construction of the building will consume approximately 280 tons cement; 550 tons steel; 15,000 cubic meters gravel aggregate; 7,500 cubic meters sand; 1,330 cubic meters bricks; 0.9 ton asphalt; 55 cubic meters timber, and 13,900 cubic meters water5. Table 1.4.5 below presents a summary of the salient features of each building. Table 1.4.5 Summary of the Salient Features of the Principal Sites Description Islamabad Site Karachi Site Location Next to OAG on University Road, Constitution Avenue NIPA Chowrangi Plot area 10,000 sqm 77,800 sqm Covered area 32,000 sqm 43,000 sqm No. of blocks 1 2 No. of floors 2B+G+3 5+4 Basements 1 1+1 Start of construction August 2008 July 2008 Completion time 24 months 24 months No. of workers at site 50-60 70-80 Requirements of construction materials a)Steel 672 tons 903 tons b)Cement 340 tons 460 tons 4 5 Quetta Site Zarghoon Road near Railway Office 7,000 sqm 26,000 sqm 2 3+2 1+1 October 2008 24 months 40-50 550 tons 280 tons Project documents “Construction of Audit and Account Complex, Karachi”-PIFRA Project documents “Construction of Audit Complex and Academy, Quetta”-PIFRA EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 6 1. Introduction c) Gravel/Concrete d)Sand e)Bricks/Cement Blocks f) Asphalt g)Timber/Wood h)Water 18,000 cubic meters 9,000 cubic meters 2000 cubic meters 1.5 tons 80 cubic meters 17,000 cubic meters 24,500 cubic meters 12,300 cubic meters 2200 cubic meters 1.75 tons 95 cubic meters 22,900 cubic meters 15,000 cubic meters 7,500 cubic meters 1,330 cubic meters 0.9 ton asphalt 55 cubic meters 13,900 cubic meters 1.4.6 Staging of the Construction Activities The construction activities under the project are carried out in a systematic manner by following a staging regime as under: Stage 1 Planning and Design (Preconstruction) Stage Activities during this stage relate to preparation of the project building’s design, layout plans, structural drawings, geotechnical investigations, obtaining approvals and no objection certificates (NOCs) from the relevant agencies and the government departments, and award of contracts and issuance of work orders for various jobs to the approved contractor(s). Stage 2 Construction Stage Activities during this stage relate to mobilization of machinery and materials to the construction sites, procurement and onsite storing of constructional materials, demolition of existing structures (if any), excavations and diggings, construction of superstructures, removal of unspent materials and debris, installation of fittings and fixtures, and external development comprising landscaping, beautification, and tree plantation. Various types of light to heavy construction machinery such as excavators, graders, batching plants, concrete mixers, concrete pumps, compactors, dumpers, tractor trolleys, water tankers, road rollers, and pneumatic drills are used during this stage, particularly at the mega sites of Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta. Stage 3 Building Usage (Operation) Stage Activities during this stage relate to usage of the rehabilitated, upgraded, and or the newly constructed buildings for the intended purposes such as providing adequate space for accommodating the staff and safe custody of office record and IT equipment. Other usages include routine office functions and activities as envisaged under PIFRA. Safe disposal of wastewater and the solid wastes, and repair and maintenance of the generators and the buildings form part of the activities during this stage. 1.5 Document’s Structure Chapter 2 presents an overview of the environmental regulatory framework of Pakistan and the Operational Policies of the World Bank. Chapter 3 contains description of the baseline and the existing environmental profile of the study area. Chapter 4 presents detailed discussion on environmental impacts of the project and the recommended mitigation measures for addressing the adverse impacts. Chapter 5 is the stakeholders’ consultations, which presents views and concerns of the key stakeholders. Chapter 6 presents the environmental management plan and the institutional setup for its effective implementation and monitoring. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 7 2. Legislative and Regulatory Overview 2. OVERVIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK This section presents an overview of the pertinent aspects of the environmental legislative and regulatory framework of the country. Furthermore, relevance and applicability of the WB’s environmental Safeguard Policies to the activities under PIFRA has been also reviewed. 2.1 Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 The Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 is the substantive environmental legislation that provides basic framework for the management of environmental issues in the country. The primary objective of the Act, as envisaged in its preamble, is “to provide for the protection, conservation, rehabilitation, and improvement of the environment for the prevention and control of pollution and promotion of sustainable development”6. The Act establishes the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) as the principal organ of the state for implementing various substantive and procedural provisions of the Act7. The Act empowers the Pak-EPA to take cognizance of the violations and contraventions of the Act, establish the charge, and prosecute the accused before the Environmental Tribunal, which stand established one for each province under the Act. Besides, Pak-EPA can also frame and notify rules and regulations consistent with the Act. In all the matters concerning the subject of environment, provisions of the PEPA override the environmental provisions of all other laws to the extent of inconsistency between them. Section 12 of the PEPA prohibits taking up the developmental projects unless the proponent has conducted an initial environmental examination (IEE) or an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and received approval from either the federal or the respective provincial environmental protection agency (EPA). Failure to carry out an IEE or EIA is an offence punishable with fine, or imprisonment, or both under Section 17 of the Act. The present environmental assessment of PIFRA-II has been carried out in compliance with this mandatory provision of the PEPA. 2.2 IEE/EIA Regulations, 2000 The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Review of IEE/EIA) Regulations, 2000 enlist the projects requiring an initial environmental examination (IEE) or an environmental impact assessment (EIA). Schedule-I and Schedule-II respectively list the projects requiring IEE and EIA. The Regulations also detail the procedures for submission of reports, mode of their review by the EPA, issuance of environmental approvals, entry into and inspection of the premises, and holding of public hearings as a part of the procedure for issuing of environmental approvals. The Regulations also prescribe the procedure for filing an IEE/EIA with the EPA, time limits for completing its review by the Agency, review fees, and the conditions under which environmental approvals may be granted. The Regulations also authorize the Government to notify environmentally sensitive areas for which an EIA must be filed regardless of a project’s qualifying for an IEE. 6 7 Preamble to Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 available at www.epa.gov.pk Complete text of PEPA is available at www.epa.gov.pk EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 8 2. Legislative and Regulatory Overview 2.3 Forest Act, 1927 The Forest Act 1927, which is a pre-partition legislation, is the principal enactment concerning forestry resources. All the four provinces have incorporated this enactment into their provincial legislative fold, mutatis mutandis. The Forest Act provides for the creation of various classes of forests and allows the provincial governments to reserve the state-owned forest land, assume control of the privately owned forest land, and declare any governmentowned forest land to be a protected area. The law prohibits grazing, hunting, quarrying and clearing for the purpose of cultivation, removing forest produce, and felling or lopping trees and branches in reserved or protected areas. The primary objective of the Forests Act is to protect forests and regulate the forest produce. In protected forests, cutting or damaging the trees, quarrying, cultivating the land and setting fires are offences punishable with imprisonment or fine. The areas notified under the Act as reserved or protected zones will constitute negative areas for taking up constructions under the project (PIFRA-II) in these zones. 2.4 Provincial Wildlife Acts and Ordinances The provincial wildlife enactments (The Punjab Wildlife Act, 1974; The Sindh Wildlife Ordinance, 1972; The NWFP Wildlife Act, 1976; The Balochistan Wildlife Act, 1977; and The ICT Wildlife Ordinance, 1979) cater for protection of the wildlife resources in their respective jurisdictional areas8. As their names indicate, all these enactments aim to ensure availability of the environments conducive for the rearing and propagation of wildlife and regulation of hunting, poaching, possession, and trade of listed birds and animals. These legislations also prescribe penalties for contraventions. The enactments empower the respective governments to notify lists of the protected ecosystems, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and game reserves and amend them as and when expedient. The updated lists of the notified protected and special areas and the species can be obtained from the National Council for Conservation, Islamabad or from the respective Provincial Forest and Wildlife Departments. In order to conserve as many species and ecosystems as possible, the respective Governments have notified 190 special and protected areas so far. These include 15 national parks, 83 wildlife sanctuaries, 85 game reserves and 14 unclassified areas. Furthermore, nine wetlands have also been notified in pursuance to the Ramsar Convention. The sites and the zones notified under the above legislations will constitute negative areas for taking up constructions under the project and such other activities as are prohibited by the law, therein. 2.5 Antiquities Act, 1975 The Antiquities Act, 1975, which is a federal law, provides for the protection of cultural resources. Antiquities have been defined as ancient products of human activity, historical sites, sites of archaeological or cultural interest, and the national monuments. The Act prohibits new constructions in the proximity of the protected antiquities. Out of 387 officially notified sites under the Act, 149 are in Punjab, 126 in Sindh, 87 in the NWFP and the Northern Areas, and 27 in Balochistan. Besides there are six UNESCO notified world heritage sites in Pakistan. 8 Full texts available at http://punjablaws.gov.pk/laws/290.html and www.iucn.org (accessed on 20.05.2009) EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 9 2. Legislative and Regulatory Overview All notified sites under the above legislations will constitute negative areas for taking up constructions under the project. In case of chance discovery of antiquities during excavations at any of the project sites, the person finding the antiquity will be under legal obligation to report such discovery to the Department of Archaeology. 2.6 Punjab Special Premises (Preservation) Ordinance-1985; and the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act-1994; Both enactments provide a legal framework for preservation of premises of historical, cultural, archaeological, and architectural value in the respective provinces. These legislations empower both provincial governments to notify heritage sites and sites of cultural and archaeological importance and to prohibit implementation of developmental schemes or new constructions within the notified areas around the special premises. So far 246 sites stand notified under the Punjab Ordinance and 211 sites under the Sindh Act. Updated lists are available from the office of the Director General, Archaeology Department of the two provinces. There are no counterpart legislations by either the NWFP or Balochistan governments. Although it is very unlikely that any developmental activities under the project will be carried out within the notified areas, nevertheless all notified sites under the above legislations will constitute negative areas for taking up constructions under the project. 2.7 World Bank Safeguard Policies The civil work activities under PIFRA-II have also been reviewed against the WB’s Safeguard / Operational Policies, i.e., OP 4.01 (environmental assessment), OP 4.04 (natural habitat), OP 4.36 (forestry), OP 4.09 (pest management), OP 4.11 (cultural property), OP 4.37 (safety of dams), OP 7.50 (projects in international waters), and OP 7.60 (projects in disputed areas). Table 2.7 presents a summary of applicability status of the WB Operational Policies to PIFRA-II. Table 2.7 OP No. OP 4.01 Relationship of WB OPs to PIFRA-II Subject Description Environmental This OP requires environmental assessment of the Assessment projects proposed for Bank’s financing to help ensure that they are environmentally sound and sustainable. This OP categorizes the projects on the basis of type, location, sensitivity, scale of the project, and magnitude and nature of their potential environmental impacts. Civil works under PIFRA-II fall in Category-B projects. Therefore, this project-specific EA and the EMP have been developed in response to this OP. OP 4.04 Natural Habitat Conservation of natural habitats, like other measures that protect and enhance the environment, is essential for long-term sustainable development. Through this OP, the WB supports protection, maintenance, and rehabilitation of the natural habitats and sustenance of their functions. Implementation of PIFRA-II does not involve any habitat EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 10 2. Legislative and Regulatory Overview conversion because the project sites are all located in cities and towns in developed areas. Hence, this OP is not triggered. OP 4.36 Forestry The objective of this safeguard policy is to assist the WB’s borrowers to harness the potential of forests to reduce poverty in a sustainable manner, integrate forests effectively into sustainable economic development, and protect the vital local and global environmental services and values of forests. No activities under the project will be taken up in forest areas because the project sites are all located in cities and towns in developed areas. Hence, this OP is not triggered. OP 4.09 Pest Management Through this OP, the WB supports a strategy that promotes use of biological or environmental control methods and reduces reliance on synthetic chemical pesticides. This OP is not triggered because there are no project activities relating to agriculture and or use of pesticides, fertilizer or other chemical inputs. OP 4.11 Cultural Property The World Bank’s general policy regarding cultural properties (sites of archaeological, historical, religious or cultural significance) is to assist in their preservation and seek to avoid their elimination. The project activities will be taken up at known sites in settled populated areas. Hence, no cultural property is likely to be affected that might trigger this OP. However, the EMP incorporates guidelines to be followed, should any such property is discovered at any stage of the project. OP 4.37 Safety of Dams This operational policy seeks to ensure that appropriate measures are taken and sufficient resources provided for the safety of dams that the WB finances. This OP is not triggered as the project activities do not involve any work relating to construction of dams. OP 7.50 Projects in International Waters This OP defines the procedures to be followed for the WB financed projects located on any water body that forms a boundary between, or flows through two or more states. This OP is not applicable as activities under PIFRA do not involve any works on waterways. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 11 2. Legislative and Regulatory Overview OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas Projects in disputed areas may raise a number of delicate problems affecting relations not only between the Bank and its member countries, but also between the borrower and one or more neighboring countries. In order not to prejudice the position of either the Bank or the countries concerned, any dispute over an area in which a proposed project is located is dealt with at the earliest possible stage. There are six PIFRA-II sites in Azad Jammu and Kashmir which is an internationally acknowledged disputed area between India and Pakistan. Hence this OP is triggered. WB Policy on Information Disclosure The World Bank's Policy on Disclosure of Information sets out the Bank's policy for disclosing and sharing information. The policy reaffirms the Bank’s commitment to transparency and accountability in its activities for promoting development effectiveness and poverty reduction. The present EA will be disclosed in accordance with the provisions of this OP. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 12 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile 3. BASELINE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC PROFILE This section provides an overview of the baseline environmental and socioeconomic profile of the project’s geophysical extent which includes all the four provinces and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Northern Areas. Plate 3.0 presents the geographical extent of the project. As the constructional activities under PIFRA-II are taking place in all geographical regions of Pakistan, the baseline settings have been therefore described in a wider perspective and not in the context of individual sites or regions, except for the three major sites at Islamabad, Karachi and Quetta. 3.1 Geography Pakistan is situated between the latitudes 23° and 36° north and between the longitudes 61° and 75° east. Excepting the minor variations of landscape, the country is geographically divided into six major regions: (i) the northern highlands (mountains and valleys of Karakorum and Himalayas ranges); (ii) the western mountainous region (Hindukush and Suleiman ranges); (iii) the upper Indus plain (mainly the province of Punjab); (iv) the lower Indus plain (mainly the province of Sindh); (v) the Balochistan Plateau; and (vi) the deserts of Thar and Cholistan. The Potohar Plateau and the Salt Range are, sometimes, classified as separate geographical entities. All these geographical regions exhibit their own peculiarities of landscape, terrain, and climate9. Individually, the provinces exhibit geographical similarities as well as dissimilarities. The province of NWFP is sandwiched between the high mountains of Karakorum Range in the north and the Hindukush and Suleiman Range in the south. Barring the Hazara Division, which is an extension of Kashmir Valley, the province has a rugged terrain. It has the famous Khyber Pass. The province of Punjab is a fertile plain made from alluvium of the Indus and its tributary rivers (the Indus River System). It has large irrigated tracts and doab10. The province of Sindh, like Punjab is a plain made up of alluvial deposits of the Indus. The province has the largest desert of the country - the Thar Desert. This desert continues into the province of Rajasthan in India. The province of Balochistan has geographical features distinct from other provinces. It has the low lying mountains of Suleiman and Kirthar range. The famous Khojak Pass is also located here. The western part of the province lies on the Iranian Fault and prone to earthquakes. Kashmir and the Northern Areas (Gilgit-Baltistan), which are northerly extension of Kashmir, are lush green valleys rising upto the foothills of Himalaya and Karakorum ranges. They have mountainous terrain and are marked by high rainfall11. 3.2 Topography 9 A Geography of Pakistan: Environment, People and Economy, Fazle Karim Khan, Oxford University Press, 1991 A doab is a piece of land bound by two confluent rivers 11 A Geography of Pakistan: Environment, People and Economy, Fazle Karim Khan, Oxford University Press, 1991 10 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 13 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile Topographically, Pakistan exhibits a pleasant blend of landscapes varying from plains to deserts, forests, hills, and plateaus from the coastal areas of the Arabian Sea in the south to the spellbinding mountains of Karakoram and Himalayan ranges in the north. The transition of landscape from high mountains in the north to plateaus and then into fertile plains in the south is gentle and smooth12. The provinces of NWFP and Balochistan, except for certain variations, present a similar topography and the same is true for the provinces of Punjab and Sindh13. 3.3 Geology and Seismology Pakistan exhibits all types of geological formations and mineralogy. Geologically, the land formations in the mountainous regions comprise rock minerals and in the floodplains are made up of alluvial deposits transported from the Himalaya foothills. The underlying bedrock, however, is composed of the Precambrian metamorphic and the tertiary consolidated rocks. The overlying alluvium consists of Pleistocene to recent unconsolidated deposits of sand, clay and silt. The formation age of the alluvium also dates from Pleistocene to recent times; the latter being predominant close to riverbanks and the former around the central part of the plains14. The province of Balochistan and Quetta division, in particular, are prone to frequent seismic disturbances from movements of the tectonic plates, mostly when the tectonic plate under the Indian plate hits the Eurasian plate as former continues to move northward to push the Himalayas ever higher15. The region surrounding Quetta is highly prone to earthquakes. A severe quake in 1931 was followed by one of more destructive force in 1935. The recent one is of October 2008 which hit a large area in and around Quetta16. A devastating earthquake shook the entire valley of Kashmir and adjacent areas of the NWFP province on October 8, 200517. The province of NWFP is also prone to seismic activity of low level than Balochsitan18. 