Environmental and Social

Impact Assessment of 400 MW

± 10% Combined Cycle Power
Plant (Sirajganj-4): Sirajganj,
Sembcorp North West Power
Company Limited (SNWPCL)
Bangladesh
Final Report

August 2016

www.erm.com

The Business of Sustainability

 Environmental Resources
Environmental and Social Impact Management (S) Pte Ltd
Assessment of 400 MW ± 10% 120 Robinson Road
Combined Cycle Power Plant #10-01
Singapore 068913
(Sirajganj-4): Sirajganj, Bangladesh Telephone (65) 6324 9636
Facsimile (65) 6226 1636
Email ermsg@erm.com
Website: www.erm.com
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Report

Client Project No
Sembcorp Industries Ltd 0276008
Project Summary Date
21 August 2016
Sembcorp Utilities Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Approved by
Sembcorp Industries Ltd, is proposing to set up a 400 MW ±
10% combined cycle power project in Sirajganj District of
Rajshahi Division in Bangladesh.

Sembcorp has therefore initiated the environmental and social

impact assessment study to comply with the environmental
impact assessment guidelines of the Government of The
People’s Republic of Bangladesh; the Performance Standards of
the IFC and the Safeguard Policy Statement of the ADB.

This report presents the outcome of ESIA Study.

Alastair Scott
Managing Partner
ERM (S) Pte Ltd

2 Final Report NC NS AV AS 21.08.16

1 Draft Final Report NC NS AV AS 23.07.16

0 Draft Report NC NS AV AS 30.06.16

Technical
Technical Technical
Review
Revision Description By Review Review Date
(Env) and
(social) (Ecology)
Approved

This report has been prepared by Environmental Resources Management with all Distribution
reasonable skill, care and diligence within the terms of the Contract with the Internal
client, incorporating our General Terms and Conditions of Business and taking
account of the resources devoted to it by agreement with the client.
Public
Confidential
We disclaim any responsibility to the client and others in respect or any matters
outside the scope of the above.

This report is confidential to the client and we accept no responsibility of

whatsoever nature to any other third parties ("Third Parties") to whom this report,
or any part thereof, is made known. Any such Third Parties rely upon the report
at their own risk.

The Business of Sustainability

 CONTENTS

0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 0-I

0.1 INTRODUCTION 0-I

0.2 PROJECT BACKGROUND 0-I
0.3 THE PROJECT – SIRAJGANJ 4 0-III
0.3.1 Size and Magnitude of Operations 0-IV
0.3.2 Land 0-IV
0.3.3 Natural Gas (Primary Fuel) 0-V
0.3.4 HSD (Secondary Fuel) 0-V
0.3.5 Water 0-VI
0.4 DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 0-VI
0.4.1 Landuse/ Land Cover 0-VI
0.4.2 Topography 0-VII
0.4.3 Geology 0-VII
0.4.4 Hydrology 0-VII
0.4.5 Water Quantity and Quality 0-VIII
0.4.6 Climate 0-VIII
0.4.7 Natural Hazards 0-IX
0.4.8 Soil and Sediment Quality 0-IX
0.4.9 Ambient Air Quality 0-X
0.4.10 Ambient Noise Levels 0-X
0.4.11 Traffic 0-XI
0.4.12 Ecology 0-XI
0.4.13 Socio-Economic Profile 0-XV
0.5 ALTERNATIVES 0-XVI
0.6 KEY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 0-XVIII
0.6.1 Construction Phase 0-XVIII
0.6.2 Operation Phase 0-XXII
0.6.3 Cumulative Impact Assessment 0-XXV
0.6.4 Residual Impacts 0-XXVIII
0.7 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 0-XXX
0.8 PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND DISCLOSURE AND GRIEVANCE REDRESS 0-XXXII
0.8.1 Approach to Consultation and Disclosure 0-XXXII
0.8.2 Disclosure and Consultation 0-XXXIII
0.8.3 Continuation of Future Consultation & Disclosure Strategy 0-XXXIII
0.8.4 Grievance Redressal 0-XXXIV
0.9 CONCLUSIONS 0-XXXIV

1 INTRODUCTION 1-1

1.1 INTRODUCTION 1-1

1.2 OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT 1-1
1.2.1 Need for the Project 1-1
1.2.2 Project Background 1-2
1.2.3 The Project – Sirajganj 4 1-3
1.3 ABOUT THE PROJECT COMPANY AND SHAREHOLDERS 1-4
1.3.1 The Project Company – Sembcorp North-West Power Company Limited 1-4
1.3.2 Shareholders 1-4
1.3.3 Sembcorp Group HSE Management System 1-8
1.4 IMPACT ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES 1-9
1.5 SCOPE OF EIA STUDY 1-10
1.5.1 Applicable Reference Framework 1-10
1.5.2 Coverage of EIA Study 1-10
1.5.3 Scope of Work 1-11
1.6 APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY 1-11
1.6.1 Screening 1-12
1.6.2 Scoping 1-12
1.6.3 Baseline Data Generation 1-14
1.6.4 Impact Assessment and Management 1-14
1.7 EIA TEAM 1-15
1.8 REPORT STRUCTURE 1-16

2 POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 2-1

2.1 INTRODUCTION 2-1

2.2 ENVIRONMENT-RELATED POLICIES IN BANGLADESH 2-1
2.2.1 National Environmental Policy, 1992 2-1
2.2.2 National Environment Management Action Plan, 1995 2-2
2.2.3 National Conservation Strategy, 1992 2-2
2.2.4 Other Policies relevant to Environment 2-3
2.3 ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL RELATED LEGISLATIONS IN BANGLADESH 2-4
2.3.1 The Environment Conservation Act, 1995 (subsequent amendments in 2000
and 2002) 2-4
2.3.2 Environment Conservation Rules (ECR), 1997 (subsequent amendments in
2002 and 2003) 2-5
2.3.3 Acquisition and Requisition of Immovable Property Ordinance, 1982 2-5
2.3.4 Administrative and Regulatory Guidelines and Instructions 2-6
2.3.5 Other Relevant National Legal Instruments for the Project 2-7
2.4 ADMINISTRATIVE SETUP RELATED TO ENVIRONMENT IN BANGLADESH 2-12
2.4.2 Department of Environment (DOE) 2-12
2.4.3 Status of Project Approval from DOE 2-16
2.5 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO LAND ACQUISITION IN
BANGLADESH 2-16
2.6 RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AND CONVENTIONS 2-17
2.7 INTERNATIONAL SAFEGUARD REQUIREMENTS 2-19
2.7.1 IFC Performance Standards 2-19
2.7.2 IFC Project Categorization 2-26
2.7.3 Categorisation of the Project 2-26
2.7.4 IFC EHS Guidelines 2-27
2.8 APPLICABLE EHS STANDARDS 2-27
2.9 APPLICABLE ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS BOTH NATIONAL AND
INTERNATIONAL 2-28

3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 3-1

3.1 PRELUDE 3-1

3.2 LOCATION 3-1
3.3 KEY FEATURES OF THE SITE AND SURROUNDINGS 3-5
3.4 SURVEY INFORMATION 3-12
3.5 SIZE AND MAGNITUDE OF OPERATIONS 3-12
3.6 KEY COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT 3-17
3.6.1 Gas Turbine 3-17
3.6.2 Heat Recovery Steam Generator 3-18
3.6.3 Steam Turbine 3-19
3.6.4 Steam Turbine Condensers 3-20
3.6.5 Feed Water System 3-20
3.6.6 Cooling Water System 3-20
3.6.7 Natural Gas System 3-21
3.6.8 HSD Supply System 3-23
3.6.9 Electrical Plant and Systems Requirements 3-26
3.6.10 Water Supply Systems 3-26
3.6.11 Control and Instrumentation System 3-30
3.6.12 Civil Works 3-32
3.7 RESOURCES AND UTILITIES REQUIRED FOR THE PROJECT 3-33
3.7.1 Land 3-33
3.7.2 Water 3-34
3.7.3 Auxiliary Power 3-39
3.7.4 Materials Storage and Handling 3-39
3.7.5 In-house Laboratory 3-39
3.8 OVERVIEW OF FACILITIES IN SAIDABAD POWER GENERATION COMPLEX 3-40
3.8.1 Sirajganj 4 - Project Facilities 3-40
3.8.2 Associated Facilities 3-40
3.8.3 Other Facilities 3-41
3.9 PROJECT LIFE CYCLE OVERVIEW ALONG WITH KEY ACTIVITIES AND SCHEDULE 3-44
3.9.1 Site Preparation 3-44
3.9.2 Construction 3-44
3.9.3 Operation and Maintenance 3-47
3.9.4 Decommissioning 3-50
3.10 SAFETY PROVISIONS 3-53
3.10.1 Fire Fighting System 3-53
3.10.2 Grounding 3-54
3.10.3 Lightning Protection 3-54
3.10.4 Underground Gas Pipeline Protection 3-55
3.10.5 Health and Safety 3-55
3.11 ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 3-56
3.11.1 No-Project Scenario 3-56
3.11.2 With Project Scenario 3-57
3.11.3 Conclusion 3-70

4 BASELINE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION 4-1

4.1 THE ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE 4-1

4.1.1 Project Site 4-2
4.1.2 Area of Influence 4-2
4.2 OBJECTIVE AND METHODOLOGY 4-6
4.3 NATURAL CAPITAL: PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT 4-6
4.3.1 Landuse/cover - AOI 4-6
4.3.2 Topography 4-16
4.3.3 Geology 4-19
4.3.4 Soil and Sediment Quality 4-20
4.3.5 Hydrology and Drainage Pattern 4-25
4.3.6 Water Availability in Jamuna River 4-32
4.3.7 Water Quality 4-32
4.3.8 Meteorology 4-40
4.3.9 Natural Hazards 4-46
4.3.10 Ambient Air Quality 4-52
4.3.11 Ambient Noise Levels 4-61
4.3.12 Traffic 4-70
4.4 NATURAL CAPITAL – BIODIVERSITY BASELINE 4-73
4.4.1 Terrestrial and Aquatic ecology 4-73
4.4.2 Introduction to the Project AOI 4-73
4.4.3 Objective of the Ecological Study 4-73
4.4.4 Approach and Methodology-Terrestrial Ecology 4-75
4.4.5 Terrestrial Ecology 4-80
4.4.6 Protected Areas 4-90
4.4.7 Approach and Methodology-Aquatic Ecology 4-93
4.4.8 Aquatic Ecology 4-97

5 SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 5-1

5.1 THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC BASELINE 5-1

5.1.1 Area of Influence 5-1
5.2 NATURAL CAPITAL: LIVELIHOOD INTERFACE 5-2
5.2.1 Land Resources Use 5-2
5.2.2 Water Resources 5-4
5.3 HUMAN CAPITAL 5-4
5.3.1 Administrative Structure and Composition 5-4
5.3.2 Demography 5-6
5.3.3 Age Structure 5-9
5.3.4 Education 5-10
5.3.5 Health Profile 5-12
5.3.6 Gender Equity 5-12
5.3.7 Human Rights Context 5-15
5.3.8 Labour and Employment 5-15
5.4 SOCIAL CAPITAL 5-17
5.4.1 Historical and Political Overview 5-17
5.4.2 Ethnic Composition 5-18
5.4.3 Religious Composition 5-18
5.4.4 Vulnerable Social Groups and Households 5-19
5.4.5 Language 5-20
5.4.6 Civil Society Organizations 5-21
5.5 ECONOMIC CAPITAL 5-22
5.5.1 Fixed Assets (Land & Property) Ownership 5-22
5.5.2 Employment and Local Enterprises 5-24
5.5.3 Access to Finance 5-27
5.6 PHYSICAL CAPITAL: DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE 5-27
5.6.1 Health Service Infrastructure 5-27
5.6.2 Roads and Transport 5-28
5.6.3 Electricity 5-29
5.6.4 Education 5-31
5.6.5 Water Supply Infrastructure 5-31
5.6.6 Sanitation and Waste Management 5-32

6 IMPACT ASSESSMENT & MITIGATION/ENHANCEMENT MEASURES 6-1

6.1 INTRODUCTION 6-1

6.2 SCOPE OF THE ASSESSMENT 6-1
6.3 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY 6-1
6.4 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS - CONSTRUCTION PHASE 6-10
6.4.1 Soil and Sediment Quality 6-10
6.4.2 Water Resources 6-18
6.4.3 Air Quality 6-24
6.4.4 Noise 6-29
6.4.5 Terrestrial Flora & Fauna 6-38
6.4.6 Aquatic Flora and Fauna 6-51
6.4.7 Critical Habitat Assessment 6-57
6.4.8 Road network 6-77
6.4.9 Community Health and Safety 6-79
6.4.10 Social Impacts 6-85
6.5 POTENTIAL POLLUTION SOURCES AND MITIGATION MEASURES 6-92
6.5.1 Air Emissions 6-92
6.5.2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions 6-93
6.5.3 Noise Emissions 6-93
6.5.4 Water Pollution 6-94
6.5.5 Solid and Hazardous Waste Generation 6-96
6.6 ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS - OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PHASE 6-97
6.6.1 Soil and Sediment Quality 6-98
6.6.2 Water Resources 6-100
6.6.3 Air Quality 6-109
6.6.4 Green House Gas Emissions 6-119
6.6.5 Noise 6-121
6.6.6 Electric and Magnetic Field (EMF) 6-128
6.6.7 Terrestrial & Aquatic Habitat 6-129
6.6.8 Social Impacts 6-133
6.7 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS DUE TO OPERATION OF SIRAJGANJ 1, 2, 3 AND 4
PROJECTS 6-136
6.7.1 Water Resources 6-136
6.7.2 Air Quality 6-140
6.7.3 Green House Gases Emissions 6-145
6.7.4 Noise 6-147
6.7.5 Labour Influx 6-152
6.8 RESIDUAL IMPACTS 6-153

7 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 7-1

7.1 MITIGATION MEASURES 7-2

7.2 ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING 7-3
7.2.1 Performance Indicators and Monitoring Schedule 7-3
7.2.2 Reporting Mechanism for Environmental and Social Monitoring Program 7-3
7.3 INSTITUTIONAL SETTING AND IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS 7-22
7.4 TRAINING 7-25
7.4.1 Construction Phase 7-25
7.4.2 Operation Phase 7-25
7.5 PLANS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION PHASE OF THE PROJECT 7-26
7.5.1 Construction Phase 7-26
7.5.2 Operation Phase 7-32
7.6 BUDGET 7-35
7.7 GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM 7-35
7.7.1 Objectives of Grievance Redress Mechanism 7-35
7.7.2 Composition of GRC 7-36
7.7.3 functional premises of GRC for Grievance Redress 7-36
7.7.4 Disclosure of the Grievance Redress Mechanism 7-37
7.7.5 Grievance Reporting Procedure under GRM 7-37
7.7.6 Grievance Redress Process of GRC 7-38
7.7.7 Monitoring and Evaluation 7-39
7.7.8 Budgeting 7-39
7.7.9 Contact Details for the Grievances 7-39

8 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS AND PARTICIPATION 8-1

8.1 INTRODUCTION 8-1

8.2 APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY FOR CONSULTATION 8-1
8.3 STAKEHOLDER ASSESSMENT 8-1
8.4 INFORMATION DISCLOSURE AND CONSULTATION 8-9
8.5 WAY FORWARD FOR CONTINUATION OF CONSULTATION 8-28
8.6 BENEFICAL IMPACTS 8-28

9 RISK ASSESSMENT 9-1

9.1 INTRODUCTION 9-1

9.2 NATURAL HAZARD RISK 9-1
9.2.1 Earthquake 9-1
9.2.2 Cyclone and Wind Hazard 9-1
9.2.3 Climate Risk 9-2
9.3 HEALTH AND SAFETY – HAZARDOUS MATERIAL HANDLING AND STORAGE 9-2
9.3.1 Storages 9-2
9.3.2 Study Methodology 9-2
9.3.3 Hazard Identification 9-3
9.3.4 Consequence Analysis 9-4
9.3.5 Emergency Situations Involving Loss of Containment 9-7
9.3.6 Emergency Situations Not Involving Loss of Containment 9-8
9.3.7 External Hazards 9-9
9.3.8 Representative Hole Size 9-9
9.3.9 Release Duration 9-9
9.3.10 Scenarios Identified 9-10
9.3.11 Consequence Analysis of the Identified Scenarios 9-10
9.3.12 Risk Reduction Measures 9-20
9.4 HEALTH AND SAFETY - TRAFFIC MOVEMENT 9-23
9.4.1 Traffic Safety 9-23
9.4.2 Risks of accidents and fatalities to workers 9-24
9.4.3 Health associated risks from air emissions and waste water release 9-24
9.5 PLANS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION PHASE 9-25
9.5.1 Construction Phase 9-25
9.5.2 Operation Phase 9-25

10 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 10-1

 LIST OF TABLES

Table 0.1 Summary of Impact Assessment and Residual Impacts 0-XXVIII

Table 1.1 Resources/Receptors and Impacts Considered in Scoping 1-12
Table 1.2 EIA team and their roles 1-15
Table 1.3 Layout of the Report 1-16
Table 2.1 Policies relevant to Environment 2-3
Table 2.2 National Legal Instruments relevant to the Project 2-8
Table 2.3 Project Relevant International Treaties and Conventions 2-17
Table 2.4 IFC Performance Standards 2-19
Table 2.6 Air Emission Standards/ Guidelines 2-28
Table 2.7 Ambient Air Quality Standards/ Guidelines 2-28
Table 2.8 Effluent Standards/ Guidelines 2-29
Table 2.9 Standards for Sewage Discharge 2-30
Table 2.10 Noise Level Standards/ Guidelines 2-30
Table 2.11 Target values and soil remediation intervention values and background
concentrations soil/sediment and groundwater for metals 2-31
Table 3.1 Overall Performance of Facility 3-12
Table 3.2 Gas Turbine Generator Specification 3-17
Table 3.3 Heat Recovery Steam Generator Specifications 3-19
Table 3.4 Steam Turbine Generator Specifications 3-19
Table 3.5 Natural Gas Specification 3-21
Table 3.6 HSD Specification 3-23
Table 3.7 Control Matrix for Various Plant Systems 3-31
Table 3.8 Break-up of Land Requirement for the Project and Associated Facilities 3-33
Table 3.9 Water Requirement during the Construction Phase 3-35
Table 3.10 Raw Water Requirement during the Operation Phase 3-35
Table 3.11 Chemicals and Storage Capacity 3-39
Table 3.12 Tentative Schedule of Construction Phase Milestones 3-45
Table 3.13 Maintenance Schedule 3-48
Table 3.14 Annual Availability of the Plant with HSD as Fuel 3-48
Table 3.15 Annual Availability of the Plant with Gas as Fuel 3-49
Table 3.16 Shift-wise Skilled Workers Requirement during Operation Phase 3-49
Table 3.17 Portable Fire Extinguishers with Requisite Quantities 3-54
Table 3.18 Laydown Area and Construction Camp Locations Identified 3-63
Table 3.19 Multi-Criteria Analysis of Water Intake/ Abstraction Mechanism 3-69
Table 4.1 Details of Satellite Data used in the Study 4-7
Table 4.2 Landuse/ Land cover statistics of the Project AOI 4-11
Table 4.3 Landuse/ Land cover statistics of the Fuel Pipelines (Gas and HSD) and
Proposed Water Pipeline with 100 m buffer 4-12
Table 4.4 Location of Soil and Sediment Samples 4-21
Table 4.5 Soil and Sediment Quality 4-23
Table 4.6 Standard Soil Classification 4-24
Table 4.7 Maximum Water levels of Jamuna River at Sirajganj 4-26
Table 4.8 Water Discharge Data 4-30
Table 4.9 Details of Surface and Ground Water Sampling Locations 4-33
Table 4.10 Method for Water Analysis 4-33
Table 4.11 Surface Water Quality Analysis 4-36
Table 4.12 Groundwater quality analysis 4-38
Table 4.13 Methodology for Analysis of Ambient Air Quality 4-53
Table 4.14 Ambient Air Quality Sampling Locations 4-53
Table 4.15 Ambient Air Quality in the Study Area 4-54
Table 4.16 Details of Ambient Noise Monitoring Locations carried out during Dec 2012 to
Feb 2013 4-62
Table 4.17 Ambient Noise Monitoring Locations, February 2015 4-63
Table 4.18 Noise Levels in the Study Area, (January – February 2013) 4-67
Table 4.19 Noise Levels in the Study Area, Feb 2015 4-68
Table 4.20 Locations of Traffic Survey 4-70
Table 4.21 Existing Traffic Volumes on the National Highway and Connecting Road 4-71
Table 4.22 Sampling details of Landuse Class in the Project AOI 4-75
Table 4.23 Summary of Field Activities between January 22-29th 2013 and June 1-4th 20154-76
Table 4.24 Major Cropping Pattern in the Project AOI 4-81
Table 4.25 Threatened floral species from the Area of Influence 4-83
Table 4.26 Species Richness and Species Diversity Indexes 4-85
Table 4.27 Endangered Reptile Species with the Study Area 4-88
Table 4.28 Details of IBA: Jamuna-Brahmaputra River () and IBA trigger species 4-92
Table 4.29 Planktonic Survey sampling details 4-93
Table 4.30 Phytoplankton Details from Jamuna River 4-97
Table 4.31 Zooplankton in Jamuna River 4-98
Table 4.32 Fishing pond status in Project AOI 4-101
Table 4.33 Availability of Major Fish Species in the Project AOI with seasonal variation4-104
Table 4.34 Derails of Surveyed Fish Landing Centres/ Fish Market 4-105
Table 4.35 Field Survey and Inspection on Fish Landing and Marketing Centres of the
Project AOI 4-105
Table 4.36 Details of the Fisherman Population in the Project AOI 4-106
Table 4.37 Aquatic Mammal 4-107
Table 5.1 Composition of Project AOI (5 km) 5-2
Table 5.2 Area under cultivation (in acres) for various crops in Sirajganj District,
Sirajganj Sadar and Belkuchi Upazilla 5-3
Table 5.3 Land under irrigation in Sirajganj District, Sirajganj Sadar and Belkuchi
Upazillas 5-4
Table.5.4 Population trends of Sirajganj District 5-6
Table 5.5 Detailed Overview of the Core Zone and AOI 5-6
Table 5.6 Mouzas and Villages comprising Saidabad Union 5-7
Table.5.7 Comparison of Key Demographic Indicators 5-7
Table 5.8 Dissemination of Rural and Urban Population 5-8
Table 5.9 Disease data for sub-divisional health complex, Belkuchi Upazilla for 2011 5-12
Table 5.10 Persons engaged by working status and by type of establishment 5-16
Table 5.11 Religion and Community Profile 5-18
Table 5.12 Status on Widows, Old Aged and Disabled within AOI 5-20
Table 5.13 Sectors of Employment in Sirajganj District 5-25
Table 5.14 Macro and Micro level establishments within Sirajganj District 5-26
Table 5.15 Healthcare Infrastructure Statistics for Sirajganj District 5-28
Table 5.16 Healthcare Infrastructure Statistics for Sirajganj Sadar 5-28
Table 5.17 Educational Institutions within Sirajganj District 5-31
Table 6.1 Impact Characteristic Terminology 6-3
Table 6.2 Impact Type Definitions 6-3
Table 6.3 Definitions for Likelihood Designations 6-3
Table 6.4 Activity-Impact Interaction Matrix for Construction and Operation Phases of
the Project 6-7
Table 6.5 Sensitivity Assessment Criteria for Soil and Sediment quality (compaction,
erosion and contamination) and Landuse 6-11
Table 6.6 Criteria for Impact Magnitude for Assessment of Impact to Soil and Sediment
Quality and Landuse 6-12
Table 6.7: Sensitivity Assessment Criteria for Water Resources (Surface water and
Ground water) 6-19
Table 6.8 Criteria for Impact Magnitude for Assessment of Impact to Surface and
Ground water Resources 6-20
Table 6.9 Sensitivity Criteria for Air quality 6-25
Table 6.10 Criteria for Impact Magnitude for Assessment of Impact to Air Quality
(Construction Phase) 6-25
Table 6.11 Assumed Construction Equipment Sound Pressure Level Inventory 6-29
Table 6.12 Sensitivity Assessment Criteria for Ambient Noise Impacts 6-30
Table 6.13 Magnitude Assessment Criteria for Ambient Noise Impacts 6-30
Table 6.14 Predicted Noise Levels at Noise Receptors during Construction Phase 6-35
Table 6.15 Significance of Effects on Habitats 6-40
Table 6.16 Significance of Effects on Species 6-41
Table 6.17 List of Aquatic and Riverine Fauna under Conservation Status 6-52
Table 6.18 Possible Species triggers for Critical Habitat 6-57
Table 6.19 Habitat Identification as per IFC 2012 PS 6 6-58
Table 6.20 Critical Habitat Criteria 6-61
Table 6.21 Project Area Critical Habitat Screening Assessment – Criteria 1 and 2 Critically
Endangered or Endangered Species and Endemic and/or Restricted-range
species 6-64
Table 6.22 Habitat-Impact Assessment Criteria 6-67
Table 6.23 Species-Impact Assessment Criteria 6-68
Table 6.24 Habitat Impact Assessment 6-69
Table 6.25 Species - Impact Assessment 6-70
Table 6.26 Habitats -Mitigation Measures 6-75
Table 6.27 Species -Mitigation Measures 6-76
Table 6.28 Species Residual Impacts 6-77
Table 6.29 Sensitivity Assessment Criteria for Community Health and Safety 6-79
Table 6.30 Criteria for Impact Magnitude for Assessment of Impact to Community
Health and Safety 6-80
Table 6.31 Sensitivity Assessment Criteria for Social Impacts 6-85
Table 6.32 Criteria for Impact Magnitude for Assessment of Social Impact 6-85
Table 6.33 Air Emission Criteria for Flue Gas Stacks 6-93
Table 6.34 Wastewater Generation from the Plant 6-96
Table 6.35 Solid and Hazardous Wastes during Operation Phase 6-97
Table 6.36 On-site Water Quality Test Results of S1 Discharge 6-104
Table 6.37 Modelling Scenarios for Air Quality Impact Assessment 6-110
Table 6.38 Emission Parameters for the Power Plant with Natural Gas as Fuel 6-111
Table 6.39 Emission Parameters for the Power Plant with HSD as Fuel 6-111
Table 6.40 Criteria for Impact Magnitude for Assessment of Impact to Air Quality
(Operation Phase) 6-112
Table 6.41 Monitoring Locations with respect to the Project 6-115
Table 6.42 Predicted Concentrations at Receptors due to Operation of Sirajganj 4 Project -
Scenario 1 and 2 with Gas and HSD as Fuel 6-116
Table 6.43 Estimated GHG Emissions from the Plant 6-119
Table 6.44 Noise Emission Criteria 6-122
Table 6.45 Predicted Noise Levels at Noise Receptors during Operation Phase of Sirajganj
4 Project 6-125
Table 6.46 Avian Auditory Response to various Sound Power Levels (SPL) 6-130
Table 6.47 Summary of Emissions for the Power Plants for Separate stacks within
Saidabad Power Generation Complex 6-141
Table 6.48 Predicted Concentrations at Receptors due to Operation of Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and
4 Projects - Scenario 1 and 2 with Gas and HSD as Fuel 6-143
Table 6.49 Estimated GHG Emissions from the Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and 4 Project 6-145
Table 6.50 Predicted Noise Levels at Noise Receptors during Operation Phase of Sirajganj
1, Sirajganj 2, Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4 Projects 6-149
Table 6.51 Impact Assessment Outcome and Significance of Residual Impacts 6-153
Table 7.1 Environmental and Social Management Plan of the Project 7-5
Table 7.2 Environmental and Social Monitoring Programme (Construction and
Operation Phase) 7-16
Table 7.3 Roles and Responsibilities of Project Developer and EPC Contractor 7-22
Table 7.4 Roles and Responsibilities in Emergency Incident Response 7-28
Table 7.5 Evacuation Procedures 7-30
Table 7.6 Response Procedure during Medical Emergency 7-31
Table 7.7 Response Procedure in Case of Fire 7-31
Table 8.1 Stakeholder Mapping for the Project 8-3
Table 8.2 Consultations held for the Project 8-11
Table 8.3 Public Consultation – 21st March 2015 8-18
Table 8.4 Public Consultation – 18 April 2015
th 8-22
Table 9.1 Major Chemical Storages at Sirajganj 1 and Sirajganj 4 Plants 9-2
Table 9.2 Personnel Fatality Criteria and the Corresponding Thermal Radiation Levels9-5
Table 9.3 Fatality Probability for People Outdoors due to Blast Overpressure 9-6
Table 9.4 Damage Criteria for Pressure Wave 9-6
Table 9.5 Damage Caused Due to Incident Power Radiation at Various Distances due to
Steady State Fire 9-6
Table 9.6 Event Classification 9-7
Table 9.7 Overall Identified Hazards 9-8
Table 9.8 Hole size category for consequences and failure frequency 9-9
Table 9.9 Scenarios Identified 9-10
Table 9.10 Jet Fire results 9-14
Table 9.11 Flash Fire Results 9-15
Table 9.12 Pool Fire Results 9-16
Table 9.13 Vapour Cloud Explosion Results 9-17
Table 9.14 Toxic Dispersion Results 9-17
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1.1 Location of the Project Site 1-6

