Project Description, Objectives, and Scope
Located southeast of the Nam Ngum reservoir in central Lao PDR, about 80 km from the capital of Vientiane, the Project involves the diversion of the Nam (= river, stream) Leuk into the Nam Xan. This will utilize the 180 meter difference in elevation between the two rivers to generate electricity. In addition, the Project involves the diversion of a smaller river, the Nam Poun, into the reservoir of the Nam Leuk. The Project will have a capacity of 60 MW and will generate 215 GWh of renewable energy annually. It also will augment the discharge of the existing power station at Nam Ngum by 30 GWh by utilizing the diverted water. The Project will provide long-term support for the effective protection and management of Phou Khao Khouay National Biodiversity Conservation Area (NBCA).
The Project’s principal objectives are to:
support the optimal development of the country’s power subsector;
provide generating capacity to meet domestic demand and increase exports of electricity to Thailand, a major foreign exchange earner for the country;
strengthen the capabilities of EdL to prepare, design, and implement environmentally sustainable projects; and
strengthen the management a protection of Phou Khao Khouay NBCA.
The main Project components include:
a dam across the Nam Leuk to raise the water level and form a storage reservoir of approximately 12 km2;
a power station with two turbine-generator units of 30 MW each;
a diversion weir and intake on the Nam Poun, a stream that joins the Nam Leuk downstream of the dam; and
a switchyard and single-circuit transmission lines to Paksane substation and Nam Ngum Hydropower Station switchyard.
Project Rationale
The Project is an essential component of the strategy adopted by the Government for the power subsector to achieve important social and economic objectives. It will supply electricity generated from an indigenous hydropower resource to an area of Lao PDR where imported diesel and kerosene are the main commercial energy forms and where limited amounts of electricity will be available soon under a power purchase agreement with Thailand. Once the Project is in operation, excess electricity not required for domestic consumption will be exported to Thailand. Thus the Project will provide dual benefits for the economy of Lao PDR, namely decreased foreign exchange expenditures for the purchase of imported electricity, diesel, and kerosene, and increased foreign exchange earnings through the export of electricity to Thailand. The Project also will provide a generation source for the expansion of transmission and distribution systems in the rural areas of central Lao PDR.
The Project is being undertaken as an integral part of the overall development of the Phou Khao Khouay NBCA. Unlike traditional hydropower projects, the aim of this Project is not only to provide economic benefits while avoiding or mitigating adverse social and environmental impacts, but also to address the need for long-term environmental enhancement measures. By providing the technical and financial support for Phou Khao Khouay NBCA, which is now lacking, the Project will improve overall prospects for successful and sustainable protection of the natural resources in the NBCA.
Implementation Arrangements
The Executing Agency for the Project is Electricité du Laos (EdL), which has successfully completed a number of projects in the power sector. The engineering and construction work is being implemented under contracts administered by EdL. A firm of international consultants is assisting EdL to ensure that the Project is implemented in a timely manner and in accordance with internationally accepted technical and environmental standards. The Department of Forestry, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, oversees activities related to the NBCA management component of the Project. A Protected Area Advisor is strengthening the capacity of Phou Khao Khouay NBCA staff to provide adequate protection and management of the NBCA. A Panel of Experts has been recruited to assist EdL and the Bank in assessing and monitoring the adequacy of environmental and social mitigation measures as well as technical performance throughout the construction period.
Target Beneficiaries
The major social benefit associated with the Project will be the electrification of the town of Paksane and nearby villages in Bolikhamxay Province where approximately 30,000 consumers will be served. Electricity is currently supplied only to Paksane, between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m., from a 200 kW diesel power station. The commissioning of a 115 kV interconnection with Thailand in 1998 will allow electricity to be imported into the town, but it will require an expenditure of foreign exchange. Once completed, the Project will meet the demand in Paksane and nearby villages from an indigenous hydropower source. The Project will also make electricity available to about 9,000 consumers in Xieng Khouang Province through a proposed 115 kV transmission line. At present, only some 450 consumers receive electricity in the town of Phonsavan between the hours of 6:00 and 9:00 p.m.