3.4 Soil Morphology The soils of different geographical regions of Pakistan exhibit varying characteristics and features with respect to texture, morphology, and moisture-holding capacities. The predominantly arid climate of most parts of Pakistan influences the moisture content of the soils and hence their ability to sustain vegetation. Soils in Pakistan are rich in basic but poor in nitrogenous matter. On the basis of geographical distribution, the soils can be classified into the following six types: (i) alluvial soils of the floodplains; (ii) alluvial soils of the bar uplands; (iii) soils of the Piedmont Plains; (iv) desert soils; (v) soils of Potohar Plateau; and (vi) soils of western hills. On the basis of morphology and grain size, the soils are generally classified into (i) silt, (ii) soil, (iii) clay,(iv) loam, (v) fine sand, (vi) coarse sand, and (vii) gravel19. The texture, morphology, and moisture-holding capacities of the soils of Pakistan vary from region to region. The surface crust soils are composed of alluvial deposits consisting of silt, clay, sand, and loam. In Punjab and Sindh, the clay and silt formations occur in discontinuous Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series – Punjab, Sang-e-Meel Publications, 1998 A Geography of Pakistan: Environment, People and Economy, Fazle Karim Khan, Oxford University Press, 1991 14 Geological Survey of Pakistan <www.gsp.gov.pk>, accessed on 07.01.2009 15 http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world/index.php?region=Pakistan 16 http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world/index.php?region=Pakistan 17 http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world/index.php?region=Pakistan 18 http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world/index.php?region=Pakistan 19 http://www.rrcap.unep.org/lc/cd/html/countryrep/pakistan/studyarea.html 12 13 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 14 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile layers with limited lateral extent. Their thickness is generally less than three meters 20. Owing to their texture and grain size, the soils of the Indus floodplains are fertile and give a good yield21. 3.5 Surface Hydrology and Wetlands The surface water resources of Pakistan comprise glacial melts and lakes, the Indus River and its tributary rivers, and the wetlands. River Indus is the lifeline of Pakistan because in conjunction with its tributaries (Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beyas, and Sutlej), it provides water to two-thirds of Pakistan. Without the Indus and its tributaries, the land in Pakistan would have perhaps turned into a barren desert long ago22. According to Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) in general, the physical quality of the surface water in Pakistan is good 23. As regards the surface water quality, it needs to be borne in mind that the international drinking-water guidelines and standards (of the groundwater quality) do not apply to waters of the surface water bodies 24. Whereas, according to World Wide Fund (WWF) Pakistan, the surface water quality in Pakistan is seriously compromised from direct discharges of untreated industrial effluents, agricultural runoffs and the municipal wastewaters. Lahore, Faisalabad, Karachi, and Sialkot contribute major pollution loads into the nearby water bodies25. According to Pak-EPA, 9000 million gallons of wastewater having 20,000 tons of BOD5 loading are daily discharged into water bodies from the industrial sector 26. According to Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) River Ravi is the most polluted river in Pakistan27 followed by rivers Kabul, Chenab, Indus and Jhelum 28. The water of Ravi is completely devoid of dissolved oxygen (DO) and simply acts as a sullage drain29. Despite being predominantly arid and semi-arid region, Pakistan possesses a great variety of wetlands ranging from coastal mangroves and mudflats in the Indus Delta to the glacial lakes of the Himalayas. The total wetland area has been estimated at over 7,800,000 ha 30. Though rich in biodiversity, these areas have traditionally been neglected in terms of both conservation and sustainable development. The wetlands of Pakistan can be divided into three categories: (i) inland wetlands; (ii) riverine wetlands; and (iii) coastal wetlands. These wetlands provide substantial economic benefits to local communities, as they are a source of staple food, livestock grazing and fodder, fuelwood, transport, energy generation, and irrigation. In addition, these ecosystems provide essential habitats for a number of important life forms31. 3.6 Groundwater 20 Punjab Sustainable Development Strategy, Environment Department, Punjab, 2008 Agricultural Yearbook of Pakistan, 2007-08, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, GoP, 2008 22 Environmental Challenges and Response, Ministry of Environment, GoP, 2007 23 http://www.pcrwr.gov.pk/water_quality.htm 24 http://www.dawn.com/2008/03/31/ebr4.htm 25 http://www.wwfpak.org/factsheets_wps.php 26 http://www.wwfpak.org/factsheets_wps.php [Proceedings of International Symposium by CEWR in 1993, Paper by M.A. Saleemi] 27 http://www.waterinfo.net.pk/fsrr.htm 28 http://www.pcrwr.gov.pk/water_quality.htm 29 http://www.pcrwr.gov.pk/water_quality.htm 30 WWF Pakistan www.wwfpak.org 31 WWF Pakistan www.wwfpak.org 21 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 15 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile The availability and quality of the groundwater, depth of the water table, and the aquifer recharge rates in the country considerably differ from area to area depending on a number of variables such as amount of precipitation, proximity to surface water channels, and other meteorological factors32. Rapid population growth, urbanization and the industrial development has placed immense stress on the water resources of the country 33. The situation has been aggravated further due to enhanced demand by the ever increasing population and non-development of new resources. Consequently, per capita availability of water has decreased from 5,600 m 3 in 1950 to 1,000 m3 in 2008-09 per annum34. Results of various investigations and surveys by several agencies indicate that groundwater pollution is becoming a serious problem in Pakistan. According to the results of a country-wide water quality survey by the PCRWR, the general physical quality of the surface and groundwater is good except in a few cases where presence of color was due to high level of turbidity and dissolved and un-dissolved substances35. Generally, the chemical quality of water in the country is within the recommended values. However, higher arsenic content (WHO limit for arsenic is 10 ppb) was found at some places. Salt concentrations generally were on the higher side for groundwater as compared to surface water36. According to a water quality study by the PCRWR, the majority of samples were found bacteriologically contaminated and unfit for human consumption. The deteriorating water quality might be associated with continuously lowering water table and untreated discharges from industrial, household, and agricultural sources. A finding of the study was that the water table in most of the cities was lowering from one to ten feet a year. The study also revealed that the water table varied from as low as 1 meter in the waterlogged areas to as deep as 120 meters in desert areas37. Tables 3.6a, 3.6b and 3.6c present water quality status of some of the major cities of Pakistan38. Table 3.6a Water Quality of Major Cities in Pakistan - Physical Parameters Parameter Unit HDL* Islamabad Karachi Lahore Peshawar Color -Color Colorless Colorless Colorless Colorless less Odor -Odor Odorless Odorless Odorless Odorless less Taste Tastel Tasteless Tasteless Tasteless Tasteless ess pH 7.35 8.40 7.27 6.5-8.5 7.56 Turbidity NTU** 5 0.73 2.91 0.58 0.81 EC*** uS/cm ngv**** 599 617 696 747 * Highest Desirable Level ** Nephrometric Turbidity Unit Quetta Colorless Odorless Tasteless 7.87 7.16 848 32 Punjab Sustainable Development Strategy, Environment Department, Punjab, 2008 http://www.pcrwr.gov.pk/water_quality.htm 34 Environmental Challenges and Response, Ministry of Environment, GoP, 2007 35 Water Quality Status in Pakistan, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, Islamabad, 2003 36 Water Quality Status in Pakistan, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, Islamabad, 2003 37 Water Quality Status in Pakistan, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, Islamabad, 2003 38 Water Quality Status in Pakistan, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, Islamabad, 2003 33 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 16 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile *** Electrical Conductivity **** No Guideline Values Table 3.6b Water Quality of Major Cities in Pakistan - Chemical Analysis Parameter Unit HDL Alkalinity m.mol/l ngv Arsenic ppb* 10 Bicarbonate mg/l ngv Calcium mg/l 75 Carbonate mg/l ngv Chloride mg/l 250 Chromium ppb 50 Fluoride mg/l 1.5 Hardness mg/l 500 Iron mg/l 0.3 Magnesium mg/l 150 Nitrate mg/l 10 Phosphate mg/l ngv Potassium mg/l 12 Sodium mg/l 200 Sulphate mg/l 250 TDS* mg/l 1000 * Parts Per Billion ** Total Dissolved Solids Islamabad Karachi Lahore Peshawar Quetta 5.18 0 258.52 69.96 0 7.81 11.92 0.39 280.93 0.15 25.02 1.30 0.09 1.74 22.11 26.78 412.56 2.59 0 131.43 36.64 0 66.61 4.25 0.59 175.54 0.22 20.26 5.16 0.15 6.45 61.71 59.57 382.75 4.91 10.31 223.81 32.06 21.50 29.63 2.13 0.55 199.06 0.11 28.50 0.32 0.08 4 89.25 61.88 480.38 6.02 0 301.15 62.17 0 22.08 3.46 0.28 332.31 0.09 43.46 2.51 0.05 2.73 31.38 63.15 523.31 3.83 0.53 190.39 58.03 1.21 81.21 7.16 1.36 329.47 0.14 44.21 3.27 0.30 2.73 71.39 133.42 592.24 Table 3.6c Water Quality of Major Cities in Pakistan – Microbiological Quality Parameter Unit HDL* Total MPN* / 0 Coliform 100ml * Maximum Probable Number Islamabad Karachi Lahore Peshawar Quetta 123.56 4.40 0.69 25.92 22.66 3.7 Meteorology, Climate, and Air Quality Owing to differing topography, various regions of Pakistan exhibit extreme variations of temperature. The country is essentially arid and semi arid except for the southern slopes of the Himalayas and the sub-mountainous tracts where the annual rainfall varies between 760 and 1270 mm39. This area has humid sub-Tropical climate. In the extreme north, because of great heights, the highland climate prevails. Pakistan has four seasons: (i) a cool, dry winter from December through February; (ii) a hot, dry spring from March through May; (iii) the summer rainy season (or the monsoon) from June through September; and (iv) the autumn from October to November. The onset and duration of these seasons somewhat vary according to location40. The country exhibits extreme variations of temperature from below 0oC (upto -10oC in mountainous regions) in winter to 45oC (upto 52oC in hot dry desert regions) in the summer41. 39 Pakistan Meteorological Department (data on CD), GoP, 2008 Geography of Pakistan: Environment, People and Economy, Fazle Karim Khan, Oxford University Press, 1991 41 The Corporate Summit on Climate Action, Lead Pakistan, Karachi, February 19, 2009 40 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 17 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile There are two sources of rainfall in Pakistan: (i) the Monsoon, and (ii) the Western Depression. The former prevails from July to September and the latter from December to March42. The major part of Pakistan has a dry climate and humid conditions except for a small area in the north. The whole of Sindh, most of Balochistan, major part of the Punjab and the central parts of the NWFP receive less than 250 mm of rainfall in a year. Northern Sindh, southern Punjab, and southwestern Balochistan receive less than 125 mm of rainfall43. An air quality study of Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad by the Pak-EPA and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) showed that the average suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the study districts was 4.4 to 7.5 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline values44. The levels of sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen also exceeded the acceptable standards in some areas, but the average levels were below the guideline values45. Another similar study of Gujranwala and Faisalabad also revealed higher concentrations of SPM in the ambient air 46. In the very recent investigations conducted by Pak-EPA on the ambient air, particulate matter in Quetta revealed that Imdad Chowk is the most polluted location compared to other locations in Quetta due to high density of traffic at this point 47. However, barring the congested urban centers, air quality in rest of the country generally conforms to the WHO guideline values48. The air quality investigation with respect to nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) in the federal and the four provincial capitals showed increasing concentrations of this pollutant due to high traffic density. The highest concentrations of NO2 were found in Karachi followed, in descending order, by Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar and Islamabad49. Table 3.7 presents air quality status of some of the major cities of Pakistan. Table 3.7 Parameter Air Quality Status of some Major Cities in Pakistan50 Unit US Islamabad Karachi Lahore Peshawar Quetta 472 240 37.5 12.5 42 38.5 390 280 44 22.8 54 48 886 300 55.7 26.8 48 51 489 310 42 16.5 44 48 680 310 45.5 18 46 44.4 EPA Limit TSP* ug/m3 PM10* ug/m3 SO2** ppb CO*** ppm NOx* ppb Ozone ppb * Annual mean ** 24 hour mean *** 8 hour mean 260 150 140 10 50 -- 42 Climate and Water Resources in South Asia: Vulnerability and Adaptation, Amir Muhammad et all, Asia Pacific Network for Global Change, 2004 43 Statistical Pocket Book of Pakistan, Statistics Division, GoP, 2008-09 44 http://www.environment.gov.pk/PRO_PDF/AmbientAirQtyPakistan.pdf 45 3-Cities Investigation of Air and Water Quality (Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad), JICA/Pak-EPA, 2001 46 2-Cities Investigation of Air and Water Quality (Gujranwala and Faisalabad), JICA/Pak-EPA, 2003 47 Ambient Air Particulate Matter and Water Quality Investigation in Quetta, JICA/Pak-EPA, 2006 48 Air Quality Monitoring in Six Districts of Punjab using Physico-Chemical Techniques, Environment Protection Department, Government of the Punjab, 2005 49 Measurement of NO2 concentration in different cities of Pakistan using diffusion samplers (Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore and Quetta), JICA/Pak-EPA, 2006 50 www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/articles-59041_karachi1.ppt EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 18 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile 3.8 Forests, Habitats, and Ecologically Sensitive Areas Pakistan has 4.2 million ha covered by forests and planted trees, which is equivalent to 4.8 percent of the total land area. Total forests area of different provinces and territories of Pakistan viz. Sindh, Baluchistan, Punjab, North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Azad Kashmir and Northern areas is 0.92, 0.33, 0.69, 1.21, 0.42, and 0.66 million hectares respectively. This shows that most of the forest distribution is in northern part of the country (40 percent of country’s total forests are in NWFP, 15.7 percent in Northern Areas and 6.5 percent in Azad Kashmir)51. Over 40 percent of it is coniferous and scrub forests on the northern hills and mountains. The balance is made up of irrigated plantations and riverine forests along major rivers on the Indus plains, mangrove forests on the Indus delta and trees planted on farmlands52. Pakistan is a forest-poor country, with only 0.03 ha of forest per capita of population compared to the world average of 1.0 ha. With the population, growing at 3 percent annually, forest area per capita is declining. Forests are divided on the basis of whether they are stateowned or private-owned forests. The state-owned forests are again divided into 4 categories: reserved, protected, unclassified and resumed lands. Two-thirds of the public forests are noncommercial and only the remaining one-third is harvested. The area of public forest cannot be expanded fast enough to keep pace with population growth and demands for forest products. Production of timber from commercial forests is about 0.5 million cubic meters annually53. Currently, only about 1,748,000 ha (4,319,500 acres) are classified as commercial or productive forests. Privately-owned forests cover some 3,783,000 ha (9,348,000 acres), located primarily in the North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) and Punjab. These forests are the main source for constructional timber and supply great quantities of fuel wood, while providing groundcover to the fragile mountain ecosystems (thereby lessening floods and droughts in the plains)54. According to Pakistan Forest Institute Peshawar, the annual average rate of deforestation in the country is around 1.5 percent. In order to cover up deforestation, the government plans to implement 151 reforestation projects at a cost of Rs. 1.6 billion. About 90 percent of the timber cut from forests is consumed as fuel wood. As forest resources of the country are limited, increasing volumes of wood and wood products are imported every year to satisfy the rising demand55. Forests also contribute 32% of total energy needs as fuel wood. Ninety percent of rural and 60% of urban households use fuel wood and other forms of biomass as their primary source of energy56. The ecosystems and habitat in the country are under constant threat from deforestation and degradation of forest resources of the country. The main causes of deforestation are mounting population pressure, dependence of urban and rural households on fuel wood, suspension of forest management in natural forests, unscientific grazing beyond carrying capacity, floods, fires and storms, inadequate financial inputs, and stakeholders' lack of 51 Pakistan Economic Survey, GoP, 2007-08 Forestry Sector Master Plan, National Perspective, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Cooperatives, GoP, 1992 53 http://www.un.org/esa/earthsummit/pakis-cp.htm 54 http://www.un.org/esa/earthsummit/pakis-cp.htm 55 http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Pakistan-FORESTRY.html 56 Forestry Sector Master Plan, National Perspective, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Cooperatives, GoP, 1992 52 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 19 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile involvement in the process of policy making. The activities of the timber Mafia and lack of political will on the part of the government to bring them to book have further aggravated the situation57. 3.9 Demographic Profile The population of Pakistan is growing at a rapid rate 58. From 16.6 million in 1901, it increased to 132.4 million in 1998 (the last official census year) - an eightfold increase in about 100 years. Based on the annual growth rate of 2.69 percent of 1998 census, the estimated current population as of June 2009 is 164 million59. Punjab with 55.62 percent of country’s population is the largest province followed by Sindh (22.99 percent), NWFP (13.41 percent +2.4 percent Federally Administered Tribal Areas - FATA), Balochistan (4.96 percent), and the ICT (0.61 percent)60. According to 1998 Census, ICT has the highest population growth rate of 5.19 percent followed by NWFP (2.82 percent), Sindh (2.80 percent), Punjab (2.64 percent), and Balochistan (2.48 percent)61. With the given rate of population growth, Pakistan is projected to become the 5th largest country by 2030 with a population ranging between 230 and 260 million people62. 3.10 Land Use and Agricultural Profile Agriculture contributes to over 24 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP)63. Pakistan is primarily a land of subsistence agriculture. The main emphasis is on the production of food crops that account for about 70 percent of the cropped area. Some cash crops (cotton, sugarcane, tobacco, etc.) are also grown to meet other needs 64. Currently, about 23 percent of the total land area is cultivated 65. The cropped area has increased from 14.6 million hectares in 1947-48 to about 22.15 million hectares in 2004-0566. For the purpose of agriculture statistics, it is customary to divide the land area into five major categories: (i) reported area; (ii) forest area; (iii) cropped area; (iv) cultivable waste; and (v) unreported area67. As regards the land use of Pakistan, the arable land is 27 percent, permanent crops are 1 percent, permanent pastures are 6 percent, forests and woodland are 5 percent, and others are 61 percent68. 3.11 Natural Resources Pakistan's principal natural resources are arable land, water, and extensive natural gas and oil reserves. About 28 percent of Pakistan's total land area is under cultivation and is watered by one of the largest irrigation systems in the world. The most important crops are cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, maize, sorghum, millets, pulses, oil seeds, barley, fresh fruits and vegetables, which together account for more than 75 percent of the value of the total crop output. 57 Underlying causes of deforestation and forest degradation in Pakistan, Asif Saeed: Paper submitted to the XII World Forestry Congress, Canada, 2003 58 http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/fbs/statistics/pds2006/pds2006.html 59 http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/ 60 Pakistan Demographic Survey, Federal Bureau of Statistics, GoP, 2006 61 Pakistan Demographic Survey, Federal Bureau of Statistics, GoP, 2006 62 Pakistan in the 21st Century: Vision 2030, Planning Commission, GoP, 2007 63 Pakistan Economic Survey, Finance Division, GoP, 2008 64 Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan 2005-06, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, GoP, 2006 65 Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan 2005-06, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, GoP, 2006 66 Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan 2005-06, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, GoP, 2006 67 Punjab Development Statistics, Bureau of Statistics, GoPb, 2008-09 68 Pakistan Economic Survey, Finance Division, GoP, 2008 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 20 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile Pakistan also exports wood, cement, tiles, marbles, cotton, textiles, leather goods, sports goods, surgical instruments, electrical appliances, carpets, rugs, and hides & skins. The Salt Range has large natural deposits of pure salt. The country also has extensive energy resources, including fairly sizable natural gas reserves, oil reserves, coal, gypsum, limestone, chromites, iron ore, rock salt, silver, gold, precious stones, gems, marbles, tiles, copper, sulfur, fire clay, silica sand, and large hydropower potential. However, exploitation of the energy resources has been slow due to a shortage of the capital investment and the domestic and international political constraints69. 3.12 Healthcare Profile Pakistan's healthcare indicators, health funding and the health and sanitation infrastructure are generally poor, particularly in the rural areas. About 19 percent of the population is malnourished - a higher rate than the 17 percent average for the developing countries70. About 30 percent children under age five are malnourished 71. The leading causes of sickness and death include gastroenteritis, respiratory infections, congenital abnormalities, tuberculosis, malaria, and typhoid fever 72. According to an estimate, Pakistan's human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence rate was 0.1 percent among the aged 15 to 49 years73. The death estimates from acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are 4,900 deaths a year74. Hepatitis B and C are also rampant in the country with approximately 3 million cases of each at the present75. According to the latest published statistics of 2008, there are 85 physicians for every 100,000 persons in Pakistan. In other words, there is only one doctor for 1,225 people 76. In contrast to most countries, Pakistan has a dearth of nurses and there are only 62,651 nurses for the nation. There are 96,000 Lady Health Workers – the primary healthcare providers. According to the latest statistics of the Ministry of Health, there are 13,937 health institutions in the country including 945 hospitals (with a total of 103,285 hospital beds), 4,755 dispensaries, 5,349 Basic Health Units (mostly in rural areas), 903 Mother and Child Care Centers, 562 rural health centers and 290 TB (tubercle bacillus) centers77. According to the WHO, Pakistan's total health expenditures in 2008 were 3.9 percent of the (GDP), which come to per capita health expenditures of US $49 a year. The government provided only 24.4 percent of total health expenditures and the remainder was met by the private out-of-pocket expenses78. 