Figure 1.2 Power Generation – SCU 1-7
Figure 1.3 Impact Assessment Process 1-12
Figure 1.4 Impact Assessment Approach 1-15
Figure 2.1 DOE Environmental Clearance Applicability and Procedure 2-14
Figure 2.2 Flow Chart of EIA Process Applicable to the Proposed Project 2-15
Figure 3.1 Aerial View of the Project Site in Sirajganj Power Generation Complex 3-3
Figure 3.2 Layout Plan of Saidabad Power Generation Complex showing Sirajganj 4
Location 3-4
Figure 3.3 Key Features in the Surroundings 3-7
Figure 3.4 Location of PGCL Facility and RMS with Gas Pipeline Alignment 3-8
Figure 3.5 Topographic Survey of the Site 3-13
Figure 3.6 Process Flow Diagram 3-14
Figure 3.7 3-D Virtual Plan of Sirajganj 4 Project 3-15
Figure 3.8 General Layout of the Project 3-16
Figure 3.9 HSD Supply Arrangement of NWPGCL 3-25
Figure 3.10 Cross-section View of Preferred Option for Water Abstraction 3-28
Figure 3.11 Water Intake Location and Raw Water Pipeline Route 3-36
Figure 3.12 Water Balance 3-37
Figure 3.13 Industrial Wastewater Treatment System Flow Diagram 3-38
Figure 3.14 Overview of Facilities 3-43
Figure 3.15 Location of Temporary Jetty and Heavy Lift Movement Route 3-46
Figure 3.16 Proposed Major Maintenance Schedule for the Project 3-51
Figure 3.17 Proposed Operation and Maintenance Organization Chart 3-52
Figure 3.18 Laydown Area Identified- C1 3-64
Figure 3.19 Proposed Intake Locations 3-65
Figure 3.20 Typical Section View of Alternative 1 3-67
Figure 3.21 Cross-section View of Alternative 2 3-68
Figure 3.22 Cross-section View of Alternative 3 3-69
Figure 4.1 Resources and Receptors as per Sustainable Livelihoods Framework 4-2
Figure 4.2 AOI at 5 Km from the Project Site with Receptors Locations 4-5
Figure 4.3 Landuse/ Landcover Map of the Project AOI 4-13
Figure 4.4 Land Use/ Land Cover Map of Fuel Pipelines with 100 m Buffer 4-14
Figure 4.5 Land Use/ Land Cover Map of Water Pipeline with 100 m buffer 4-15
Figure 4.6 DEM Map of Project AOI 4-17
Figure 4.7 Slope Map of Project AOI 4-18
Figure 4.8 Geological Maps of Bangladesh 4-20
Figure 4.9 Soil (SQ1-SQ2), Sediment (SE1 – SE2) and Water (SQ1 – SQ2) Sampling
Locations 4-22
Figure 4.10 Drainage Map of Project AOI 4-28
Figure 4.11 Water Level variation in Jamuna River at Sirajganj Hardpoint 4-29
Figure 4.12 Water Discharge Measurement at Sirajganj Hardpoint 4-31
Figure 4.13 Climatic Sub-regions of Bangladesh 4-41
Figure 4.14 Normal Maximum and Minimum Temperature Profile in Tangail 4-42
Figure 4.15 Normals of Relative Humidity in Tangail 4-42
Figure 4.16 Normals of Rainfall and number of Rainy days in Tangail 4-43
Figure 4.17 Annual Windrose of Project Site 4-44
Figure 4.18 Monthly Windrose Diagrams of Project Site 4-45
Figure 4.19 Earthquake Zone Map of Bangladesh 4-47
Figure 4.20 Cyclone map of Bangladesh 4-48
Figure 4.21 Flood Map of Bangladesh 4-49
Figure 4.22 River Embankment Map of Bangladesh 4-50
Figure 4.23 Air Quality (AQ 1 – AQ 4) and Traffic Monitoring (T1) Locations 4-56
Figure 4.24 SPM Concentration Pattern in the Project AOI 4-57
Figure 4.25 PM10 Concentration Pattern in the Project AOI 4-58
Figure 4.26 PM2.5 Concentration Pattern in the Project AOI 4-59
Figure 4.27 SO2 Concentration Pattern in the Project AOI 4-59
Figure 4.28 NOx Concentration Pattern in the Project AOI 4-60
Figure 4.29 CO Concentration Pattern in the Project AOI 4-61
Figure 4.30: Noise Monitoring locations (NQ1 – NQ6) (December 2012 to February 2013) and
(NL1-NL14) (February 2015) 4-66
Figure 4.31 Noise Levels Recorded in the Study Area during Dec2012-Feb 2013 4-67
Figure 4.32 Noise Levels Recorded in the Study Area, Feb 2015 4-69
Figure 4.33 Traffic Trend for the Bangabandhu Bridge 4-72
Figure 4.34 Traffic Volume in the access road connecting the Project site 4-72
Figure 4.35 Ecological Monitoring Locations in Project AOI 4-78
Figure 4.36 Threatened floral species observed within AOI 4-84
Figure 4.37 Species Richness and Species Diversity 4-86
Figure 4.38 Location of Threatened Species within Project AOI 4-89
Figure 4.39 Protected Areas Map of Bangladesh 4-91
Figure 4.40 Important Bird Area Boundary (Jamuna River) passing through AOI 4-93
Figure 4.41 Fishing Areas within AOI 4-100
Figure 4.42 Map showing Location of Fishing Ponds and Fishing Area in Jamuna River 4-103
Figure 4.43 Sighting of River Dolphin 4-107
Figure.5.1 Governance Structure in Bangladesh 5-5
Figure. 5.2 Age-Wise Distribution within the AOI 5-9
Figure 5.3 Age Composition within Saidabad Union 5-9
Figure. 5.4 Comparison of Age Distribution within AOI and Sirajganj District 5-10
Figure 5.5 Breakdown of AOI literacy rate- Core and Buffer Zone 5-11
Figure.5.6 Literacy Profile 5-11
Figure.5.7 Employment Status among men and women 5-13
Figure 5.8 Employment Status among Males and Females 5-13
Figure 5.9 Employment Sectors- Core & Buffer 5-14
Figure 5.10 Type of Housing Structure in Core, AOI and Upazillas. 5-23
Figure 5.11 Property ownership 5-24
Figure 5.12 Household level electrification 5-30
Figure 5.13 Distribution of Households (%) by source of drinking water 5-32
Figure 5.14 Distribution of Households according to the type of sanitation facilities used 5-33
Figure 6.1 Impact Assessment Process 6-2
Figure 6.2 Impact Significance 6-5
Figure 6.3 Predicted Construction Noise Levels during Daytime (Leq day) 6-33
Figure 6.4 Predicted Construction Noise Levels during Night-time (Leq night) 6-34
Figure 6.5 Overview of the Project Site Area 6-43
Figure 6.6 Human Activity inside the BBA Plantation Area 6-44
Figure 6.7 Map showing the water pipeline route 6-45
Figure 6.8 Vegetation in the Water Pipeline Right of Way (RoW) 6-45
Figure 6.9 Map showing the Temporary Jetty Location and Transportation Route 6-47
Figure 6.10 Trees and shrub removal along the Temporary Jetty transportation route 6-48
Figure 6.11 Tree and Shrub clearance area in Heavy Lift Transportation Route 6-49
Figure 6.12 Locations of Closures and Dredging Alignments in the Jamuna River 6-55
Figure 6.13 Dredging activities in the Area 6-55
Figure 6.14 Construction Camp Area Identified- C3 6-89
Figure 6.15 Receptor Network and Emission Sources 6-114
Figure 6.16 Predicted Operation Phase Noise Levels of Sirajganj 4 Project during Daytime
(Leq day) 6-124
Figure 6.17 Predicted Operation Phase Noise Levels of Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2 and Sirajganj
4 Projects during Daytime (Leq day) 6-148
Figure 7.1 Organization Chart for Environmental and Social Management and Reporting
Responsibilities during Construction and Operation Phase of the Project 7-24
Figure 7.2 Emergency Response Action Tree - Operation Phase 7-34
Figure 7.3 Grievance Redress Process for the Project 7-38
Figure 9.1 An Illustration of Consequence Analysis Scenarios 9-13
Figure 9.2 Pool Fire Effect Zone for large leak in HSD Storage Tank in Sirajganj 4 facility
for 2F weather state 9-18
Figure 9.3 Pool Fire Effect Zone for large leak in HSD Storage Tank in Sirajganj 1 for 2F
weather state 9-19
 LIST OF ANNEX

Annex A Letter of Intent (LOI) for the Project

Annex B Trade License of the Project Company (SNWPCL)
Annex C Project Screening Summary
Annex D IEE Exemption and Approved TOR for EIA Study from DoE
Annex E NOC from Union Parishad
Annex F NOC from Upazilla Nirbahi Officer
Annex G Topographical Survey Map of the Project Site
Annex H Ambient Air Quality Results
Annex I Traffic Data
Annex J List of Plant Species in the Project AOI
Annex K Vegetation at the Project Site
Annex L Vegetation Details in Different Habitat Studies in the Project AOI
Annex M Fauna Encountered in the Project AOI
Annex N Isopleths of Air Quality Prediction
Annex O Photo-Documentation of Field Survey and Consultation
Annex P Minutes of Stakeholder Consultation
Annex Q Public Consultation Meeting Records
Annex R HSE Requirements for Contractors
Annex S Environmental Due Diligence of Existing Facilities in Saidabad Power
Generation Complex
Annex T Climate Risk Assessment – Sirajganj 4
Annex U Commitment Register
Annex V Framework Management Plans (construction phase)
ABBREVIATIONS

ACF Activated Carbon Filters

AERMOD AMS/EPA Regulatory Model
AOI Area of Influence
ARIPO Acquisition and Requisition of Immovable Property
Ordinance
ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials
BBA Bangladesh Bridge Authority
BFIDC Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation;
BFRI Bangladesh Forest Research Institute
BMD Bangladesh Meteorological Department
BNH Bangladesh National Herbarium
BOO Build, Own and Operate
BOP Balance of Plant
BPC Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation
BPDB Bangladesh Power Development Board
BPEO Best PracticableEnvironmental Option
BTU British thermal units
BWDB Bangladesh Water Development Board
CC Clifford Capital
CCO Chief Compliance Officer
CCPP Combined Cycle Power Plant
CCW Closed Circuit Water
CEM Continuous Emission Monitoring
CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
CLAC Central Land Allocation Committee
COC Cycle of Concentration
COD Commercial Operation Date
CW Cooling Water
DC Deputy Commissioner
DCS Distributed Control System
DEM Digital Elevation Model
DFID Department for International Development
DFIs Development
DG Diesel Generator
DLACs District Land Allocation Committees
DMF Dual Media Filters
DoE Department of Environment
DPHE Department of Public Health Engineering
ECAs Ecologically Critical Areas
ECC Environmental Clearance Certificate
ECR Environment Conservation Rules
EERT External Emergency Response Team
EHS Environment Health and Safety
EIA Environmental Impact Assessment
EMF Electric and Magnetic Field
EMP Environmental Management Plan
EOI Expression of Interest
EPC Engineering Procurement Construction
EPRI Electric Power Research Institute
EQS Environmental Quality Standards
ERDMP Emergency Response and Disaster Management Plan
ERM Environmental Resources Management
ERP Emergency Response Plan
ERT Emergency Response Team
ES Executive Summary
EIA Environmental and Social Impact Assessment
ESMP Environmental and Social Management Plan
ETP Effluent Treatment Plant
FD Forest Department;
FDS Fire Detection System
FGD Focused Group Discussions
FPIC Free, Prior, and Informed Consent
FSA Fuel Supply Agreement
GDS Gas Detection System
GHG Green House Gases
GIIP Good International Industry Practice
GRC Grievance Redress Cell
GRM Grievance Redress Mechanism
GSA Gas Supply Agreement
GT Gas Turbine
GTG Gas Turbine Generator
HFL Highest Flood Level
HP High Pressure
HRSG Heat Recovery Steam Generator
HSD High Speed Diesel
IA Implementation Agreement
ICP Informed Consultation and Participation
IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
IECs Important Environmental Components
IEE Initial Environmental Examination
IFC International Finance Corporation
ILO International Labour Organisation
IMCI Integrated Management of Child Illness
IP Intermediate Pressure / Indigenous People
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
IPP Indigenous Peoples Plan
IPPF Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework
IUCN International Union of Conservation for Nature
KJ Kilojoules
LCC Location Clearance Certificate
LGED Local Government Engineering Department
LLA Land Lease Agreement
LTSA Long Term Service Agreement
MB Mixed Bed
MCR Minimum Continuous Rating
MM Million
MMS Manab Mukti Sangstha
MoEF Ministry of Environment & Forest
MP Management Plan
MPEMR Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources
MSL Mean Sea Level
NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standard
NEMAP National Environmental Management Action Plan
NFPA National Fire Protection Association, United States of
America
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
NNE North North East
NNW North North West
NOC No objection Certificate
NQ Noise Quality
NWPGCL North West Power Generation Company Ltd
O&M Operations and Maintenance
OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer
PCO Project Company
PGCB Power Grid Company of Bangladesh
PGCL Pashchimanchal Gas Company Ltd
PLC Programmable Logic Controller
PM Particulate Matter
PP Project Proponent
PPA Power Purchase Agreement
PPMP Pollution Prevention Management Plan
PPP Public Private Partnership
PS Performance Standards
PSMP Power System Master Plan
PT Pre-Treatment
PVC Project Village Committee
R&R Resettlement and Rehabilitation
RCC Reinforced Cement Concrete
RET Rare, Endangered and Threatened
RF Resettlement Framework
RFP Request for Proposal
RMS Regulating and Metering Station
ROW Right of Way
RP Resettlement Plan
SAC Strongly Acidic Cation
SBA Strong Base Anion
SCI Sembcorp Industries Limited
SCPP Simple Cycle Power Plant
SCU Sembcorp Utilities Pte Ltd
SEP Stakeholder Engagement Plan
SGX Singapore Exchange
SHG Self Help Groups
SPA Share Purchase Agreement
SPL Sound Power Levels
SPM Suspended Particulate Matter
SPS Safeguard Policy Statement
SSE South South East
ST Steam Turbine
STG Steam Turbine Generator
STP Sewage Treatment Plant
TMP Traffic Management Plan
TSA Technical Service Agreement
UNO Upazilla Nirbahi Officer
VBI Village Based Institutions
VOCs Volatile Organic Chemicals
WB World Bank
WCP Waste Collection Point
WFP World Food Program
WHO World Health Organization
WMP Waste Management Plan
WSA Waste Storage Area
WSP World Sanitation Program
WTP Water Treatment Plant
0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

0.1 INTRODUCTION

The Government of Bangladesh (GOB) has given highest priority to power

sector development in the country and has committed to making electricity
available to all citizens by 2021 1. The GOB has further extended its vision for
power supply out to 2030 and prepared the Power System Master Plan
(PSMP), 2010. The plan forecasts a supply surplus scenario by 2030 with
power demand expected to be approximately 34,000 MW against a generation
capacity of 40,000 MW (Power Division 2015). To realize these targets, the
GOB since 2011 has undertaken the implementation of reforms in the power
sector, including significant development programs for participation of the
private sector of which this Project constitutes one of the important parts.

The GOB has adopted a strategy for the development of the power sector
which envisages private participation in the sector. As part of that strategy,
the GOB decided for part of the new generation capacity to be installed and
operated by the private sector.

0.2 PROJECT BACKGROUND

BPDB has plans to develop the Sirajganj site as a major power generation
complex and currently has a 225 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP)
referred as “Sirajganj 1” or “S1” operated by NWPGCL. NWPGCL is in the
process of tendering for two additional 225MW CCPPs, namely “Sirajganj 2”
or “S2” and “Sirajganj 3” or “S3”, which will be developed in between
Sirajganj 1 and Sirajganj 4 projects by NWPGCL. A 230 kV substation connects
the complex to the national transmission system of the Power Grid Company
of Bangladesh (PGCB) Ltd. A 30” East-West gas pipeline crossing the
Bangabandhu Bridge (also called the Jamuna Multi-purpose Bridge) and Gas
pipeline valve station is about 1.5 km away from the Project site.

In line with this strategy, the GOB decided to (a) implement a new greenfield
400 MW±10% Combined Cycle Power Plant on Build, Own and Operate
(“BOO”) basis under the GOB’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) program at
Sirajganj, Bangladesh (the “Project”); (b) to execute the Implementation
Agreement (“IA”), the Power Purchase Agreement (“PPA”), the Gas Supply
Agreement (“GSA”), the Fuel Supply Agreement (“FSA”), the Land Lease
Agreements (“LLA”), Share Purchase Agreement (“SPA”) (together, the IA,
PPA, GSA, LLA, FSA and SPA are hereinafter referred to as the “Project
Agreements”) and other contracts required for the financing, construction,
operation and maintenance of the Facility; (c) implement the Project, and (d)
upon Commissioning (in both simple cycle and combined-cycle modes),

1 Vision; Power Cell, Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, GoB

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operate and maintain the Facility for an initial period of 22 years (plus the 6
month period during which the Facility is operated in simple cycle mode).
In the past, the MPEMR has made several attempts to tender for a gas based
IPP in Sirajganj, under the Public-Private Partnership scheme, however none
of these processed could be successfully completed largely due to the
inexperience of bid participants who submitted unsustainable low tariffs.

The last of such processes was conducted in 2012 by the Power Division,
MPEMR and the selected Project Sponsor was issued a Letter of Intent (“LOI”)
to undertake the development and implementation of a 367MW power plant
in Sirajganj. Subsequently, the project failed to take off due to the inability of
the Project Sponsor to comply with the conditions of the awarded bid which
led to a termination of the award by the Power Division in September 2012.

With tariff discovery having being competitively undertaken as recently as in

2012 and relying on the provisions of the Power and Energy Fast Supply
Enhancement (Special Provision) Act, 2010 (Board of Investment 2010) which allow
for bilateral solicitation of proposals for IPP development, the MPEMR invited
Sembcorp Utilities Pte Ltd. (SCU), in October 2014, to submit a comprehensive
proposal for development for a 400MW (±10%) IPP in Sirajganj, while keeping
tariff the same as that derived under the competitively bid process of 2012.