The Project has been designed so that the villages in the vicinity of the power station and reservoir will benefit from the construction of a health center, refurbishment of a school, and the electrification of the houses in the area. These costs have been included as a part of the total cost of the Project.
The Project will provide a significant contribution to biodiversity conservation efforts at Phou Khao Khouay NBCA. Because of the inexperienced staff and the meager funding, management and protection efforts are currently weak. Consequently, wildlife poaching and forest encroachment continue unabated. The Project is providing a full-time specialist to train the staff at Phou Khao Khouay NBCA over two years. Once the Project becomes operational, approximately one percent of annual proceeds from electricity generation will be contributed to a fund to finance the long-term management and protection of the NBCA.
Environmental and Social Impacts and Mitigation Measures
The initial EIA report, submitted in January 1992, was rejected by the Bank and the Government as unacceptable due to inadequate coverage of environmental and social concerns. A new environmental impact assessment (EIA), including a social assessment, was undertaken for the Project, and completed in 1996. The EIA report was followed by a number of additional studies and reports, including an environmental management plan, a social action plan, detailed fisheries studies, and others. A number of potentially significant environmental impacts were identified and corresponding measures were included in the Project design to mitigate or avoid these impacts at a cost of approximately $1.1 million.
Of particular concern was disruption to fisheries in villages downstream of the dam. While this is expected to have only a minor to moderate impact on the welfare of the villagers, the precise magnitude of impacts was difficult to determine during the feasibility study and so a number of measures are being taken to ensure that downstream villagers are compensated for any fisheries losses that may occur. These include establishment of baseline data on the current level of capture fisheries in the villages, and monitoring of fish catch during Project operation so that adequate information is available on which to base compensation if it is required. The actual compensation measures will be dictated to some extent by this information, but are expected to include access to managed reservoir fisheries and possible development of village fish ponds. Impacts on cultivated lands and lands used by villagers for other productive purposes are being mitigated through a detailed compensation and rehabilitation process which meets international standards and is being introduced for the first time in Lao PDR for hydropower projects.
The reader should refer to the EIA and associated reports for detailed information on Project impacts and mitigation requirements. In addition to the EIA, Summary EIA, and Environmental Management Plan, the following major studies and reports have been prepared to January 1998: (i) follow-up report on additional wildlife and habitat surveys; (ii) initial environmental examination for the transmission line to Nam Ngum; (iii) investigations of the Ban Kengsan terrace; (iv) aquatic biodiversity study of the Nam Mang and Nam Xan rivers; (v) survey of vegetation biomass in the inundation area; (vi) review of methods for vegetation clearance; (vii) preparation of Social Action Plan; (viii) preparation of biomass clearance plan; and (ix) preliminary demarcation of the reservoir boundary.
Villagers were first made aware of the Project through visits by EdL staff and local government officials during early stages of Project design. Further public consultation began with the implementation of the initial social assessment, during which the villagers were informed of the nature of the Project, and their comments were solicited. The organization of a formal public consultation campaign began in October 1995 when the Project design was sufficiently advanced to be more formally discussed with villagers but still preliminary enough to have their comments and opinions considered when developing environmental and social programs. Main requests made by Project-affected villagers included the development of programs to: (i) establish a consultative and coordinating structure that would provide a formal link between the Project staff and local residents; (ii) ensure that rice fields taken temporarily for Project construction activities be fully rehabilitated, and that productivity of the fields be restored to at least pre-project levels; (iii) provide new land be for fields that are permanently lost; and (iv) provide electricity and improved social services. Programs to address these requests were incorporated into the Project design. A number of steps have been taken to inform other stakeholders who are not directly affected by the Project about the Project and to solicit their inputs. Included among these are: (i) a public documentation center has been established; (ii) inputs from international NGOs working in the country have been solicited; (iii) Project-related documents have been made available worldwide through the Bank’s international repository system; and (iv) updates on Project implementation are provided through the Internet.