3.13 Educational Profile Education in Pakistan is divided into five levels: (i) primary (grades one through five); (ii) middle (grades six through eight); (iii) high (grades nine and ten leading to the Secondary School Certificate); (iv) intermediate (grades eleven and twelve, leading to a Higher 69 Pakistan Economic Survey, Ministry of Finance, Finance Division, GoP, 2008 Pakistan Economic Survey, Ministry of Finance, Finance Division, GoP, 2008 71 Pakistan Economic Survey, Ministry of Finance, Finance Division, GoP, 2008 72 Pakistan Economic Survey, Ministry of Finance, Finance Division, GoP, 2008 73 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV/AIDS_in_Pakistan#cite_note-2 74 HIV/AIDS in Pakistan, Muhammad A Rai, Agha Khan University, Karachi, 2007 75 Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C in Pakistan: Prevalence and Risk Factors, Ali SA, International Journal of Infectious Diseases, January 2009 76 http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/fbs/statistics/social_statistics/health2.pdf 77 http://www.finance.gov.pk/admin/images/survey/chapters/Indicator%2008-09.pdf 78 http://www.who.int/countries/pak/en 70 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 21 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile Secondary School Certificate); and (v) university education leading to graduate and advanced degrees. Administration of the academic institutions is the responsibility of the provincial governments. The federal government mostly assists in curriculum development, accreditation, some financing for research, and academic scholarships. According to the Population Census Organization, the 1998 Census indicated a literacy rate of 43.9 percent for the total population with females having a significantly lower rate of 32 percent. Rural literacy was also recorded much less than the national average at 33.6 percent with females only achieving a 20.1 percent literacy rate79. Islamabad has the highest literacy rate in the country of 72.38 percent, and Musa Khel has the lowest one of a meager 10.37 percent80. 3.14 Pollution and Environmental Issues81 Little attention was paid to pollution and environmental issues in Pakistan until the early 1990s. In 1987, only about 6 percent of rural residents and 51 percent of urban residents had access to sanitary facilities. In 1990, a total of 97.6 million Pakistanis, or approximately 80 percent of the population, had no access to flush toilets. Greater success has been achieved in bringing potable water within reach of the people; nearly half the population enjoyed such access by 1990. Nevertheless, a large proportion of diseases in Pakistan are still caused from consumption of polluted water. Even the 38 percent population that receives water through pipelines runs the risk of consuming seriously contaminated water, although the problem varies by area. In Punjab, for example, as much as 90 percent of drinking water comes from groundwater, as compared with only 9 percent in Sindh 82. Nevertheless, a comparison of various social indicators since 1998-99 showed that indicators like the source of drinking water, type of toilet used and the sanitation conditions have significantly improved83. Pakistan's National Conservation Strategy (NCS) of 1992 attempted to redress the previous inattention to the nation's mounting environmental problems. Drawing on the expertise of more than 3,000 people from a wide array of political affiliations, the NCS came as a document outlining the current state of environmental health, its sustainable goals, and viable program options for the future84. Of the special concern to environmentalists is the diminishing forest cover in the watershed regions of the northern highlands, which has only recently come under close scrutiny. Forest areas have been thoughtlessly denuded. Deforestation, which occurred at an annual rate of 0.4 percent in 1989-90, has contributed directly to the severity of the flooding problem faced by the nation in the early 1990s. As the industry has expanded, factories emitted more and more toxic effluents into the air and water. The number of textile and food processing mills particularly in the rural Punjab has grown greatly since the mid-1970s, resulting in pollution of rivers and the irrigation canals. Groundwater quality throughout the country has also suffered from rapidly increasing use of 79 http://www.apcdproject.org/ National Education Census, Ministry of Education, GoP, 2007 81 (i) National Conservation Strategy, GoP, 1992; (ii) Pakistan Strategic Country Environmental Assessment, the World Bank, October 2006 82 Water Quality Status in Pakistan, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, Islamabad, 2003 83 State of Environment Report, Ministry of Environment, GoP, 2005 84 National Conservation Strategy, GoP, 1992 80 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 22 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile pesticides and fertilizers for promoting intensive cropping and facilitating self sufficiency in food production. NCS has also documented how solid and liquid excreta are becoming the major sources of water pollution in the country and the cause of widespread waterborne diseases. Only three major sewage treatment plants exist in the country; two of them operate intermittently. Much of the untreated sewage goes into irrigation systems where the wastewater is reused, and into streams and rivers, which become sewage carriers at low-flow periods. Consequently, the vegetables grown from such wastewater have serious bacteriological contamination. Gastroenteritis, widely considered in medical circles to be the leading cause of death in Pakistan, is transmitted through waterborne pollutants. Low lying land is generally used for solid waste disposal causing deterioration of the environment. NCS has raised concerns about industrial toxic wastes which are being dumped in municipal disposal areas without any record of their location, quantity, or toxic composition. Another important issue is the contamination of shallow groundwater near urban industries that discharge wastes directly into the ground. Air pollution has also become a major problem in most cities. There are no controls on vehicular emissions, which account for 90 percent of airborne pollutants. The NCS Report claims that an average Pakistani vehicle emits twenty-five times as much carbon monoxide, twenty times as many hydrocarbons, and more than three and a half times as much nitrous oxide in grams per kilometer compared to an average vehicle in the United States. Another source of environmental pollution, not mentioned in NCS, is noise. The hyperurbanization experienced by Pakistan since the 1960s has brought manifold increase in the number of vehicles in almost all cities and the major towns. Today, most of our roads and streets are teeming with all types of motorized vehicle like buses, trucks, cars, and motorcycles and the animal driven carts producing high levels of noise. Furthermore, presence of industries inside the populated areas of the cities also contributes to neighborhood noise85. Unlike other pollutants, control of environmental noise has been compromised by insufficient knowledge of its effects on humans and inattention by the concerned agencies. There have also been very few studies in the country into this environmental parameter. According to a study conducted by Pak-EPA in 2006, noise level at all study locations in Islamabad and Rawalpindi were found exceeding the permissible NEQS limit for vehicular noise of 85 dB (decibel) at 7.5 meters from the source86. Although data of other larger cities is not available, yet it can be presumed that their noise levels are likely not to differ much from the trends observed for Islamabad and Rawalpindi. 3.15 Socioeconomic Profile Pakistan, being an impoverished and underdeveloped country, suffers from internal political disputes, low levels of foreign investment, and a costly ongoing confrontation with neighboring India. 85 86 Measurement of noise level at different locations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pak-EPA, 2006 Measurement of noise level at different locations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pak-EPA, 2006 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 23 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile Pakistan's economic prospects, although still marred by poor human development indicators, started improving in 2002 following unprecedented inflows of foreign assistance beginning in late 2001. The years following 2001 witnessed unprecedented economic growth rising steadily to 7 to 8 percent during 2006-07. Foreign exchange reserves rose to the record $14 billion in 2006-07 and Pakistan expected to join the ranks of middle income countries with a GDP of around $4,000 within next two decades. However, on the socioeconomic front, Pakistan is facing serious challenges of increasing population, rising unemployment, and depleting natural resources, particularly water, the availability of which is already touching alarming limits87. 3.16 Labor and Employment The labor force in the country is estimated around 43 million, out of which nearly 56 percent is in the province of Punjab alone. About 70 percent of the labor force belongs to rural areas and the remaining 30 percent to urban areas88. Migration of people from rural to urban areas, mainly because of employment opportunities and better socioeconomic conditions, has been and is an unending phenomenon in the country. Conversion of cities and urban centers into mega cities (e.g., emergence of Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad as metropolises) and establishment of industrial estates therein have all brought in increased employment opportunities for the rural folk. The number of employed persons has almost doubled during 1972 to 2002. But at the same time, the number of unemployed has recorded eightfold increase during the same period, mainly because of high population growth rate 89. Investments in social sectors such as education, health, housing, water, sanitation, agriculture, transport, infrastructure, and communications have not kept pace with rapidly growing population and have thus failed to provide jobs to the growing population90. Large scale export of the labor force to Europe, America, and Middle East in the seventies and the eighties acted as a safety valve for the unemployed youth in the country. The expatriates not only transferred large amounts of foreign exchange as cash remittances into the country but also invested in the social and industrial sectors. According to an estimate, more than 3 million Pakistanis are working as expatriates all over the world91. 3.17 Culture, Religion, and Customs Pakistan is multicultural societies with a number of ethnic groups speaking a variety of languages. Urdu is the national language of Pakistan. However, both Urdu and English are used in offices and large business transactions. Apart from Urdu, which is the lingua franca, many regional languages and dialects are also spoken throughout the country. The educated people are usually tri-lingual; speaking Urdu, English and the native regional language. Islam is the national religion. However, there are other minority religions such as Christianity, Hinduism, and Parsism. The country has a rich and magnificent cultural heritage of ancient times and of the early Islamic period, which is reflected through specimens of art, craft, literature, and architect in various parts of the country. 87 Pakistan in the 21st Century: Vision 2030, Planning Commission, GoP, 2007 Pakistan Economic Survey, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad, 2008 89 Medium Term Budgetary Framework (2005-10), Planning Commission, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad, 2005 90 Medium Term Budgetary Framework (2005-10), Planning Commission, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad, 2005 91 Pakistan Economic Survey, Ministry of Finance, Finance Division, GoP, 2008 88 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 24 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile On the cultural front, Bhangra, Luddi, and Khattak dances are few of the popular folk dances. All four provinces have distinct dresses worn by men and women. People generally respect “chadar” and “chardewari”, i.e. they show a special respect to women. Similarly, sanctity of the house is considered inviolable. Mixed gathering of men and women, except at special occasions of weddings and the like ceremonies, are socially unaccepted. A reasonable proportion of women observe “purdah” (veil), i.e. they avoid strangers and stay away from visitors to the house. However, women do participate in almost all sort of social, cultural, economic, educational, and other activities as are socially acceptable92. The traditional joint family system, which is still prevalent in rural areas, is eroding in the cities. The emerging trend of nucleus or small family is fast replacing the joint family, especially in the metropolises and the urban centers, mainly because of the socio economic compulsions and attitudinal shifts in the youth93. 3.18 Gender Issues Women in Pakistan are among the poorest and the most vulnerable sections of the society. Women’s access and control over productive resources is limited and they are victims of discrimination. However, vulnerability of women to discriminatory treatment varies across regions, amongst the urban and rural populations, and the social classes of the society. The Human Development Report, 2009 ranks Pakistan at 141 out of 182 countries in terms of human development index (HDI) and at 153 out of 190 countries in the gender related development index (GDI)94. Out of the 155 countries with both HDI and GDI values, 152 countries have a better ratio than Pakistan's95. The dependency and vulnerability rates are estimated to be around 47 percent. However, the actual dependency is believed to be much higher than the official figures because approximately 69 percent population consists of women, children, and the aged who can all be classified as vulnerable. Another reason of dependency is low participation of women in economic activities 96. Presently, women comprise less than 5 percent of the public sector employees in the public and private sector. Even those who are employed have limited horizontal mobility and are limited to social sector departments like education and health. Nevertheless, between 1980 and 2007 Pakistan's HDI rose by 1.30% annually from 0.402 to 0.572 today. The women representation at the decision-making levels is quite pathetic and stands only at 3 percent97. Government’s major initiative of empowering the women is the Gender Reform Action Program (GRAP), which is designed to trigger actions that will result in gender mainstreaming. GRAP focuses primarily on institutional change to achieve gender equity98. 3.19 Poverty Incidence of poverty in the country is estimated at 32 percent (36 percent urban and 28 percent rural), which is quite alarming99. Despite government’s interventions, poverty 92 Pakistani Society-An Introduction, Muhammad Iqbal, Aziz Publishers, Lahore 1985, Reprint 2007 Pakistani Society, Akbar S Khan, Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu Pakistan, Royal Publishers, Lahore, 1988 94 http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_PAK.html 95 http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_PAK.html 96 http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_PAK.html 97 Pakistan Economic Survey, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad, 2008 98 http://www.grap.gop.pk/About%20Grap.htm 99 (i) Pakistan Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, Ministry of Finance, GoP, 2003; 93 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 25 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile continues to increase with time. In case of urban areas, poverty is more evident in the slums and katchi abadis100. The main causes of poverty are traditional agricultural practices, fragmented landholdings, non-availability of safe drinking water, lack of sanitation facilities, low literacy rate, inadequate institutional arrangements for addressing social sector problems, and lack of access to social justice system101. 3.20 Baseline conditions of the Major Sites (Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta) 102 Islamabad is located on 33°26′N 73°02′E33.43°N 73.04°E at the edge of the Potohar Plateau at the foot of the Margalla Hills. Potohar Plateau which is a geomorphological transitional zone between Himalaya foothills in the north and floodplains of Punjab in the south is characterized by low height hills. Average elevation of Islamabad is 507 meters (1,660 ft). The area is drained by rivers Kurang and Soan. There are three artificial water reservoirs (Rawal, Simli, and Khanpur Dams) around Islamabad which, to some extent, influence the local climate. These reservoirs also serve as water source for the local population. There are two forest areas in Islamabad; the Margalla Hill National Park (spanned over an area of 220 acres) and the Loi Bher Forest (covering an area of 1,087 acres) along the Islamabad Highway. Islamabad features an atypical version of a humid subtropical climate, with long and very hot summers, a monsoon season and short and chilly winters. The weather ranges from a minimum of −3.9°C in January to a maximum of 46.1°C in June. The average low is 2°C in January, while the average high is 40°C in June. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city is 805,235; 434,239 males and 370,996 females. The average annual population growth rate from 1981 to 1998 remained 5.19. Urban population of the Islamabad Capital Territory, as per 1998 census, is 529,180 and the rural population is 276,055. In October 2005, Islamabad suffered damages from the earthquake of the magnitude 7.6 that devastated a wider region of Kashmir valley. The project site at Islamabad is located next to the Office of the Auditor General of Pakistan (Audit House) on Constitution Avenue. The Constitution Avenue houses important offices of GoP, like the Prime Minister House, Supreme Court of Pakistan, and the Foreign Office. The site presents the geophysical features typical of Islamabad as described above. Karachi is located in the south of Pakistan, on the coast of the Arabian Sea. Its geographic coordinates are 24°51′ N 67°02′ E. Lands of Karachi comprise mostly of flat plains with a tuft of low-lying hills on the western side. Mangroves and creeks of the Indus delta are found towards southeast side of the city. Karachi is the largest city and the main seaport of Pakistan and the capital of the province of Sindh. It is the financial capital of the country and premier center of banking, industry, and trade. It was the first capital of Pakistan. With a city population of 15.5 million, Karachi is one (ii) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_Pakistan An unplanned housing squatter 101 Ibid 102 Adapted from Wikipedia<en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamabad>, <en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karachi>, <en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetta> 100 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 26 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile of the world's largest cities and the 20th largest metropolis. City's population increased dramatically at the time of independence, when hundreds of thousands of refugees from India came to settle here. The general climate of Karachi is arid with low average precipitation (approximately 250 mm per annum). Winters are mild and summers are hot. However, proximity to the sea maintains humidity levels at a near-constant level and the cool sea breezes relieve the heat of the summer months. Because of high temperatures during the summer, the winter months are generally considered the best times to visit Karachi. As one of the most rapidly growing cities in the world, Karachi faces challenges that are central to many developing metropolises, including traffic congestion, pollution, poverty and street crimes. These problems continue to earn Karachi low rankings in livability comparisons. Traffic problems and pollution are the major challenges for Karachi. The level of air pollution in Karachi is estimated to be 6 times higher than World Health Organization standards103. The project site at Karachi is located on the main University road near NIPA 104 Chowrangi105. The surrounding area is fully inhabited and most of the civic amenities are available. The site presents typical geophysical features of the city of Karachi. Quetta is the largest city and the capital of the province of Balochistan. It is located on 30°21′36″N 67°1′12″E. Average elevation of the city is 1,654 meters (5,429 feet) meters above the sea level. Quetta is famous for the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, a national park that contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the world. Offices of the Geological Survey of Pakistan are also located in Quetta. The city lies on the Bolan Pass route which was once the only gateway to and from South Asia. Quetta is on the western edge of Pakistan and is well connected with the country by a wide network of roads, railway and airway. Owing to its proximity to the Durand Line (the international border between Pakistan and Afghanistan), Quetta has grown as an important marketing and communications center for the neighboring country. Quetta has a continental arid climate with high variations between summer and winter temperatures. Summer highs sometimes reach to 46°C while winter temperatures sometimes lower down to -10°C. Spring starts in early April and ends in late May, with average temperatures remaining close to 15°C. Unlike most of Pakistan, Quetta does not have a monsoon season of sustained and heavy rainfalls. The snowfall of winter months is the principle mode of precipitation and recharge of shallow groundwater. The city of Quetta suffered heavy damages in a devastating earthquake in 1935 and again some damages during the earthquake of 2008. The project site at Quetta is located at Imdad Chowk106 on Zarghoon Road. This chowk is one of the busiest road intersections in the city. The area has high levels of particulate dust and 103 Measurement of NO2 concentration in different cities of Pakistan using diffusion samplers (Karachi, Islamabd, Peshawar, Lahore and Quetta), JICA/Pak-EPA, 2006 104 National Institute of Public Administration 105 “Chowrangi” is the vernacular for a roadcrossing where four or more roads converge 106 “Chowk” is the vernacular for a roadcrossing where four or more roads converge EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 27 3. Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Profile the general air quality is poor and smoky. The natural surface level of the site is lower than the road. As such, the site presents typical geophysical features of Quetta. Geographical Extent of PIFRA E D D D E E NWFP Sites Punjab Sites Balochistan Sites Sindh Sites E E CD E D E D D C C B AB C D EC C A B C D A B D D BC C E E E E E D D E B C D B C C D D C C B D D E E E E D E C C CB D E ED E E D D D C E D D E D E B B B D B C A C B C E E D B C E D E EE B C D D E D D D D 25 Plate 3.0 D BE D D B AC D D E D PIFRA Geographical extent and locations of PIFRA-II sites (Courtesy: DG, PIFRA) EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 28 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations 4. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MITIGATIONS This section describes impacts of the civil work activities of PIFRA-II on the physical, biological, and social environment and the measures required for their mitigations. 4.1 Impact Assessment Methodology and Mitigation Strategy Screening and scoping of the potentially negative impacts has been carried out in respect of all stages of the project activities from planning down to operational usage of the buildings to be constructed or already constructed under the project. A modified Leopold Impact Assessment Matrix (Table 4.1a) has been used for identification, screening, and characterization of the likely impacts of the project activities on the physical, biological, and social portfolios against a numerical scale from -2 to 0 to +2. The value of -2 denotes high adverse impacts, -1 low adverse impacts, 0 insignificant impacts, +2 high beneficial impacts, +1 low beneficial impacts, and N denotes no impacts. The numerical scaling for relative weightage criteria of the impacts has been used in formulating the mitigation strategy. Proactive interventions and monitoring regimes have been suggested for the impacts having a higher negative value. For example, in order to mitigate air quality impacts during construction, which have been rated as -2, it has been advised to control all likely sources of dust and particulate emissions. The mitigation strategy is based on a hierarchy of logical sequenced measures of: (i) avoiding the adverse impacts; (ii) mitigating the impacts; and (iii) compensating for the harmful effects. The residual impacts (impacts remaining after mitigation) have also been highlighted through a separate matrix (Table 4.1b). 4.2 Impacts relating to Design Aspects Some of the impacts that may manifest either during construction or operation stage may relate to aspects of design and architectural features. They include environmental and social impacts pertaining to rights of access, easement, community wellbeing, and utility of the structures. Improper and poor building design can lead to construction of a structure with poor ventilation, impeached sunlight and inconvenience of movement of the persons, which in turn can produce behavioral, and health impacts. (i) Likely Impacts Construction of a poorly designed structure next to an existing structure can obstruct natural light, ventilation of the neighboring buildings and may also affect mobility of persons and vehicles. Selection of a site which cannot be easily accessed or approached by the aged pensioners and women (e.g., lack of public transport to the site) may be of hardship for the visitors and clients. Non-provision of structural facilities (e.g., wheelchair ramp, disables’ toilet, side rails, and studded floor-tiles) for special (disabled) persons would be of great hardship for such customers. Non-provision of safe drinking water, toilets (separate for males and females), and waiting facilities (sheltered from sunlight and rain) would be troublesome for the visitors, clients, and aged pensioners. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 29 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations Non-provision of septic tanks with toilets in localities where sewerage system does not exist may lead to contamination of soil and water from direct discharge of untreated wastewater Selection of a site near a railway line, a wastewater drain, or a surface water body could be a potential source of annoyance for the staff and the visitors (ii) Recommended Mitigations Select a site (for new sites only): o o o o o That does not cause obstruction to ventilation and sunlight to the neighborhood structures That is conveniently located and easily accessible Which has a patent source of freshwater for ensuring adequate and sustainable water supply for both construction and operation Which is suitable for the intended purpose Which is located away from a source of noise and annoyance to the visitors and the staff, like a railway line, a wastewater drain, and a busy market Design the buildings: o As environmentally compatible structures according to the prescribed building codes, particularly in accordance with the seismic classification of the area. o As energy efficient structures by paying due attention to aspects of natural lighting, ventilation, and easement. o According to required capacity and in accordance with needs of special people (disabled persons). Provide for construction of septic tanks, of appropriate capacities, with the toilets at the sites lacking municipal sewerage system. Make provision in the designs of the buildings for scientific and hygienic disposal of the treated wastewater where septic tanks have been provided. Incorporate facilities (e.g., wheelchair ramps, toilets for disabled, side rails, and studded floor-tiles) for disabled persons in the engineering design and architectural features of the buildings yet to be constructed or under construction. Where construction has been completed, make suitable alterations. 4.3 Construction Phase Impacts Consumption of materials, energy, and freshwater; generation of dust, wastewater, solid waste, and noise; exhaust and particulate emissions from engines and machinery; and the increased vehicular traffic in connection with construction activities would be the main contributors to the construction phase impacts. However, the majority of these impacts will be temporary and reversible and are expected to abate with completion of the construction phase. 4.3.1 Soil and Land Land clearing operations, excavations and diggings, cutting of trees, onsite stockpiling of materials and equipment, disposal of wastes and wastewater, and accidental leakages of oils and chemicals would be associated with impacts on soil and land. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 30 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations (i) Likely Impacts Land clearing, excavations and diggings, particularly in hilly areas (e.g., AJK sites), may destabilize the land and may lead to erosion and subsiding of the adjacent lands and structures. Cutting of trees, especially at hilly slopes (e.g., AJK, NWFP, and Balochistan sites) may destabilize the soil layers and make the land prone to erosion from rainfall runoff. Absence of suitable drains may cause accumulation of storm water and precipitation runoff into the excavations. The gravity collected water may infiltrate into land both downward and laterally. Lateral percolation can weaken and damage the superstructure on such lands. Stagnation of water into diggings will forestall the construction temporarily causing delay in completion schedule. Non availability of septic tanks and direct discharge of the sanitation wastewater from improperly constructed worksite toilets for the laborers onto the adjacent soils can deteriorate the soil (Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta sites). Lack of drainage and disposal of constructional wastewater and its accumulation on the land surface can degrade and contaminate the land. Stagnation of wastewater into depressions and low lying areas could act as a potent source of environmental nuisance as it could facilitate breeding of disease vectors, a source of foul smells, and an aesthetic blight. Haphazard placement and disorderly stockpiling of the construction / demolition materials and machinery and equipment on the soil without protective sheets beneath can deteriorate soil quality and can also obstruct the natural surface runoff. Leakages of oils and lubricants from construction machineries and vehicles can degrade local soil quality and can undermine its ability to support growth of vegetation. Accidental leakages and or spills of the chemicals stored onsite (e.g., anti-termite solution) can affect the soil quality. Improper disposal of solid wastes and wastewaters can contaminate the land. Improper offsite disposal of demolition wastes can affect the quality and undermine utility of such site. Onsite washing of machinery, equipment, and masonry implements as well as nondrainage of the washout can adversely affect the soil quality. (ii) Recommended Mitigations Select a site that involves minimal removal of vegetation and felling of trees. Wherever possible, avoid excessive and simultaneous excavations to minimize generation of large volumes of soil and chances of destabilization and erosion of adjacent lands. Adopt a sequential or batched excavation i.e., digging a portion of the total area to be excavated, backfilling it and then excavating the next section. This will ensure protection against soil erosion and destabilization. Store all the construction related materials and equipment at designated storage areas or compounds. Remove them completely upon completion of construction and restore the site to its original or near original condition. Drain the equipments’ washout into either a soaking pit or a sand-gravel bed for removal of the grit and contaminants. Dispose of all demolished wastes under instructions of the site engineer preferably for leveling and filling depressions in an environment friendly manner. Erect a runoff protection embankment around excavated areas to prevent ingress of the storm water or surface runoff into dugout areas. Alternatively, make arrangements for drainage. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 31 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations Avoid leakages of oils and lubricants through regular upkeep and maintenance of equipment and machinery. If a leakage is noticed, take immediate steps for its plugging and reclaim the spoiled soils through backwash or alternatively dispose it offsite. Store all chemicals in accordance with their material safety data sheets (MSDS) at covered place safe from rainfall and access of runoff. Only the authorized persons should handle oils, chemicals, and hazardous materials. The must be trained in safe handling of such materials, procedures to avoid spillages or leakages, and the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be followed in case of accidental leakages. Construct septic tanks of adequate capacity for the worksite toilets and avoid discharge of wastewater onto land. Carry out appropriately planned tree plantation towards completion of construction phase. Establish a solid waste segregation, collection and disposal system, particularly for the organic food waste to avoid littering of the site. 4.3.2 Surface Waters The construction activities may affect the surface water quality. Chances of such an occurrence may be higher, particularly if the site is located close to a surface water body or the slope of the natural drainage is from the site to a freshwater body. The majority of PIFRA sites are located away from natural surface water bodies; hence the chances of their interaction with surface water resources are minimal. (i) Likely Impacts The construction contractors at the majority of the sites were obtaining water from nearby surface water sources. Suction of water from such a source by dipping spoiled suction pipe is likely to contaminate the water. Sometimes, the water careers step into the water body for placing the suction pipe. Similarly, oil leakages from suction pump into the water can pollute it. Direct drainage and disposal of sanitation wastewater from contractor’s campsite into the nearby drainage channel without an intervening septic tank, as was found at Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta, can pollute waters of the receiving channel. Drainage and disposal of wastewater containing chemicals, paints, varnishes, and solvents into a nearby drainage channel without intermediary treatment can pollute waters of the receiving channel. Lack of solid waste collection and disposal system and throwing of solid waste into nearby water channels pollutes the water of the receiving channel. (ii) Recommended Mitigations The contractor will be obliged to obtain water for construction from a water source under a permit from local regulatory authority. He should observe all necessary precautionary measures to avoid contamination of water. Only the minimum essential quantities of water will be used for construction activities to avoid generation of large quantities of wastewater during construction. Dispose of the construction wastewater through a soaking or an evaporation pit of appropriate capacity, which should be leveled back after completion of construction. Construct septic tanks of appropriate capacities for treatment and disposal of toilet wastewaters. Ensure that these septic tanks work properly and efficiently and are not ‘stuck-up’ at any point of time. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 32 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations Avoid direct or indirect disposal of any chemicals, oils, or hazardous liquids into nearby waters. Institute an appropriate solid waste collection and disposal system, particularly for the trash and garbage from the campsite. 4.3.3 Groundwater Impacts on groundwater (both availability and quality) would relate to abstraction of groundwater for constructional needs and the possibility of its contamination from ingress of contaminants to the groundwater source. Generally, the construction activities do not pose significant risks of groundwater contamination. However, there could be some remote possibility of contamination if the sanitation or construction wastewater succeeds in reaching to the groundwater aquifer by some route. The most plausible route would be a poorly constructed borehole. (i) Likely Impacts Withdrawal of large quantities of groundwater for construction needs can lower the water table if volume of the abstracted groundwater is larger than its recharge. Such an occurrence may result in reduced water availability for other sharers of groundwater relying on the same aquifer. Persistent overdraw can lead to early depletion of the groundwater reserve. Accumulation of rainfall runoff or the storm water in dugout areas may cause groundwater contamination from percolation of the stagnated water through soil, although likelihood of such an occurrence is rare because of natural filtration mechanism of the soil. Spillage and or leakage of chemicals and oils into dugout areas or even onto ground may result in their infiltration down the earth layers and may pollute the shallow groundwater. (ii) Recommended Mitigations Seal off the borehole from the exterior securely and completely (preferably with bentonite or cement mortar) to guard against any chance of aquifer contamination from downward movement of contaminants. Do not construct the boreholes at low lying places and depressions, which have a natural affection for storm water or surface runoff. Avoid over-pumping of groundwater. Construct water storage tank(s) of appropriate capacity and use the stored water for construction needs while pumps are resting. Practice intermittent pumping. Run the pumps with reasonable intervals to allow recharge of the aquifer. Practice water conservation, wherever and whenever possible. For example, carry out water curing of concrete structures by a wrapped jute (hessian) cloth instead of direct showering of water. Consider reuse of water from the soaking pits for wetting the raw bricks and curing the masonry works. Ensure regular laboratory testing of the groundwater for timely detection of contamination. 4.3.4 Air Quality Construction activities and exhaust emissions from machinery and vehicles can deteriorate the ambient air quality temporarily from localized dust blowing and suspension of fine particulates in the surroundings. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 33 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations (i) Likely Impacts Impairment of air quality from gaseous exhausts emitted from vehicles, machinery, equipments (such as mixers, batching plants, and concrete pumps) and generators. Visual evidence at Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta sites substantiated it. Health impacts associated with breathing in the air laden with dust, particulates, and other air pollutants, particularly PM10 (particulate matter of size 10 micrometer or smaller). Deterioration of local air quality from suspended particulate matter generated from various construction activities and sources such as excavations, loose stockpiled materials, and vehicles’ drag dust. Dry deposition of the suspended particulate matter (SPM) onto exposed surfaces, vegetations, and motor vehicles may be a cause annoyance for the owners and residents. Reduced visibility from presence of suspended particulate matter and or blown up dust in ambient environment. (ii) Recommended Mitigations Avoid and or control blowing of dust from potential sources by shielding them off from the exterior. For example, using polythene or acrylic curtains or raising a fence of corrugated steel sheets around the active construction area or covering the loose materials either by tarpaulin or plastic sheets or by sprinkling with water. Cover the loose materials (e.g., sand), which are likely to blow off with movement of the carrying vehicles while being transported in such vehicles. Tune up and keep all the vehicles in good running condition by timely replacement of oils, filters, and parts. Follow the same practice for construction machinery and equipment. Maintain a repair record for follow up. Select and install environment compliant generators only (at least Euro-III compliant). Keep the generators in good working condition by regularly changing their oil, lubricants, and filters. Use only good quality oils, lubricants, additives, spares, and petroleum products in the machinery, generators, and vehicles. If possible, refrain from operating the machinery and equipment running on fossil fuels in windy conditions to avoid dispersion of the exhaust emissions. Give special instructions to drivers on safe driving of vehicles particularly on narrow roads and on unpaved tracks. Instruct them to reduce the speed on road bends and earthen tracks to avoid blowing of drag dust. 4.3.5 Noise and Vibrations Noise levels higher than a threshold (e.g., 85 dB is the limit prescribed under Pakistan’s NEQS107) can produce psychological and social impacts of distracted attention, mental irritation, and short temperedness. However, owing to non-cumulative property of sound and vibrations, the noise induced impacts are reversible and of significance only during continuation of the noisy activities. The noise and vibrations impacts, at the majority of PIFRA sites, are expected to remain within tolerable limits and therefore of no significance. Nevertheless, the project must meet the WB guidelines on noise. (i) Likely Impacts Noise and vibrations higher than a prescribed threshold limit can produce: 107 Published in the Gazette of Pakistan, GoP, August 10, 2000 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 34 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations o o o Psychological effects of distraction of attention, mental irritation, and short temperedness. Disturbed sleep, particularly from nighttime noisy activities in the surroundings. Difficulty of listening in a noisy settings and consequential reflexive habit of speaking aloud, which can damage the vocal cord system. Vibrations from machinery and equipment such as hand-held compactors and concrete vibrators can produce easy fatigability and generalized aches in the persons operating these machines. Noise of moving vehicles and the shrill sounds from blowing of pressure horns could be a source of irritation and annoyance. (ii) Recommended Mitigations Avoid the noise and vibration producing activities at nighttime. Tune up and maintain equipment and machinery in good working conditions. Carry out oiling of the noise producing parts of the machines and vehicle to reduce mechanical friction and generation of noise. Provide earplugs to persons working in noisy settings (for example operators of excavators and mixers). Educate them to abstain from talking while working in noisy surroundings. Devise a work schedule, which reshuffles the persons working in areas with higher noise, vibrations, and emission levels with those working in areas which are less prone to these nuisances and vice versa either on weekly or fortnightly basis. The equipment and vehicles must meet the WB guidelines on noise, which are 55 dB(A) for daytime and 45 dB(A) for nighttime for the residential, educational and institutional settings. Construct noise barriers where needed. 4.3.6 Access, Easement, Occupational Health and Worksite Safety Haphazardly placed materials and construction debris can pose higher risks of personal injury by obstructing free and quick movement of the construction workers and other persons. Nonobservance of worksite safety instructions and non-usage of the personal protection equipment (PPE) can increase vulnerability to accidents. (i) Likely Impacts Improperly stockpiled construction materials and scattered demolished materials can obstruct access to various worksites and can also cause obstruction to rainfall runoff. Such scenario was seen at almost all PIFRA sites. Haphazard placement of materials and debris would also be associated with higher risks of personal injuries and accidents. Non-observance of worksite safety instructions and SOPs for various activities and nonusage of PPE during construction can increase vulnerability to accidents and worksite injuries. Unsafe storage of inflammable and hazardous materials and chemicals can produce fires, explosions, and damage to property. Lack of warning signage and precautionary measures required to avoid risks at high risk sites can increase vulnerability to injuries and accidents. Lack of protective railing and fencing around the site may encourage trespass by stray animals, encroachments, and risks of theft. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 35 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations Non-display of authorized access signage may encourage mischievous elements to enter into the premises. (ii) Recommended Mitigations Contractors to develop a comprehensive health, safety and environment (HSE) plan and have it approved. Avoid haphazard stockpiling of construction materials and machinery. Allocate a separate area or enclosure for storing the raw materials and the demolition debris. Avoid worksite hazards and accidents by making a sufficient number of PPEs available at the site and instructing the workers to use them while at work. Develop a set of SOPs for carrying out an activity. Educate and train the workers in these SOPs. Take a strict notice of deviations. Develop a set of SOPs for dealing with emergencies, fires, and hazardous situations. Educate and train the workers in these SOPs. Always keep the emergency equipments and materials handy. Carryout regular practice exercise and drills for dealing with emergencies. Develop risk avoidance and hazard management plan. Carryout regular as well as random laboratory testing of freshwater for ascertaining its suitability for drinking. Carryout disinfection, if indicated. Display appropriately worded safety instructions, signage and warning boards, with captions in Urdu, at appropriate locations at the project premises. Indicate active worksite areas, out of bound areas, and areas of authorized access only with indicative signage. Indicate these areas by encircling with red and white striped tape. Affix safety railing and protective fencing all around the project site or at least around the hazard-prone areas. 4.4 Operation Phase Impacts The operation phase impacts would relate to usage of the constructed buildings for the intended activities of PIFRA. The parametric environmental impacts at this stage will emanate primarily from generation of solid waste (food, paper, and sweepings), consumption of freshwater, generation of toilet wastewater, exhaust emissions from generators, and dust blowing from vehicles. Besides the above, there could be a few social impacts relating to visits of client departments’ functionaries, pensioners, and other general visitors. These impacts are discussed below: 4.4.1 Soil and Land i) Likely Impacts Refueling and lubrication of generators may result into spillage of petrol or diesel and or lubricant oil onto ground. Repeated spillages can significantly deteriorate the air quality and smear the ground. Disposal of solid waste (e.g., food residues) onto the surrounding lands can degrade soil quality and can facilitate growth of vectors and rodents. ii) Recommended Mitigations Carry out refueling of the generators carefully to avoid spillage of fuel and oil. Use appropriate size funnel for pouring in petrol or diesel. Fix the generator on a purpose built concrete bed with arrangements for gravity collection of spills and leakages. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 36 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations Make appropriate arrangements for solid waste collection and disposal. Provide waste collection bins at appropriate locations for placing the wastes. Display suitably worded appeals and directions for avoiding littering of the premises. Develop greenbelts and grassy lawns to enhance outlook of the premises, air quality, soil stability, and aesthetic ambience. 4.4.2 Surface Water Quality Impacts on surface water quality during operation phase will manifest only if untreated sanitation water is discharged directly into a nearby freshwater channel, which is a source of irrigation water or of drinking water for the downstream users. Chances of such a happening would be higher for the sites lacking municipal sewage systems and or the septic tanks system. i) Likely Impacts Degradation of water quality of the nearby surface water channels with consequential health impacts from discharge of untreated wastewater into such water bodies. . ii) Recommended Mitigations Ensure efficient functioning of the septic tanks and avoid their overflow leakages at all the sites, where septic tanks have been provided. Ensure smooth functioning (avoidance of overflows and obstructions to flow) of the sewage system for the sites connected to the local municipal sewerage network. Consider reuse of treated wastewater for irrigating the greenbelts at the premises. 4.4.3 Groundwater (Abstraction and Quality) Impacts of groundwater abstraction for consumption at the project sites during operation phase would be almost similar to those of the construction phase impacts. i) Likely Impacts Excessive groundwater abstraction can pose stress on local groundwater resources and consequential hardship for the sharing users. Consumption of the groundwater, having been contaminated at any point from abstraction to storage and to distribution, can produce adverse health impacts. ii) Recommended Mitigations Avoid over-abstraction by installing auto-shutoff systems with the turbine pumps, which should switch off the pump after either a specified time or a drawdown of water. Encourage water conservation practices by installing auto-shutoff taps in the toilets and other common places (e.g., masjid, kitchen). Display suitably worded appeals and messages on water conservation at appropriate locations and key points. Carryout regular disinfection and cleaning of the storage tanks by using recommended disinfectants. Install suitable water filters, if indicated by the laboratory reports on water quality Carryout regular laboratory testing (at least quarterly) of the drinking water for timely detection of contamination and or pollution. 4.4.4 Air Quality i) Likely Impacts EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 37 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations Increased movement of vehicles (motorcars and motorcycles) to and from the project buildings at all sites during operation phase may cause air quality impacts from blowing of drag dust and exhaust engine emissions. Exhaust pipe emissions from diesel generators may affect the ambient air quality’ at almost all sites. Indoor smoking by staff or the visitors can affect the room air quality. ii) Recommended Mitigations Carryout paving and or brick soling of the driveways, parking areas, and the road shoulders to avoid blowing of drag dust. Display instructions at appropriate locations regarding speed, blowing of horns, parking, and keeping the vehicles in fit conditions to reduce impacts on air quality from dust and engine emissions. Keep the generators in good working condition by ensuring their periodic servicing (changing oil, filters, and parts). Carryout laboratory test of the exhaust emissions of the generators once a year. Plant grass, foliage and vegetative cover on bare lands to reduce blowing of dust from denuded surfaces. Ban indoor smoking. Install smoke detectors and smoke alarms in the Quetta, Karachi, and Islamabad buildings. 4.4.5 Noise and Vibrations The main contributors to noise and vibrations at and around the project buildings will be the motor vehicles and the diesel generators. i) Likely Impacts Annoyance and irritation to the exposed persons (staff and visitors) from loud or persistent noise. ii) Recommended Mitigations Install the generators in a purpose built enclosures consisting of a concrete pad and noise canopy preferably at a place which is separated or away from the main building. Keep the generators in good operational condition to reduce noise generation. Affix the ‘no horn’ and ‘silent zone’ traffic signal boards at the driveways and the parking area. 4.4.6 Ease, Access, and Public Convenience There could be activities during the phase that are likely to infringe upon public convenience, ease of access, and general wellbeing of visitors and clients. i) Likely Impacts Non-availability of a canteen or cafeteria for the visitors may be of inconvenience, particularly for those coming from distant places. Non-availability of the support services like photocopying, public call office (PCO) and a stationery kiosk may cause inconvenience to those requiring these services and facilities. Non-provision of these facilities at the project building by the project authorities may trigger establishment of unplanned (and sometimes encroached over) vending shops and kiosks in the surroundings. Haphazard establishment of such facilities can hamper the smooth flow of traffic. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 38 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations Establishing the public dealing desks on different floors and levels can be problematic for the clients, particularly the aged pensioners and women. Poor maintenance of public utilities like toilets, shelters, and safe drinking water (cold water in summers) could be troublesome for the visiting public. Unfriendly behavior and dilatory tactics of the dealing staff could be an irritant for the clients and may act as a precursor for corruption and malpractices. ii) Recommended Mitigations Earmark the toilets for visitors and indicate their location with signage. The sanitation staff at mega buildings at Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta is made responsible to keep the toilets clean and operational. Install electric water coolers for making cold drinking water available to the visitors in summer. The visitors’ lobby should have adequate number of chairs or benches. The waiting areas are fitted with fans or air coolers and lights. Install adequate and appropriate signage indicating location of various facilities, fire hydrants, and emergency exits at all floors of the multistory buildings at Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta. Establish cafeterias at a convenient location for the visitors and the subordinate staff at the mega buildings. Ensure availability of good quality, safe and hygienic food at affordable prices which are less than the average market prices. Earmark and sublet service area for setting up facilities of photocopying, telephony, internet, postage, and stationery. Installation of vending machines may be considered. Put a complete ban on indoor smoking and place-warning signage in this regards at visitors’ gallery and other places. Establish a one-window facility by clustering various public dealing desks at the same floor, preferably at the ground floor. Try to develop client friendly behavior in the minds of the functionaries and the staff through constant counseling, motivation, education, and training. Institute a public complaint and grievances redressal system. Place a complaint register or a drop box for recording public complaints. Inform the complainant about the outcome of the complaint. Implement a stringent environmental compliance monitoring system. Any deficiency is rectified on emergent basis. 4.5 Site Specific Measures Surveys of the three major sites at Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta pointed out certain deficiencies. Therefore, in addition to the above mentioned generalized mitigation measures, certain specific environmental enhancement measures for these sites are presented below: 4.5.1 Measures Common to the Principal Sites Improve cleanliness of the toilets of the laborers’ camp by hiring a sweeper and using a recommended disinfectant. Construct temporary septic tank(s) for the laborers’ toilets to ensure treatment of sanitation water all during construction. The current system of onsite storage of diesel oil is unsafe. Diesel must be stored in appropriate containers (drums or jerry cans) at a specially designated covered enclosure, which should not have any fire catching materials such as wood, paper, and plastics EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 39 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations around. At least four fire extinguishers must be made available near the diesel storage enclosure. The tendency of avoiding usage of PPE was noticed amongst the workers, which is against the standard construction protocol. All workers, particularly those working on scaffoldings or in hazardous areas, must be obliged to use the PPEs without exception. Replace the existing poor quality electricity wires with good quality fire and crack proof cables for the temporary hanging wiring. Do not tie or rollover a live wire around a steel object or a conductor connected to other conducting medium. Night time construction is avoided to reduce noise annoyance to the nearby residents. Provide earplugs to the workers. Bound the contractor to fit noise canopy over the generator. Construct a safety fencing around the site to prevent unauthorized access and entry of the stray animals. The scrap material at the site is placed at designated enclosures to improve cleanliness of the site. The scrap is removed after completion of construction. Haphazard placement of construction materials is avoided. All construction materials are stored at designated places and or enclosures. No informatory or prohibitory signage was found at the site. Affix appropriate signboards containing worksite safety instructions at suitable locations. 4.5.2 Audit House, Islamabad Demarcate the site’s boundary, particularly on the backside (nallah side), by either constructing a boundary wall or at least a barbed wire fence. The trunk sewer manhole near the site (at the northeast corner of the parking area of the OAG) frequently overflows. The foul smelling sanitation water from this manhole flows towards the project site causing inconvenience of movement of the workers and the supervisory staff and objectionable smell. The problem needs to be solved by pursuing the matter with the Capital Development Authority (CDA). 4.5.3 Audit and Account Complex, Karachi As per information provided by the proponent, the site was an open land that used to receive wastewaters of the adjacent residential flats and buildings. This lead to growth of reeds and wild grass on a large area of the plot. Presence of these reeds is a source of environmental nuisance and a source of vector growth. Removal of this nuisance, though not included in the present work scope, needs to be taken up for environmental enhancement of the project site. Otherwise, it will continue to be a source of adverse environmental consequences all during operation of the completed building. 4.5.4 Audit Office and Academy Complex, Quetta The airborne dust levels at this site, even by simple visual observation, are quite high. Contractor should be obliged to reduce the dust emissions through light water sprinkling of the unpaved areas and the stockpiled loose materials like sand. The contractor is using very old construction machinery, which frequently breaks down. There also are oil leakages from these machineries, particularly from the mixers. The contractor should either replace the machinery or get them adequately repaired to prevent oil leakages. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 40 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations 4.6 Residual Impacts This section contains discussion on the residual impacts of the project’s civil works i.e., the impacts likely to be there, but with lesser severity than the unmitigated measures, despite implementation of the mitigation measures for their control. The residual impacts have been discussed in the similar order as the design-, construction- and operation-phase impacts. 4.6.1 Residual Impacts relating to Design Aspects After implementation of the proposed mitigation measures, as given in Section 4.2 and Table 6.3, there would not remain any significant residual impacts relating to design aspects of the project buildings. 4.6.2 Construction Phase’s Residual Impacts Table 4.1b (Mitigated and Residual Impacts) presents the residual impacts relating to construction phase. A descriptive summary of the residual impacts pertaining to various environmental parameters and indicators is presented in the sub-sections following hereunder. 4.6.2.1 Soil and Land The identified adverse impacts on soil, like soil erosion and contamination, will be abated completely by implementing the recommended mitigation measures as given under Section 4.4.1 above. There would not remain any residual impacts pertaining to this parameter. 4.6.2.2 Surface Waters The majority of the identified adverse impacts on surface water quality are temporary and reversible. Implementation of the recommended mitigations will result in complete abatement of the adverse impacts on surface waters and there would not remain any residual adverse environmental impacts pertaining to this parameter. 4.6.2.3 Groundwater After implementation of the proposed mitigation measures, as are given under Section 4.3.3, almost all groundwater impacts (concerning availability and quality) would be mitigated leaving no residual impacts. As constructions at the majority of sites are of small size and of shorter duration, any likelihood of adverse impacts on groundwater would cease to exist upon completion of construction. 4.6.2.4 Air Quality Owing to diffuse nature of the sources of air pollutants and the activities contributing particulate pollution to the local environment, impacts on ambient air quality are likely not to abate completely. As demonstrated in the residual impacts matrix at Table 4.1b, there will be the residual air quality impacts attributable to miscellaneous construction activities, particularly those relating to digging into soil and combustion of fossil in machinery, equipment and vehicles. 4.6.2.5 Noise and Vibrations Owing to multiple sources of noise at the construction sites and the difficulty in containment of noise from these sources, the problem of noise annoyance despite implementation of the mitigation measures, is likely to stay on. However, as has been mentioned at Section 4.3.5, noise neither has cumulative effect nor irreversible impact. Annoyance from noise ceases as soon as the activity responsible for generation of noise is stopped. So, in this context, the EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 41 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations residual impacts of noise mitigation would be only during the period a noisy activity continues. The sources of noise will be the machinery, equipment and vehicles deployed for construction. 4.6.2.6 Access, Easement, Occupational Health and Worksite Safety Implementation of the mitigation measures as suggested under Section 4.3.6 would complete abate the adverse impacts pertaining to issues of access, free movement, occupation health and worksite safety both for the site workers as well as for the neighboring residents. 4.6.3 Operation Phase’s Residual Impacts Table 4.1b (Mitigated and Residual Impacts) illustrates the residual impacts relating to operation phase. A descriptive summary of the residual impacts pertaining to various environmental parameters and indicators is presented in the sub-sections following hereunder. 4.6.3.1 Soil and Land Implementation of the mitigation measures, as suggested in Section 4.4.1, will abate the adverse impacts completely leaving no residual impacts at all as has been depicted in Table 4.1b. 4.6.3.2 Surface Waters There would not be any residual impacts on surface waters during the operation phase as all the likely impacts would be completely abated from implementation of the mitigation measure proposed in Section 4.4.2. 4.6.3.3 Groundwater All the identified adverse environmental impacts relating to groundwater (primarily relating to abstraction of groundwater during operation phase) are amenable to mitigation and no residual impacts are expected provided the suggested mitigation measures as described in Section 4.5.3 are implemented in letter and spirit. 4.6.3.4 Air Quality As mentioned under Section 4.5.4, the air quality impacts during operation phase would relate mostly to increased movement of motorized vehicles to the sites, running of generators, and indoor smoking. Whereas, it is easy to control and mitigate the air pollution from generators and indoor smoking, it is difficult to forestall the pollution potential of from vehicular source. Thus, despite implementation of the suggested mitigation measures, there would be some residual air quality impacts during operation phase, mainly from increased movement of vehicles as shown in Table 4.1b. 4.6.3.5 Noise and Vibrations Like air quality impacts, there would remain residual impacts pertaining to noise during operation mainly from increased movement of motor vehicles and operating the generators. 4.6.3.6 Access, Easement, and Public Convenience Implementation of the mitigation measures as suggested under Section 4.4.6 would abate the identified adverse impacts pertaining to issues of access, free movement, and facilities for the disabled as all the identified impacts are amenable to mitigation. No residual impacts are, EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 42 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations therefore, expected because of focused management of the issues and the activities responsible for the impacts. 4.6.4 Site Specific Residual Impacts All the site specific impacts, relating both to construction and operation phases, are amenable to mitigation and no residual impacts are expected in case the mitigation measures are implemented in totality and in the way they have been described in the mitigation plan. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 43 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations Table 4.1a Modified Leopold Environmental and Social Impact Matrix (Unmitigated Impacts) Special people Cultural Issues Archaeological Heritage Community Participation Price of Land Community Empowerment Employment / Income Gender Issues Education / Learning Health and Wellbeing Aesthetic Value Public infrastructure Safety and Hazards Livestock Grazing Agriculture / Farming Noise and Vibrations Access and Easement Social and Socioeconomic Wetlands Eco-system Wildlife Natural Vegetation Air Quality Biological Groundwater Quality Surface Water Quality Project Activities Physical Soil Erosion / Contamination Environmental Components Site Selection -1 N N N 0 0 N -1 N N N 0 0 +1 0 N N +1 0 +1 0 N 0 N Architectural Design and Engineering Features -1 0 0 -1 -1 N N -2 0 N N -1 -1 -1 -1 N N +1 N +1 0 N 0 N Constructional Activities -1 -2 -1 -2 -1 0 N -2 -2 0 0 -2 -1 -1 -1 N 0 +2 N +1 N N 0 N Usage and Operation 0 -2 0 -1 N N N -1 -1 N N -1 N N -1 +2 0 +2 +1 +1 +1 N -1 N Fossil Fuel Usage in Machinery / Equipment -1 0 0 -1 0 N N N -1 N N -1 0 -1 -1 N N N N N N N N N Key: -2=High Negative Impact +1=Low Positive Impact -1=Low Negative Impact +2=High Positive Impact 0=insignificant/Negligible impact N=No Impact EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 44 4. Environmental Assessment and Mitigations Table 4.1b Modified Leopold Environmental and Social Impact Matrix (Mitigated/Residual Impacts) Special people Cultural Issues Archaeological Heritage Community Participation Price of Land Community Empowerment Employment / Income Gender Issues Education / Learning Health and Wellbeing Wetlands Eco-system Aesthetic Value Public infrastructure Safety and Hazards Livestock Grazing Agriculture / Farming Noise and Vibrations Social and Socioeconomic Access and Easement Wildlife Natural Vegetation Air Quality Biologi cal Groundwater Quality Surface Water Quality Project Activities Physical Soil Erosion / Contamination Environmental Components Site Selection 0 N N N N N 0 N N N N N +2 N +1 N N +1 0 +1 0 N 0 N Architectural Design and Engineering Features 0 0 0 N 0 N 0 0 N N 0 N +1 N +1 N N +1 N +1 0 N 0 N Constructional Activities 0 -1 0 -1 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 +1 N +2 N 0 +2 N +1 N N 0 N Usage and Operation 0 0 0 -1 N N +1 -1 N N 0 N N N +1 +2 0 +2 +1 +2 +1 N 0 N Fossil Fuel Usage in Machinery / Equipment 0 0 0 -1 0 N N -1 N N +1 0 +2 N +2 N N N N N N N N N Key: -2=High Negative Impact +1=Low Positive Impact -1=Low Negative Impact +2=High Positive Impact 0=insignificant/Negligible impact N=No Impact EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 45 5. Stakeholders Consultations 5. STAKEHOLDERS CONSULTATIONS This section describes the process and outcome of the consultations held with the appropriate stakeholders and the neighborhood community over environmental aspects of the project. 