SCU submitted an RFP compliant proposal to the MPEMR on Dec 7, 2014 and
received the notification of acceptance of proposal from MPEMR on Apr 02,
2015. The Letter of Intent (LOI) for the development of project was issued by
NWPGCL vide letter no. 537/NWPGCL/Siraj 400MW/(Unit-4)/2015 dated 22
September 2015

Sembcorp North-West Power Company Ltd(“SNWPCL”) has been duly

formed and registered under the Laws of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
on 26 November 2015 as a private limited company to develop, design,
finance, build, own, operate and maintain the Plant. The Company has been
set up for the sole purpose of developing, owning and operating the Project.
The Company will be 71% owned by SCU, and 29% by NWPGCL. SNWPCL is
proposing to set up a 400 MW±10% combined cycle power project (hereinafter
referred as the “Project” or the “Plant” or the “Facility” or “Sirajganj 4”) with net
generation capacity of 413.8 MW 1 in Sirajganj District of Rajshahi Division in
Bangladesh. The project site is located approximately 135 km north-west of
Dhaka on the western bank of the River Jamuna. As per the Request For
Proposal issued by North West Power Generation Company Limited
(“NWPGCL”) on 28 October 2014 the power plant will operate on natural gas
as its primary fuel and is designed to operate on High Speed Diesel (“HSD”)
for short periods of time as the back-up fuel in case of interruptions in gas
supply.

1As per the RFP of the Project, project generation capacity is 400 MW ± 10%. Based on the Sembcorp’s assessment of power
generation from the facility, which will be supplied to the national grid, net generation capacity of the Plant will be 413.8
MW. This excludes auxiliary consumption of the Plant.

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 The total project cost is estimated at USD 384 MM and will be financed 75:25
through debt and equity. The lending consortium comprises of the
International Finance Corporation (“IFC”), the UK development finance
institution CDC Group plc (CDC) and Clifford Capital (“CC”), with each
lender expected to fund one-third of the total debt.

0.3 THE PROJECT – SIRAJGANJ 4

The Project will be sited at the Saidabad power generation complex owned by
NWPGCL and situated along the banks of the Jamuna River in the north-west
region of Bangladesh. The Project site falls under the Saidabad Union of
Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla (Sub-district) of Sirajganj District. 16 acres of land
(excluding land to be provided for utilities) has been earmarked within the
Sirajganj power generation complex for the Project which will be jointly
owned by SNWPCL and NWPGCL. Within the Saidabad power generation
complex, NWPGCL currently owns and operates a 225 MW dual fuel
Combined Cycle Power Plant (“CCPP”) (Sirajganj 1) and is in the process of
tendering for two additional 225MW dual fuel CCPP plant (Sirajganj 2 and
Sirajganj 3), that will be developed in between Sirajganj 1 and Sirajganj 4
projects.

A 230 kV substation connects the complex to the national transmission system

of the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (“PGCB”) and the 30” East-West
gas pipeline crossing the Bangabandhu Bridge (also called the Jamuna Multi-
purpose Bridge) is located about 1.5 km away from the Project site.

The proposed CCPP (Sirajganj 4) will be located in district Sirajganj of

Rajshahi division in north-western region of Bangladesh. The Project will be
implemented build, own and operate (BOO) basis under the GOB’s PPP
program. The land required for the project will be provided by BPDB
pursuant to a Land Lease Agreement (“LLA”). The Project is supported by a
22 year Implementation Agreement (“IA”) with the GOB, acting through the
Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MPEMR), and the PGCB.
The electrical capacity and electricity generated will be sold under a 22 year
Power Purchase Agreement (“PPA”) with the Bangladesh Power
Development Board (BPDB). SNWPCL will enter into a Gas Supply
Agreement (“GSA”) with Pashchimanchal Gas Company Ltd. (“PGCL”), a
subsidiary of state-owned Petrobangla and a Fuel Supply Agreement (“FSA”)
with state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (“BPC”).

The Project has been designated by the GOB as a “Public, Private Partnership”
project, and as such, twenty nine percent (29%) of the equity interest in the
Company will be subscribed, purchased and owned by NWPGCL pursuant to
the Share Purchase Agreement (“SPA”) to be entered into by and among
SNWPCL and the Project Sponsors (SCU and NWPGCL).

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0.3.1 Size and Magnitude of Operations

The main power block of the Plant will consist of one gas turbine (GT), one
steam turbine (ST), one heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and bypass and
exhaust stacks. Black start and emergency diesel generators will be provided
to provide black start and safe shutdown capabilities.

The plant will be constructed to have a minimum continuous rating (MCR)

capacity of 413.8 MW (net) output of combined cycle with natural gas as fuel,
at the high voltage side of the outgoing terminals of the 230 kV transformer,
corrected to the Reference Conditions at 0.85 power factor (lag). However with
HSD as fuel, the net capacity of combined cycle will be 333.0 MW. The simple
cycle output capacity with natural gas will be 282.0 MW (net) at the high
voltage side of the outgoing terminals of the 230 kV transformer corrected to
the Reference Conditions at 0.85 power factor (lag), whereas with HSD as fuel
will be 236.8 MW.

The Project components include:

• Gas Turbine;
• Heat Recovery Steam Generator;
• Steam Turbine;
• Steam Turbine Condenser;
• Fuel Gas Compression and Conditioning System;
• HSD Storage;
• Water System including cooling water system;
• Electrical System
• Connection from S4 switch yard to PGCB sub-station
• Air Conditioning and Ventilation System; and
• Control and Instrumentation System.
• New RMS for natural gas compression and conditioning
• New natural gas pipeline from GTCL Valve Station to the RMS of S4
Project
• New water pipeline of about 4.0 km from River Jamuna, water intake
structure and water pump house
• HSD pipeline from the tapping point provided in HSD pipeline within
Saidabad Power Generation Complex.
• Potable water treatment Plant
• Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) and Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) with 4
m3/hr capacity each

0.3.2 Land

The total power generation complex is 69.69 acres out of which the land
requirement for the Project S4 is estimated to be approximately 23.6 acres. In
addition to this approximately 19.3 acres of land will be required temporarily
for construction laydown area and construction workers accommodation. The
proposed S4 plant will be built beside the existing S1 and proposed S2 and S3
plants within the power complex. The land required is currently owned by
institutions including equity partner BPDB/NWPGCL and Khas Land under
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 possession of the GOB. The land will be obtained by Land Lease Agreements
with respective entities in consideration of a lease rent as per the market price.
Break-up of land requirement for the project is as follows:
• Power Plant : 16 acres
• Gas RMS : 0.9 acres
• HSD Pipeline (within complex) : 0.16 acres
• Gas Pipeline (outside complex) : 3.95 acres
• Water Pipelines (outside complex) : 2.57 acres
• Lay down area (construction phase) : 10.95 acres
• Worker camp (construction phase) : 8.37 acres

0.3.3 Natural Gas (Primary Fuel)

The high-pressure gas transmission system for the supply of Gas to the
Facility will be comprised of approximately 1.5 km considering the source
point of 20”ND pipeline and as per design to be operated at an average of 600
psi with maximum operating pressure of 1000 psig and at worst condition
operating pressure will be 200 psig. This pipeline will be connected with
source at one end at the Connection Point and the other end will terminate at
the inlet of the RMS. The pipeline will be constructed on a strip of land of 8 m
width (which is being used by NWPGCL as well for its gas pipeline) and is
marked as required by the Gas Safety Rules, 1991, as amended up to 2003.

0.3.4 HSD (Secondary Fuel)

Use of HSD as fuel for power generation in the project will be only in case of
interruption in natural gas supply. This will be a back-up fuel for the project.
As per the fuel supply agreement (draft), three days of HSD supply will be
stored in two tanks with capacity equivalent to 15 days operation at 80%
output on HSD, while the plant is running on Gas. The tanks will be installed
on a bund of adequate size per environmental and safety requirements. Total
storage capacity at site will be 19,000 m3. HSD will be delivered via rail from
BPC Depot in Chittagong/Daulatpur/ Khulna up to the nearest rail head at
Saidabad (i.e. Bangabandhu Bridge West Railway Station), which is located
approximately 3 km from the Project site. NWPGCL has constructed an HSD
unloading and pumping station at the railway station and an HSD supply
pipeline has been constructed up to the Saidabad Power Generation Complex
by NWPGCL. The unloading facility that has 30 rail car connections for
unloading purposes and screw type, electric motor driven, carbon steel pumps
rated for 100m3/hr at 70m head, capable of pulling suction, have been
provided. The unloading facility has been designed to unload 3 complete
trains (consists of 30 nos. oil tanker wagon having capacity of 42 ton each
wagon) per day. The available unloading oil tanker wagons having capacity of
42 tons are available for use by BPC. BPC will use the same system for HSD
supply as per the common agreement; however the exact location of the HSD
receiving point is yet to be confirmed by SNWPCL. It is also to be noted that
the HSD pipeline will have HSD on it only during transfer of fuel from
railway siding to the storage facility within the site and after completion of

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 transfer, the pipeline will be cleaned. This will avoid any risk during non-
operation of the HSD pipeline.

0.3.5 Water

Raw water will be drawn from the Jamuna River for cooling tower make up
and water pre-treatment plant requirements. The raw water system will
consist of an intake structure on the River Jamuna near the Bangabandhu
Bridge and vertical raw water pumps. The water supply system will be
designed to maximum gross demand of water in all modes of operation.
Water requirement during operation phase of the Project will be
approximately 600 m3/hr, which will be drawn from the Jamuna River by a
4.0 km long pipeline (the pipeline from water intake point to the pump house
will be downstream of the west guide bund and will be overground, whereas
after pump house, same will be underground). Cooling water and other
treated effluent discharge from the Project will be about 74.4 m3/hr. This will
be discharged on land outside the southern boundary of the project. In
addition to that treated effluent generated from sewage treatment plant (~ 3
m3/hr) will be used within the site for greenbelt development. No untreated
sewage will be directly discharged into Jamuna River/Channel or disposed of
on land through the project life cycle. As back up of water supply, ground
water may be considered, which is subject to the local authority approval.
Drinking water supply during construction will be provided by the EPC and
during operations will be provided through ground water treated through a
potable water treatment plant.

0.4 DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT

The extent of the EIA study covered the Area of Influence (AOI) of the Project,
which was defined based on the scoping study. The AOI of the Project,
comprising of the Project Site and the surrounding areas, where influence of
the Project activities is anticipated, was defined. Based on the anticipated
impacts on physical, ecological and social resources due to the Project, AOI
has been considered as 5 km radial zone from the Project site, which also
consists of existing S1 and proposed S2 and S3 plants along with the proposed
S4 plant.

The baseline studies were carried over a period of five months from December
2012 to February 2013 and from February to March 2015.

0.4.1 Landuse/ Land Cover

The maximum percentage of land use/land cover of the Project AOI falls
under agriculture (38.08%), followed by water bodies (28.34%) and waste land
(19.25%). Plantation (homestead and others) covers an area of 9.33% of the
total area of AOI. Built-up area is limited to 2.46%. Industrial activity zone is
currently limited to the Power Generation Complex. Land use of the fuel
pipelines (Gas and HSD) RoW with 100 m buffer consists of 36.65 % built up
area, followed by 30.71% waste land, 14.55% agricultural land and rest under
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 plantations (homestead and agriculture+ roadside+ Jamuna Ecopark).
Landuse of the water pipeline RoW with 100 m buffer consists of 31.36 5 waste
land followed by 14.16% built up, 12.69% agriculture, 9.18% water bodies and
rest under plantations. The laydown area and worker’s accommodation area
identified are scrub land currently under possession of BBA.

0.4.2 Topography

The area under Jamuna Eco Park and Saidabad Power Generation Complex is
in the elevation range of 12-18 m above MSL (as per DEM map) and the
complex has 2.5 -3 m height embankment developed in 2006-2007. The area
has no considerable slope variations. More than 80 % of the area falls in the
gradient range of 0-5 % and some places have 5-10 % slope. Very few areas fall
in the 20-27% gradient range, i.e. near Saidabad, near river bank of Jamuna
Eco Park and at the edges of few char areas on the Jamuna River. The entire
river bank can be seen to have a slope range of 10-15% variation because of the
difference in the land embankment and the river level.

0.4.3 Geology

Sirajganj lies in the Rajshahi Division of Bangladesh which falls under a stable
Precambrian platform and is characterised by limited to moderate thickness of
sedimentary rocks above a Precambrian igneous and metamorphic basement.
This unit is geologically stable in relative terms and has not been affected by
fold movement. The AOI lies in the active delta region of the Brahmaputra-
Jamuna floodplain and the surface geology consists of alluvial deposits of
alluvial silt and sand.

0.4.4 Hydrology

The water level data for the Sirajganj Hardpoint was collected from the
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) office for last 65 years (1950-
2014). The danger level is 13.35 m and from the data it was observed that
almost every year during rains between July to September, the River crosses
the danger level mark. The recorded highest water level till date at Sirajganj is
15.11 m on 30.8.1988. The last reported major flood in the area was in 2007
when the maximum level of Jamuna reached 14.95 m on 1st August. In 2014
the maximum level reached was 13.51 m on 29th September. The Project site
along with the Saidabad Power Generation Complex is situated at an
elevation of 15.75 m which is 0.64 m above the level reached in 65 years of
recorded data (maximum level ever reached was 15.11 m in 1988).
Water discharge and maximum velocity data for 2000-2014 was also collected
from BWDB for Station SW46.9L (Bahadurabad-Transit) the nearest upstream
data collection location 1 from Sirajganj.

(1) BWDB at 1Sirajganj Hardpoint maintains water level data only. Discharge, cross section and velocity data is collected at
Bahadurabad transit.

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0.4.5 Water Quantity and Quality

Based on the last 15 years data of water flow in the River Jamuna as recorded
by BWDB, minimum flow of the River was measured as 2,036.82 m3/s on 5th
March 2013. Whereas the proposed water requirement of the Sirajganj 4
project is about 0.17 m3/s. This amount is only 0.008% of the lean season flow
of the Jamuna River in Sirajganj. Furthermore, a study conducted by IWM also
revealed that the minimum discharge of the channel near the West Guide
Bund (WGB) is about 745 m3/s and the maximum char extent between the
channel and WGB is around 910 m at intake location and 1040 m after 250 m
downstream. Considering the lean season flow of the channel near intake
location, the water intake is of the order of 0.02%. Considering the lean season
water availability in the River Jamuna as well as the channel near WGB, it is
evident that the amount of water intake is negligible in the context of water
availability in the River/ Channel.

A high level of iron was found in the groundwater of study area. This is a
common occurrence in many parts of Bangladesh and can be attributed to
predominance of reducing conditions in the aquifers of Bangladesh 1. Apart
from iron, other parameters fall within the standard permissible limits for
drinking water. Arsenic contamination is also found in the Project AOI though
both the groundwater samples analysed for this study were within limits.
Arsenic contamination of geological origin is reported in many districts of
Bangladesh 2 and Sirajganj District is also affected by it.

0.4.6 Climate

Bangladesh is located in the tropical monsoon region and its climate is

characterised by high temperature, heavy rainfall, often excessive humidity,
and fairly marked seasonal variations. From the climatic point of view, three
distinct seasons can be recognised in Bangladesh - the cool dry season from
November through February, the pre-monsoon hot season from March
through May, and the rainy monsoon season which lasts from June through
September. January is the coolest month with temperatures averaging near
26°C and April the warmest with temperatures from 33 to 36°C. Most places
receive more than 1,525 mm of rain a year, and areas near the hills receive
5,080 mm. Most rains occur during the monsoon (June-September) and little in
winter (November-February). Moderate rains are also reported in the months
of March, April and October.

Wind direction and speed keeps changing due to seasonal variations. Winds
are generally moderate during non-monsoon season, whereas during the
monsoon season, these are moderate to strong. The wind speed varies from
1.02 m/s to 7.71 m/s, with wind speed varying in between 2.31 to 3.34 m/s

(2) 1 Groundwater studies of Arsenic contamination in Bangladesh, DPHE/BGS/DFID, 2000

(3) 1 Groundwater studies of Arsenic contamination in Bangladesh, DPHE/BGS/DFID, 2000

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 most of the times, which indicates good dispersion conditions for air
pollutants dispersion.

The annual windrose shows the predominant wind direction to be SSE to

NNW. During the months of May to October the predominant wind direction
is SSE to NNW and during November to April it is NNE to SSW. Predominant
wind direction is most of the time not towards the major settlement area of
Saidabad, which is located in the west and north-west direction.

Due to heavy rainfall and proximity to Bay of Bengal, the humidity levels in
the Bangladesh remains high. Relative humidity in Project AOI is generally
above 80% during June to December. The month of March is the driest with
relative humidity around 69%. Monthly normal relative humidity varies in the
range of 69-85% throughout the year.

0.4.7 Natural Hazards

The Project site falls in the Zone-II area with a basic seismic coefficient of 0.05g
and at moderate risks from earthquakes. The Project site does not fall under
cyclone affected area; however, there are reports of a Tornado in 1991, wind
storm in 2001 and tropical storm in 2002 in the district, though no data on any
effect in the Project AOI is available.

Every year near about one-fifth of Bangladesh undergoes flood during the
monsoon season. A flood season in Bangladesh may start as early as May and
can continue until November. The project AOI also gets inundated with flood
water of Jamuna River every year during rainy season and is highly prone to
river bank erosion. The Project site also used to get affected by flood waters
prior to its raising and embankment construction. However, with the
construction of the -225 MW CCPP of NWPGCL plant, the entire Power hub
including the site has been raised by 2.5 m – 3m and embankment constructed
all around the power hub. Currently, the Project site lies at an elevation level
of 15.75 m as against the danger level of 13.35 m. The GoB through BWDB is
actively involved in flood prevention, monitoring and protection measures in
the Sirajganj District. It has taken up projects to dredge about 20 km portion of
Jamuna to keep the flow of water in the river smooth and protect Sirajganj
district town.

0.4.8 Soil and Sediment Quality

The entire Project site has been filled with Jamuna river sand depositions to
raise it above flood level initially during site preparation in 2006-2007. The soil
and sediment quality in the AOI varies from sandy loam to silty clay loam
type. The soil inside the Project site was found to have low organic content of
0.43% whereas of Punorbason village (750 m, NE) of 1.05 % respectively.
Metals analysed in baseline quality of both soil and sediment was observed to

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 be well below the threshold limits for Intervention as per the Dutch
Standards 1.

0.4.9 Ambient Air Quality

The ambient air quality of the project AOI is good with respect to the gaseous
pollutants and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). However, SPM and PM10 are
slightly higher with respect to the National Ambient Air Quality Standard
(NAAQS) of Bangladesh due to the site conditions and large open and
agricultural areas, with scattered anthropogenic activities and traffic
movement. Industrial activity in the area is currently limited to the
operational 225 MW CCPP of NWPGCL and small scale handlooms at
household level at almost all villages especially villages as Khas Bara Shimul
(0.5 km), Radhunibari (3 km), Makimpur (3 km) in the Project AOI. Further
the comparison of the ambient air quality monitoring carried out in 2012-13
and 2015 in the same area indicated that the levels in 2015 were much lower
than previous monitoring results and that clearly indicates that the AOI is not
a degraded airshed.

0.4.10 Ambient Noise Levels

Ambient noise levels in the rural and village setting of the Project AOI
between Dec 2012- Feb 2013 (monitored at 6 locations) were within the
prescribed limits for residential landuse, which is 55dB(A) for day time and 45
dB(A) for night time at most of the locations for both Bangladesh standards
and IFC guideline values. At that point of time, only NQ-4 (starting point of
access road near National Highway) a mixed landuse location was found to
exceed the night time limit of 50 dB(A) for mixed area mainly because of
increased heavy vehicular movement at night time.

In the current scenario with the 225 MW operational plant (monitoring carried
out during February 2015 in 14 locations), the noise levels around the power
complex boundary when compared to the prescribed limits for industrial
landuse was well within the limits. However at noise monitoring location NL-
9, location in Bara Shimul Village (220 m, NW), monitoring results marginally
exceed both day and night time limits for residential land use. Detailed
analysis of the monitoring data indicated that the noise levels on the day of
monitoring at this location were in the range of 58.5 to 60.9 dB(A) between
15:00 to 18:00 hrs. This has resulted into higher daytime noise levels. Since
NQ2 and NL9 are the same locations of noise monitoring and the comparison
of the results indicated that the noise results of February 2015 are not a regular
phenomenon and it is being contributed due to the anthropogenic activities on
the day of monitoring. When the results at NL9 are compared with NL1 to
NL8 results (monitoring locations within and around the Saidabad Power
Generation Complex), which provide the baseline due to the operation of

1There is no Bangladesh soil or groundwater regulation/standard. In the absence of local country standards, it is ERM’s
practice to use ‘Dutch Ministry of Public Housing, Land-use and Environmental Guidelines.

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 existing NWPGCL power plant, it is evident that the noise levels at NL9 are
higher than these monitoring results. This clearly indicates that majority of
noise at NL9 is not being contributed by the existing S1 power plant
operations.

0.4.11 Traffic

The access road connecting the Project site from the National Highway is
about 6 m in RoW. This road was built with the sole purpose of providing
access to the Saidabad Power Hub i.e. the existing NWPGCL’s 225 MW power
plant, proposed power plant and related facilities as the grid station, however,
local villages of Punorbason, Boro Simul and Panchosona also started using
this road (mostly non-motorized or motorcycles) for connectivity as this is
accessible even in the monsoon season. The traffic level on this road reaches a
maximum of 12.25% during the peak hour. The maximum number of heavy
vehicles on this access road is due to the NWPGCL power plant.

0.4.12 Ecology

The project AOI is situated at the right bank of Jamuna (Brahmaputra) River at
a distance of 1.5 km from the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge. An ecological
assessment of fauna and flora in various habitats was undertaken. This
covered terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The entire study area does not
include any protected area 1 earmarked by the GOB.

Ecopark: The study area includes an eco-park, named Jamuna Eco-Park 2,

which was developed by the BBA on the west-guide bund constructed for the
protection of the Bangabandhu Multi-purpose Bridge from erosion. The
plantation in this eco-park was developed and is being maintained by the
Forest Department and the eco-park is used for eco-tourism and recreational
purposes. However, Jamuna Eco-Park is neither a classified forest nor notified
by the Government of Bangladesh as a Protected Area 3. The nearest protected
area from the project site is Madhupur National Park, which is located in
Tangail and Mymensingh districts of Bangladesh and is about 42 km in north-
east direction from the project site.

A survey of the plantation in the ecopark enumerated a total of 18 species of

trees belonging to 15 genera of 10 families. Plantation areas within the project
area of influence are present within the Jamuna Eco park area on the north
and south of west end of Bangabandhu Multipurpose Bridge. Major plant

1“Protected Area” means all sanctuaries, national parks, community conservation areas, safari parks, eco-parks, botanical
gardens notified under the provisions of sections 13, 17, 18 and 19 under Chapter IV and special biodiversity conservation
area established under the provisions of section 22 under Chapter V and traditional heritage and kunjaban declared under
section 23

2The Jamuna Eco Park is having a total area of about 600 acres and out of that only 124 acres area is fenced and is being
used for recreational and eco-tourism activities.

3In Bangladesh, there are a total of eight (8) eco-parks are covered under the conservation sites.
(http://www.bforest.gov.bd/index.php/protected-areas). However, Jamuna Eco-park is not covered in that list as well.

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species planted by the Forest department are Terminalia arjuna, Dalbergia sisso,
Eucalyptus citiodora, Albizia lebbeck. Among these species Dipterocarpus
turbinatus is identified as critically endangered and Hopea odorata as vulnerable
species as per IUCN.

Agricultural Land in the villages of the AOI bears general weeds and herbs. A
total of 21 species belonging to 19 genera of 12 families were enumerated from
the agricultural lands. None of them had conservational significance. Fallow
land bears a total of 22 species belonging to 22 genera of 15 families. None of
them had conservational significance. Grassland bears a total of 29 species
belonging to 25 genera of 13 families. None of them had conservational
significance.

Homestead Plantation survey in the villages in the AOI enumerated a total of

33 species belonging to 32 genera of 21 families. Swietenia mahagoni tree species
was reported to be endangered as per IUCN classification. Cocos nucifera,
Eucalyptus citriodora, Mangifera indica, Psidium guajava, Ricinus cummunis, Lichi
chinensis, Ziziphus mauritiana, Carica papaya, Lannea coramandelica, Moringa
oleifera, Citrus aurantifolia, Sweitenia mahagoni, Musa sapientum, Musa paradisiac,
Atrocarpus heterophyllus, Ficus hispida and Syzygium cumunii were recorded as
most commonly occurring trees.