Civil Works and Other Technical Components
Following an order to the Contractor in June 1997 to halt work, a number of conditions were established that had to be adhered to before full-scale construction was allowed to be resumed. These conditions included, among others, to (i) discontinue any ongoing works until remedial measures had been undertaken and found to be to the satisfaction of the Engineer; (ii) discontinue erecting temporary works without the consent of the Engineer; (iii) furnish a new management for senior personnel, design personnel, construction methods personnel and quality control personnel, and (iv) furnish a detailed list of equipment to be used at site corresponding to the requirements of a revised work program. Construction activity gradually resumed as the various milestone dates were successively met and by January 1998 all construction activities had again been activated.
A Special Administration Mission was fielded by the Bank in September 1997 to work with all concerned parties in preparing a Technical Action Plan and an Environmental/Social Action Plan. The purpose of these plans was to identify any remaining obstacles to the satisfactory construction of the Project, and to develop a time-bound set of actions that would overcome these obstacles.
On the technical side, the main Project components requiring remedial actions were as follows: (i) Access Roads: the imbalance between cut and fill quantities was to be resolved; (ii) Sand and Gravel: it was decided at the time to maintain the Nam Xan Terrace as borrow area and EdL assume that impacts would be mitigated properly; (iii) Camp Facilities: the camp facilities will be completed as soon as possible; (iv) Construction Equipment and Operators: the contractor arranged their arrival before the end of October 1997; (v) Project Construction Schedule: the revised schedule as provided by the contractor was to be checked by the consultant; (vi) Telecommunications: it was proposed to install satellite Telecom equipment; (vii) Panel of Experts: a specialist in construction management and supervision will be added the to Panel of Experts; (viii) Review Missions: at least three review missions will be fielded; (ix) Communication between the Parties: the contractor has agreed to increase the number of English speaking engineers and interpreters at the site thus improving communication between the contractor and the consultant; (x) Logistics: both contractor and consultant will shift their base of operations to the site as soon as possible; and (xi) Project Management: the senior management of EdL, the contractor and the consultant has been appointed, respectively confirmed.
The Environmental/Social Action Plan covered five main areas: (i) establishing an imprest account to better facilitate the flow of funds to environmental and social programs; (ii) updating and refinement of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) and Social Action Plan (SAP) based on lessons learned and changed conditions since Project inception; (iii) clarifying responsibilities, schedules and advisory input for biomass clearance; (iv) planning for rehabilitation of the Kengsan Terrace; and (v) improving the condition of the access roads.
Implementation of the Action Plans was closely monitored. By the time of a Review Mission in January 1998, it was found that progress had been satisfactory and that by the end of January 1998 the Technical Action Plan and the Environmental/Social Action Plan had been essentially fulfilled.
As of the end of January 1998, there had been substantial progress in the implementation of the Project. Particularly impressive had been progress in the completion of the roads, excavation of penstock and tailrace areas, and the start of the two tunnels. At the dam site the river ha been diverted on 15 December 1997 into the canal in which the bottom outlet will be located. Excavation work at the secondary spillway had started and the planned sill elevation was to be reached soon. The road leading from the dam site down to the powerhouse however still needed to be improved. At the dam site, which is an area of the works where particular attention is essential, the works still had to be accelerated. This progress was made possible by the Contractor having mobilized new, more competent senior staff, and by the Engineer having fortified his key staff (to be noted particularly is the arrival of a tunneling engineer), now meeting the particular needs of construction management and supervision.]
Environmental and Social Aspects
The Mission in January 1998 noted that also good progress had been made on the environmental and social aspects of the Project. Among the most significant actions taken was, after a further review of availability of alternative sites for quarries, a decision was made to acquire most of the aggregate from the Mekong River rather than the Nam Xan Terrace. A much smaller, largely unused area will still be required for spoil disposal, but the decision not to establish a quarry at the Nam Xan Terrace means that temporary and permanent loss of agricultural land will be significantly diminished. Thus, associated impacts on Ban Kengsan villagers will be substantially minimized.