5.1 Objectives and Rationale of Consultations The primary objective of the stakeholders’ consultations was to learn and know the apprehensions, concerns, and opinions of the key stakeholders over environmental implications of the project activities from the stakeholders’ perspective. The consultation sessions were also served as a source of firsthand information about the users and the beneficiaries’ expectations from the project. Dialogue with the stakeholders and recording their concerns at appropriate stages of the project would help to tailor the project in line with stakeholders’ aspirations and are likely to promote public acceptance of the project and its sub-components. 5.2 Identification of the Relevant Stakeholders The process of consultations began with the identification of the most pertinent stakeholders. Efforts were made to identify the relevant stakeholders through a systematic process based on the nature and degree of their actual and perceived stakes in the project. Tables 5.2a and 5.2b are the various categories of the stakeholders and the nature of their stakes into the project pertaining both to construction and operation stages of the project: Table 5.2a Stakeholders into the Project and their Stakes (Construction Phase) Category Stakeholder Nature of Stakes Design & Construction Stage Project Funding World Bank All those stakes which a funding Authorities Government of Pakistan agency would have i.e., achieving the desired objectives and due return of the money spent Project Sponsoring Auditor General of Pakistan The project is carried on smoothly as Authorities per envisaged schedule Project Director General, PIFRA Project is implemented as per Implementing Project’s Design Consultants schedule and delays on whatever Authorities and Constructions’ Top count are avoided Supervisors All the bottlenecks and impediments Construction Contractors are removed timely and in an effective Sub-contractors and Labor manner Suppliers of machinery, The bills are cleared and the equipment and various goods payments are made as per contract and services for the Project agreement Regulatory Environmental Protection Constructions under the project Authorities Agencies conform to applicable building codes, Local District and the rules, regulations, bylaws, and Municipal Administration environmental standards Building Control Authority Project Auditor General of Pakistan All the objectives and aims are fully Users/Beneficiaries Controller General of realized and PIFRA is implemented Accounts successfully Public and Neighborhood community, Project activities do not affect their EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 46 5. Stakeholders Consultations Community Residents, Shopkeepers, Vendors, and Passersby living, business, and civic rights in an adverse manner Project activities are not harmful for their health, hygiene and aesthetic ambience Table 5.2b Stakeholders into the Project and Their Stakes (Operation Phase) Operation Stage Project Funding World Bank The fruits of investment are realized to Authorities Government of Pakistan the desired extent and the objectives are achieved to a satisfactory level Project Sponsoring Auditor General of Pakistan Project operates as a successful Authorities venture and serves as a role model for initiating other similar projects Project Operating Auditor General of Pakistan The operational bottlenecks are Authorities through the Director General, removed timely and the project carries PIFRA on smoothly Regulatory Environmental Protection The project remains conformant to the Authorities Agencies applicable rules, laws and the Local District and the environmental standards Municipal Administration Building Control Authority Project Users, Various Government Systems are simplified and facilitate Beneficiaries, Ministries, Departments and the public and users in getting their Clients, Visitors, Offices jobs done in the least possible time and Customers Government Employees and The systems are cleared of the corrupt Public Servants practices and maladies and are Retired Persons and geared to serve the public and users Pensioners Bills are cleared and payments are Government Contractors, made in a timely manner without any General Order Suppliers, and hassle and problems Suppliers of goods and services Suppliers and Service Providers for the Project (e.g., janitorial services) Any person to be paid any money from the public exchequer Public and Neighborhood community, Project activities do not affect their Community Residents, Shopkeepers, living, business, and civic rights in an Vendors, and Passersby adverse manner Project activities are not harmful for their health, hygiene and aesthetic ambience 5.3 Consultation Methodology Onsite consultations were held with the representatives of the various categories of the stakeholders as were available during field visits of the project sites. Annex-3 provides a list EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 47 5. Stakeholders Consultations of the various persons consulted and interviewed. Additionally, wherever found feasible, general public in the vicinity were also consulted to know their views and concerns over the project activities. The majority of these consultations were either one to one meetings or small and focused group discussions. 5.4 Issues Discussed The points listed below are some of the issues discussed during the consultations: Are the civil works being undertaken in accordance with applicable codes, rules, and regulations? Are the constructions commensurate to their usage after completion? Are the contractors complying with the environmental requirements? Are there any concerns apprehensions, and views of the community and the stakeholders over the project activities relating to design, construction and operational aspects? What are these? What are the likely adverse impacts of the project on the various components of the environment i.e., physical, biological, and social components? What could be the possible remedies for the concerns and apprehensions? How they concerns can be effectively addressed? Any particular and specific personal or site related concerns? What steps would be needed to ensure long term sustainability of the project and the activities under the project? How the project operations can come up to expectations of the users and or the beneficiaries? 5.5 Outcome of the Consultations At most of the surveyed sites, neighborhood communities were found unaware of the project activities. They were found oblivious of the project and did not express any specific or significant concerns. At a few places, the top supervisory consultant and the construction contractors were skeptical of timely completion of construction mainly because of late handing over of the site and delays in procuring materials owing to various factors. Interestingly, different stakeholders had different perceptions and different concerns about the project. Some of the concerns and apprehensions relating to various aspects of the project are reproduced below: 5.5.1 Design Aspects The architectural designs of the majority buildings, particularly of the large sized buildings, lack in appropriate facilities for the disabled-, handicapped-, and the dependent-persons (a WB concern). The design aspects need to take into account the relevant building codes, byelaws, and the WB Safeguard policies particularly for those located in the environmentally sensitive and the earthquake prone areas (a WB concern). Adequate civic facilities like visitors lobby, community toilets, vending shops, and prayer places need to be provided in the design for accommodating the visitors and the clients (a WB concern). 5.5.2 Construction Aspects Delays in construction and completion of the project are likely to result into escalation of construction costs (a concern of PIFRA authorities, resident top supervisors, and the construction contractors). EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 48 5. Stakeholders Consultations Delays in payments to the contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers and the labor can cause delays in the project implementation (a concern of resident top supervisors and the construction contractors) Low coordination between various departments and functionaries and the problems emanating there from can adversely affect the completion schedule (a concern of resident top supervisors and the construction contractors). Delays in handing over the sites and later changes in the drawings and scope of work result into slow progress of the constructions under the project (a concern of resident top supervisors and the construction contractors). Lengthy and tedious procedural requirements also affect the progress adversely (a concern of resident top supervisors and the construction contractors). Interferences by the local regulatory agencies and the municipal authorities are also likely to cause delays in completion (a concern of resident top supervisors and the construction contractors). Disorderly and haphazard placement of construction materials with its attended consequences could be a nuisance for the pedestrians and the neighborhood community (a concern of neighborhood community and the campsite labor). Construction related noise could be troublesome for the neighborhood community (a concern of neighborhood community). Generation of dust and its deposition on the goods and items displayed for sale at the nearby shops would require frequent dusting and reduced business (a concern of neighborhood community and vendors). 5.5.3 Operation Aspects There have been and are disruptions in the supply of essentialities like office stationery, diesel for generators, and ink for printers etc. (a concern of the officer In-charge and the staff). There have been instances of non-payment or delayed payment of wages to the work charge and the temporary employees (a concern of the affected employees). The main cause of unsatisfactory cleanliness of the premises at the majority of the District Accounts Offices is non-availability of a whole time sweepers (a concern of the officer Incharge). Some of the sites (e.g., Dera Allahyar, Jacobabad, and Shikarpur) lack in appropriate working / sitting space for the employees (a concern of the officer In-charge and the staff). Some of the sites (e.g., Dera Allahyar, Jacobabad, and Shikarpur) lack in appropriate space for safe placement of the important files and the office record (a concern of the officer In-charge). Some of the sites (e.g., Dera Allahyar, Jacobabad, and Shikarpur) lack in safe drinking water facilities (a concern of the officer In-charge and the staff). 5.6 Measures to Address the Concerns Table 5.6 presents a summary of the concerns and apprehensions of the various stakeholders to the project and the plausible measures to address them: Table 5.6 Summary of Stakeholders’ Concerns Alongwith Remedial Measures Persons Concerns / Apprehensions Remedial Measures Consulted Representative Environmental and functional Project’s EA and the EMP, as of the WB compatibility of the project given in Chapter 6 will ensure An institutional setup for environmental and functional EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 49 5. Stakeholders Consultations addressing the issues and concerns No or minimal delays at various milestones compatibility of the project Necessary clauses and conditions need to be incorporated into the contract agreement. Also, institute a stringent monitoring mechanism for effective implementation of contract’s clauses DG, PIFRA Environmental compatibility of the constructions Availability of standard facilities for the staff and visitors Timely completion of the constructions Implement the mitigation measures concerning design, construction, and operation stages As given in Table 6.3 Incorporate punitive clauses into the contract agreement with the contractor Site Engineers Delays in progress due to various reasons Institute a troubleshooting mechanism for removal of bottleneck in smooth progress of the project activities. Institutional setup given at Section 6.1 will help solve the problem to a great extent Engineering Consultants / Resident Top Supervisors Construction Contractors Delays by the construction contractor Quality concerns Incorporate punitive clauses in the contract agreement Delays in construction and The majority of the construction completion of the project and contractors’ concerns relate to resultant escalation in construction procedural and management costs issues. Institutional setup given at Delays in clearing of the running Section 6.1 will help solve the bills / payments problems to a great extent Poor coordination between various departments and functionaries Changes in the drawings and scope of work Lengthy and tedious procedural requirements Interferences by the local regulatory agencies and the municipal authorities Officer In-charge Non-fulfillment of promises by the (District project authorities Accounts Disruptions in the supply of officers or essentialities like office stationery, Equivalent) diesel for generators, and ink for And printers Office staff and Non-payment or delayed payment employees of wages to the work charge and the temporary employees Unsatisfactory cleanliness of the premises Lack of appropriate working space for the employees Lack of space for placing the important record and files Lack of safe drinking water facility The majority of the construction contractors’ concerns relate to procedural and management issues. Institutional setup given at Section 6.1 will help solve the problems to a great extent Refer to Table 6.3 on design aspects EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 50 5. Stakeholders Consultations Pensioners, Visitors, Clients, and Customers Neighborhood community and shopkeepers Red tapism and unnecessary objections to bills Lack of civic facilities like drinking water and toilets Lack of support facilities like photocopying, cafeteria Noise pollution Dust and air pollution Disorderly placement of construction materials Refer to remedial measures as given in Section 4.4.6 and Table 6.3 Refer to remedial measures as given in Section 4.4.6 and Table 6.3 EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 51 6. Environmental Management Plan 6. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN This section presents the environmental management plan (EMP), which describes the various actions by the project proponent to ensure long term environment sustainability of the structures constructed under PIFRA-II. Besides defining roles and responsibilities of various authorities, the EMP also presents a set of environmental mitigation measures, which focus at avoiding and or preventing the adverse environmental and social impacts of the project. The EMP also suggests institutional setup for ensuring smooth implementation of the various mitigations and other recommendations. Institutional arrangements for compliance monitoring, training and capacity building are also included in the EMP. 6.1 Institutional Setup for EMP Implementation The existing administrative and engineering staff of PIFRA and the Finance Secretaries of the provinces will be given the additional responsibilities to implement the EMP during both construction and operation phases. The Chief Engineer PIFRA at Islamabad will be the focal person for the Audit House Islamabad and the AJK sites during the construction phase. His respective counterpart during the operation phase for the Islamabad site will be the Assistant Auditor General (Personnel), Office of the Auditor General of Pakistan, Islamabad and the Secretary Finance, AJK for the AJK sites. The respective Deputy Chief Engineers, PIFRA will be the focal persons for the principal sites at Karachi, Quetta, and Peshawar during the construction phase. Whereas, the Regional Director, PIFRA will be the focal person for all sites located in the province of the Punjab during this phase. Their counterpart again will be the Assistant Auditor General (Personnel), Office of the Auditor General of Pakistan, Islamabad. Whereas, the respective provincial Finance Secretaries of the Governments of the provinces of Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP, and the AJK will look after the district and the subdistrict sites (District Accounts Offices and the Treasuries / Sub Treasuries). Table 6.1 below, outlines this institutional setup and the respective jurisdictional area of each focal person. The underlying objective of this institutional setup is timely appreciation and identification of environmental issues, reliable reporting and logging of the important and or significant environmental concerns, and clearly defined responsibility for implementing the EMP. Table 6.1 Designated Focal Persons for EMP Implementation (Construction and Operation Phases) Designation Jurisdiction Construction Phase Chief Engineer, PIFRA Islamabad The principal site (Audit House) at Islamabad and all sites in AJK Respective Deputy Chief Engineers The principal sites at Karachi, Quetta, and Peshawar PIFRA for provinces of Sindh, and all other sites located in their respective Balochistan, and NWFP provinces Regional Director, PIFRA Punjab All PIFRA sites located in the province of the Punjab Operation Phase Assistant Auditor General (Personnel), Office of the Auditor General of Pakistan, Islamabad Provincial Director PIFRA, Punjab The three principal sites at Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta All PIFRA sites located in province of Punjab EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 52 6. Environmental Management Plan Provincial Finance Secretaries of the Governments of Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP and Finance Secretary, Government of the AJK All district and sub-district sites (District Accounts Offices, Treasuries and Sub-Treasuries) located in province of Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP, and the AJK 6.2 Roles and Responsibilities of the Designated Focal Persons Although the above mentioned focal persons will all be independent with respect to their jurisdictions; however, they may seek advice from the Director General (DG), PIFRA Islamabad, during construction phase and the Office of the Auditor General of Pakistan during the operation phase as and when required. The Office of the Auditor General of Pakistan will have inherent power of oversight regarding environmental performance of the project as a whole. The OAG may liaise with environmental agencies of the GoP and the World Bank either through the DG, PIFRA or at its own. The focal persons for both the phases will be responsible to implement the EMP and to translate the mitigation strategy and measures into actionable programs. They will maintain upward and downward linkages with the PIFRA Headquarter at Islamabad and the District Account Offices and sub-district establishments in the provinces for ensuring environmental sustainability of the project activities. They will also liaise with the field establishments to ensure smooth implementation of the EMP, timely appreciation of the environmental and social issues relating to the project, and early removal of bottlenecks and the troubleshooting. They will also coordinate with other provincial line departments, especially the respective provincial EPA for guidance and advice on important environmental concerns. Table 6.2 below is a summary of the roles and responsibilities of the focal persons. Table 6.2 Environmental Responsibilities of the Designated Focal Persons Focal Person Environmental Responsibility Chief Engineer (Islamabad); Coordinate the pre-design-, planning-, and fundingDeputy Chief Engineers stages of the project (Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta); Incorporate the EMP into contract agreements and the Regional Director, PIFRA Coordinate capacity building and training activities (Punjab) Help to solve dispute relating to the contractor(s) Ensure effective compliance of the EMP and call for mitigation compliance reports from district offices Carryout regular and surprise inspections of the construction site(s) Ensure day to day environmental performance of the site(s), such as cleanliness of the premises and toilets, collection and disposal of solid wastes, maintenance of equipment etc. Ensure that construction stage guidelines are complied with by the contractor and record any deviations Ensure safe removal / reuse of demolition debris Ensure that the contractor follows the HSE plan Construction Contractors Follow and observe the prescribed environmental mitigation measures Comply with instructions and directions given by the EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 53 6. Environmental Management Plan focal persons Develop and follow HSE plan 6.3 Environmental Mitigation Measures Table 6.3 presents the environmental mitigation measures relating to design, construction, and operation stages of the project buildings in a tabulated form. These measures are both the preemptive and corrective actions that will make the constructions as environment friendly entities. The table also identifies the persons involved in planning, designing, and implementation of the mitigation measures. These measures have been framed to ensure that the identified adverse impacts, relating to various environmental parameters at different stages, are properly addressed by either adopting a preventive, compensatory approach or a well thought over mitigation strategy. Compliance of these measures will ensure attenuation of the adverse impacts to an acceptable level all during construction and the buildings’ operational life. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 54 6. Environmental Management Plan Table 6.3 ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION MEASURES A) Design and Planning Aspects Environmental Guidelines Site Selection Aspects (1) Select a site (for new sites only): (a) that does not cause obstruction to ventilation and sunlight to the neighborhood structures (b) that is conveniently located and easily accessible (c) which has a patent source of freshwater for ensuring adequate and sustainable water supply for both construction and operation (d) which is suitable for the intended purpose (e) which is located away from a source of noise and annoyance to the visitors and the staff, like a railway line, a wastewater drain, and a busy market (f) that does not cause obstruction to air movement, ventilation, and sunlight to the neighborhood structures (g) in consultation with the representative of the client department i.e., the District Accounts Officer concerned Responsibility Concerned Focal Person (2) Do not select a site: (a) in an active flood zone, fault line, notified prohibited area (b) near railway line, wastewater drain, surface water body, or noisy vicinity (c) which divides the existing premises / building structures in a disadvantageous manner (d) which is low lying thereby making it vulnerable to runoff stagnation (e) which involves large scale tree cutting or removal of vegetation (f) in an ecologically sensitive area, protected forests, and areas of archaeological importance (g) that is likely to entail a potential negative land use change / loss of agricultural land (h) that causes obstruction to public thoroughfares, roads, or passersby’s movement (i) in areas prone to soil erosion and sliding Design Aspects (Architectural and Engineering Features) (1) Building’s design and layout should: (a) not infringe the easement rights of the neighboring structures EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Design Engineer / Architect Page 55 6. Environmental Management Plan Environmental Guidelines (b) have architectural features in conformity to the general landscape of the area (c) be of adequate capacity to accommodate all the staff and visiting persons (d) be in consonance with local climatic, and environmental conditions (e) prefer local construction materials (f) incorporate proper ventilation and provision of sunshine, air movement, and maximum usage of the daylight (g) cater for requirements of the disabled e.g., provision of wheelchair-ramps, side rails along stairs, disables’ toilets, and studded floors for the blinds in all larger buildings (h) incorporate toilet facilities separate for men and women (i) provide for sealing of the boreholes with cement mortar or a concrete platform (j) provide hand washing arrangement outside public / visitors’ lavatories and display of instructions for washing hands after attending toilet (k) provide for septic tanks of adequate capacity for treating sanitation water where municipal sewage system is not available or does not exist. (l) be in accordance with the applicable building code (m) provide sitting arrangements / visitors’ gallery along with adequate facilities like fans, air coolers, and drinking water cooler (n) provide for emergency exits / escape routes (o) provide for fire extinguishing hydrants at appropriate locations (p) include provision of space for the public utilities like photocopying, internet, and PCO in larger building complexes (q) provide channels for collection and diversion of storm water away from the building (r) contain adequate safeguards against fire risks B) Construction Stage Environmental Guidelines Soil Erosion and Contamination Reduce the chances of soil erosion by: (1) avoiding cutting and or uprooting the trees and vegetations during land clearing (2) following systematic excavation for laying the foundations i.e., digging the land in parts instead of excavating the EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Responsibility Concerned Focal Person Responsibility Construction Contractor Concerned Focal Person Page 56 6. Environmental Management Plan Environmental Guidelines entire area at a time (3) planting trees during each tree plantation season (4) channelizing the rainwater (5) erecting a runoff protection embankment around excavated areas to prevent ingress of the storm water or surface runoff into dugout areas Responsibility Reduce the chances of soil contamination by: (1) avoiding storage of oils and chemicals at places other than the purpose built enclosures for such materials (2) draining the equipments’ washout into either a soaking pit or a sand-gravel bed (3) disposing of the demolition material and debris at pre-selected sites for their disposal in consultation with the site engineer (4) ensuring good housekeeping at the labors’ camp and all round the premises (5) strictly prohibiting handling of oils and chemicals except by the trained and authorized personnel to avoid spillage onto soil (6) constructing septic tanks of adequate capacity for the worksite toilets (7) establishing a responsive solid waste collection and disposal system Water and Wastewater Concerns (1) Do not draw water from a shared community water source (a spring or a well) without consent of the community (2) Dispose of the constructional wastewater (non-toilet origin) by draining into the nearby drain or through a soaking pit (3) Except for the sites having municipal sewage connection, dispose of all sanitation water through septic tanks (4) Avoid throwing liquids/chemicals/paints into nearby water bodies or on land (4) Avoid washing the machinery, vehicles, construction implements in nearby freshwaters (5) The wastewater outlet pipes from the site be securely buried into the ground to avoid their damage by vehicles, animals, and miscreants (6) Provide embankments or retaining walls around excavated areas to prevent ingress of the storm water runoff into excavations (7) Avoid excessive generation of wastewater by utilizing only the bare essential quantities of freshwater (8) Establish and responsive solid waste management system to avoid contamination of surface water from unscrupulous EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Construction Contractor Concerned Focal Person Page 57 6. Environmental Management Plan Environmental Guidelines throwing of solid wastes (9) Seal off the boreholes from the exterior securely to prevent aquifer contamination from downward movement of contaminants along the borehole (10) Avoid over-pumping of groundwater for construction needs. Construct storage tanks of appropriate capacities to avoid prolonged groundwater pumping (11) Adopt such practices as reduce consumption of water e.g., curing the concrete with wet jute cloth instead of direct water showering (12)Practice water reuse, wherever possible and feasible (13)Carryout regular as well as random laboratory testing of freshwater for ascertaining its suitability for drinking. Carryout disinfection, if indicated Responsibility Air Quality Concerns (1) Avoid dust emitting activities to the maximum possible extent. Where feasible, sprinkle water onto the potential sources of dust (2) Prefer installation of a EURO-III compliant generator (3) Keep machinery and vehicles adequately tuned up and well serviced to reduce exhaust emissions (4) Use only new and unadulterated fuels and lubricants to reduce engine emissions. Do not use spent oil (5) Avoid operating machinery and equipment in windy conditions to avoid plumes of air pollutants that would carry the contaminants to distant places (6) Cover the stockpiled loose materials (e.g., sand, loose soil) with canvas or plastic sheets to reduce dust blowing. If covering is not possible, then sprinkle water (7) Transport dust generating materials (sand, gravel) in carriage trucks covered with tarpaulin (8) Ask the vehicle drivers to lower down speed on earthen and narrow rural roads and at road bends to reduce blowing of drag dust (9) Isolate and obscure the active construction sites by polythene or acrylic vertical blinds or corrugated steel plates Construction Contractor Concerned Focal Person Waste Disposal (1) Store construction and demolition wastes into designated and separate areas or enclosures for their storage. (2) Dispose of the demolition discard at a safe place in consultation with the project proponent and the local municipal Construction Contractor Concerned Focal EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 58 6. Environmental Management Plan Environmental Guidelines administration. (3) Sale out the reusable and or recyclable wastes whenever a reasonable quantity accumulates Responsibility Person Noise Pollution (1) Replace the old and noisy machinery with new one (2) If there are educational institutions, hospitals, or other public service establishments in the surroundings, then avoid operating the noise producing machinery during their work hours, to the maximum possible extent (3) Avoid operating heavy construction machinery at night time (4) Carryout steel fabrication and loading /unloading activities preferably during daytime (5) Monitor noise levels and ensure that the WB guidelines are followed (6) Regularly reshuffle the workers exposed to higher noise with those exposed less (7) Provide earplugs to workers working in noisy settings for protecting against noise Construction Contractor Concerned Focal Person Public Utilities (1) Avoid damage to underground public utilities (e.g., gas and water pipelines) by carrying out excavations and diggings by referring to the local utilities layout map or in consultation with the concerned department if a map is not available (2) Devise a standard operating procedure for dealing with accidental damage to public utilities from any constructional activity along with an immediate restoration plan (3) Relocate a public utility or facility well ahead of start of construction, if so required Construction Contractor Concerned Focal Person Cultural and Archaeological Heritage (1) Avoid any damage to the nearby cultural and or heritage site, if any (2) Avoid dumping of waste materials near to such sites (3) Report discovery of an antiquity to the concerned authority or the archaeology department Construction Contractor Concerned Focal Person Social Environment / Worksite Safety (1) Make the workers aware of the onsite risks of personal injuries and the methods of avoiding them (e.g., using PPE) (2) Keep a first-aid box handy and updated at the construction site (3) The site supervisor should be well versed with the standard operating procedures for carrying out a job or handling Construction Contractor Concerned Focal Person EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 59 6. Environmental Management Plan Environmental Guidelines the emergencies (4) Display informatory and indicative boards at the worksite (5) Demarcate and cordon off hazardous / dangerous to work areas with red and white striped indicative tape (6) Stockpile the waste materials at a designated spot preferably on one side of the premises (7) Do not leave the excavations unfilled for long periods (8) Pay wages according to Government’s notified minimum wage rates (9) Pay same wages to women as to men for equal hours of work (10)Avoid child labor (11)Keep fire fighting arrangements available and ready at the site (12)Do not allow cigarette smoking and lighting of fire near work places and near inflammable materials (13)Store the ignitable and inflammable materials separately and at a safe place away from any source fire (14)Keep the worksite toilets in clean and tidy condition (15)Avoid worksite hazards and accidents by providing PPEs to the workers and instructing them use PPEs while at work (16)Develop a set of SOPs for carrying out an activity. Educate and train the workers in these SOPs. Take a strict notice of deviations (17)Ensure effective implementation and compliance of the HSE plan C) Operation Stage Environmental Guidelines Water and Wastewater (1) Install water storage tanks of appropriate capacities depending on water consumption averages of the building (2) Carryout periodic cleaning and disinfection of the storage tanks, at least after every 6 months (3) Use Health Department’s recommended disinfectants only (4) avoid over abstraction of groundwater by installing auto shutoff turbines (5) Encourage a culture of water use conservation by installing auto shutoff taps (6) Carryout regular and periodic laboratory testing of the groundwater and drinking water quality (7) Install water filters, if indicated on the basis laboratory testing (8) Prefer source disinfection, wherever feasible EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Responsibility Responsibility Concerned Focal Person Page 60 6. Environmental Management Plan Environmental Guidelines (9) Ensure proper working of the septic tanks (10)Consider using septic tank treated water for irrigating the plants and grassy areas (11)Ensure regular cleaning and removal of grit from the drainage line (12)Ensure regular cleaning of the sewerage line to avoid its choking from grit and sludge (13)Display instructions at prominent places, particularly near the lavatories and water points, requesting the users not to throw a solid article or paper into the wastewater drains or closets (14)Practice water conservation by installing auto shutoff taps and by displaying appeals in this regard (15)provide for hand washing with soap at the toilets (16)Keep the toilets clean and dry by deputing necessary janitorial staff (17)Ensure availability of drinking water at the visitor’s lobby Responsibility Air Quality (1) Prefer soaked cloth mopping of floors and office furniture (2) Maintain the generators in good running condition according to their operation manuals by regularly changing the oil, filters, and parts, etc. (3) Do not install generators at a place from where the general wind direction is towards main building (4) Carryout annual laboratory testing of the generators’ exhausts (5) Plant grass or vegetative cover on bare soils to reduce dust generation. Pave the bare footpaths with pavers (6) Display warnings with respect to ban on smoking (7) Display suitably worded instructions and appeals for the vehicle drivers to respect and obey the traffic rules (8) Ban indoor smoking. Install smoke detectors and smoke alarms at least in larger buildings Concerned Focal Person Solid Wastes (1) Collect inorganic wastes separate from organic wastes (2) All wastes must be securely disposed of through the local municipal waste management system. Avoid their dumping at any place inside the premises (3) Reuse the office paper, at least for rough drafting (4) Affix and place waste collection bins at convenient locations all along the building, particularly at or near visitor areas Concerned Focal Person EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 61 6. Environmental Management Plan Environmental Guidelines Noise (1) Install the generators in purpose built enclosures consisting of a concrete pad and noise canopy preferably at a place which is a bit separated or away from the main building (2) Keep the generators in fit operational condition to reduce noise generation (3) Affix the ‘no horn’ and ‘silent zone’ traffic signal boards at the driveways and the parking area Responsibility Aesthetics and Landscape (1) Carryout generous tree plantation during each plantation season using recommended species only. Liaise with the Forest Department in this respect. Protect saplings by observing the recommended watering schedule and trimming Concerned Focal Person Worksite Safety (1) Keep the fire fighting arrangements always handy (2) Periodically check for adequacy of the fire fighting arrangements (3) Display instructions on the steps to be followed in case of an emergency or disaster at important locations (4) Do not allow gas or electric stoves in office rooms (5) Store all ignitable or inflammable materials (diesel for generators) at a designated place with fire extinguishing arrangements (6) Display updated telephone numbers of the persons to be contacted in case of a disaster / local rescue agency at prominent places Concerned Focal Person Public Facilitation (1) Earmark a visitors’ lobby for the incoming visitors (2) Provide for comfort of the visitors at the lobby by installing fans, air coolers, drinking water coolers (3) Make available support services like photocopying, internet, and PCO (4) indicate location of various facilities by directional signboards (5) Ensure that appropriate facilities for special persons are available and functional (6) Provide for public facilitation by instituting one-window service by clustering various desks at the same floor Concerned Focal Person EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 62 6. Environmental Management Plan 6.4 Internal Compliance Monitoring The internal compliance monitoring will be accomplished by the respective focal persons as mentioned in Table 6.2 above. The designated focal persons will ensure effective implementation of the EMP during construction and operation of the project. They will prepare monthly environmental compliance and project performance reports in respect of all sites under their jurisdiction. These reports will become a part of the project’s archive and the environmental database. The internal compliance reports will comment particularly on health, safety, and environmental performance of the reported sites. The internal compliance monitoring will ensure long term environmental compatibility of PIFRA to the desired level. A specimen of an internal compliance monitoring proforma is appended as Annex-7. 6.5 External Monitoring External compliance monitoring is a job of specialized nature. It is recommended that the proponent engages a professional environmental consultancy for carrying out this essential and important task. The chartered framework of the external monitoring will include review of the EMP compliance, effectiveness of the EMP, identification of environmental issues of concern (effect monitoring), and preparation of recommendations for addressing them. The primary purpose of the external monitoring will be to see that both construction and the operation phase activities are carried out in line with the mitigation strategy of the EMP and that there are no unforeseen impacts. Since, PIFRA is an ongoing and rolling over project (unlike a one-time project with a definite completion point); the external compliance monitoring will therefore be a regular annual feature. 6.6 Trainings and Capacity Building Environmental training and capacity building of the relevant staff will be an integral part of the EMP. The prime objective of the capacity building trainings is to ensure effective implementation of the EMP, good environmental performance of the project, and to keep the key persons abreast of the modern trends of environmental management and social conflict resolution. The OAG, of which PIFRA is a part, already has a very elaborate infrastructure for conducting training and capacity building courses and programs. The OAG training academies are located at all the provincial headquarters and the ICT. The officers and staff of the OAG and the CGA receive regular trainings at the training establishments of the OAG. These training institutions regularly hold specialized and tailored training courses of varying durations into the subjects of auditing and accounting round the year. The existing facilities include fully equipped campuses of the training institutions with boarding facilities and good quality resource persons. The training institutions of the OAG would be used for imparting training and building capacity of the officers and staff of PIFRA on environmental aspects of PIFRA. Departmental training programs of varying durations are regularly held at these training institutions. The subject of environment would be incorporated as a module of appropriate duration and contents into these regular departmental training programs at the OAG training institutions. The contents of the environmental modules will be tailored according to level and need of the participants. Broadly speaking, these modules will focus on issues of practical nature confronted during EMP implementation; such as how to address social stakes of the project, how to manage the on-ground problems, and how to strategize implementation of the EMP. The detailed training plans, however, will be chalked out by the consultancy engaged for the purpose. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 63 6. Environmental Management Plan 6.6.1 Training Plan Table 6.6.1 below outlines a tentative framework and a suggested schedule of the training and capacity building programs. In order to make the trainings effective and result oriented, it is recommended to hold two three-day training sessions on environmental issues of the project both for the PIFRA officers and the staff each year. As the remaining span of the project is approximately two years, there could be four such training sessions at the maximum. The focal persons and their subordinate staff, as mentioned in Section 6.1, will primarily attend these training sessions / workshops, which will focus on issues of practical nature, as highlighted in the project’s EA. However, other issues of importance that are likely to surface up from project’s implementation at the project sites differing from each other with respect to their baseline profile, will also be covered. The capacity building programs will also focus on sensitizing the participants about environmental and social stakes of the project, managing the on-ground problems, and strategizing implementation of the EMP and the mitigation measures. Policy issues and troubleshooting mechanisms would also form part of the syllabus of the training modules. The proponent will ensure that the best quality resource persons and environmentalists of eminence and experience are engaged for the training and capacity building programs. In order to fetch the best quality faculty, it is recommended to outsource holding of these workshops to an environmental consultancy of repute and standing. As regards training and capacity building of the contractors’ staff, there would be separate but short duration (of one hour to one day) onsite training sessions. Arranging of these training sessions would be the responsibility of the concerned contractor and a provision in this respect would be made in the contract agreement either at the time of award of contract or at a later stage through an amendment. These training sessions would focus on the onsite environmental issues of concern and modalities of mitigating the adverse impacts. Table 6.6.1 Module Three Day Training Session / Workshop Tentative Training Plan Contents Environmental and social issues of developmental activities like PIFRA-II Management of environmental issues and mitigation strategies Implementation requirements of the EMP Documentation procedures Understanding and addressing the site specific issues and concerns Water and air quality management Hazard and risk management Location Training academies of the OAG at the federal and each provincial capital in rotation Frequency Two workshops in a year EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Participation Focal persons and their subordinate officers and staff Page 64 6. Environmental Management Plan Environmental best practices Environmental parameter monitoring and reporting Development planning Strategizing the priorities One hour to One Day Session / Workshops Environmental issues of the project Managing the environmental issues Reducing the worksite hazards and improving worksite security Standard operating procedures (SOP) in case of occurrence of an emergency Things to remember Onsite (at all the major sites) Once in a year at an appropriate time and the project stage Contractor’s Officers, Engineers. Staff, Supervisors, Laborers and the sub-contractors, if any 6.6.2 Development of Training Material The proponent would ensure preparation of the appropriate training manuals for all participants of the environmental training programs. Preparation of the training manuals and other necessary training material would be outsourced to an environmental consultancy of standing and experience. The training manuals would be built on a standard template containing outline of the subjects covered, training methodology, glossary of terms, methodologies for avoiding and mentoring the environmental and social impacts, tips on achieving mitigations, problem solution with examples, excerpts of the relevant literature and legislations, and links for additional or advanced sources of information and data. The environmental consultancy will review and update the training manuals after each session. Such reviews and updates will be based on discrete feedback from the participants, instructions from the proponent and specific needs of the ensuing programs. 