Among the plantation species Dipterocarpus turbinatus is identified as critically

endangered and Hopea odorata as vulnerable species as per IUCN and amongst
homestead Swietenia mahagoni tree species was reported to be endangered as
per IUCN classification. None of these species were observed in Temporary
Jetty route survey and water intake pipeline route survey undertaken in May
– June 2015. Based on the recent survey in May-June 2015, a total of 45
individuals of newly raised (4-5 years old) ornamental trees (Ficus benjamina-
41 individuals, Bahunia varigata-2 individuals, Aphanamixis polystachya-2
individuals) with girth size 10 cm to 40 cm were identified to be
removed/replanted from the road inside Ecopark near Jetty area and along
the fence area of Jamuna Eco Park. Along with these tree species certain shrub
species which were planted along the fence also need to be removed. The
majority of these ornamental shrubs are Thuja standishii. None of the species
falling within the transportation route were identified as species of
conservational significance as per IUCN Red Data List (2015. Ver 2). This will
be compensated by undertaking adequate compensatory afforestation within
the BBA land.

Terrestrial faunal components were recorded for mammals, avifauna and

aquatic birds, herpetofauna in the project AOI. Habitat specific surveys were
conducted for the same. Study enumerated 10 species of mammals, 40 species
of avifauna and aquatic birds, 9 species of reptiles and 5 species of
amphibians. None of the mammal and avifaunal and aquatic bird species
recorded is listed in IUCN for conservational significance. Among the 9 reptile
species, Grey Indian Monitor (Varanus benghalensis) and Ganges Soft Shell
Turtle (Nilssonia gangetica) are reported to be listed in Bangladesh Wildlife
Prevention Order, 1973 as Sch-III which protects them from hunting, killing

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and capturing. Two turtles and one terrapin are listed as RED category fauna
namely Ganges Soft Shell Turtle (Nilssonia gangetica) as Vulnerable, River
Terrapin (Batagur baska) as Critically Endangered and Striped Roof Turtle
(Kachuga dhongoka) as Endangered as per IUCN category. During a recent
survey (May-June 2015) habitat mapping for the above mentioned endangered
species was undertaken in order to understand the sensitivities related to their
nesting/egg laying sites near the Temporary Jetty area and Water Intake
location. None of the species were observed during field assessments. Further
consultation with IUCN Bangladesh and a recent study conducted by IUCN
(EIA of the River Management Improvement Programme (Bangladesh Water
Board, Ministry of Water Resources, May 2015) revealed that major turtle
habitats lie north of the area of influence of this project (i.e. near Shreepur,
which is about 30 km north), therefore despite a report by fishermen, it is
unlikely that these species are found here. Fishermen reports tend to be
through memory and therefore reports of the species may have been due to
sightings further north. Turtle and terrapin species presence in this area is
very unlikely. Pre-construction surveys will also look for any nesting/egg
laying/basking sites of the herpetofaunal species by a qualified ecologist.
Amphibian species encountered doesn’t bear protection status and are
common in the project AOI.

Faunal species were recorded from the project AOI were also verified for
protection status as per national legislation. Among mammals Indian Gray
Mongoose (Herpestes edwardsi), Three Striped Squirrel (Funambulus palmaram),
Jungle Cat (Felis chaus) and Asian House Shrew (Suncus murinus) are reported
to be listed in Bangladesh Wildlife Prevention Order, 1973 as Sch-III which
protects them from hunting, killing and capturing.

Among avifaunal and aquatic bird species Red Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus
cafer), Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus), Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus
saularis), Long Tailed Shrike (Lanius schach), Spotted Dove (Streptopelia
chinensis), Black Kite (Milvus migrans), Large Billed Crow (Corvus
macrorhynchos), Rufous Treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda), Indian Roller (Coracias
benghalensis), Common Hoopee (Upupa epops), Black Rumped Flameback
(Dinopium benghalense), White Throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis), Pied
Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis), Fulvus breasted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos macei),
Shikra (Accipiter badius), White Wagtail (Motacilla flava), Red Wattled Lapwing
(Vanellus indicus), Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopacea), Rock Pigeon (Columba
livia), Common Stonechat (Saxicola torquate) Common Myna (Acridotheres
tristis), Jungle Myna (Acridotheres grandis) and Green Beeeater (Merops
orientalis) are reported to be listed in Sch-III.

Jamuna River is identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) as category (A1,

A4i 1:). No such species were encountered in and surrounding water bodies of

1A1: Threatened Species) and A4i: Site known or thought to hold, on a regular basis, ≥ 1% of a biogeographic population of
a congregatory waterbird species. for the thresholds of this criterion, relevant flyway populations are combined to produce
biogeographic population estimates).

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Jamuna River. The secondary data for Jamuna EcoPark and surrounding areas
also does not support the presence of any such species. The boundary of the
IBA passes through the AOI and the AOI represents very small part (~3%) of
the total area of the Jamuna-Bramhaputra River IBA. During the recent survey
(May-June 2015) 3 individuals of Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) as late migrant
were recorded near the Temporary Jetty area. As the IBA is covering a large
area, maigratory species are likely to be observed within and around the AOI
during the entire migratory season.

Planktonic studies were undertaken in the assessment of aquatic ecosystem,

from the River Jamuna falling in the AOI. The phytoplankton enumerated
from the 4 duplicate samples include different species of Diatoms (5 species),
cyanobacteria (3 species), green algae (8 species) and protozoa (1 species).

The zooplankton enumerated from the 4 duplicate samples include different

species of rotifers (4 species), crustaceans (2 species), Copepods (2 species) and
ostacods & cladoceras with single species.

The plant species usually submerged or partially submerged/floating in the

water recorded from the project AOI are Azolla sp, Eichornia crassipes, Ipomea
alba, Hydrilla verticillata, Calocasia esculenta, Rorippa indica, Oxalis corniculata,
Marselia sp, Chenopodium album, Sphenoclea zeylanica and Ceratophyllum sp.

Microinvertibrate surveys were conducted in May-June 2015 survey. Macro

invertebrate species such as water spiders (Argyroneta aquatic), Common
Apple snail (Pila globosa), Disk Snail (Macrochlamys sequax), River Snail
(Bellamya begalensis), Brotia Snail (Brotia costula), Lymneid Snail (Lymnaea
luteola), Fresh water Mussels species such as (Lamellidens corrianus),
(Lamellidens marginalis), (Lamellidens jenkinsianus) were observed in the study
area.

Fish survey was conducted in the project AOI, enumerated 20 species of

fishes. No species listed as Endangered and Threatened fish species as per
IUCN were recorded from the project influence area. Most of the fish species
were found in the rainy season while some major fish species like Hilsha
(Ilish) were found in the early winter and also in the early monsoon. Small
indigenous fish species were available especially in the post monsoon season.
Fishing takes place in entire Jamuna River within the AOI and not limited to
only the temporary jetty and Water Intake Point locations. Infact, fishing
related activities are not allowed under the Bangbandhu Bridge due to
security reasons related to the bridge. Boats were observed to be occasionally
parked near the proposed temporary jetty area in a small water channel which
is used by the local people for fishing when the water level of the river is high.
When the river level is low the fisherman fish in the main river. These boats
are also used by the people from the neighbouring villages for connectivity to
the char lands, which are used for cultivation during non-flooding period.
Some fishermen populations were surveyed in villages however these
populations were not solely dependent on fishing for their livelihood as
mentioned during surveys.
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 During the recent survey (May-June 2015), the Jamuna River within the AOI
was surveyed twice for the South Asian River Dolphin and a total of three
sightings occurred at two locations. The species is commonly spotted by the
fishermen in the area during the pre-monsoon and monsoon period when the
water level is high.

0.4.13 Socio-Economic Profile

The Area of Influence covers a 5km radius and is largely spread within
Saidabad and Kalia Haripur Unions of Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla. Only a small
fraction (south of the plant location) falls under Rajapur Union in Belkuchi
Upazilla. As part of the socio-economic baseline study, the area of influence
was identified as covering 55 villages. The total households considered within
the area of influence 15, 681 comprising of 73,721 people as per the 2011
census. The average household size has been estimated at 4.7 individuals.

The land usage pattern within the study area is dominantly agricultural and
cultivable land with the remaining utilized for urban settlement. Associated
agricultural activities like rearing of livestock and fishing are comparatively
low within area of influence. Industrialization is comparatively very low and
the only major industrial unit is the existing gas power plant within the
project site complex. The industrial geography of the area is primarily dotted
with household level handlooms and textile mills in most of the villages in the
AOI especially in Khas Bara Shimul, Makhimpur and Radhunibari. The
whole sale and retail trade and manufacturing (textile and agro products) are
the two mainstays for livelihood generation.

The study area is poor in terms of infrastructural facilities for electricity

supply and health. The electricity overage in the area of influence is limited to
only about 31.67%. The access to power within Sirajganj Sadar and Belkuchi
were observed to be 65.9% and 55.7% of households respectively.

The healthcare services within the district with respect to infrastructure and
access is limited. Based on available statistics for 2007, there is only one clinic
or hospital bed for every 7,375 persons in context of the entire district. The
situation is better within Sirajganj Sadar with one bed for every 3,101 persons.
However, it is worse for Belkuchi with one bed for every 11,382 persons.

More than 95% of the people are dependent on deep water tube wells for
drinking water. The primary health risk associated with ground water is the
high content of arsenic which can cause skin problems when consumed over
very long durations. The sanitation facilities within the area of influence
comprises mostly of pit latrines with dry disposal without any sanitary
hardware. The facility was observed to be prevalent in more than 50% of the
households. Proper sanitation facilities with water sealed latrines were
observed only in 11% of the households, and mostly persisting within urban
clusters and municipalities. Open defecation or absence of any form of
sanitation facilities was observed in 9% of the households.

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 The area of influence as such, does not have any key cultural heritage or
resource of national or regional value. The Bangbandhu Bridge located at
about 1.75 km aerial distance from the Project site is considered as a strategic
and important infrastructure. The cultural sites in the AOI are local mosques
and graveyards which are located mostly in respective villages or cluster of
villages sharing common boundaries. The project footprint is devoid of any
cultural sites or heritage sites and project’s impact on cultural heritage is
insignificant.

0.5 ALTERNATIVES

As part of the alternative analysis, the no project scenario and with project
scenario were compared along with alternatives on site location, design
options (plant site, fuel supply arrangement and material transportation) and
technology options.

The electricity produced from the power plants are supplied to the
distribution grid and GoB decides on the areas to which the power generated
is to be supplied. So, though the power plant will be at Sirajganj, the local
community in the Project AOI may or may not benefit from the power
generated. Therefore another perspective of the ‘No Project Scenario’ is whilst
the country as a whole will benefit from power; the local area may be subject
to disproportioned impact vs the benefit to the whole nation.

The site location has advantages in terms of technical, geological,

environmental and social aspects. The land for the Project was already
identified and acquired by BPDB; therefore no alternative site was available
for analysis. In terms of design, NWPGCL has designed the plant layout in
such a way to allow for common facilities to be shared with a future Sirajganj
2 project at the site, such as the RMS and Sub-station. In addition, both
Sirajganj 1, 2 and 3 plants of NWPGCL and Sirajganj 4 plant of SNWPCL will
be able to share a common access road, gas pipeline ROW and HSD
unloading, pumping and supply system.

The technology selected for the Project is based on the technology specified in
the BPDB “Request for Proposal”. No alternative technology option has
therefore been considered. However a comparison of the Simple cycle power
plant (SCPP) and Combined cycle power plant (CCPP) reveals the CCPP to be
better suited technology option. The project design has considered embedded
pollution control systems, which include NOx control, stack height for
dispersion of pollutants, use of cleaner primary fuel (natural gas), use of
Jamuna River water for the Project as opposed to ground water, induced draft
cooling tower for reducing water requirement and limited warm water
discharge from the Project. Best suited technological options have been
considered by BPDB to provide more reliability of power generation.

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Construction camp and laydown area: For the location of the construction
camp and laydown area, three locations were considered, (a) within the power
generation complex, (b) area between the national highway and railway line
near the Bangabandhu memorial (C1), and (c) the area available between the
national highway and Punorbason Village fence line (C3). However, as the
Sirajganj 2 project is expected to begin construction activities around the same
time as the Sirajganj 4 project, the location within the power complex is
presently not available for the construction camp and laydown area. Of the
other two possible locations identified by Sembcorp, C1 and C3, C1 has been
identified for laydown area, whereas C3 has been identified for the
construction phase labour camp. The reasons for C1 being identified for
laydown area and C3 for construction camp are as follows:
• The area C1 is located on the opposite side of the highway from the
project, thus, which would increase the risk of road accidents of labourers,
if the labour camp is constructed there, as the traffic flow in the area is of a
speed of more than 60 km/hr.
• Due to the presence of the Main Gas Pipeline Corridor in the C3 area, only
an approx. 10 m wide corridor is available for the laydown in the elevated
stretch.
• Due to the proximity of the Punorbason Village (less than 10 m), C3 cannot
be used for material storage, and the only option is to use the area for a
construction camp.

Water intake source and location: The required water withdrawal amount is
about 600 m3/hr. The existing Sirajganj 1 project is extracting ground water
for their cooling purpose and other requirements. Sirajganj 2 project is also
planning to use ground water, whereas at present there is no information
about the source of water for Sirajganj 3 project and it is assumed that this
plant will also be dependent on ground water. Considering this fact and to
receive mineral free water, Sirajganj 4 project has decided to install a surface
water intake facility for Sirajganj 4 project.

Probable Intake Locations: Two intake locations were considered, one at

downstream part of West Guide Bund (Location–1) and the other just opposite
to the proposed power plant (Location–2). The following four factors were
mainly considered for selecting suitable intake point.
• Presence of near bank channel
• Near bank erosion/scour,
• Extent of char, and
• Suction pipe length

The IWM study on selection of the intake location indicates that Location 1 has
been selected to be located at the downstream end of the WGB. The last 10
years satellite images show that there is possibility of temporary char
formation in this location. Maximum extent of char was found to be 910m in
year 2011. This extent of char is the lowest comparing other locations in the
vicinity of power plant and significant char at this location formed in only
three years out of the last 12 years. In addition, pilot dredging has been
accomplished along the right channel of Jamuna River at Bangabandhu Bridge
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 site. According to cross-section survey carried out as part of the study, the
extent of char is negligible along this location. Along location 2 the suction
pipe line will need to cross a small channel besides the Power Plant and also
char formation along this route is significantly higher. Hence, abstraction of
water from Location 1 was found to be feasible.

Water Intake/abstraction mechanism: Three alternatives were considered.

Alternative 1 considers pump house coupled with intake chamber (suction
sump) will be located onshore and mouth of intake will be located below the
lowest water level to guarantee water supply in lean flow periods and will be
ahead of maximum extent of char to overcome possibilities of getting silted
up. Alternative 2 considers the pump house will be installed at the near bank.
The intake of suction pipe will be located below lowest water level to
guarantee water supply in lean flow period and will be ahead of maximum
possible extent of char to overcome possibilities of getting silted up.
Alternative 3 considers surface water can directly be extracted from near bank
channel during high flow period. However, during lean flow period channel
is expected to be away from bank line. In that period, ground water will be
extracted through pump instead of surface water abstraction. For
groundwater abstraction, submersible pump may be installed. In addition
another centrifugal pump will need to be installed at pump house for
pumping surface water. Considering economy, navigability and safety in
terms of siltation at the intake mouth the decision matrix suggested
Alternative 3 is the most promising. However, considering the all-weather
availability of surface water from the river and no withdrawal of ground
water, Alternative 2 has been considered as the preferred option for water
abstraction.

Pump House: Initially pump house installation over the bank of West Guide
Bund was considered. But as the pipe and intake chamber cannot be laid out
through guide bund slope protection measures, this location was ruled out.
The pump house location was selected to be immediately downstream of the
WGB. Due to presence of WGB, the location was considered safe with no
significant threat of bank shifting present here. Moreover, the pump station
will be constructed sufficiently inside the bank line. Hence protection against
erosion and scour is not necessary.

0.6 KEY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

All construction and operation activities that were likely to cause

environmental and social impacts were identified, and evaluated to assess
their magnitude, duration, and potential receptors.

0.6.1 Construction Phase

The activities which have the potential to cause impacts on surrounding

environment and receptors during the Construction of the power plant are
identified as:

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• site preparation;
• transportation of construction material and machinery for the power plant
by road/ rail and heavy machinery/ equipment by barges upto temporary
jetty location;
• dredging of water channel up to the temporary jetty depending on
available water depth during the heavy lift transportation;
• construction of a temporary jetty, water pipelines and gas pipeline;
• excavation of equipment foundations and installation of power plant
components;
• laydown areas for temporary use during construction phase;
• storage and handling of hazardous materials, waste and wastewater; and
• accommodation and transportation for the construction workforce and
SNWPCL personnel.

During the construction phase, contamination of soil, sediment and ground

water may result from potential leaks and spills of oil, lubricants, or fuel from
heavy equipment, improper handling of sanitary effluent, or chemical/fuel
storage and sanitary and construction wastes. Also soil compaction and
erosion may take place during civil works at project site, laying of pipelines,
temporary jetty and laydown areas.

Construction of the power plant will be carried out by the construction

contractor appointed by SNWPCL. The construction contractor will handle,
store and dispose of all waste in accordance with applicable GOB guidelines
to prevent soil, sediment and ground water contamination. With other
mitigation measures such as proper storage of chemicals and fuel, drip or spill
trays for spills and leaks, site specific emergency response plan for soil clean –
up and training by contractors, demarcating routes for heavy vehicle
movement, retaining top soil for reuse, the impact to soil would be mostly
negligible or minor.

The potential sources of impact to surface water and groundwater resources

within the Project area during the construction phase will be from earthworks
and jetty construction, sewage from construction labour camps and run-off
from inappropriately stored waste.

Mitigation measures such as storage of chemicals at concreted laydown areas

has been proposed to minimize contamination in the event of a spill. Septic
tanks are proposed for sanitary wastewater. All wastewater discharges will
be treated to meet the standards stipulated in Schedule 9 and 10 of ECR, 1997
and the applicable World Bank/ IFC General EHS Guidelines prior to
discharge. Based on the mitigation measures proposed the impacts of to the
soil and sediment quality; and on surface and ground water quality are
assessed as minor in nature. Surface run-off, erosion and sediment load will be
further minimised by adopting good site practices.

In terms of air quality, the construction activities and machineries will

generate dust and exhaust emissions respectively. A few (3-4) scattered huts
are located on the west side about 200-220 m from the Project site boundary
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and few settlements are located along the access road. The main village
settlements (Panchosona and Khas Bara Shimul) start at about 400 m away
from the Project site boundary on the west and north-west side. As the dust is
expected to settle within 100 m and dust suppression techniques will be
practiced, the main receptors would be workers on site and neighbouring
plant and people living near the access road. The laydown area has also been
selected away from the settlements of Khas Bara Shimul and Punorbason
village. The implementation of the good site management, such as dust
suppression techniques, covering of stockpiles, regular maintenance of
vehicles and equipment and cleaner fuels will be used to reduce the impact on
ambient air quality.

For noise levels during the construction phase, the nearest receptor is located
at 220 m from the Project boundary at Panchosona Village, which will be
exposed to noise from construction activities. Apart from this the receptors
located close to the access road of Khas Bara Shimul and Punorbason villages
will also be affected due to the movement of vehicles. It is evident from the
predicted results that in the worst case scenario, the nearest receptor – Khas
Bara Shimul (220 m from the western boundary of the Project site) will have a
daytime noise level of 53.4 dB(A) during the construction phase. Ambient
noise levels due to construction activities will be well within the applicable
standard during day time at 18 receptors and night time at 14 receptors, out of
total 20 receptors considered in the study. The noise impact from construction
activity during day time is expected to be negligible to minor and during
night time is expected to be minor to moderate. The construction contractor
will need to ensure that construction noise is adequately controlled to avoid
nuisance and not normally exceed the GOB Guidelines for Mixed Use Areas.
Work will not be carried out at night without the approval of the local
authorities. With the implementation of these measures, the noise impact from
construction is expected to be minor. Further mitigation measures as regular
maintenance of construction equipment, noise barriers/enclosures etc. are
proposed to further reduce noise.

In terms of terrestrial ecology, clearance of vegetation at the project site, jetty

location, transportation route near jetty, RoW for intake and outfall and intake
structure and excavation of gas pipeline laying will have negligible to minor
impact. A total of 45 individuals of newly raised (4-5 years old) ornamental
trees such as Ficus benjamina- 41 individuals, Bahunia varigata-2 individuals,
Aphanamixis polystachya-2 individuals with girth size 10 cm to 40 cm were
identified to be removed/ replanted from the road inside Ecopark near Jetty
area and along the fence area of Jamuna Eco Park. Along with these tree
species certain shrub species which were planted along the fence also need to
be removed. The majority of these ornamental shrubs are Thuja standishii.
Clearance of vegetation was assessed to have negligible impact for the
identified areas as project site, near jetty, Row water pipeline and intake.

The requirement for a temporary jetty is primarily for receiving the heavy
equipment (GT, ST, HRSG, Transformer, etc.), which could not be able to
transport by road/ rail. The requirement of the temporary jetty will be for a
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period of about 6 to 9 months, depending upon the receipt of shipment and
will be required after 15 months from receipt of the limited notice to proceed
(LNTP) from the BPDB. The temporary jetty will be constructed by using
layers of sand and sand bags and these will be arranged so as to provide
compaction and strength. Small compaction units will be used throughout the
erection process to ensure that the ground is solid and suitable for the off-
loading of the heavy lifts. Impact on aquatic flora and fauna is predicted as
moderate from spillage from transportation vessels since the spillage may
affect their habitat and egg laying sites. Due care should be exercised to avoid
any leakages and ballast water discharge near the temporary jetty area.

Dredging may be required near the temporary jetty in order to provide

sufficient draft for the incoming barges carrying heavy lifts. However, the
magnitude of dredging will depend on the bathymetry of the channel
connecting with the main river and the water level at the time of heavy lifts
transportation. However, it has been observed during the survey of the
temporary jetty location that dredging on the River Jamuna is being carried
out by the BWDB in order to remove silt from the main channel as well as for
river bank erosion control. Considering the on-going dredging activities near
to the temporary jetty location as well as construction of closures in the
upstream of the temporary jetty, the impact magnitude of limited dredging
during the transportation of heavy lifts was considered as not significant.
However taking into consideration the sensitivity of the receptors, i.e. South
Asian River Dolphin (Platistina gangeticus) IUCN 2015.2 EN, the impact
significance was assessed to be moderate.

Project site workers, settlements in the close proximity of the Project site
(within 500 m) and along the access road (within 100 m) are the receptors,
which will be exposed to health impacts associated with environmental
conditions from construction activities and risk from increased traffic. The
measures proposed such as vector control programmes, avoiding collection of
stagnant water, creating awareness among project personnel, workers and
community on traffic and health risks and prevention against those, would
reduce the severity of the impact.

The community health and safety impacts, including those associated with
changes in environmental conditions, increased prevalence of diseases and
heavy traffic movement are assessed as minor. Impacts due to construction
workers camp, laydown areas and logistics on the community health and
safety will be temporary and can be considered as minor to moderate
depending upon the finalised locations for these facilities and their distance
from the local community.

In terms of social impact, the construction phase in one hand will generate
employment, benefit local enterprises, while on the flipside will cause labour
influx and will have noise and dust impacts to some extent. There is a
likelihood of overlapping in the construction schedule of Sirajganj 4 and
Sirajganj 2 projects within the power generation complex and this will lead to
unavailability of land within the complex for construction workers camp.
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 Therefore, the labour camp will be located outside the power generation
complex. The area identified for the construction workers camp is located
between the main highway and Punorbason village fence line. Available land
area for this purpose is about 8.37 acres.

The influx of labour also raises other challenges such as health related issues
(including sexually transmitted and communicable diseases), unhygienic
conditions in constructed labour camps, strain on local food produce available
in the local markets etc. However, considering the fact that proper
accommodation facilities are provided as part of the project design and also
the fact that the total migrant labour will account for about 25% of the total
workforce of about 1,500 (which is an insignificant number as compared to the
existing population within the AOI), the severity of the impacts raised above
is expected to be Moderate.