As of January 1998, the following major actions in accordance with the Environmental Management Plan have been implemented: (i) an Environmental Manager for EdL appointed and trained, and an Assistant Environmental Manager was appointed; (ii) staff trained to assist in monitoring activities; (iii) an international Environmental Advisor appointed; (iv) two environmental coordination meetings held between environmental and technical staff twice monthly; (v) weekly and monthly activity/monitoring reports on environmental matters prepared; (vi) Panel of Experts appointed and visited Project site; (vii) downstream monitoring of fisheries activities ongoing; (viii) general water quality monitoring ongoing; (ix) water turbidity monitoring ongoing; (x) Nam Leuk and Downstream Villages Consultative Committees created and meetings held; (xi) Supervisory Project Steering Committee and Project Executive Committee created and meetings held; (xii) Public Consultation Depository created and maintained; (xiii) public suggestion boxes placed in Longsan District Office; (ix) contracts prepared for final reservoir demarcation and firebreaks; (x) imprest account established.
The Environmental Management Plan has been reviewed and updated to reflect inputs of additional technical, environmental and social studies, as well as lessons learned during the time since Project inception. The overall level of funding has remained substantially unchanged, though funds were reapportioned among various programs. This includes: (i) Social Action Plan (SAP) implementation ($742,000); (ii) water quality monitoring ($30,000); (iii) EMP/SAP supervision and monitoring ($285,000); (iv) forestry and wildlife ($70,000) for protected area activities and animal rescue; and (v) contingency ($150,000). The EMP also includes a contingency provision of $600,000 for biomass clearance. A Senior Environmental Advisor has been recruited to provide additional support to EdL in environmental and social supervision.
The Review Mission in January 1998 identified a number of environmental and social issues that require priority action in the near future. These were discussed with EdL, the Engineer and the Contractor, and include the following: (i) to assure that logging will be done strictly within the reservoir boundary, Phou Khao Khouay NBCA staff are now attached as monitors to the tree cutting crews; (ii) unusually dry conditions are expected to create a forest fire hazard by March/April and the Contractor was requested to cut firebreaks around all camps and work areas, and to educate all laborers about fire hazards and fire prevention measures; (iii) the Contractor was requested to prepare and implement a health and safety plan (as prescribed in the EIA), and to take immediate action to establish evacuation procedures for injured laborers, to provide adequate sanitation and living conditions at camps, to improve road safety measures, and to control explosives stores. The Mission supported plans to establish a Recruitment Center at Thabok that will lead to improved management and recruitment of local labor.
Major Protected Area Management Activities
As of January 1998, the following major protected area management activities have been undertaken: (i) on-the-job training for protected area management staff ongoing; (ii) village dialogue and land use mapping working toward integrated conservation and development arrangements (Community Resource Use Agreements) ongoing; (iii) protected area management plan under preparation; (iv) regular monitoring and patrolling established and ongoing; (v) substations for monitoring and protection established; (vi) small-scale eco-tourism development ongoing.
Originally, the Independent Panel of Experts (POE) was to consist of only two members, an Environment Specialist and a Social Development Specialist. As it became clear during the Bank’s June 1997 Mission, that one of the major concerns of the implementation of the Project was the poor construction management and supervision it was decided to enlarge the POE by a Technical Expert specialized in Construction Management and Supervision. The Terms of Reference have therefore been slightly modified to reflect this change in approach.