6.7 EMP Implementation Costs Implementation of the EMP would involve expenses under two main heads: (a) Training and capacity building costs; and (b) External monitoring costs The training and capacity building plan as proposed under Section 6.6 above involves utilization of resources and infrastructure of the existing training institutions of the Audit and Accounts Service of Pakistan (AASP), the actual costs of environmental trainings will be greatly subsidized due to utilization of the existing training facilities. The actual costs would therefore pertain mainly to payment of honoraria to guest speakers and resource persons and the expenses on development of training manuals. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 65 6. Environmental Management Plan A single training session would be of three days duration with eight working hours a day. There will be two such training sessions in a year. The duration of a single lecture would be two-hours at a stretch. According to this modality, there will be twelve lectures of two hours duration each in a three days session. It is estimated that one such lecture by a local guest speaker (from the same city) would cost at least Rs. 15,000 and by an outstation resource person Rs. 30,000 approximately. If it is assumed that eight lectures will be delivered by local guest speakers and four by the outstation resource persons, then per session cost on account of honoraria and travelling would be about Rs. 240,000. An additional twenty to twenty five percent would be spent on administrative requirements (about Rs. 60,000). Development, revision, and updating of the training manuals would cost Rs. 100,000 per session. Therefore, cost of one complete training session would be around Rs. 400,000 and the cumulative annual cost for two sessions will be Rs. 800,000. Although the WB’s funding for the project is for five starting from 2005-06, the expenses on training and capacity building would be limited to the remaining project period which would be ending on 31.12.2010 unless extended further. Therefore, the training costs, pertaining to the remaining period of about two years including likelihood of extension, would therefore be around Rs. 1,600,000. Table 6.7a presents a summary of these costs. Based on the prevailing market trends, the approximate cost on external monitoring for the selected PIFRA sites across the country will range from Rs. 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 per monitoring round per annum. Thus the total cost for two years will be around Rs. 3,000,000. The combined annual cost for both training and external compliance monitoring will thus be Rs. 2,300,000 and the total cost for two years will be Rs. 4,600,000. This cost will be reflected in the PIFRA’s annual as well as the carry-forward budget. Table 6.7b presents a summary of these costs. Table 6.7a Breakup of Training and Capacity Building Costs Sr. Description i No. of the training sessions in a year ii Duration of one session iii Working hours per day iv. Total person hours v No. of lectures per day vi Total No. of lectures for three days vii Honoraria to guest speakers for 24 person hours @ Rs. 15,000/- for a local resource person and @ Rs. 30,000/- for an outstation speaker including incidental expenses per session viii Administrative expenses per session ix. Cost of development of training material per session ix Total cost per session (vii+viii+ix) x Total annual cost for two sessions (ix*2) xi Cumulative cost for two years (x*2) Span/Cost 2 3 days 8 hours 24 4 12 Rs. 240,000 Rs. 60,000 Rs. 100,000 Rs. 400,000 Rs. 800,000 Rs. 1,600,000 Table 6.7b Tentative Costs of Trainings / Capacity Building and Monitoring Programs Training Component Cost (Rs.) EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 66 6. Environmental Management Plan Honoraria for Resource Persons @ Rs. 15,000/- per lecture for the local guest speakers and Rs. 30,000/- for outstation speakers for each training program (two sessions in a year) for six person days Training Manual and Reading Material @ Rs. 100,000/per session (two sessions in a year) Administrative expenses @ Rs. 60,000/- per training session (two sessions in a year) External monitoring cost for all PIFRA sites in the country @ Rs. 1 to 1.5 million per annum Total Annual (Rs.) 480,000 Cumulative (Rs.) 960,000 200,000 400,000 120,000 240,000 1,500,000 3,000,000 2,300,000 4,600,000 Two years’ cumulative costs - summary 4 Training sessions (Rs. 240,000 each) 4 Training Manuals (Rs. 0.1 million each) Administrative expenses (Rs. 60,000 per sessions) 2 rounds of external monitoring (Rs. 1.25 million each) Grand total for trainings plus external monitoring Rs. 0.96 million Rs. 0.40 million Rs. 0.24 million Rs. 3.00 million Rs. 4.60 million EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 67 Annexes Annex-1 Indicative Terms of Reference (ToRs) for Environmental Assessment Study of Second Improvement to Financial Reporting and Auditing Project (PIFRA II) A- Background The Government of Pakistan has recognized that weak governance is at the heart of Pakistan’s poverty and development challenges, and that public financial management (PFM) reform is essential. Action has been taken to address critical topics: for example, (i) Government accounting has been separated from Government auditing by the creation of an office of the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), (ii) a New Accounting Model (NAM) has been approved and is being implemented under the preceding Improvement of Financial Reporting and Auditing Project (PIFRA-I) project. The Second Improvement to Financial Reporting and Auditing Project (PIFRA II) supports widespread replication/roll-out of the systems developed in PIFRA I, and can accommodate the different tiers of Government by working with the other reform efforts of the Government of Pakistan (GOP), such as introducing devolved local government, introducing a medium term budget framework (MTBF), and assisting in deepening the changes in Government financial management. B- Project Description PIFRA II has four core components: i) financial accounting and budgeting system (FABS); ii) capacity building and upgrading of the Office of the Auditor General of Pakistan (OAG); iii) capacity building and upgrading of the Office of the Controller General of Accounts (CGA); and iv) Project Management. Operational and Maintenance costs arising from PIFRA I and II investments, such as hardware and software maintenance and computer stationery, constitute an expenditure category in each of the components that would be financed wholly by the GOP as part of its counterpart contributions to the project. Also, as part of the overall allocation to the Project Management component, an allocation of $2 Million is made for FMIS and training and development expenditures for the Finance departments of the Federal and Provincial governments. C- Objective and Scope of Environmental Studies World Bank is financing Second Improvement to Financial Reporting and Auditing Project (PIFRA II). The project is country-wide but construction activities are limited to Federal/provincial capitals and districts across the country. Of the proposed project activities to be financed by the Bank, it is understood that only civil works related with upgradation/rehabilitation/renovation/adding new blocks are the ones that may have environmental consequences. Through the proposed environmental assessment (EA) studies, the GoP desires to ensure safeguards analysis against these interventions and others with environmental consequences in line with the World Bank’s Operational Policy (OP 4.01) and compliance with the national, provincial regulations on environment and social aspects. The proposed EA study is thus aimed at screening the proposed program interventions against adverse environmental and social impacts and to recommend, where necessary, course of action for implementation. D- Specific tasks for the Consultant To achieve the broad aim of ensuring safeguards’ analysis, the consultant will: 1. Review the design aspects of the proposed civil works against safety, adequate location, arrangements for proper ventilation, lighting, provision of basic facilities for the use of disabled staff and customers, and propose adequate guidelines to be followed where the design of the building/facilities is yet to be finalized. 2. Screen the proposed construction of buildings (new/addition to existing buildings/rehabilitations of existing buildings) for adverse environmental and social impacts by carefully considering the geo-physical, biological, socio-cultural, human health and safety aspects both at the design and construction stages. EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 68 Annexes 3. Carry out post-construction environmental review where construction has already been completed, to assess major environmental non-compliances and propose corrective actions. 4. Employ appropriate and acceptable methodology (checklist/matrix etc.) to identify potential adverse environmental impacts and suggest mitigation measures. The checklist should be comprehensive in capturing the essence of World Bank’s operational/safeguard policies on environment. 5. Identify and hold meetings with the relevant stakeholders and propose mitigation measures to minimize their concerns, if any. 6. Review and respond to the applicable national environmental regulatory framework, 7. Course of action required for implementation. 8. Prepare an environmental assessment (EA) Report per Bank’s OP 4.01 guidelines. E- Skills Required The individual consultant should be an environmental scientist with 8-10 years experience in conducting the environment and social assessment studies. Familiarity with the Bank’s environmental safeguards and past experience with the World Bank financed projects will be an added advantage. F- Time Schedule The consultancy for the proposed assignment shall be for a period of 21 days, and the consultant shall submit the final report by 8 May 2009. G- Deliverables The consultant, who will Environmental Specialist, assessment report to both Islamabad, and Mr. Sohail Pakistan, Islamabad. work on the guidance of, and report to, Mr. Javaid Afzal, The World Bank, Islamabad, will submit the environmental Mr. Javaid Afzal, Sr. Environmental Specialist, The World Bank, Ahmad, Project Director, PIFRA, Office of the Auditor General of EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 69 Annexes Annex-2 List of the PIFRA Sites Surveyed during the Study 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Audit House, Islamabad Audit and Account Complex, Karachi Audit Office and Academy Complex, Quetta District Accounts Office, Abbotabad District Accounts Office, Haripur District Accounts Office, Rawalpindi District Accounts Office, Sheikhupura District Accounts Office, Jacobabad District Accounts Office, Shikarpur District Accounts Office, Pishin District Accounts Office, Jaffarabad EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 70 Annexes Annex-3 List of the Stakeholders Consulted during the Study 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Mr. Muhammad Omar Khalid, World Bank, Islamabad Mr. Junaid Qureshi, Director General, PIFRA, Islamabad Mr. Nazar Rauf Rathore, Director (Procurement) PIFRA, Islamabad Mr. Atta ur Rehman, Procurement Consultant, PIFRA, Islamabad Engr. Zafar Iqbal, Chief Engineer, PIFRA, Islamabad Mr. Muhammad Yahya, Regional Director PIFRA, Balochistan, Quetta Engr. Sarfraz Ahmed, Site Engineer of NESPAK, Quetta Haji Abdul Rahim, Construction Contractor, Quetta Mr. Zahid Iqbal, District Accounts Officer / Treasury Officer, District Pishin Mr. Muhammad Kazim Jatoi, District Coordination Officer, Jacobabad Mr. Muhammad Zahir, District Accounts Officer, Dera Allahyar, District Jaffarabad Syed Hamid Ali Shah, District Accounts Officer, District Jacobabad Mr. Ashfaq Ahmed Memon, District Accounts Officer, District Shikarpur Syed Sajjad Haider, Regional Director, PIFRA Sindh, Karachi Mr. Abdul Rasheed, Deputy Chief Engineer, PIFRA Karachi Mr. Rehan Ahmed, Assistant Director, PIFRA, Karachi Mr. Qasim Qureshi, Chief Architect / Project Manager NESPAK, Karachi Mr. Sultan Khan, Site Incharge, Gulzari Associates (Construction Contractor), Karachi Mr. Suhail Sultan, Design Consultant / Project Manager, Islamabad Number of Employees, Staff Members, and Pensioners at the various sites EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 71 Annexes Annex-4 Complete List of PIFRA-II Sites Sr. No Status of Construction Sites Name Remarks PIFRA Sites in NWFP 1 Abbottabad Refurbishment Completed 2 AG NWFP Refurbishment Completed 3 AGPR (SO) Refurbishment Completed 4 DAO Swat Refurbishment Completed 5 Finance Division NWFP Refurbishment Completed 6 AAO Ghallani Refurbishment Completed 7 DAO Mardan Refurbishment Completed 8 DAO Charsada Refurbishment Completed 9 DAO Nowshera Refurbishment Completed 10 TO Peshawar 11 AGP Charsadda Refurbishment Completed 12 DAO Kohat Refurbishment Completed 13 DAO Bannu Refurbishment Completed 14 DAO D.I.KHAN. Refurbishment Completed 15 DAO Haripur New Construction Completed 16 DAO Mansehra Refurbishment Completed 17 DAO Malakand Refurbishment Completed 18 DAO Hangu New Construction Completed 19 DAO Swabi Refurbishment Completed 20 DAO Karak New Construction Completed 21 DAO Lakki Marvet New Construction Completed 22 DAO Tank New Construction Completed 23 AAO Orakzai at Hangu New Construction Completed 24 AAO South Waziristan Tank New Construction Completed 25 DAO Lower Dir at Temargarah Refurbishment Completed 26 DAO Bunair at Daggar New Construction Completed 27 DAO Chitral Refurbishment Completed Rented Building PIFRA sites in Balochistan 1 AG Balochistan Refurbishment Completed 2 FD Balochistan Refurbishment Completed 3 AGPR (SO) Quetta Refurbishment Completed 4 TO Quetta Refurbishment Completed 5 Audit Competency Center Refurbishment Completed 6 DAO Uthal Refurbishment Completed 7 TO Qilla Abdullah at Chaman Refurbishment Completed 8 TO Kachhi at Dhadar New Construction Completed EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 72 Annexes 9 TO Sibi New Construction Completed 10 TO Pishin New Construction In Progress 11 TO Mustang New Construction In Progress 12 TO Dera Murad Jamali New Construction Completed 13 TO Jaffarabad, Dera Allahyar New Construction Completed 14 TO Kalat New Construction Completed 15 TO Khuzdar New Construction Completed 16 TO Nushki New Construction Completed 17 TO Turbat New Construction Completed PIFRA sites in Sindh 1 DAO Tando Allah Yar 2 DAO Mirpur Khas 3 DAO Umerkot 4 DAO Badin 5 DAO Thatta 6 DAO Ghotki 7 DAO Shikarpur 8 DAO Jacobabad 9 DAO Mitthi 10 DAO Matiari 11 DAO Sanghar 12 DAO Tando Muhammad khan 13 DAO Dadu 14 DAO Qambar 15 DAO Jamshore 16 DAO Kashmore at Kandkot 17 DAO Khairpur 18 DAO Noshero Feroze New Cons/Refurbishment New Cons/Refurbishment New Cons/Refurbishment New Cons/Refurbishment New Cons/Refurbishment New Cons/Refurbishment New Cons/Refurbishment New Cons/Refurbishment New Cons/Refurbishment Refurbishment New Cons/Refurbishment Refurbishment New Cons/Refurbishment New Cons/Refurbishment New Cons/Refurbishment Refurbishment New Cons/Refurbishment Refurbishment Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed Completed In Progress Completed Completed Completed Completed PIFRA sites in Punjab 1 AGPR SO Lahore Refurbishment Completed 2 AG PUNJAB Refurbishment Completed 3 FD Punjab Refurbishment Completed 4 Faisalabad Refurbishment Completed 5 TO Lahore Refurbishment Completed EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 73 Annexes 6 Rawalpindi New Construction Completed 7 Gujranwala New Construction Completed 8 Sahiwal New Construction Completed 9 Jhelum Refurbishment Completed 10 Bahawalpur New Construction Completed 11 Multan Refurbishment Completed 12 Kasur New Construction Completed 13 Khanewal New Construction Completed 14 Sargodha New Construction Completed 15 Okara Refurbishment Completed 16 Sheikhupura New Construction Completed 17 Gujrat Refurbishment Completed 18 D.G.Khan Refurbishment Completed 19 Rahim Yar Khan New Construction 20 Lodhran New Construction Completed 21 Attock New Construction Completed 22 Bahakkar Refurbishment Completed 23 Silakot Refurbishment Completed 24 Layyah New Construction Completed 25 Narowal New Construction Completed 26 Vehari Refurbishment Completed 27 Pak Patten New Construction Completed 28 Chakwal Refurbishment Completed 29 Jhang Refurbishment Completed 30 Mianwali New Construction Completed 31 Khushab New Construction Completed 32 Bahawalnagar New Construction Completed 33 Rajanpur Refurbishment Completed 34 Muzaffargarh Refurbishment Completed 35 Hafizabad New Construction Completed 36 Mandi Bahauddin New Construction Completed 37 Toba Tek Singh New Construction Completed 38 Nankana 39 Audit Competency Center Refurbishment Completed 40 SAP Competency Center Refurbishment Completed 41 AATI two labs Refurbishment Completed AAO DAO SAP AATI AG AGPR SO TO FD Rented Building Audit and Accounts Officer District Accounts Officer System Application Programming Audit and Accounts Training Institute Accountant General Auditor General of Pakistan Revenue Sub Office Treasury Officer Finance Department EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 74 Annexes Annex-5 Selected Photographs of the Surveyed Sites Fig. 1 The uncovered loose material is a source of airborne particulates (Quetta) Fig. 2 Old and poorly maintained machinery is a source of air emissions (Quetta) EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 75 Annexes Fig. 3 Poorly stacked and scattered materials are source of air pollution and accidental hazards. Loosely hanging electricity wires can also lead to a fatal accident (Quetta) Fig. 4 The stored water must bear a warning of its not being fit for any human use (Quetta) EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 76 Annexes Fig. 5 Poorly maintained machinery is a source of oil leakages and environmental degradation. Oil leakages are visible (Quetta) Fig. 6 Inadequate public facilitation arrangements like sitting benches, shelter, and drinking water can pose hardship for the visiting clients (Pishin) EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 77 Annexes Fig. 7 Open burning of waste papers is a source of environmental pollution (Dera Allahyar) Fig. 8 Improperly stored paper based record can easily catch fire and source of hazard (Dera Allahyar) EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 78 Annexes Fig. 9 Poor repair and maintenance could be a source of accidental personal injury (Shikarpur) Fig. 10 Loosely placed live electric wires can lead to a fatal accident if come into contact with the steel bar mesh at the site (Karachi) EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 79 Annexes Fig. 11 Onsite stagnation of wastewater could be a source of multiple environmental threats (Karachi) Fig. 12 Comingled stacking of different types of materials can lead to accidents (Karachi) EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 80 Annexes Fig. 13 Fuel oil has been stored at the site without complementary fire fighting arrangements (Karachi) Fig. 14 Storage of ignitable materials (fuel oil) alongwith wooden logs without fire fighting arrangements can lead to fire accident (Islamabad) EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 81 Annexes Annex-6 Layout Plans of PIFRA’s Main Buildings at Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta Layout Plan of Islamabad Site EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 82 Annexes Layout Plan of Karachi Site EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 83 Annexes Layout Plan of Quetta Site EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Page 84 Annexes Annex-7 Internal Monitoring Proforma A. Construction Phase Sr Activity / Parameter 1. Is contactor using noisy and smoke emitting machinery? If yes, what measures have been taken by the Site Incharge to forestall its usage? 2. Has the contractor stockpiled construction materials in orderly manner at the site? Are they causing any obstruction to movement of persons and rainwater? If yes, what mitigation measures taken by the Site Incharge? 3. Are loose materials (e.g., sand) which have the potential to blow up into air, covered / sheeted with canvas or plastic sheets or water sprinkled? If not, what action taken by the Site Incharge? 4. Has the contractor / proponent constructed the groundwater borehole in accordance with standard practice and observing requisite precautions to avoid contamination of groundwater source? 5. Has contractor made arrangements for disposal of construction waste, debris, and site clearance? If not, what action taken by the Site Incharge? 6. Has contractor arranged for the disposal of wastewater during construction? If yes, what are these arrangements? 7. Are any inflammable / hazardous materials stored onsite? If yes, what safety measures exist? 8. Is a first aid box available onsite? If yes, does it contain adequate materials, instruments, and medicines? Are the medicines within expiry dates? 9. Any other information? Please describe. B. Operation Phase Sr Activity / Parameter 1. Is the groundwater source regularly checked and water tested for its quality? 2. Are the wastewater / effluent checked for its quality parameters? 3. What are the arrangements for solid waste disposal? Is the solid waste management (SWM) system working efficiently? 4. Are the different records maintained and updated? 5. Were there any leakages during the previous month? If so, how many? What remedial actions taken? 6. Are septic available with every toilet / toilet block? Are the septic tanks working efficiently? 7. Are the arrangements for visitors / clients like sitting arrangements, shelter, drinking water, toilets, and photocopying etc. in place and being properly maintained? 8. Are safety instructions and informatory signage well displayed in the project premises? 9. Are different activities carried out according the prescribed standard operating procedures and in accordance with the job-manuals? 10. Were there any reportable accidents during the previous month? 11. Is the fire fighting system well placed and in an always ready state? Date of the last check-up by the supplying firm? 12. Are accident prevention and emergency management exercises carried out regularly? Date of last such exercise? 13. Are the capacity-building programs and trainings of the staff carried out about environmental safety and health issues? Date of the last training session? EA of Civil Works of the Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing (PIFRA-II) Yes Yes No No Page 85 Annexes 14. 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