The project benefits will either reduce or disappear at the end of construction
phase, creating some residual impacts. Mitigation measures include
maximising local procurement and employment to reduce and manage influx,
labour management measures, ensuring no local resources are
indiscriminately used by the project, health interventions etc.

0.6.2 Operation Phase

The contamination of soil and sediment contamination from generation of

hazardous and non-hazardous wastes are assessed as negligible. The
operations of the proposed Project would result in generation of various types
of non-hazardous and hazardous wastes from Office and Canteens; WTP, ETP
and STP; gas turbine; laboratories; compressors; lube oil systems; DG sets; and
power house and workshop area. These solid and non-hazardous wastes
generated from the various areas during operations will be collected and
segregated at the point of generation and stored in proper designated areas
and disposed off through waste disposal contractors or authorized recyclers. It
is planned that hazardous wastes generated from the proposed Project will be
collected and stored in designated roofed-areas and/or barrels with concrete
flooring and secondary containment and disposed off/ sold through
contractors or treated prior to discharge. Further mitigation measures as
proper labelling of hazardous wastes, periodic audits, spill response and
emergency plans and manifest records will be maintained.

The potential sources of impact to surface and ground water resources during
the operational phase will be from the discharge of treated effluent from the
operational plant to the adjoining channel and abstraction of ground water for
drinking purposes for the employees of the power plant. The On-site water
quality test results of S1 discharge were monitored for Temperature, pH and
TDS. At discharge point the temperature was in the range of 32.0 to 34.8°C,
pH 8.73 to 8.87 and TDS 470-490 mg/l. At the mixing zone, the temperature
varied in the range of 30.9 to 34.2°C, pH 8.70 to 8.83 and TDS 480-490 mg/l.
This All the wastewater generated at various areas of the plant will be
segregated at the source of generation and treated at a waste water treatment

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plant (ETP and STP of about 4m3/hr capacity each), meeting the discharge
standards of the GOB and the applicable World Bank Group environmental
requirements. In addition, instrumentation will be used to monitor the Plant’s
compliance with the discharge limitations. In the event that effluent discharge
is detected above the effluent discharge limit criteria, isolation valves will be
automatically close and stop the discharge. Furthermore, the Jamuna River is
the fifth largest river in the world in terms of volumetric discharge. Jamuna
River water discharge quantity for the nearest upstream point of the Project
site i.e. Bahdurabad Transit, the minimum discharge in last 15 years has been
2036.82 m3/s in cross section of 14, 301.38 m2 at velocity 0.65 m/s. The cooling
tower blow down and other treated effluent generated from boiler blow
down, effluent treatment plant and DM plant will be discharged on land in
the southern boundary of the project site, which is having high permeability
coefficient and the soil type is in general silty sand and fine sand. This
discharge will be <3°C of intake water temperature at the outlet of the
condenser. Dispersants and algaecides will have to be added in the cooling
water to prevent fouling of the heat exchangers and piping. It is proposed to
use non-toxic and heavy metal base free dispersants and algaecides in the
project. Groundwater abstraction at the Plant will be undertaken for drinking
water purposes only. The quantity of groundwater abstraction will be 4-5
m3/day.

The operation of the plant with natural gas as fuel in simple/ combined cycle
will generate flue gas emissions containing NOx and CO. Emissions of SO2 are
likely to be negligible, as natural gas typically has a very low sulphur level (as
per the natural gas specifications for the Project). Particulate emissions are
likely to be negligible; as natural gas is a gaseous fuel (there is no
supplementary fuel to be used in the CT). However, operation of the plant
with HSD as fuel in simple/ combined cycle will generate flue gas emissions
containing NOx, SO2, PM and CO.

Impacts due to the operation of plant were assessed by modelling projected

emission rate of the plant operation by modelling in the AMS/EPA
Regulatory Model (AERMOD). On the basis of the modelling results, it was
analysed that the maximum ground level concentration in the study area will
be well within the applicable standards for air quality for natural gas and the
impact on air quality was predicted to be negligible. While using HSD as fuel,
the maximum ground level concentrations (maximum baseline concentration
+ predicted maximum concentration) of PM2.5, NOx, SO2 and CO will be
within the applicable standard. It shall be noted that the Project will be using
natural gas as primary fuel and HSD will only be used in case of non-
availability of natural gas from GTCL. Further to ensure compliance with the
air emission criteria for flue gas stacks continuous emission monitoring (CEM)
equipment for the measurement of air emission levels in the exhaust stack of
HRSG will be installed.

The cumulative impact on ambient air quality due to the Sirajganj 4 project
(gas/HSD), proposed Sirajganj 2, Sirajganj 3 projects and existing Sirajganj 1
project were also evaluated by using air dispersion modelling. The modelling
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outcome revealed that maximum ground level concentration in the project
AOI with natural gas as well as HSD as fuel will be well within the applicable
standards. The cumulative impact on ambient air quality with natural gas and
HSD were predicted as minor.

With respect to GHGs emissions, the Project will emit 1,404,790 tons (CO2
equivalent) per year. The estimated GHG emissions from the Plant while
using natural gas as primary fuel will exceed the threshold of IFC PS3 (25,000
tons CO2e per year) that define them as significant GHG emission sources. The
cumulative assessment of GHG emissions based on overall capacity of the
four power plants has been estimated as 3,624,541 tons of CO2 equivalent per
year. Considering the significance of GHG emissions, it is recommended to
reduce consumption of primary resources and emissions of pollutants by
applying adequate control measures and to enhance operating performance
and efficiency. Additionally all the four power plants need to monitor GHG
emission continuously and to ensure annual reporting of the emissions.

Climate change could have a variety of impacts on operation of the Sirajganj 4

project, particularly with regards to increased flood risk. The high level
climate change risk assessment study has recommended that risks identified
as high (i.e. flooding of the facility causing business interruption and damage
to infrastructure as well as flooding of surrounding areas) be investigated in
further detail to fully understand the implications for operation of the plant in
the future. Given that these both relate to the increased risk of flooding in the
future, which will also apply to the Saidabad Power Generation Complex as a
whole and its surrounding communities, options to work closely with local
authorities and NWPGCL on this issue should be investigated as a combined
response is likely to be more cost-effective.

The Project will have a variety of operational activities that generate

significant noise levels, including operation of turbines, pumps, cooling fans,
water pumps, etc., and most of these will operate 24 hours. Noise levels will
be mitigated through engineering control and wherever possible high noise
equipment will be enclosed in noise-proofed buildings that effectively contain
the noise. The nearest noise receptor is located at 200-220 m from the Project
boundary in the western side, whereas other settlements are located about 400
m away from the Project boundary. The predicted noise levels through model
Sound Plan 7.2 that in the worst case scenario, the nearest receptor (200 m
from the western boundary of the Project site) will have a daytime noise level
of 42.1 dB(A) and night time 42.1 dB(A) during the operation phase, whereas
overall impact has been predicted at the location as 55.8 dB(A) and 46.9 dB(A)
respectively due to the higher background levels recorded during the baseline
monitoring. Among mitigation measures acoustic barriers, enclosures and
mufflers are proposed where required.

The cumulative impact assessment for S1, S2, S3 and S4 project along with
vehicular movement in access road was also carried out through Sound Plan
7.2 model. During operation phase minor impacts were predicted on the fauna
present at AOI. Use of cooling towers along with no direct discharge into the
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 Jamuna River or Channel means that there will be no impacts on aquatic flora
and fauna during operation. The discharge will be mostly in the form of
seepage to the ground during the non-monsoon season, which has also been
noticed in case of S1 discharge.

During the operation phase of the Project, Community health and safety
issues as hazardous material handling and storage and traffic movement was
considered for impact. A Consequence Analysis in case of Loss of
Containment of hazardous materials from the respective storage facility and
pipeline was carried out. The pool fire effect zone for full bore rupture of
natural gas pipeline, HSD pipeline near unloading zone and storage tanks,
leakage in storage tank, and hydrochloric acid tank was captured and impact
was assessed as minor and risk reduction measures suggested. Impact on
traffic in the operational phase of the project is assessed as negligible as the
total manpower will be limited to 70 who will work in shifts, their
transportation will not lead to any impact on road safety of the nearby
communities using the access road.

Some of the social impacts predicted due to the operations of the Project are
Employment Generation and In-Migration of Skilled workforce, Demand for
lodging, housing and civic services, Increments in cost of living, Opportunity
for local transporters and Risks of industrial accidents and fatalities to
workers. The impacts as employment generation, demand lodging, housing
and opportunity for local transporters would be positive where as other
would be creating negligible impacts.

0.6.3 Cumulative Impact Assessment

Cumulative Impact due to Groundwater Abstraction

The EIA study report of NWPGCL’s Sirajganj 2 (proposed 225 MW CCPP)

concluded that the natural aquifer condition in the Project area would be
suitable for supplying 30000 m3/day of water continuously without any
permanent lowering of groundwater table or environmental degradation.
Jamuna River invariably fully recharges the aquifer in the wet season of each
year preventing any adverse effect on the natural condition of the project area.
Since, there is another project Sirajganj 3 (225 MW) is proposed within the
Saidabad Power Generation Complex and due to similar capacity as that of
Sirajganj 1 and 2 project, it has been assumed that the water requirement for
this project will also be of the order of 600 m3/hr. Source of this water demand
is currently unknown (i.e. ground water or surface water from River Jamuna)
and it has been assumed that the project will follow same source as that of
Sirajganj 1 and 2 projects, i.e. ground water abstraction from project site. This
will lead to daily water abstraction from ground water within the power
generation complex of the order of 43,500 m3.

The above clearly indicates that overall ground water abstraction from the
Saidabad Power Generation Complex after commissioning of all the four
projects will be higher than safe water supply potential of the aquifer of the

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order to 30,000 m3/day. This will create some stress on the ground water
aquifer and quality due to higher abstraction in comparison of recharge.
However, it was further been observed that the Sirajganj 1 project is currently
discharging the cooling tower blowdown and other effluent after treatment on
land in the eastern boundary of the complex (which is about 200 m away from
the adjoin channel) and the other 3 projects will also be doing the discharge in
the similar manner, which will lead to a total discharge of the order of 6,700
m3/day, which do not flow towards the adjoin channel during non-monsoon
season and will help in recharging the ground water aquifer. Review of geo-
technical data collected for Sirajganj 2 Project also reveals that (a) The soil is
mostly silty sand and fine sand in all the bore logs with some small layers of
silty and clayey sand in a couple bore logs, which indicates that the soil profile
is porous in nature and is good for water percolation, (b) Soil permeability
coefficient is in the range of 10 to 15 m/day, which is as per soil permeability
classes represent “very rapid” soil permeability class (i.e. > 6 m/day). Further
it was also mentioned in the ground water modelling study that, recent
studies indicate that the rainfall in Bangladesh and surrounding areas is
increasing due to climate change (UK Met Office 2011) which would
contribute to enhanced recharge to the aquifer in the projected period.
Therefore, the overall cumulative impact of ground water abstraction is
assessed as minor.

Groundwater contamination

There is a risk of impacts to groundwater quality from the storage and

handling of hazardous materials in the Project AOI. The hazardous materials
to be stored at the site will include acids, alkalis, diesel fuel, maintenance oils
and lubricants, hydrazine hydrate etc. for the water treatment plant, process
plant operation, and the laboratory. The maximum volume stored will be 2
tonnes each of hydrochloric acid, caustic lye. The hazardous materials will be
stored in a dedicated room at the water treatment plant area in each project.
HSD to be used as secondary fuel for power generation will be stored in two
tanks with capacity equivalent to 15 days operation at 80% output on HSD.
Diesel for emergency DG sets will be stored in above ground oil tanks located
in the vicinity of the Black Start DGs and Emergency DG set. The storage
arrangements will include secondary containment measures and spill kits for
spillage control. Given the control measures which will be implemented
during operations, and adequate training of operational staff in spill response
measures, the impact to groundwater from the plant operations is assessed as
negligible.

Water Pollution from Wastewater Discharge

Since the water requirement of all the four power plants is same (i.e. about 600
m3/hr) and hence it has been assumed that the discharge from all the plants
will be same as that of S4 project (i.e. about 75 m3/hr). Based on this
assumption, the total treated wastewater discharge from the complex will be
about 300 m3/hr, which will be discharged from the respective plant to the
eastern/ southern boundary of the complex in the upstream of adjacent

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Channel (which is about 200 – 400 m away from the discharge points during
non-flooding season) after treatment.

Considering the on-site monitoring results of the discharge from Sirajganj 1

project, it is assumed that the treated wastewater from all the plants will also
follow similar discharge quality and as the discharge points will be different
and will have a minimum distance of about 100 – 150 m between the two
discharge points, the cumulative impact of wastewater discharge on land will
not affect the quality of surface/ ground water or the condition of soil in that
area.

In addition, instrumentation will be used to monitor the Plants’ compliance

with discharge limits. In the event that effluent discharge is detected above
the effluent discharge limit criteria, isolation valves will automatically close
and stop the discharge. The overall impact to the surface water quality with
the treatment prior to disposal on land and based on the results of the
Sirajganj 1 project is assessed as negligible.

Cumulative Impacts on Air Quality – Operation of Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and 4 Projects

Impact on ambient air quality due to the Sirajganj 1 project (gas/HSD),

proposed gas based Sirajganj 2 project (gas/HSD), Sirajganj 3 (gas/HSD) and
Sirajganj 4 project (gas/HSD) were also evaluated by using air dispersion
modelling. It was evident from the results of modelling that the maximum
ground level concentration (maximum baseline concentration + predicted
maximum concentration) in the project AOI with natural gas as fuel will be
well within the applicable national standards. It shall be noted that HSD is
secondary fuel for in all the four projects. Considering this fact, the cumulative
impact of these projects on air quality will be minor.

GHG Emissions

It is evident from the modelling results that the estimated GHG emissions
from the four plants while using natural gas as primary fuel will exceed the
threshold of IFC PS3 (25,000 tons CO2e per year) that define them as
significant GHG emission sources. Therefore, the Projects are required to
report annual GHG emissions.

Noise

Impact on ambient noise levels due to the operation of Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2

and Sirajganj 4 projects were also evaluated by using noise prediction model.
It is evident from the predicted results that in the worst case scenario, the
nearest receptor (220 m from the western boundary of the Project site) will
have a daytime noise level of 47.0 dB(A) during the operation phase, whereas
the overall noise level will be about 56.2 dB(A) due to the background noise
level of 55.6 dB(A) recorded during the baseline monitoring. Ambient noise
levels due to operation of the three projects will be well within the applicable
standards with respect to daytime standards except the nearest noise sensitive

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 receptor, whereas during night time it would be more than the landuse
specific standard at five locations. However, it is also to be noted that the
contribution of noise due to the project much lesser than the ambient noise
levels recorded at these locations. Furthermore, the noise levels at the
boundary of the power generation complex will be well within the applicable
standards for industrial area land use. Therefore, the impact has been
estimated as minor.

0.6.4 Residual Impacts

Table 0.1 present the outcomes of the comprehensive assessment of identified

impacts as a result of various phase of the project and present significance of
residual impacts before mitigation (with embedded controls) and with
suggested mitigation measures.

Table 0.1 Summary of Impact Assessment and Residual Impacts

Project Activities/ Impacts Nature of Significance of Residual

Impact Impacts
Before With
Mitigation Mitigation
Construction Phase (Sirajganj 4 Project)
Soil compaction Negative Negligible Negligible
Soil erosion Negative Negligible Negligible
Soil and sediment contamination Negative Minor Negligible
Soil contamination from waste handling Negative Negligible Negligible
Waste water discharge Negative Negligible Negligible
Ground water contamination Negative Minor Negligible
Air quality degradation due to dust generation Negative Moderate Minor
Air quality degradation due to exhaust emissions Negative Minor Negligible
Noise from Construction Activities and transportation Negative Negligible Negligible
of man/ material (Day-time) to Minor
Noise from Construction Activities and transportation Negative Minor to Negligible
of man/ material (Night-time) Moderate to Minor
Clearance of vegetation at the Project Site Negative Negligible Negligible
Clearance of vegetation at the Right of way of Water Negative Negligible Negligible
Pipeline Route & Water Intake Structure
Clearance of vegetation at the Jetty Location and Negative Negligible Negligible
Transportation Route
Excavation for laying fuel pipelines Negative Negligible Negligible
Spillage from transportation vessels Negative Moderate Minor
Habitat Disturbance due to construction of Temporary Negative Moderate Minor
Jetty and Dredging
Impact on endangered species (based on critical habitat Negative Minor to Negligible
assessment) Moderate to Minor
Traffic impact on road network Negative Minor Negligible
Community health from changes in environmental Negative Moderate Minor
conditions
Increased Prevalence of Diseases Negative Moderate Minor
Traffic safety due to heavy traffic movement Negative Moderate Minor
Employment generation Positive
Benefit to local enterprises Positive
Impact on fishing households Negative Minor Negligible
Labour influx and construction workers Negative Moderate Minor
accommodation
Community expectations Neutral
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Project Activities/ Impacts Nature of Significance of Residual
Impact Impacts
Before With
Mitigation Mitigation
Operation Phase (Sirajganj 4 Project)
Contamination of soil and sediment from wastes Negative Negligible Negligible
Surface water abstraction Negative Negligible Negligible
Water pollution from wastewater discharge Negative Negligible Negligible
Discharge of Cooling water due to operation of Power Negative Negligible Negligible
Plant
Ground water abstraction Negative Negligible Negligible
Ground water contamination Negative Minor Negligible
Ambient Air Quality (by use of natural gas as fuel for Negative Negligible Negligible
power generation)
Ambient Air Quality (by use of HSD as fuel for power Negative Negligible Negligible
generation)
GHG Emission due to Sirajganj 4 project Negative Moderate Moderate
Noise from Operation of Plant and vehicular movement Negative Negligible Negligible
in Access Road (Day-time)
Noise from Operation of Plant and vehicular movement Negative Minor Negligible
in Access Road (Night-time) to Minor
Electric and magnetic field Negative Minor Negligible
Impact on terrestrial flora and fauna due to incremental Negative Negligible Negligible
air emissions
Impact on fauna due to incremental noise levels Negative Negligible Negligible
Discharge of cooling water to Jamuna River due to Negative Negligible Negligible
operation on aquatic flora and fauna
Risks due to hazardous materials handling and storage Negative Minor Negligible
Community health and safety due to project induced Negative Negligible Negligible
traffic
Risks of industrial accidents and fatalities to workers Negative Minor Negligible
Health associated risks from air emissions and waste Negative Negligible Negligible
water release
Employment generation and in-migration of skilled Positive
workforce
Demand for lodging, housing and civic services Positive
Increments in cost of living Neutral Negligible Negligible
Opportunity for local transporters Positive
Competing demand on natural gas Negative Negligible Negligible
Demand for power amongst locals in AOI Neutral
In-migration of skilled workforce Neutral Negligible Negligible
Cumulative Impacts due to Operation of Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and 4 Projects)
Cumulative Impact due to Groundwater Abstraction Negative Moderate Minor
Water Pollution from Wastewater Discharge Negative Negligible Negligible
Ambient Air Quality (Cumulative impact due to Negative Negligible Negligible
Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2, Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4
projects) with natural gas as fuel
Ambient Air Quality (Cumulative impact due to Negative Negligible Negligible
Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2, Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4
projects) with HSD as fuel
GHG emissions due to Operation of Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and Negative Moderate Moderate
4 Projects
Noise from Operation of Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2, Negative Minor Negligible
Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4 Plants (Day time)
Noise from Operation of Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2, Negative Minor to Negligible
Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4 Plants (Night time) Moderate to Minor
Cumulative Impact from Labour Influx due to Sirajganj Negative Moderate Minor
2 and Sirajganj 4 projects simultaneous construction

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0.7 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Many of the mitigation measures suggested during the construction phase of

the Project associated with good construction and housekeeping practices are
also included in the “Specification Manual for Construction Contractor”
prepared by SNWPCL for the Engineering, Procurement and Construction
(EPC). Mitigation measures for the operation phase (such as those for air
emissions and noise generation) of the Project are part of the design and
incorporated into the Project design specifications submitted to the BPDB as a
Guarantee for the Project.

The construction phase of the Project is anticipated to last three years, whereas
the operation phase of the Project is 22 years, as per the Power Purchase
Agreement (to be signed between SNWPCL and the BPDB). A summary of
mitigation measures identified for the construction and operation phases of
the Project is presented in the Environmental and Social Management Plan.
This also identifies lead responsibility for implementing of the mitigation
measures and its verification along with reporting requirements and sources
of funds for such implementation.

The design life of the Project is about 30 years and SNWPCL will be
responsible for ensuring that the mitigation measures in the ESMP are
implemented throughout the life span of the Project.

Monitoring

Key roles and responsibilities of the project developer (SNWPCL and

NWPGCL) and EPC contractor have been defined for implementation and
monitoring of environmental and social impacts. For environmental
monitoring, physical, biological and social environmental management
components of particular significance have been identified as performance
indicators. A comprehensive monitoring plan for each performance indicator
has been prepared for all phases of the Project which gives parameters to be
measured, methods to be used, sampling locations, frequency of
measurements, detection limits, cost and responsibilities for implementation
and supervision.

Institutional Framework

Prior to commencement of major civil works at site, a suitably qualified in-

house/ external expert will be appointed by the EPC contractor in
consultation with Project Developer to develop and deliver a training program
on implementation of EMP, environmental monitoring and reporting in line
with the applicable reference framework for the Project.

Prior to the commencement of the Plant operation, a suitably qualified in-

house/ external environmental expert will be engaged by SNWPCL to
develop and deliver a training program on operation phase environmental
monitoring and reporting. The topics will be mostly same as that during the
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construction phase. The reporting and verification will be semi-annual during
construction phase and annual during operation phase and the reports will be
submitted to the DOE and the Lenders.

Sembcorp has a Group HSE Management System in place which is enforced

across the Group, following ISO and OHSAS standards. The GHSE
Management System with its associated Guidance Documents is mandatory
for all entities under the management control of Sembcorp Group of
Companies. Business units have the authority to meet the requirements of the
elements with their existing processes, programs and systems (e.g. ISO 14001,
OHSAS 18001) as long as conformance to the HSE Guidelines is demonstrated.

Training

Prior to commencement of major civil works at site, a suitably qualified in-

house/ external expert will be appointed by the EPC contractor in
consultation with SNWPCL to develop and deliver a training program on
implementation of the EMP. The training will help in capacity building and
implementation of the EMP during the construction phase of the Project.

Also prior to the commencement of the Plant operation, a suitably qualified

in-house/ external environmental expert will be engaged by SNWPCL to
develop and deliver a training program on operation phase environmental
monitoring and reporting.

It will also help in ensuring internal and external monitoring and verification
of the environmental performance of the Project. The reporting and
verification during the construction phase will be semi-annual and the reports
will be submitted to the DOE and the Lenders.

Plans

The EPC Contractor will prepare and implement a Health and Safety Plan,
Construction environment management Plan and traffic management Plan
prior to commencing work. An detailed Emergency Response plan will also
need to be prepared containing three categories of emergencies.
Level 1: This is an emergency or an accident, which:
• can be effectively and safely managed, and contained within the site,
location or installation by the available resources; and
• has no impact outside the site, location or installation.
Level 2: This is an emergency or an accident, which:
• cannot be effectively and safely managed or contained at the location or
installation by available resource and additional support is alerted or
required;
• is having or has the potential to have an effect beyond the site, location
or installation and where external support of mutual aid partner may be
involved; and
• is likely to be danger to life, the environment or to industrial assets or
reputation.

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 Level 3: This is an emergency or an incident with off-site impact which could
be catastrophic and is likely to affect the population, property and
environment inside and outside the installation, and management and
control is done by district administration. Although the Level-III
emergency falls under the purview of District Authority but till they
step in, it should be responsibility of the unit to manage the emergency.