Terms of Reference for Independent Panel of Experts
Nam Leuk Hydropower Project, Lao PDR
I. Background
1(a) for the Environment Specialist and the Social Development Specialist: The Nam Leuk Hydropower Project will be implemented by Electricité du Laos (EdL). It will involve construction of a 60 MW hydropower station and ancillary structures on the Nam Leuk River and the Nam Xan River in central Lao PDR. Implementation is expected to begin in late 1996, and the construction phase is expected to take 3.5 years. An environmental impact assessment (EIA) and environmental management plan (EMP) were prepared during Project design, and describe mitigation and monitoring measures required to ensure that the Project is socially acceptable and environmentally sound.
1(b) for the Technical Expert: The Nam Leuk Hydropower Project involves construction of a 60 MW hydropower station and ancillary structures on the Nam Leuk River and the Nam Xan River in central Lao PDR. The Project is implemented by Electricité du Laos (EdL). Project design was carried out and construction work is supervised by the consulting firm SOGREAH, of France, and the contractor is China International Water & Electric Corporation (CWE), of PRC. Implementation started by the end of 1996, and the construction phase is expected to take 3.5 years. An environmental impact assessment (EIA) and environmental management plan (EMP) were prepared as part of the Project, and describe mitigation and monitoring measures required to ensure that the Project is socially acceptable and environmentally sound.
2. A Panel of Experts (the Panel) is being recruited to undertake periodic, comprehensive and independent review of the Project including construction and environmental and social mitigation and monitoring activities during the construction phase. The objective of the review is to assist the Government of Lao PDR in ensuring that environmental mitigation and monitoring measures are performed effectively so as to minimize the Project's adverse environmental impacts.
II. Panel Composition
3. The Panel of Experts includes three permanent members, an Environment Specialist, a Social Development Specialist, and a Technical Expert. In addition, the Panel may request EdL to provide short-term assistance from local (within Lao PDR) or regional (within Southeast Asia) experts if considered advisable in order to undertake special studies or other duties at the Project site. A contingency provision of four person-months has been made for such a purpose.
4. The Environment Specialist will have extensive experience in EIA for hydropower development projects, especially in Asia. In particular, the Environment Specialist will have a background in water ecology and fisheries, two topics which will be given particular emphasis during the review. The Social Development Specialist will have extensive experience in social development work, especially in Asia. In particular, the Social Development Specialist will have experience in assessing and evaluating the social impacts of large infrastructure projects on rural populations. The Technical Expert will have extensive experience in Construction Management and Supervision for hydropower projects, especially in Asia. In particular the Technical Expert will have extensive experience in contraction methods for large hydropower schemes involving embankment dams, large civil structures, tunnels, canals, roads, electromechanical equipment, etc., and with contractors and large work forces from developing countries.
5. The Panel will report to EdL, and through EdL to the Bank.
III. Schedules and Outputs
6. The Panel will be retained for the entire construction period. The total input for each of the Specialists is expected to be 4 person-months, of which 0.5 months will be home office time. This will include approximately three visits to the Project site each year, as the need may arise, plus a final visit at the end of the construction period. The actual timing of the visits will be will be determined in consultation between the Panel and EdL and will be keyed to significant events during the construction period, such as the early stages of major diversion, other major engineering work and transfer of agricultural land from villagers to the Project. However, the time between visits will not normally exceed six months, and the visits will be timed so that the Specialist's recommendations can be acted on in an effective manner. The first visit is expected to take place no later than the first quarter of 1997, at which time a tentative schedule for future visits will be prepared. It is expected that the Specialists will normally make field visits together, though individual visits may be made if deemed appropriate by the Panel and EdL.
7. Each visit will last approximately 10 to 12 days, including travel time. During each visit, the Panel will review the progress and adequacy of environmental mitigation measures undertaken, with particular attention to actions taken on recommendations made by the Panel in previous reports. The Panel will report its findings and make recommendations on specific measures required to ensure the environmentally and socially appropriate construction of the Project. The report will normally cover: (i) actions taken on recommendations made in previous reports; (ii) updated information on environmental and social matters provided by EdL and/or the consultants; (iii) issues raised by the Panel during its visit and by other interested parties; and (iv) recommendations on dealing with the specific issues raised including, where appropriate, time-bound schedules for acting on the recommendations.
