| Environmental Aspects |
An Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) for the project was undertaken following ADB guideline to identify position and negative impacts, suggest mitigation needs and outline monitoring process. The interventions under this project deals primarily with road improvement. No new roads will be constructed. Hence adverse environmental impacts are minimal, and further reduced through appropriate mitigation measures. The potential negative impacts during construction phase are minimized by (i) limiting earthworks during dry season, (ii) careful planning and operating drainage diversions, (iii) restoration/rehabilitation of borrow pits, (iv) safe transport and storage of construction materials, (v) spraying water to reduce dust hazard and (vi) prohibition of machinery use after sunset to reduce sound pollution. In the long term the project will benefit the environment by tree plantation along the roadside, improve regional hydrology through restructuring/rehabilitating cross drainage structure, reducing dust pollution, facilitating improved access to markets, easy movement of motorized and non motorized traffic and improving the aesthetic quality of the region. |
| Involuntary Resettlement |
The project was classified by ADB as category A for Involuntary Resettlement (IR) that refers to significant involuntary resettlement impact. The draft Resettlement Plan (RP) prepared during the project design identified 213 Project Affected People (PAPs), either for physical displacement or having significant impact of resettlement, in Monipur Dugdugir Haat Road subproject in Rangpur. It was anticipated that many of the similar subprojects would have significant impacts of involuntary resettlement. However, the subproject location and alignment was changed from the alignment of the RP, and most other project roads were constructed or improved on the existing alignment of LGED's earthen/HBB road, which did not require any new land acquisition or physical displacement of PAPs. So, the RP prepared during PPTA was not required for implementation, and no more resettlement plan was required for other road sub-projects. Other infrastructures (i.e. Haat Bazar, Cyclone Shelters, River Ghats, UPS etc.) were also constructed on the existing available lands, leading to minimal physical displacement. Despite nominal impact of IR due to the project's intervention, the Resettlement Framework was translated in Bangla and distributed to all project offices up to upazila level, as a part of information disclosure scheme and compliance of the Project's safeguard requirement. Total 8.646 acres of land was acquired for 7 subprojects at Comilla, Gazipur, Jamalpur, Narayanganj, Narshingdi, and Rangpur. So far, total BDT31,982,912 was paid for the land acquisition. No grievance was reported related to land acquisition or any type of IR. The cumulative number of PAPs with significant impact of resettlement due to the project's intervention did not exceed 200 people for the whole project. As a result, the project could be reclassified to category B for IR safeguard. |
| During Project Implementation |
Participatory meetings/consultations were held to account for changes in the design and implementation process. For the GCMs meetings are conducted with the stakeholders for participatory contribution, maintenance, formation of management committee. During the review missions project team regularly hold consultations with local stakeholders about progress, local issues and concerns. |