Roles and Responsibilities in emergency incident response should be

identified as per entity Emergency Response Team, EPC Contractor
Resources, External emergency response team etc. The ERT will be led by the
senior EPC Contractor Engineer (designated ERT-Lead) on-site with a suitably
trained site supervisor or junior engineer as deputy. Trained first-aiders and
security personnel will be the core members of the ERT. The EPC contractor
will ensure that ERT members are physically, technically and psychologically
fit for their emergency response roles and responsibilities
Evacuation Procedures and response procedures in case of medical
emergency, fire etc. should be clearly defined.

During Operations Phase, Project developer needs to follow HSE and Social
Management system, prepare Waste management, spill response and
emergency plan and Emergency Response and Disaster Management Plan.
The ERDMP needs to be based on the outcome of the consequence analysis as
well as detailed quantitative risk assessment of the Project after finalisation of
project design, an emergency response and disaster management plan. The
plan will disclose potential disasters and potential risks from the plant to the
local community as well as the plan of action on emergency protocol in the
event of any such eventuality. This will also include awareness programs for
the Plant personnel, local community and local administration.

0.8 PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND DISCLOSURE AND GRIEVANCE REDRESS

Public consultation & disclosure process is conducted for any project to

intimate the community about the project, its activities and associated
benefits, impacts, risks etc. so that people can participate in the project
activities in an informed manner and can raise their concerns to be addressed.
A good consultation process effectively manages public apprehensions,
identifies control measures for these apprehensions in association with the
public stakeholder and also facilitates in implementation of the identified
measures.

0.8.1 Approach to Consultation and Disclosure

The public consultation and disclosure process takes place at different project
stages and have varying needs and objectives. The approach undertaken for
information disclosure and consultation at the draft EIA stage involved the
following key processes.

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 • Mapping and Identification of key stakeholders such as primary and
secondary and prioritising them according to their influence;
• Conducting expert consultations, interviews and focussed group
discussions (FGD);
• Assessing the influence and impact of the project on these stakeholder
groups and vice versa;
• Summing up of key findings and observations from the consultations; and
• Preparing a future disclosure and consultation plan taking into account
the project lifecycle phases and their implications on the stakeholder.

0.8.2 Disclosure and Consultation

A number of consultation exercises were conducted during preparation of this

EIA. The stakeholders consulted include the community in the direct vicinity
of the Project area, local elected representative such as the district
commissioner of Sirajganj and the Union Chairman of Saidabad Union, and
other external stakeholders such as relevant government departments and
NGOs. Every consultation meeting has been recorded and the minutes from
every meeting have been compiled in the respective stakeholder consultation
sheets.
In addition to the above, a public consultation meeting was held on 21st March
2015 at the Hall Room of Manab Mukti Sangstha (MMS) Head Office located
at Khas Boro Shimul, which is located about 0.5 km away from the Project site.
The meeting was presided by the Honourable Deputy Commissioner of the
Sirajganj District Mr. Billal Hosen. This public consultation meeting was
convened to discuss the project features of Sirajganj 4 project, findings of the
EIA study as well as to get an opinion of the key stakeholders (including
government officials, elected representatives, NGOs, village people including
women). Overall the stakeholders had welcomed the project in the area.

0.8.3 Continuation of Future Consultation & Disclosure Strategy

The effectiveness of the EIA is directly related to the degree of continuing

involvement of those affected directly or indirectly by the Project. During the
preparatory stage, consultations were held at local, sub district and district
level. Several additional rounds of consultations with stakeholders are
planned in EIA finalisation, construction and operation phase of the Project.
A public consultation meeting with key stakeholders was completed in March
2015 during the EIA preparation stage. Another public consultation meeting
was held in April 2015 to disclose the findings of the EIA study. Continued
information disclosure and consultation process can either be done internally
by the Project proponent or through engaging some outside agency on behalf
of them. This will help them in developing internal capacity and maintaining
continued consultation process through the Project life cycle.

Further consultations will also be done as part of the IEE and EIA for
regulatory environmental clearance certificate from DOE. The purpose of
consultation at this phase would focus on sharing the mitigation measures
proposed in the study for identified impacts. The Project Developer
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 (SNWPCL) will organise a number of meetings and disclosure sessions with
stakeholders by giving them prior intimation about the date, time and venue
of consultation. The details of such meeting and consultation would be
captured and made part of the regulatory EIA document.

0.8.4 Grievance Redressal

The project is currently in the process of finalising the key contracts including
those for engineering procurement and construction with the selected
contractor. SNWPCL will be formed in due course and any grievances related
to the project, upto commencement of construction, can be directly addressed
to the Commercial Head, of SNWPCL. After the commencement of
construction, SNWPCL will duly form a Grievance Redress Cell (GRC). The
possibility of including an external member nominated by the local District
Administration to be part of the GRC will also be explored. The nominated
member may be an elected member from the Union Parishad or a senior
administrative officer of the district. In the interim period, any grievances may
be addressed to:

Nazmul Ahsan
House no.: 1, Road: 9C
Nikunja-1, Airport Road,
Dhaka-1229, Bangladesh
Email: Nazmul.ahsan@sembcorp.com
Mobile: +880 1819226635

0.9 CONCLUSIONS

The environmental and social assessment of the Project ascertains that the
Project is unlikely to cause any major environmental impacts. Many of the
impacts are localised and short-term or temporary in nature and can be
readily addressed based on the in-built mitigation measures in the
engineering design of the Project. The effective implementation of the EMP
and adherence with the GOB and IFC guidelines will assist in minimising the
environmental impacts to acceptable levels. Cumulative impact assessment of
noise levels however indicated major impact during functioning of all four
power plants planned in the Sirajganj complex. It was observed that the
cumulative impact on air quality, water quality, water resources and ambient
noise during daytime will be minor in nature, whereas GHG emissions
resulting from the four power plants and ambient noise levels particularly
during night time at the nearest receptor will be moderate in nature and will
require specific attention in order to reduce the impacts.

The social assessment of the Project ascertains that the Project is unlikely to
cause any significant social impacts. The Project will have both positive and
negative impact on the social environment. The Project received favourable
support from local people and other stakeholders, including elected
representatives, villagers, businessmen, NGOs and women. Stakeholders
appreciated that in addition to providing a reliable power supply to the
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region, the Project will have several other benefits such as supporting
economic growth in the region by opening avenues for further development.

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1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Sembcorp North- West Power Company Ltd, (hereinafter referred as

“SNWPCL”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Industries Limited
(“SCI”), is proposing to set up a duel fuel combined cycle power project
(hereinafter referred as the “Project” or the “Plant” or the “Facility” or “Sirajganj 4”
or “S4”) with net generation capacity of 413.792 MW (Gas)/333.02 MW(HSD)
in Sirajganj District of Rajshahi Division in Bangladesh. The project site is
located approximately 135 km north-west of Dhaka on the western bank of the
River Jamuna. As per the Request For Proposal issued by North West Power
Generation Company Limited (“NWPGCL”) on 28 October 2014 the power
plant will operate on natural gas as its primary fuel and is designed to operate
on High Speed Diesel (“HSD”) for short periods of time as the back-up fuel in
case of interruptions in gas supply.

According to the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Rules 1997 (ECR),

power plants come under Red category and requires Inititial Environemental
Examination (IEE) and environmental impact assessment (“EIA”). With
respect to the same, SNWPCL had applied to Department of Environment
(DoE), Bangladesh through letter dated 15th Februray 2016 for exemption from
IEE and approval of Terms of Reference (ToR) for EIA study. DoE in its letter
No: DoE/Clearance/5572/2016/122 dated 10th March 2016 issued the
exemption of IEE and approval of ToR for the EIA study of the project.
SNWPCL has commissioned Environmental Resources Management
(hereinafter referred as “ERM”) to conduct this EIA study.

This report has been prepared for SNWPCL by ERM and presents the
objectives, methodology and outcomes of the EIA study in line with the
applicable reference framework and approved ToR for EIA study by the DoE.

1.2 OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT

1.2.1 Need for the Project

The supply of electricity has a great impact on the national economy of any
country. Bangladesh, with its 152 million people in a land mass of 147,570 sq.
km, has shown tremendous growth in recent years. A booming economic
growth, rapid urbanization and increased industrialisation and development
have increased the country's demand for electricity. Presently, 68% of the total
population has access to electricity and per capita generation is 348 kWh,
which is significantly lower when compared to other developing countries
(Power Division 2015). The present installed generation capacity as on May
2016 is 12,339 MW. Installed capacity as of May 2016 in Bangladesh (by fuel
type) is presented in Box 1.1.

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Box 1.1 Installed Capacity by Fuel type and Plant type in Bangladesh (May 2016)

Source: (BPDB 2016)

The GOB has given highest priority to power sector development in the
country and has committed to making electricity available to all citizens by
2021 (Power Division 2015). The GOB has further extended its vision for
power supply out to 2030 and prepared the Power System Master Plan
(PSMP), 2010. The plan forecasts a supply surplus scenario by 2030 with
power demand expected to be approximately 34,000 MW against a generation
capacity of 40,000 MW (Power Division 2015). To realize these targets, the
GOB since 2011 has undertaken the implementation of reforms in the power
sector, including significant development programs for participation of the
private sector of which this Project constitutes one of the important parts.

1.2.2 Project Background

The GOB has adopted a strategy for the development of the power sector
which envisages private participation in the sector. As part of that strategy,
the GOB decided that some new generation capacity will be installed and
operated by the private sector.

In line with this strategy, the GOB decided to (a) implement a new greenfield
400 MW±10% Combined Cycle Power Plant on Build, Own and Operate
(“BOO”) basis under the GOB’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) program at
Sirajganj, Bangladesh (the “Project”); (b) to execute the Implementation
Agreement (“IA”), the Power Purchase Agreement (“PPA”), the Gas Supply
Agreement (“GSA”), the Fuel Supply Agreement (“FSA”), the Land Lease
Agreements (“LLA”), Share Purchase Agreement (“SPA”) (together, the IA,
PPA, GSA, LLA, FSA and SPA are hereinafter referred to as the “Project
Agreements”) and other contracts required for the financing, construction,
operation and maintenance of the Facility; (c) implement the Project, and (d)
upon Commissioning (in both simple cycle and combined-cycle modes),

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 operate and maintain the Facility for an initial period of 22 years (plus the 6
month period during which the Facility is operated in simple cycle mode).
In the past, the MPEMR has made several attempts to tender for a gas based
IPP in Sirajganj, under the Public-Private Partnership scheme, however none
of these processed could be successfully completed largely due to the
inexperience of bid participants who submitted unviable low tariffs.

The last of such processes was conducted in 2012 by the Power Division,
MPEMR and the selected Project Sponsor was issued a LOI to undertake the
development and implementation of a 367MW power plant in Sirajganj.
Subsequently, the project failed to take off due to the inability of the Project
Sponsor to comply with the conditions of the awarded bid which led to a
termination of the award by the Power Division.

With tariff discovery having being competitively undertaken as recently as in

2012 and relying on the provisions of the Power and Energy Fast Supply
Enhancement (Special Provision) Act, 2010 (Board of Investment 2010) which
allow for bilateral solicitation of proposals for IPP development, the MPEMR
invited SNWPCL, in October 2014, to submit a comprehensive proposal for
development for a 400MW (±10%) IPP in Sirajganj, while keeping tariff the
same as last discovered under the competitively bid process of 2012.

SNWPCL submitted an RFP compliant proposal to the MPEMR on Dec 7, 2014

and received the notification of acceptance of proposal from MPEMR on Apr
02, 2015. The Letter of Intent (LOI) for the development of project was issued
by NWPGCL vide letter no. 537/NWPGCL/Siraj 400MW/(Unit-4)/2015
dated 22 September 2015 (refer to Annex A).

1.2.3 The Project – Sirajganj 4

The Project will be sited at the Saidabad Power Generation Complex owned
by NWPGCL and situated along the shores of the Jamuna River in the north-
west region of Bangladesh. The Project site falls under the Saidabad Union of
Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla (Sub-district) of Sirajganj District. The location of the
Project site is shown in Figure 1.1. 16 acres of land has been earmarked within
the Sirajganj Power Generation Complex for the Project which will be jointly
owned by SNWPCL and NWPGCL. Within the Saidabad power generation
complex, NWPGCL currently owns and operates a 225 MW dual fuel
Combined Cycle Power Plant (“CCPP”) (herein after referred to as “Sirajganj 1”
or “S1”) and is in the process of tendering for two additional 225MW CCPPs,
namely “Sirajganj 2” or “S2” and “Sirajganj 3” or “S3”, which will be
developed in between Sirajganj 1 and Sirajganj 4 projects by NWPGCL 1.

A 230 kV substation connects the complex to the national transmission system

of the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (“PGCB”) and the 30” East-West

1Sirajganj 2 project has also completed the environmental impact assessment study and the financial close for the project is
currently under progress. Sirajganj 3 project has received the site clearance certificate from the DOE, however details of
project including the stutus of EIA study and financing progress currently unknown.

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 gas pipeline crossing the Bangabandhu Bridge (also called the Jamuna Multi-
purpose Bridge) is located about 1.5 km away from the Project site.

The land required for the project will be provided by BPDB pursuant to a
Land Lease Agreement (“LLA”). The Project is supported by a 22 year
Implementation Agreement (“IA”) with the GOB, acting through the Ministry
of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MPEMR), and the PGCB. The
electrical capacity and electricity generated will be sold under a 22 year Power
Purchase Agreement (“PPA”) with the Bangladesh Power Development Board
(BPDB). SNWPCL will enter into a Gas Supply Agreement (“GSA”) with
Pashchimanchal Gas Company Ltd. (“PGCL”), a subsidiary of state-owned
Petrobangla and a Fuel Supply Agreement (“FSA”) with state-owned
Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (“BPC”).

The Project has been designated by the GOB as a “Public, Private Partnership”
project, and as such, twenty nine percent (29%) of the equity interest in the
Company will be subscribed, purchased and owned by NWPGCL pursuant to
the Share Purchase Agreement (“SPA”) to be entered into by and among the
Project Company (SNWPCL) and the Project Sponsors.

The Request for Proposal (RFP) issued to Sembcorp on October 28, 2014
stipulates that the remaining 71% of the equity will be held by the Project
Sponsor that will be selected through a bilateral negotiation process that is
allowed per the Power and Energy Fast Supply Enhancement (Special
Provision) Act, 2010 (Board of Investment 2010).

1.3 ABOUT THE PROJECT COMPANY AND SHAREHOLDERS

1.3.1 The Project Company – Sembcorp North-West Power Company Limited

Sembcorp North-West Power Company Ltd(“SNWPCL”) has been duly

formed and registered under the Laws of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
on 26 November 2015 as a private limited company to develop, design,
finance, build, own, operate and maintain the Plant. The Company has been
set up for the sole purpose of developing, owning and operating the Project.
The Company will be 71% owned by SCU, and 29% by NWPGCL. Trade
license of SNWPCL is included as Annex B.

1.3.2 Shareholders

Sembcorp Industries Limited (SCI)

Sembcorp Industries Ltd (“SCI”) is a leading energy, water and marine group
with operations across six continents worldwide. With facilities of over 10,600
megawatts of gross power capacity and over nine million cubic metres of
water per day in operation and under development, SCI is a trusted provider
of essential energy and water solutions to both industrial and municipal
customers.

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 It is also a world leader in marine and offshore engineering, as well as an
established brand name in urban development. SCI is listed on the Singapore
stock exchange with a current market capitalization of about US$3.9 billion
(S$5.5 billion) as at 31 December 2015. SCI is 49.5% (as at 31 December 2014)
owned by Temasek holdings, the investment holding arm of the government
of Singapore and is listed on the main board of the Singapore stock exchange.

The Group has total assets of over S$17.2 billion and employs more than 8,000
employees. Listed on the main board of the Singapore Exchange, it is a
component stock of the Straits Times Index and several MSCI and FTSE
indices.

Box 1.2 Quick Facts - SCI

Year of Incorporation : 1998

Listing : Singapore Exchange (SGX)
Market Capitalisation : S$8.0 billion
Shareholders : Temasek Holdings – 49.5%
Public – 50.5%
Number of Employees : 10,000
FY2014 Turnover : S$10.9 billion
FY2014 Net Profit : S$ 801 million
Key Business : Sembcorp Utilities – 100%
Sembcorp Marine – 60.7%
Sembcorp Development – 100%
Global Presence : Singapore, China, India, IndonEIA, Philippines, Vietnam,
Myanmar, Australia, Oman, UAE, South Africa, Norway,
UK, Panama and the Caribbean, Brazil, Chile
Source: (Sembcorp 2016)

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Figure 1.1 Location of the Project Site

Source: (Maps of Bangladesh 2015)

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 Sembcorp Utilities Pte Limited

Sembcorp Utilities (“SCU”), a 100% fully owned subsidiary of SCI, is a leading

developer, owner and operator of energy and water assets with strong
operational and technical capabilities. As a global leader in the provision of
energy, water and on-site logistics to multiple industrial customers in energy
intensive clusters, SCU has more than 10,600 MW of gross power capacity,
4,500 tonnes/hour of steam production capacity and 8.8 million m3/day of
water capacity in operation and under development worldwide. (Refer Figure
1.2).

North-West Power Generation Company Limited (NWPGCL)

North West Power Generation Company Ltd (“NWPGCL”) formed in 2007, is

a wholly owned subsidiary of BPDB and is responsible for undertaking power
generation projects in the northwest region of Bangladesh. The company
presently owns and operates two projects totalling 372 MW and has 2,663 MW
under development.

On June 2014, NWPGCL signed the Joint Venture Agreement with CMC,
China to implement the Payra 1,320 MW Thermal Power Plant Project.
Bangladesh-China Power Company (Pvt.) Limited was constituted and
registered in Bangladesh as a Joint Venture Company under the banner of
NWPGCL and CMC to implement the project.

Figure 1.2 Power Generation – SCU

Source: (Sembcorp 2016)

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Box 1.3 SNWPCL's Energy Business

Power Generation
• Sembcorp is responsible for Singapore's first privately-developed independent power
plant, which is also the country's largest cogeneration facility at 815 megawatts. In July
2014, Sembcorp completed its second combined-cycle gas turbine cogeneration plant in
Singapore. It has a power capacity of 400 MW and a steam production capacity of 200
tonnes per hour.
• In China, Sembcorp co-owns the largest co-generation plant in Shanghai, the Shanghai Cao
Jing Cogeneration Plant, located in the Shanghai Chemical Industrial Park. It has a power
capacity of 691 MW and a steam production capacity of 728 tonnes per hour.
• In Vietnam, SNWPCL co-own the 746 MW combined-cycle gas turbine power plant, Phu
My 3
• In the UAE, SNWPCL co-own and operate 893 MW power and desalination facility in
Fujairah. The plant is one of the world's largest operating hybrid desalination plants.
• In Oman, SNWPCL co-own and operate a 490 MW power and desalination facility in
Salalah, the largest and most energy efficient power and water plant in the Dhofar Region
in southern Oman.
• In India, SNWPCL co-own and operate two adjacent 1,320-megawatt facilities in
Krishnapatnam, SPSR Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh. Both plants will employ efficient
supercritical technology.
• In April 2015, SNWPCL received the Notice of Award, after an international bidding
process, to develop and operate a 225MW gas fired power plant in central Myanmar
• Sembcorp leads the way in sustainable power generation. Its green facilities include a
biomass station and an energy-from-waste facility in the UK, energy-from-waste operations
in Singapore and wind power assets in China. It also co-owns and operates wind and solar
power assets in India with a total power capacity of 700 MW in operation and under
development. With this addition, Sembcorp's renewable energy capacity accounts for
approximately 13% of the Group's total power capacity.
Electricity Retail
• SNWPCL retails electricity to contestable customers in Singapore
• SNWPCL offer a variety of electricity packages to meet our customers’ operational
requirements.
Process Steam Production and Supply
• Sembcorp produces and supplies process steam at different pressure levels for industrial
process use in chemical and petrochemical hubs in Singapore, the UK and China.
Natural Gas Import, Supply and Retail
• Sembcorp is Singapore's first commercial importer and retailer of natural gas
• SNWPCL import 431 billion British thermal units (BTU) of natural gas per day from West
Natuna in IndonEIA. This gas is supplied to major power generation and petrochemical
companies including Tuas Power, PowerSeraya, ExxonMobil and Ellba Eastern.
Source: (Sembcorp 2015)

1.3.3 Sembcorp Group HSE Management System

Sembcorp has a Group HSE Management System in place which is enforced

across the Group, following ISO and OHSAS standards. Sembcorp’s
commitment to environmental protection has been presented in Box 1.4.

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Box 1.4 Commitment to Environmental Protection

Sembcorp, as a trusted provider of essential solutions in energy, water and urban

developments, recognises that our business activities have varying direct and indirect
impacts on the environment. We commit to integrate environmental protection and
stewardship into Sembcorp’s operations philosophy, believing that sound practice and
performance in this area can help mitigate environmental risks while contributing to a
sustainable future.

Sembcorp seeks to conduct our businesses in an environmentally responsible manner, and

strives to be respected as a company that consistently meets environmental standards in the
communities that we operate by:
• Making environmental considerations a priority in the planning for all existing and new
operations, products and services.
• Complying with all environmental regulations and other environmental requirements
applicable to Sembcorp’s businesses.
• Reducing consumption of primary resources and emission of pollutants by applying
control measures and technologies to enhance our operating performance and efficiency.
• Taking due diligence in preventing spills, discharge and releases, and providing timely and
efficient response if there is an occurrence.
• Verifying the effectiveness of our environmental management practices, and focusing on
reduction at source.
• Educating and communicating to employees and contractors to be accountable for
environmental protection while working for and on behalf of Sembcorp.
• Establishing and adhering to performance targets for environmental protection and
sustainability.
• Promoting sustainability through providing alternative sustainable and economical sources
of energy to customers through investments in green technologies.
Source: (Sembcorp 2016)

The Group HSE Management System comprises of sustainability policy and

health, safety and environmental policy, which are presented in Box 7.1 and
Box 7.2, respectively, and associated GHSE Guidance Documents. Guidance
Documents provide operational guidelines for practical application of the
principles outlined in the policy document. Updates of the Guidance
Documents are being approved by the Senior Management Committee.

The GHSE Management System with its associated Guidance Documents is

mandatory for all entities under the management control of Sembcorp Group
of Companies. Business units have the authority to meet the requirements of
the elements with their existing processes, programs and systems (e.g. ISO
14001, OHSAS 18001) as long as conformance to the HSE Guidelines is
demonstrated. The project will also follow these policies and guidelines and
will plan specific action to align with them.

1.4 IMPACT ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this EIA are to:

• Facilitate an understanding of the elements of the existing baseline
conditions that are relevant to resources/receptors that could be
significantly impacted by the Project;

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 • Identify the aspects of the Project likely to result in significant impacts to
resources/receptors;
• Document how stakeholders have been engaged during the EIA Process,
and how stakeholder feedback has been considered in the EIA;
• Predict and evaluate the significance of the impacts of the Project;
• Identify the (environmental, social and health) aspects of the Project that
need to be managed, and recommend appropriate and justified mitigation
and enhancement measures;
• Determine the significance of residual impacts, taking into account the
implementation of mitigation measures; and
• Generate plans for the management and monitoring of impacts, including
plans for ongoing stakeholder engagement.

1.5 SCOPE OF EIA STUDY

1.5.1 Applicable Reference Framework

The reference framework for the EIA study will therefore be governed by the
following standards/guidelines:
• Applicable Bangladesh national, regional and local regulatory
requirements 1;
• International conventions and agreements ratified by Bangladesh 2.
• The IFC Performance Standards for Environmental and Social
Sustainability (2012) 6;
• The IFC General EHS Guidelines (2007) 7; and
• IFC EHS Guidelines for Thermal Power Plant (2008) 8.