8. The reports will be made in writing to EdL at least two days in advance of the conclusion of each visit and will be discussed during a wrap-up meeting to be held on the final day. The Bank will be notified of the date for the wrap-up meetings and may participate at its discretion. The reports will be made available to the public through the Project Information Office in Vientiane and through the Bank's public disclosure channels. EdL will provide translations of the reports (or summaries) in the Lao language.
9. In undertaking the assigned tasks as presented in the detailed terms of reference (below), the Panel will work closely with EdL's Environment Officer, Project staff, the Protected Area Management Advisor, and other individuals and agencies in Lao PDR as deemed necessary by the Panel and EdL. EdL will ensure that reasonable requests by the Panel for Project documents, including any necessary translations, are met. EdL will also ensure that translation service and adequate transportation arrangements and accommodation are provided to the Panel members while they are in the field.
IV
. Detailed Terms of Reference
A. General
10. In general, the Panel will undertake the following tasks during visits to the Project site:
(a) for the Environment Specialist and the Social Development Specialist: during the initial visit, review all Project documents, particularly environmental and social documentation, for the correctness of their conclusions, and the selection, design, and implementation of measures to minimize negative impacts and maximize positive effects on the physical, biological and social environment;
(b) for the Technical Expert: during the initial visit, review all Project documents, particularly those concerning construction methods and schedules, adequacy of the contractor’s equipment and personnel, including management methods, and those concerning environmental and social issues, for the correctness of their conclusions, and the selection, design, and implementation of measures to minimize negative impacts and maximize positive effects on the physical, biological and social environment;
review (a) technical (for the Technical Expert only), environmental and social mitigation and enhancement measures taken during the intervening period since the last visit; (b) surveys, policies, and plans; and (c) organization, scheduling, and cost estimates for implementation of mitigation and monitoring activities;
prepare a report that provides detailed recommendations to address issues raised during the visit, including time-bound measures where required. Provide the report to EdL no later than two days before the end of the visit, and provide an oral presentation of findings during a wrap-up meeting on the final day;
provide advice to EdL on other matters as requested, such as the establishment and implementation of the environment fund;
if requested, assist EdL and the Bank in responding to communications with outside groups and individuals regarding environmental and social aspects of the Project while in the field or at the home office; and
during the final visit, prepare a technical (for the Technical Expert only) and an environmental audit, including social aspects, of the Project that present the state of the technical (for the Technical Expert only), environment and social conditions in the Project area at the conclusion of the construction period. The audit report will also present recommendations for corrective measures to be taken, if any, during Project operation.
B. Environment Specialist
11. In addition to the tasks outlined in subsection A, the Environment Specialist's major tasks will include, but will not necessarily be limited to, the following:
together with the Social Development Specialist, ensure that the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) continues to provide an adequate basis for assessing the effectiveness and timeliness of mitigation and monitoring measures throughout the construction period. Work with EdL to revise the EMP as and when construction schedules or designs are modified or when monitoring results indicate the need for revisions;
assess the adequacy of mitigation measures related to modification of the landscape and impacts on biological resources. In particular, assess whether appropriate measures have been taken, as prescribed in the EIA and EMP, to ensure that only the minimum necessary amount of vegetation removal is done in relation to access road improvement, inundation area clearing, siting of Project facilities and the like, and that erosion control measures are adequate. Assess the effectiveness of arrangements made for restricting hunting and gathering and the movement of villagers into the Project area;
give special attention to the adequacy and the correctness of methodology related to fisheries/river ecology studies to be undertaken during the initial stage of the construction period. This will include impacts on the river fisheries and on the socioeconomic implications of fisheries impacts in the lower reaches of the Nam Leuk River/Nam Mang River. Assess the adequacy and appropriateness of the fisheries management plan for the reservoir. Also give special attention to water quality issues both in the reservoir and in downstream areas;
assess the effectiveness of measures to control water quality and health impacts from the operation of machinery and sanitation facilities at the Project camps;
ensure that specific mitigation and monitoring measures related to all construction activities are being undertaken in a timely and adequate manner, and that the feedback mechanisms that will allow monitoring results to influence environmental management are functioning properly;
assist the Protected Area Management Advisor in assessing the adequacy of measures to improve management of Phou Khao Khouay National Biodiversity Conservation Area. Together with the Social Development Specialist, give particular attention to the adequacy and appropriateness of the integrated conservation and development projects to be done at the downstream villages and Ban Nam Leuk near the reservoir;
together with the Social Development Specialist, assess the effectiveness of the public consultation process, including the Project's consultative committee; and
assess the effectiveness of all other mitigation measures, including needed measures that may have been unforeseen at the time of EIA preparation.
