This presentation given by Dr. Mahendra Nath Subedi, the Environmental Safeguards Expert for the HIMALI project goes over the: -Main Purpose of Environmental protection -Causes of Environmental Degradation in Nepal -Major Environmental Issues envisaged in HIMALI projects -Rapid Environment Assessment (REA) checklist for the project and more topics related to environmental management

1. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Environmental Aspects
Environmental Aspects in HIMALI Project
Business Plan Preparation and
Environmental Management
Dr. Mahendra Nath Subedi
Environmental Safeguards Expert
HIMALI Project, PMU

2. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Environmental Aspects
Contents
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Main Purpose of Environmental protection
Causes of Environmental Degradation in Nepal
Major Environmental Issues envisaged in HIMALI projects
Binding Rules
Environmental criteria for subproject selection
Revised classification of grant proposals
Approved Business plans
Environment Assessment checklist and management plan
General process of environment studies
Environment screening
Rapid Environment Assessment (REA) checklist
Environment management plan (EMP) of HIMALI
Conclusion

3. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Environmental Aspects
Main Purpose of Environmental Protection/Conservation
• Maintain the delicate balance of natural
ecosystem
•
Promote sustainable development

4. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Environmental Aspects
Causes of Environmental Degradation in Nepal
• Exploitation of natural resources than their production
capacity
• Deforestation
• Desertification
• Industrial pollution
• Drying up of rivers and river pollution
• Climate change

5. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Environmental Aspects
Major environmental issues /impacts/risks envisaged in HIMALI
Projects
• Change in landscape and land use system due to extraction of construction
materials(stones, gravel, sand, etc)
• Environmental
issues related to chemical usage(detergents, alcohol,
pesticides, insecticides, preservatives, etc ) and waste management (solid
waste /waste water/others)
• Loss of vegetation and biodiversity due to overexploitation, encroachment,
unscientific harvesting, etc
• Social problems (to be addressed separately)

6. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Environmental Aspects
Binding Rules
• GON criteria
 Environmental Protection Act(EPA-1997); (2053 B.S.)
 Environmental Protection Rules(EPR- 1997); (2054 B. S.)
Amended 1999, 2007 (Schedule 1 and 2)
• ADB Norms
 Category A: For big projects (Almost equivalent to EIA of GON) ,
 Category B: For medium size projects (Almost equivalent to IEE
of GON) ,
 Category C: For Small size projects (Environment Due Diligence
Report-EDDR)
 Category D : Involvement of ADB fund

7. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Environmental Aspects
Environmental criteria for sub-project selection(ADB
norms)
Must have their own landownership
Not require involuntary resettlement
Must have no negative impacts on downstream users
No direct or indirect impact to ecologically sensitive areas(PA system)
Avoid areas prone to frequent land slides
Must not have potential for permanent drainage obstruction
Avoid disruption the life and property of indigenous or tribal people
Must not encroach on cultural features
Must not have any adverse impacts requiring EIA(GoN) and category A of
ADB

8. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Study of Environmental Aspects (GoN Format)
Existing Environmental Conditions
 Physical Environment: Climate(Rainfall, Temperature), Landuse pattern, Physical
Resources, Soil, Geology
 Biological Environment: Forest/Vegetation, Flora, Fauna, Protected
Plants/Animals
(GoN, IUCN, CITES)
 Social Environment: (To be addressed separately)

9. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Study of Environmental Aspects (In relation to Project
Construction)
 Physical Environment
-Construction Phase
-Operation Phase
 Biological Environment
-Construction Phase
-Operation Phase
 Social Environment
(To be addressed separately)

10. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Environmental Aspects
Environment Assessment checklist and Management
Plan
Environmental Risk
Is the site within protected
area ?
Landownership
CONSTRUCTION PHASE
•Getting stone, sand, timber, etc
may damage the environment
•Short term construction impacts
like soil erosion, deterioration of
water quality, noise, etc
OPERATION PHASE
Env. impact due to processing
•Fire used
•Water used
Yes
No
Magnitude
Management plan

11. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Environmental Aspects
Contd…..
Risk
Env. Degradation due to waste
•Waste water and other effluents
•Solid waste
•Chemical waste
•Gaseous emissions
•Bottles, packing, etc
Ecological disturbance due to NTFPs
collection
Social hazards
Yes
No
Magnitude Management
plan

12. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Environmental Aspects
General processes on environmental
studies
Example study
Project activities > NTFPs collection
Site of activity> Forest area, alpine habitat
Envisaged impacts > Loss of biodiversity, habitat degradation,
etc
Possible mitigation measures > Seasonal collection, rotational
collection, rehabilitation program, etc.
Monitoring method
assessment
> General inspection, quantitative

13. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Environmental Aspects
Contd……
Time of monitoring > Seasonal, Periodic
Responsible Implementing agency > Proponent
Responsible Monitoring agency > DPC, DFO, PMU, DDC
State of Compliance > Complied, Not comp[lied, In
progress
Remarks > Reasons for not being complied

14. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Environmental Aspects
Environmental screening
SN
Parameters
1
Enhancement of positive measures
2
Environmental problems due to
subproject location
3
Environmental problems related to
subproject design
4
Environmental problems related to
construction stage
5
Environmental problems related to
subproject operation
Impacts
(yes)
Impacts
(No)
Remarks

15. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Environmental Aspects
Environmental Management Plan
(General EMP format)
Environmental
Risk(Activities
and Impacts)
Suggested
Mitigation
Measures
Locatio
n
Implementing Monitoring
Agency
Agency
Compliance
Status

16. High Mountains Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement Project
HIMALI
Environmental Aspects
Conclusion
-Environmental Issues-major concerns of GoN and ADB
-The main responsibility for preparing the IEE and DDR lies to the proponent, AEC
and PMU(HIMALI Project) while the implementation of EMP lies mainly to the
proponent
-Environmental responsibilities are not additional burden but are meant to
support the sustainable implementation of the project

18. High Mountain Area of Nepal

19. High Altitude Lake

20. Yarsa Gumba

21. Gravel collection from rivers

22. Stockpiling of Materials

23. Heavy Landslides in Mountain Area

24. Dust pollution in Road Construction

25. Urbanization(Concrete Forest)

26. Unpolluted River

27. Heavily Polluted River

28. Illegal Timber Collection

29. Environmental Awareness in Tourist
Camps

31. Panchaunle

32. Alpine Goats

33. Dumsi

34. Langur Monkey

35. Social Interaction

36. Thank You
for
your kind attention