1.5.2 Coverage of EIA Study

The coverage of EIA includes the 413.792 MW (Gas)/333.02 MW(HSD) dual

fuel combined cycle power project and its 5 km radius from centre of the
Project site, the gas pipeline from GTCL valve station (about 1.5 km away
from Project site), HSD supply pipeline of about 3.0 km from HSD supply
system of NWPGCL, transmission line (PGCB Substation in vicinity of Project

1 Applicable Bangladesh Laws and Regulations are detailed in Chapter 3: Administrative Framework
2 Applicable Bangladesh Laws and Regulations are detailed in Chapter 3: Administrative Framework
6 http://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/115482804a0255db96fbffd1a5d13d27/PS_English_2012_Full-

Document.pdf?MOD=AJPERES
7 http://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/554e8d80488658e4b76af76a6515bb18/Final+-

+General+EHS+Guidelines.pdf?MOD=AJPERES
8http://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/dfb6a60048855a21852cd76a6515bb18/FINAL_Thermal%2BPower.pdf?MOD=AJ

PERES&id=1323162579734

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 site), Project related transportation activities including the temporary jetty
North of the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge. 1

1.5.3 Scope of Work

The detailed scope of the EIA study is as outlined below:

• Screening of the Project based on applicable reference framework based on

reconnaissance survey and desk based review of Project documents;
• Scoping for the EIA study;
• Development of an integrated project description of the Project
components including its sub-components, which are under the purview
of the Project Proponent (PP);
• Development of a regulatory, policy and administrative framework
relevant to the Project;
• Monitoring, analysis and reporting of the environmental and social
baseline data of the study area including consultation with local
communities and other stakeholders;
• Assessment of the environmental impacts of the Project in the study area;
• Assessment of social impacts on the local community as well as Project
affected people and any other stakeholders, which have been identified
during the social consultation process;
• Assessment of cumulative impacts of the Saidabad Power Generation
Complex based on available information;
• Risk assessment and consequence analysis of the Project;
• Formulation of an Environment and Social Management Plan and
associated/specific mitigation plans for identified impacts; and
• Formulation of Public and Stakeholder Consultation and Grievance
Redress Mechanism for the Project.

1.6 APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY

The EIA has been undertaken following a systematic process that predicts and
evaluates impacts the Project could have on aspects of the physical, biological,
social/socio-economic and cultural environment. Further, identifies measures
that the Project will take to avoid, minimise/reduce, mitigate, offset or
compensate for adverse impacts; and to enhance positive impacts where
practicable. The EIA methodology follows the overall impact assessment
approach illustrated in Figure 1.3.

The approach and methodology adopted for screening and scoping of the
project is discussed below, while the approach and methodology for baseline

1 Associated facilities such as approach road connecting to National Highway, gas valve station, railway line and siding,
HSD unloading and pumping system at Bangabandhu Bridge West Railway Station (RS), HSD pipeline from RS to
Saidabad power generation complex, grid sub-station and transmission line for power evacuation are already existing
facilities close to the site and currently being used by the existing NWPGCL Plant, which is located within the power
generation complex.

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 data collection and assessment has been described in the beginning of the
respective chapters of this report.

Figure 1.3 Impact Assessment Process

1.6.1 Screening

At the initial stage of the EIA, preliminary information was obtained and
discussions held to aid in the determination of what legal and other
requirements apply to the Project. This step was conducted utilising a high
level description of the Project and its associated facilities. The results of the
screening exercise are reported in Annex C of this EIA Report.

1.6.2 Scoping

Scoping was undertaken to identify the potential Area of Influence for the
Project (and thus the appropriate Study Area), to identify potential
interactions between the Project and resources/receptors in the Area of
Influence and the impacts that could result from these interactions, and to
prioritize these impacts in terms of their likely significance. The findings of the
scoping exercise are reported in Annex C of this EIA Report.

Table 1.1 presents the resources/receptors considered in the scoping stage,

together with the changes that could/might indicate a Project-related impact.

Table 1.1 Resources/Receptors and Impacts Considered in Scoping

Resources/Receptors Impacts
Environmental

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Resources/Receptors Impacts
Land Forms/Profile Changes to
• Geology
• Geomorphology
• Topography
Soil Quality Changes to
• Physical and chemical properties
• Soil ecology
• Erosion
Sediment Quality • River/waterbed morphology,
• Physical and chemical properties,
• Benthic organisms.
Land use • Changes in Landuse/land cover profile
• Logistics
Air Quality Emissions of
• Gaseous pollutants (e.g. NOx, SOx, CO,
VOC, ozone, etc.); and
• Particulate matter (e.g. PM10 and PM2.5)
Climate Change • Greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, and N2O)
emissions,
• Increase in global warming;
• Flooding.
Drainage Pattern Changes in the
• Drainage pattern,
• Submergence,
• Floods etc.
Surface Water Quantity and Quality Changes to
• Physical, chemical or biological quality of
Jamuna River
• Changes in surface water quantity
• Changes in habitat quality, abundance,
diversity;
• Effluent discharge.
Ground water Quality • Contamination of shallow or deep
groundwater resources,
• Change in ground water resource.
Ambient Noise Levels • Change in noise levels
Vibration • Changes in Vibration levels
Waste • Generation of wastes-hazardous and non-
Solid Waste and liquid waste hazardous

Terrestrial Ecology • Impact on flora and fauna

Aquatic Ecology (Biodiversity) • Changes in fisheries productivity and
impact on aquatic form of various
activities as dredging, water intake and
discharge
Social/Socio-Economic
Demographics (i.e. Displacement) Changes in
• Population, total population, gender ratio,
age distribution.
• Physical displacement from residence as a
result of Project land take, or activities
Economy and livelihood Change in
• Local economy,
• Employment,
• Standard of living,
• Occupation
Social and Cultural Structures • Disruption in local authority and
governance structure;
• Change in social behaviours; alterations to
social and cultural networks;
• Intra and inter-ethnic conflict.
Economy and Livelihood • Impact in Livelihood pattern.

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 Resources/Receptors Impacts
Infrastructure and Services • Improvement or pressure on existing
urban/rural infrastructure or services
including: transportation; power, water,
sanitation, waste handling facilities etc.
Cultural Resources • Physical disturbance of shrines, burial
grounds, archaeological resources or other
desecration;
Social/Community Cohesion • Any social/community cohesions/
conflicts due to workers from outside or
due to Project related activities
Vulnerable Groups • Impact on livelihood, community
networks, displacement induced impacts
Health
Community Health and Safety • Changes in the incidence and /or
prevalence of sexually transmitted
diseases and the factors that contribute to
this (external workforce, transport routes
etc. Changes in the incidence and or
prevalence of vector borne diseases, the
density of these vectors and their breeding
grounds.
• Changes in availability of and access to
health care, nutritional status, food
security etc.

In addition to the above, the approved TOR for EIA study has also been taken
into consideration to define the scope of the EIA study. Copy of IEE
exemption and TOR for EIA study is included as Annex D. The project has
also taken no objection certificate (NOC) from the Union Parishad, Saidabad
and Upazilla Nirbahi Officer, Sirajganj Sadar (UNO), which are included as
Annex E and Annex F, respectively.

1.6.3 Baseline Data Generation

The primary objective of the environmental and social baseline study is to

provide a baseline against which potential impacts from the construction,
operational and decommissioning phases of the Project can be assessed. The
methodologies of baseline data collection for physical, ecological and socio-
economic environment are presented in Section 4.2 and subsequent sections of
Section 4 and Section 5.

1.6.4 Impact Assessment and Management

Impact identification and assessment starts with scoping and continues

through the remainder of the IA Process. The principal IA steps are
summarized in Figure 1.4 and comprises of:

• Impact prediction: to determine what could potentially happen to

resources/receptors as a consequence of the Project and its associated
activities.
• Impact evaluation: to evaluate the significance of the predicted
impacts by considering their magnitude and likelihood of occurrence,
and the sensitivity, value and/or importance of the affected
resource/receptor.
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 • Mitigation and enhancement: to identify appropriate and justified
measures to mitigate negative impacts and enhance positive impacts.
• Residual impact evaluation: to evaluate the significance of impacts
assuming effective implementation of mitigation and enhancement
measures.

Figure 1.4 Impact Assessment Approach

The detailed impact assessment methodology is presented in Section 6.3.

1.7 EIA TEAM

ERM constitutied a team comprising of various experts to carry out the EIA
study as detaiuled out in the table below:

Table 1.2 EIA team and their roles

S.No. Name Specialist

1. Alastair Scott Project Director and Technical review for
Environment
2. Neena Singh Technical review for Social
3. Dr.Arun Venkataraman Technical review for Ecology and Biodiversity
4. Naval Chaudhary Environemental Specialist and Project Manager
(Air and Noise)
5. Dr.Swayam Panda Social Specialist
6. Dr.Koel Kumar Environment Specialist
(Water and waste)
7. Dr.Rahul Srivastava Ecology and Biodiversity Specialist
8. Dr.Shankkar Chaterjee Geology and Soil Specialist
9. Arin Mukherjee Risk assessment Specialist
10. Kazi Farhed Iqubal (EQMS) Stakeholder Consultation, Baseline data collection
11. Mohammad Mamun Fisheries Specialist
Chowdhury
12. Tauhidul Hasan (EQMS) Baseline data collection

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 S.No. Name Specialist
13. Aritra Mazumder Socio-economic baseline and stakeholder consultation
14. Akshita Misra Stakeholder Consultation

1.8 REPORT STRUCTURE

The EIA report has been largely structured based on the ToR issued by DoE
dated 10th March 2016. The layout of the Report has been divided into 10
sections as briefly described in Table 1.3:

Table 1.3 Layout of the Report

Chapter No. Chapter Title Description

0 Executive This section includes
Summary • Brief summary of the entire EIA report
1 Introduction This section includes
• introduction about the project,
• Project background,
• Brief dsecription,
• Scope of the EIA study
• Approach and Methodology
• EIA team

2 Policy, Legal and This section discusses

Administrative • the national and local legal and institutional framework
Framework within which the environmental assessment is carried
out. It also identifies project-relevant international
environmental agreements to which the country is a
party.
• it also covers the applicable reference framework being
used for the EIA study.

3 Project This section describes

Description • the proposed project;
• its major components; and
• its geographic, ecological, social, and temporal context,
including
• associated facility required by and for the project.

This section also examines

• alternatives to the proposed project site, technology,
design, and operation—including the no project
alternative—in terms of their potential environmental
and social impacts; the feasibility of mitigating these
impacts; their suitability under local conditions; and
their institutional, training, and monitoring
requirements.
• It also states the basis for selecting the particular project
design proposed and, justifies recommended emission
levels and approaches to pollution prevention and
abatement.

4 Description of the This section describes

Environment • relevant physical and biological conditions within the
study area, and
• looks at current and proposed development activities
within the project's area of influence, including those not
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Chapter No. Chapter Title Description
directly connected to the project. It indicates the
accuracy, reliability, and sources of the data.

5 Socio-economic This section describes

Environment • relevant socioeconomic conditions within the study area,
and
• looks at current and proposed development activities
within the project's area of influence, including those not
directly connected to the project. It indicates the
accuracy, reliability, and sources of the data.

6 Anticipated This section

Environmental • predicts and assesses the project's likely positive and
and Social negative direct and indirect impacts to physical,
Impacts and biological, socioeconomic (including occupational health
Mitigation and safety, community health and safety, vulnerable
Measures groups and gender issues, and impacts on livelihoods
through environmental media, and physical cultural
resources in the project's area of influence, in
quantitative terms to the extent possible;
• identifies mitigation measures and any residual negative
impacts that cannot be mitigated; explores opportunities
for enhancement; identifies and estimates the extent and
quality of available data, key data gaps, and
uncertainties associated with predictions and specifies
topics that do not require further attention; and
examines global, transboundary, and cumulative
impacts as appropriate.

7 Environmental This section deals with

and Social • the set of mitigation and management measures to be
Management taken during project implementation to avoid, reduce,
Plan (ESMP) mitigate, or compensate for adverse environmental and
social impacts;
• describes the mitigation, monitoring, implementation
arrangements and performance indicators for effective
implementation of the ESMP; and
• Framework management plans for construction phase of
the project.

This section also describes:

• the grievance redress framework, setting out the time
frame and mechanisms for resolving complaints about
environmental performance; and
• structure of the grievance redress cell to be formed for
the project.

8 Stakeholder This section

Consultations • describes the process undertaken during project design
and Participation and preparation for engaging stakeholders, including
information disclosure and consultation with affected
people and other stakeholders;
• summarizes comments and concerns received from
affected people and other stakeholders and how these
comments have been addressed in project design and
mitigation measures, with special attention paid to the
needs and concerns of vulnerable groups; and
• describes the planned information disclosure measures
and the process for carrying out consultation with
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Chapter No. Chapter Title Description
affected people and facilitating their participation
during project implementation.

9 Risk Assessment This section entails risk assessment to personnel and

environment from consequences of accidental events as well
as natural hazards and includes:
• Hazard Identification
• Consequence Analysis
• Risk Reduction Measures and Recommendations

10 Conclusion and This section provides

Recommendation • the conclusions drawn from the impact assessment; and
• recommendations for environmental and social
management during the project lifecycle.

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2 POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK

2.1 INTRODUCTION

To address the environmental and social risks of any proposed project and its
associated components; to protect and conserve the environment from any
adverse impacts, the GOB has specified regulations, policy and guidelines.

This section focuses on the administrative framework under the purview of

which the proposed Project will fall and the EIA study will be governed,
namely:

• Bangladesh national and local, legal and institutional framework;

• International agreements and conventions ratified by Bangladesh;
and
• IFC Performance Standards and EHS Guidelines.

2.2 ENVIRONMENT-RELATED POLICIES IN BANGLADESH

The GOB has developed a policy framework that requires environmental

issues to be incorporated into economic development planning. The Key
tenets of the various applicable policies are detailed in the following
subsections.

2.2.1 National Environmental Policy, 1992

The Bangladesh National Environmental Policy, approved in May 1992, sets

out the basic framework for environmental action together with a set of broad
sectoral action guidelines. Key elements of the Policy are:

• Maintaining ecological balance and ensuring sustainable development of

the country through protection, conservation and improvement of the
environment;
• Protecting the country from natural disasters;
• Identifying and regulating all activities that pollute and destroy the
environment;
• Ensuring environment-friendly development in all sectors;
• Ensuring sustainable and environmentally sound management of the
natural resources; and
• Promoting active association, as far as possible, with all international
initiatives related to environment.
The Environmental Policy of 1992 requires specific actions with respect to the
industrial sector which are as follows:
• To phase-in corrective measures in polluting industries;
• To conduct EIAs for all new public and private industrial developments;
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 • To ban, or find environmentally sound alternatives for, the production of
goods that cause environmental pollution; and
• To minimize waste and ensure sustainable use of resources by industry.

The policy also states that EIA’s should be conducted before projects are
undertaken and the DOE is directed to review and approve all Environmental
Impact Assessments.

2.2.2 National Environment Management Action Plan, 1995

The National Environmental Management Action Plan (NEMAP) is a wide-

ranging and multi- faceted plan, which builds on and extends the statements,
set out in the National Environmental Policy. NEMAP was developed to
address issues and management requirements related to the environment
during the period 1995 to 2005; it also sets out the framework within which
the recommendations of the National Conservation Strategy are to be
implemented. NEMAP was developed to achieve the following broad
objectives:

• Identification of key environmental issues affecting Bangladesh;

• Identification of actions necessary to halt or reduce the rate of
environmental degradation;
• Improvement of the natural environment;
• Conservation of habitats and bio-diversity;
• Promotion of sustainable development; and
• Improvement of the quality of life of the people.

To attain the above mentioned objectives, the plan groups all the relevant
necessary actions under four headings, namely: institutional, sectoral, location-
specific and long-term issues.

The institutional aspects reflect the need of inter- sectoral cooperation to tackle
environmental problems which need new and appropriate institutional
mechanisms at national and local levels. The sectoral action reflects the way
the Ministries and agencies are organized and makes it easier to identify the
agency to carry out the recommended actions. The location-specific action
focuses particularly on acute environmental problems at local levels that need
to be addressed on a priority basis. The long-term actions include
environmental degradation to such degree that might become even more
serious and threatening, if cognizance is not taken immediately.

2.2.3 National Conservation Strategy, 1992

The National Conservation Strategy, 1992 provides recommendations for

sustainable development of the industrial sector. The key aspects of the
strategy are as follows:

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 • All industries shall be subject to an EIA and the adoption of pollution
prevention/control technologies shall be enforced;
• Hazardous or toxic materials/wastes shall not be imported as raw
materials for industry;
• Import of appropriate and environmentally-sound technology shall be
ensured; and
• Dependence on imported technology and machinery should gradually be
reduced in favour of sustainable local skills and resources.

2.2.4 Other Policies relevant to Environment

Additional Bangladesh policies, their key features and applicability to the

subject Project are detailed in Table 2.1.

Table 2.1 Policies relevant to Environment

Policy Key Features Applicability

The National • Afforestation of 20% land Not applicable, as no
Forest Policy, • Bio-diversity of the existing degraded diversion of forest land is
1994 forests involved in the Project.
• Strengthening of the agricultural sector
• Control of Global warming, desertification
• Control of trade in wild birds and animals
• Prevention of illegal occupation of the
forested land, tree felling and hunting of
wild animals
National Land • All new roads and major improvements Not applicable, as no new
Transport Policy, will be subjected to an EIA road construction is
2004 • Funding will be provided for mitigation involved in the Project.
measures
• The Government will publish
environmental standards for new roads
and new design standards addressing
environmental issues
The National • Protection, restoration and enhancement of Applicable for the
Water Policy, water resources preservation of water
1999 • Protection of water quality, including quality.
strengthening regulations concerning
agrochemicals and industrial effluent Applicable, as water for
• Sanitation and potable water cooling is to be drawn from
• Fish and fisheries the Jamuna river with
• Participation of local communities in all discharge of treated water
water sector development on land and the river course
will also be used for
transport of heavy
equipment.
National • Deals with several land uses including: Not applicable, as landuse of
Landuse Policy, agriculture (crop production, fishery and the Project site is industrial
2001 livestock), housing, forestry, and owned by BPDB.
industrialization, railways and roads, tea
and rubber
• Identifies land use constraints in all these
sectors
Draft Wetland • Establishment of principles for the Not directly applicable,
Policy, 1998 sustainable use of wetland resources however may be applicable

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 Policy Key Features Applicability
• Maintenance of the existing level of once the draft policy is
biological diversity finalised
• Maintenance of the functions and values of
wetlands
• Promotion and recognition of the value of
wetland functions in resource management
and economic development
National • Preservation, management and Applicable as water for
Fisheries Policy, exploitation of fisheries resources in inland cooling is to be drawn from
1998 open water the Jamuna river and the
• Fish cultivation and management in inland river will also be used for
closed water. transport of heavy
• Prawn and fish cultivation in coastal areas equipment.
• Preservation, management and
exploitation of sea fishery resources
The Energy • Provides for utilization of energy for Applicable as subject Project
Policy, 1996 sustainable economic growth, supply to is a Power Plant
different zones of the country,
development of the indigenous energy
source and environmentally sound
sustainable energy development
programmes
• Highlights the importance of EIA’s for any
new energy development project
The Power • Is an integral part of the Energy Policy and Applicable as subject Project
Policy, 1995 deals with policy statement on demand is a Power Plant
forecast, long term planning and project
implementation, investment terms, fuels
and technologies, load management,
institutional issues, private sector
participation, technology transfer and
research programme, environmental policy
and legal issues
Industrial Policy, • Deals with industrial development, direct Applicable as the Project is
1999 foreign investments, investment by public a public and private
and private sector, introduction of new partnership, industrial
appropriate technology, women’s development
participation, infrastructure development
and environmentally sound industrial
development

2.3 ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL RELATED LEGISLATIONS IN BANGLADESH

The main Acts and Regulations guiding environmental protection and

conservation in Bangladesh are outlined in the following subsections.
2.3.1 The Environment Conservation Act, 1995 (subsequent amendments in 2000
and 2002)

The provisions of the Act authorize the Director General of Department of

Environment (DOE) to undertake any activity that is deemed fit and necessary
to conserve and enhance the quality of environment and to control, prevent
and mitigate pollution. The main highlights of the act are:

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 • Declaration of Ecologically Critical Areas;
• Obtaining Environmental Clearance Certificate;
• Regulation with respect to vehicles emitting smoke harmful for the
environment;
• Regulation of development activities from environmental perspective;
• Promulgation of standards for quality of air, water, noise, and soils for
different areas and for different purposes;
• Promulgation of acceptable limits for discharging and emitting waste; and
• Formulation of environmental guidelines relating to control and
mitigation of environmental pollution, conservation and improvement of
environment.

2.3.2 Environment Conservation Rules (ECR), 1997 (subsequent amendments in

2002 and 2003)

The Environment Conservation Rules, 1997 are the first set of rules
promulgated under the Environment Conservation Act, 1995. These Rules
provide for, inter alia, the following:

• The National Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) for ambient air,

surface water, groundwater, drinking water, industrial effluents,
emissions, noise and vehicular exhaust;
• Categorization of industries, development projects and other activities on
the basis of actual (for existing industries/development projects/activities)
and anticipated (for proposed industries/development projects/activities)
pollution load;
• Procedure for obtaining environmental clearance;
• Requirements for undertaking IEE and EIA’s as well as formulating EMP’s
according to categories of industries/development projects/activities; and
• Procedure for damage-claim by persons affected or likely to be affected
due to polluting activities or activities causing hindrance to normal civic
life.

Depending upon the location, size and severity of pollution loads,

projects/activities have been classified in ECR, 1997 into four categories:
Green, Orange A, Orange B and Red respectively as nil, minor, medium and
severe impacts on important environmental components (IECs).

2.3.3 Acquisition and Requisition of Immovable Property Ordinance, 1982

The basic principles behind compensation of property in Bangladesh are

founded in Articles 42 and 47 of the Constitution (1972). The current
legislation for governing land acquisition in Bangladesh is the “Acquisition
and Requisition of Immovable Property Ordinance (ARIPO), 1982 and
amended in 1983, 1993 and 1994. Key features of the ordinance are as follows:
• This Ordinance provides the Deputy Commissioner (DC) with the power
to initiate the acquisition of any property in any locality within his district
that is likely to be needed for a public purpose or in the public interest.
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 • It describes the entire procedure of notice and intimations prior to
acquisition of any property and process and timeframes for raising
objections.
• Section 8 deals with matters to be considered in determining
compensation which is based on the market value of the property at the
date of publication of the notice under section 3.
• It defines the role and authority of Divisional Commissioner in decision
making, compensation issues and in case of dispute. Among the matters to
be considered in determining compensation are the following:
o The damage that may be sustained by the person interested, by reason
of the taking of standing crops or trees which may be on the property
at the time of taking possession thereof by the Deputy Commissioner,
o The damage that may be sustained by reason of the acquisition
injuriously affecting his other properties, movable or immovable, in
any other matter, or his earnings; and
o If in consequence of the acquisition of the property, the person
interested is likely to be compelled to change his residence or place of
business, the reasonable expenses, if any, incidental to such change; In
terms of compensation, the Ordinance explicitly states that the DC,
when determining compensation, shall neither consider any
disinclination of the person to part with the property, nor any increase
in the value of the property to be acquired likely to accrue from the use
of it after it has been acquired.
• The Ordinance also covers the case of temporary acquisition of property
for a public purpose or in the public interest.

Section 7(1) (b) makes provision for apportionment of the compensation

among all the persons interested in the property. Further, Section 10A makes
specific provision for payment of compensation to bargadar (share cultivators).

Section-18 deals with requisition of property which is required for temporarily

for a public purpose. Section 20 deals with the award of the compensation for
requisition of the property under Section 18. The amount of compensation
payable for the requisition of any property consist of a recurring payment in
respect of the period of requisition (equal to rent of lease that would be
revised in every two years) and other associated damages such as expenses on
account of vacating, expenses on account of re-occupying the property, and
damages other than wear and tear, caused to the property during the period
of requisition. Section 23 makes provision for protection of the property to
prevent deterioration and to ensure proper maintenance of the requisitioned
property.

2.3.4 Administrative and Regulatory Guidelines and Instructions

In addition to the provisions in the law, the land acquisition process is

regulated by certain administrative instructions and procedural requirements.
The most important of these are summarised here.

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 • In 1976, the Government constituted land allocation committees at the
district, divisional and central levels to control what was regarded as too
lavish taking of land for public purposes. The committees were charged
with ensuring 'the most rigid measures of economy in the use of land for
purposes other than agriculture."