C. Social Development Specialist
12. In addition to the tasks outlined in subsection A, the Social Development Specialist will review and monitor the following issues to ensure that:
there is adequate progress on demarcation of affected paddy land and land titling; land acquisition and compensation is progressing to the satisfaction of the affected communities, including paddy land at Ban Nam Leuk; management plans for the borrow areas are prepared and all efforts are made to minimize the amount of agricultural land to be affected; and land which is required only for the construction period is rehabilitated to pre-Project conditions at the end of the construction period;
the proposed compensation in rice is implemented, ensuring equitable distribution of rice to those whose lands have been acquired; no unfair trading in rice has emerged; a sufficient supply of rice is available in the area; and no other food shortages or unreasonable increases in the prices of food and/or fuel has occurred as a result of the influx of Project workers into the area; and if any of these impacts are occurring, that appropriate actions to mitigate the impacts are designed and implemented;
the availability and accessibility of health services provided by both the contractors and the Ministry of Health for Project personnel and the surrounding community (especially women) is adequate, and the implementation of the public health improvement programs and health campaigns especially on sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS is undertaken;
any increases in land prices as a direct result of improvements generated by the Project or an influx of migrants or new settlers do not result in involuntary displacement of the current residents;
the Lao Women's Union is recruited to undertake activities involving public participation and information dissemination, compensation and local liaison;
the Project's coordinating committee is functioning properly and is effectively promoting meaningful input from all stakeholders, especially local residents, and the issues raised by stakeholders are being appropriately addressed; and
any unforeseen social impacts arising from the direct or indirect impact of the Project are adequately addressed.
D. Technical Expert
11. In addition to the tasks outlined in subsection A, the Technical Expert’s major tasks will include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:
review construction program presented by the contractor with respect to feasibility, adequacy of equipment and manpower, timeliness and coordination between the various contracts, and identify problems and propose remedial measures;
assess construction program presented by the contractor with respect to overall construction requirements and coordination between the various contractors, particularly with respect to completion of the works located on the critical path of Project execution and work being feasible in accordance with the changes in seasons (rainy and dry season);
review quality of work and construction methods of the contractor and assure that work is performed in a technically and environmentally sound manner in accordance with internationally acceptable standards;
in case of inadequate performance of the works, identify problems with respect to
- management, equipment, workforce, etc., provided by the contractor,
- construction design and supervision, etc., by the consultant, and
- general coordination and support provided by the executing agency, and in coordination with all parties propose remedial measures;
in case of delays identify reasons for such delays and propose remedial measures such that construction may proceed in accordance with the construction schedule;
evaluate adequacy of design and finish of the roads with respect to the transport requirements of the Project and advise on remedial measures;
assess adequacy of operation concerning the borrow areas, especially the of Nam Xan Terrace, and in particular remedial measures undertaken after completion of the works;
assess adequacy of temporary and permanent living quarters in general and in particular with respect to hygienic installations;
assess adequacy of construction equipment and capabilities of operators in handling and maintaining equipment; and
assess adequacy of telecommunications requirements and submit recommendations as deemed necessary.