• The District Land Allocation Committees (DLACs) are chaired by the DC

and have seven other members. These members include Executive
Engineers of the R&H Department and the Public Works Department, and
the Civil Surgeon. They are entrusted with land allocation within the
district not exceeding two acres.

• The Divisional LACs are chaired by the Divisional Commissioner and

have technical representation at the Superintending Engineer and Deputy
Director level. These committees consider land acquisition cases involving
between two and five acres of land. All cases of more than five acres go to
the Central Land Allocation Committee (CLAC). This committee is chaired
by the Minister of Land Administration and has technical representation at
the Secretary level. In 1989, the Government ordered that in all cases
involving the acquisition of land exceeding 10 bighas, the President would
have to give consent.

2.3.5 Other Relevant National Legal Instruments for the Project

Table 2.2 presents an outline of other National legal instruments that will have
relevance to the proposed Project with respect to the social and environmental
considerations.

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Table 2.2 National Legal Instruments relevant to the Project

Act/ Rule/ Law/ Ordinance Enforcement Agency – Key Features Applicability to

Ministry/ Authority proposed Project
The Environment Conservation Department of Environment • Define Applicability of environmental clearance Applicable
Act, 1995 and subsequent Ministry of Environment • Regulation of development activities from environmental
amendments in 2000 and 2002 and Forests, perspective
• Framing applicable limits for emissions and effluents
• Framing of standards for air, water and noise quality
• Formulation of guidelines relating to control and mitigation
of environmental pollution, conservation and improvement
of environment
• Declaration of Ecologically critical areas
Environmental Conservation Department of Environment • Declaration of Ecologically critical areas Applicable
Rules, 1997 and subsequent Ministry of Environment • Requirement of environmental clearance certificate for Projects falls under Red
amendments in 2002 and 2003 and Forests various categories of projects Category and require
• Requirement of IEE/EIA as per category environmental clearance
• Renewal of the environmental clearance certificate within 30
days after the expiry
• Provides standards for quality of air, water and sound and
acceptable limits for emissions/discharges from vehicles and
other sources
Environment Court Act, 2000 Ministry of Environment • GOB has given highest priority to environment pollution Applicable for
and subsequent amendments in and Forests and Judiciary • Passed ‘Environment Court Act, 2000 for completing completing
2002 environment related legal proceedings effectively environmental legal
requirements effectively
The Vehicle Act, 1927; Bangladesh Road Transport • Exhaust emissions Applicable for proposed
The Motor Vehicles Authority • Vehicular air and noise pollution Project in relation to road
Ordinance, 1983; and • Road/traffic safety transport
The Bengal Motor Vehicle • Vehicle Licensing and Registration
Rules, 1940 • Fitness of Motor Vehicles
• Parking by-laws.
The Removal of Wrecks and Bangladesh Water Transport • Removal of wrecks and obstructions in inland navigable Applicable as Jamuna
Obstructions in inland Authority waterways River - inland navigable
Navigable Water Ways Rules waterway will be used
1973 for transport of heavy
equipment for the Project
Water Supply and Sanitation Ministry of Local • Management and Control of water supply and sanitation in Not directly applicable,
Act, 1996 Government, Rural urban areas. however, indirectly
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Act/ Rule/ Law/ Ordinance Enforcement Agency – Key Features Applicability to
Ministry/ Authority proposed Project
Development and applicable when
Cooperatives considering water usage
management and
sanitation facilities for
the project
The Ground Water Upazilla Parishad • Management of ground water resources Proposed Project will use
Management Ordinance, 1985 • Installation of tube-wells at any place after license from surface water source
Upazilla Parishad only however, should
groundwater also be
required then licenses
will need to be obtained
prior to installation of
any tube-wells, and
ground seepage
The Forest Act, 1927 and Ministry of Environment • Categorization of forests as reserve, protected and village Not applicable as
subsequent amendments in and Forests forests proposed Project is not
1982 and 1989 • Permission is required for use of forest land for any non- on forest land
forest purposes
The Private Forests Ordinance Regional Forest Officer, • Conservation of private forests and for the afforestation on Not applicable as
Act, 1959 Forest Department wastelands proposed Project is not
affecting plantations on
the BBA land.
Bangladesh Wild Life Ministry of Environment • Preservation of Wildlife Sanctuaries, Parks, and Reserves Not applicable as the
(Preservation) Act, 1974 and Forest; Project AOI does not
Bangladesh Wild Life have any wildlife areas
Advisory Board
National Biodiversity Strategy Ministry of Environment • Conserve, and restore the biodiversity of the country for well- Applicable for
and Action Plan (2004) and Forest being of the present and future generations conservation of bio-
Bangladesh Wild Life • Maintain and improve environmental stability for ecosystems diversity in the study
Advisory Board • Ensure preservation of the unique biological heritage of the area including Jamuna
nation for the benefit of the present and future generations River
• Guarantee the safe passage and conservation of globally
endangered migratory species, especially birds and mammals
in the country
• Stop introduction of invasive alien species, genetically
modified organisms and living modified organisms
National Water Bodies Town development • The characterization of water bodies as rivers, canals, tanks or Applicable due to the

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Act/ Rule/ Law/ Ordinance Enforcement Agency – Key Features Applicability to
Ministry/ Authority proposed Project
Protection Act, 2000 authority/Municipalities flood plains identified in the master plans formulated under proximity to and use of
the laws establishing municipalities in division and district surface water bodies
towns shall not be changed without approval of concerned
ministry
The Protection and Ministry of Fisheries and • Protection and conservation of fish in Government owned Applicable for the
Conservation of Fish Act 1950 Livestock water bodies conservation of fish as
subsequent amendments in the intake point will be
1982 the Jamuna River
The Embankment and Ministry of Water • An Act to consolidate the laws relating to embankment and Applicable due to the site
Drainage Act 1952 Resources drainage and to make better provision for the construction, location
maintenance, management, removal and control of
embankments and water courses for the better drainage of
lands and for their protection from floods, erosion and other
damage by water
Antiquities Act, 1968 Ministry of Cultural Affairs • This legislation governs preservation of the national cultural Not applicable as the
heritage, protects and controls ancient monuments, regulates study area reportedly
antiquities as well as the maintenance, conservation and does not have any likely
restoration of protected sites and monuments, controls cultural heritage or
planning, exploration and excavation of archaeological sites ancient monuments of
national or international
significance. However in
case, any such evidence
of archaeological
findings arise, the Project
will need to act in
conformance to the Act
The Acquisition and Requisition Ministry of Land • Current GOB Act and Guidelines, relating to acquisition and Applicable
of Immovable Property requisition of land
Ordinance 1982 and subsequent
amendments in 1994, 1995 and
2004
Administrative and Regulatory Ministry of Land • Regulation of land acquisition process by certain Applicable
Guidelines and Instructions for administrative instructions and procedural requirements
Land Acquisition
The Building Construction Act Ministry of Works • This act provide for prevention of haphazard construction of Applicable
1952 and subsequent building and excavation of tanks which are likely to interfere
amendments with the planning of certain areas in Bangladesh

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Act/ Rule/ Law/ Ordinance Enforcement Agency – Key Features Applicability to
Ministry/ Authority proposed Project
The Factories Act, 1965 Ministry of Labour • This Act pertains to the occupational rights and safety of Applicable
Bangladesh Labour Law, 2006 factory workers and the provision of a comfortable work
environment and reasonable working conditions
Ozone Depleting Substances Ministry of Environment • Ban on the use of Ozone depleting substances Applicable
(Control) Rules, 2004 and Forests • Phasing out of Ozone depleting substances
Noise Pollution (Control) Rules Ministry of Environment • Prevention of Noise pollution Applicable
2006 and Forests • Standards for noise levels
Source: Websites of DOE, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division: Bangladesh Laws and Bangladesh Board of Investment: Business laws

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2.4 ADMINISTRATIVE SETUP RELATED TO ENVIRONMENT IN BANGLADESH

The Ministry of Environment & Forest (MoEF) is responsible for overseeing all
environmental matters relating to national environmental policy and
regulatory issues in the country. The MoEF oversees the activities of the
following technical/implementing agencies:

• Department of Environment (DOE);

• Forest Department (FD);
• Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC);
• Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI); and
• Bangladesh National Herbarium (BNH).

Other Related Organizations

There are several other organisations under the administrative framework

which would govern social and environmental functions related to the
proposed Project, namely:

• Ministry of Land: Land reform and land acquisition directorate;

• Ministry of water resources: Bangladesh Water Development Board; and
• Local Government Engineering Department (LGED).

2.4.2 Department of Environment (DOE)

The DOE has been placed under the MoEF as its technical wing and is
statutorily responsible for the implementation of the Environment Conservation
Act, 1995. The Department was created in 1989, to ensure sustainable
development and to conserve and manage the environment of Bangladesh.
The principal activities of the DOE are:
• Defining EIA procedures and issuing environmental clearance permits -
the latter being the legal requirement before the proposed Project can be
implemented;
• Providing advice or taking direct action to prevent degradation of the
environment;
• Pollution control, including the monitoring of effluent sources and
ensuring mitigation of environmental pollution;
• Setting the Quality Standards for environmental parameters;
• Declaring Ecologically Critical Areas (ECAs), where the ecosystem has
been degraded to a critical state; and
• Review and evaluation of Initial Environmental Examinations (IEEs) and
EIAs prepared for projects in Bangladesh.

Environmental Clearance Process

As mentioned in the Section 3.3.2, ECR has classified projects to be assessed by
the DOE in four categories based on the severity of impacts on IECs:
• Green: Nil;

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• Orange A: minor;
• Orange B: medium; and
• Red: severe.

The applicability of environmental clearance and the process in Bangladesh is

described in Figure 2.1.

The EIA process consists of three stages, screening, IEE, and detailed EIA:

• Projects categorized as Green and Orange-A does not require IEE or EIA for
environmental clearance however, the proponent must submit an
application in a prescribed format along with specified documents;
• Projects categorized as Orange-B require an IEE to be submitted to the
DOE along with an application in a prescribed format and other specified
documents; and
• Red category projects require both IEE and EIA. An IEE is required for the
location clearance and an EIA is required for the environmental clearance.

As per the ECR 1997, power plants and the Subject Project fall under the Red
category as referred below:

• Item 6: power plants; and

• Item 64: construction/ replacement/ extension of natural gas/water/HSD
pipelines.

The process for obtaining an Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) for

the proposed Project is outlined in Figure 2.2.

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Figure 2.1 DOE Environmental Clearance Applicability and Procedure

Source: Adapted from DOE

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Figure 2.2 Flow Chart of EIA Process Applicable to the Proposed Project

Source: Adapted from DOE

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2.4.3 Status of Project Approval from DOE

The Project will apply for the site clearance and environmental clearance after
signing of finalized Project agreements (such as LLA, IA, GSA, FSA etc.) with
the regulatory authorities.

The EIA Report (this report), which is being prepared for the potential lenders
(as per the safeguard requirement of the potential lenders Section 2.7), will be
updated as and if necessary in accordance with the terms of reference (TOR)
issued to be issued by the DOE and then submitted to the DOE for obtaining
environmental clearance.

2.5 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO LAND ACQUISITION IN

BANGLADESH

The administrative set up for land acquisition has two tiers under the Ministry
of Land Administration. At the Division level, there is an Additional
Commissioner dealing with land administration under the Commissioner. At
the district level, there is an Additional Deputy Commissioner in charge of
land administration. Under him, there is at least one Land Acquisition Officer
and several Assistant Land Acquisition Officers. The number of officers
depends on the size of the District. Non-gazetted officers in the land
administration include Kanungos and surveyors.

The Deputy Commissioner allows 15 days to invite objections on the notice for
land acquisition/requisition under section-3. If no objection is raised within
the specified period, the Deputy Commissioner makes a decision within 10
days of the expiry of the notice period. If objections are received by Deputy
Commissioner, then the records of the objection raised along with the inquiry
made by him submits to the Divisional Commissioner if property does not
exceed 50 standard bighas, and submits to the GOB, if the property exceeds 50
standard bighas. The decision of the Government or Divisional Commissioner
as the case may be, is final provided the decision by Divisional Commissioner
is made within 15 days and the decision made by the GOB is completed
within 90 days. The decision by the Government or Divisional commissioner
shall be conclusive evidence that the property is needed for a public interest.

The Deputy Commissioner serves the notice of acquisition of the property

under section-6 requiring the all persons interested in the property to state the
nature of their respective interests in the property and particulars of their
claims to compensation for such interests not being earlier than fifteen days
after the date of publication of the notice. After examining all the claims/
statements received from all interested parties shall make an award stating the
compensation and any apportionment of the said compensation. Deputy
Commissioner shall give notice of his award to the persons interested and
send the estimate of the award of compensation to the requiring person within
7 days from the date of making award of compensation.

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 Section 10 makes the payment of the compensation before taking the
possession of the property. If the persons entitled do not consent to receive it,
or any dispute over the apportionment then the amount of the compensation
is deposited in the Public Account of the Republic which is considered as
deemed payment for the purpose of taking over possession.

Any person interested who has not accepted any award made by the Deputy
Commissioner within 45 days of the service of the award, make an application
to the arbitrator for revision of the award. Section-30 restricts the scope of the
enquiry by the Arbitrator to a consideration of interests of the persons affected
by the objection. Arbitrator shall be guided by the provisions of the sections 8,
9 or 20 provided that the compensation determined by the Arbitrator shall not
exceed more than 10 per centum of the award of the Deputy Commissioner.
An appeal shall lie to the Arbitration Appellate Tribunal against the award of
the Arbitrator and the decision of the Arbitration Appellate Tribunal shall be
final.

After the compensation for the property is paid or is deemed to be paid,

Deputy Commissioner publishes a notice to that effect in official Gazette. The
notice concludes the land acquisition procedure and vests the property
absolutely in the government free from all encumbrances, and Deputy
Collector takes the possession of the property.

2.6 RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AND CONVENTIONS

Bangladesh is party to a number (30) 1 of international environmental

conventions, treaties and agreements. The international treaties and
conventions relevant to the Project and their status are detailed in Table 2.3.
Table 2.3 Project Relevant International Treaties and Conventions
Environment related International convention Status Applicability to
and Treaties Project
International Plant Protection Convention 01.09.78 (ratified) Not applicable
(Rome, 1951.)

International Convention for the Prevention of 28.12.81 (entry into Not applicable
Pollution of the Sea by Oil (London, 1954 (as force)
amended on 11 April 1962 and 21 October
1969.)

Plant Protection Agreement for the South East 04.12.74 (accessed) Not applicable
Asia and Pacific Region (as amended) (Rome, (entry into force)
1956.)

International Convention Relating to 04.02.82 (entry into Not applicable

Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Oil force)
Pollution Casualties (Brussels, 1969.)

(1) 1 Department of Environment, Bangladesh

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Environment related International convention Status Applicability to
and Treaties Project
Convention on Wetlands of International 20.04.92 (ratified) Not applicable as no
Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat Ramsar site in
(Ramsar, 1971) ("Ramsar Convention"). Project AOI

Convention Concerning the Protection of the 03.08.83 (accepted) Not applicable as no

World Cultural and natural Heritage (Paris, 03.11.83 (ratified) such site in Project
1972.) AOI

Convention on International Trade in 18.02.82 (ratified) Applicable

Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and flora
(Washington, 1973.) ("CITES Convention")

United Nations Convention on the Law of the 10.12.82 (ratified) Not applicable
Sea (Montego Bay, 1982.)

Vienna Convention for the Protection of the 02.08.90 (accessed) Applicable

Ozone Layer (Vienna, 1985.) 31.10.90 (entry into
force)
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete 02.08.90 Applicable
the Ozone Layer (Montreal 1987.) 31.10.90 (accessed)
(entry into force)

London Amendment to the Montreal Protocol 18.03.94 (accessed) Applicable

on substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer 16.06.94 (entry into
(London, 1990) force)
Copenhagen Amendment to the Montreal 27.11.2000 (accepted) Applicable
protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone 26.2.2001 (entry into
Layer, Copenhagen, 1992 force)

Montreal Amendment of the Montreal Protocol 27.7.2001 (Accepted) Applicable

on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, 26.10.2001 (Entry
Montreal, 1997 into force)

Basel Convention on the Control of 01.04.93 (accessed) Applicable

Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and Their Disposal (Basel, 1989.)

International Convention on Oil Pollution 30.01.90 (signed) Not Applicable

Preparedness, Response and Cooperation In the process of
(London, 1990.) ratification
United Nations Framework Convention on 09.06.92 (signed) Applicable
Climate Change, (New York, 1992.) 15.04.94 (ratified)

Convention on Biological Diversity, (Rio De 05.06.92 (signed) Applicable

Janeiro, 1992.) 03.05.94 (ratified)

International Convention to Combat 14.10.94 (signed) Not Applicable

Desertification, (Paris 1994.) 26.01.1996
(ratification)
26.12.1996 (entry into
force)
Convention on the Prohibition of Military or 03.10.79 (accessed) Not Applicable
Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental (entry into force)
Modification Techniques, (Geneva, 1976.)

Agreement Relating to the Implementation of 28.07.96 (signed) Not Applicable

Part XI of the United Nations Convention on

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 Environment related International convention Status Applicability to
and Treaties Project
the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 (New
York, 1994.)

Convention on the Prohibition of the 14.01.93 (signed) Not Applicable

Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use
of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction
(Paris, 1993.)

Convention on persistent Organic Pollutants, 23.5.2001 (signed) Applicable and use

Stockholm 12.03.2007 (ratified) of any persistent
pollutants to be
prohibited
Kyoto protocol to the United Nations 21.8.2001 (accessed) Applicable
Framework Convention on Climate Change
Source: DOE, Bangladesh

2.7 INTERNATIONAL SAFEGUARD REQUIREMENTS

As mentioned in the RFP for the proposed Project, financing sources and
financial support for the Project will be available from multi-lateral financial
institutions, such as IFC, CDC as well as from the export credit agencies of the
countries where major pieces of equipment for the Project will be sourced.
This support from multi-lateral financial institutions/ export credit agencies is
also linked with adherence to international best practices and environmental
and social safeguard requirements of the lenders. The following subsections
outline the key environmental and social requirements of IFC, applicable to
the Project.

2.7.1 IFC Performance Standards

The Performance Standards (PS) (January 2012) established by IFC stipulates

that the Project shall meet certain requirements throughout the life cycle of an
investment by IFC or other relevant financial institution such as other DFIs or
commercial banks, which are signatory to the Equator Principles, 2006.

A brief description of the Performance standards is provided in Table 2.4.

Table 2.4 IFC Performance Standards

Performance Standards Specific Areas

Performance Standard 1: Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social
Risks and Impacts
Performance Standard 2 Labour and Working Conditions
Performance Standard 3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention
Performance Standard 4 Community Health, Safety and Security
Performance Standard 5 Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement
Performance Standard 6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of
Living Natural Resources
Performance Standard 7 Indigenous Peoples
Performance Standard 8 Cultural Heritage
IFC Performance Standards, January 2012

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These PS and guidelines provide ways and means to identify impacts and
affected stakeholders and lay down processes for management and mitigation
of adverse impacts. A brief on the requirements as laid down in the
performance standards is described in the following subsections.

Following sub-sections tries to provide the requirements of the specific PS, so

as to set up the context for matching the requirements of these PS during the
various stages of the life cycle of the Project.

PS 1: Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts

The PS 1 requires Social and Environmental Assessment and Management

Systems for managing social and environmental performance throughout the
life cycle of this Project and runs through all subsequent PSs. The main
elements of PS 1 include:

• A Social and Environmental Assessment to understand the social and

environmental impacts and risks;
• A Management Program for mitigating the impacts and minimizing the
risks identified in the assessment;
• Establishing and ensuring organizational capacity and requisite trainings
to the staff to implement the Management Programme;
• Identification and engagement with range of stakeholders that may be
interested in their actions;
• Development and implementation of Stakeholder Engagement Plan that is
scaled to the project risks and impacts and development stage and tailored
to the characteristics and interests of the Affected Communities;
• Engagement and consultation with the affected communities, subject to
identified risks and adverse impacts from a project;
• Informed Consultation and Participation (“ICP”) process for projects with
potentially significant adverse impacts on affected communities;
• For projects with adverse impacts to Indigenous Peoples, requirement to
engage them in a process of ICP and in certain circumstances requirement
to obtain their Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC);
• Implementation and maintenance of procedure for external
communications to receive and register external communications from the
public, and their Redressal;
• Adequate monitoring and reporting systems to measure and report the
effectiveness of the Management Programs.

The social and environmental performance is a continuous process to be

initiated by the management and would involve communication between the
organisation, its workers and local communities directly affected by the
Project. The PS requires that Project proponent initiate regular assessment of
the potential social and environmental risks and impacts and consistently tries
to mitigate and manage strategy on an ongoing basis.

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PS 2: Labour and Working Conditions

The economic growth through employment creation and income generation is

recognised and balanced protecting the basic rights of workers. PS 2 is guided
by the various conventions of International Labour Organisation (ILO) and
outlines the minimum requirements of working conditions, protection to the
workforce (including issues of child and forced labour) and ensuring
occupational health and safety of both its ‘employees’ as well as ‘non
employees’ working through contractors. The PS requires:

• Establishment of a sound worker-management relationship;

• Encouraging equal opportunity and fair treatment of workers;
Promoting compliance with national labour and employment laws;
• Management of accommodation services with provision of basic services;
• Promoting healthy and safe working conditions for workers. and
• Analysis of alternatives for retrenchment prior to implementing any collective
dismissals.

PS 2 requires project proponents to conduct its activities in a manner

consistent with the four core labour standards (child labour, forced labour,
non-discrimination, and freedom of association and collective bargaining). In
addition, PS 2 also addresses other areas such as working conditions and
terms of employment, retrenchment, and occupational health and safety
issues.

Some of these requirements refer to the applicable national law. Whereas

national law establishes standards that are less stringent than those in PS 2, or
are silent, the project proponent is expected to meet the requirements of PS 2.

PS 3: Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention

PS 3 outline a project level approach to resource efficiency and pollution

prevention and control in line with internationally disseminated technologies
and practices with objectives to:

• avoid or minimize adverse impacts on human health and the environment

by avoiding or minimizing pollution from activities;
• promote more sustainable use of resources, including energy and water;
and
• reduce project-related GHG emissions.

Key requirements of PS3 are to consider ambient conditions and apply

technically and financially feasible resource efficiency and pollution
prevention principles and techniques that are best suited to avoid or where
avoidance is not possible, minimize adverse impacts on human health and the
environment during the entire project life-cycle. In addition, a project need to
follow good international industry practice (GIIP), as reflected in various
internationally recognised sources including the World Bank Group
Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines.

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PS 4: Community, Health, Safety and Security

PS 4 concentrates on the responsibility that must be undertaken by the client

to avoid or minimize the risks and impacts to the community’s health, safety
and security that may arise from project activities. PS 4 requires a project to
evaluate risks and impacts to the health and safety of the affected community
during the Project life cycle and establish measures to avoid minimize and
reduce risks and impacts from the Project.

A project needs to evaluate the risks and impacts to the health and safety of
the Affected Communities during the project life-cycle and require
establishing preventive and controlling measures consistent with GIIP, such as
in the World Bank Group EHS Guidelines or other internationally recognized
sources.

PS 4 recognises that project activities, equipment, and infrastructure often

bring benefits to communities including employment, ecosystem services, and
opportunities for economic development. However, projects can also increase
the potential for community exposure to risks and impacts arising from
equipment accidents, structural failures, and releases of hazardous materials.

The performance standard details out project proponents responsibility to

avoid or minimise the possible risks and impacts to community health, safety
and security that may arise from project activities.

PS 5: Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement

The objectives of this PS are to:

• avoid, and when avoidance is not possible, minimize displacement by

exploring alternative project designs;
• avoid forced eviction;
• anticipate and avoid, or where avoidance is not possible, minimize
adverse social and economic impacts from land acquisition or restrictions
on land use by (i) providing compensation for loss of assets at replacement
cost, and (ii) ensuring that resettlement activities are implemented with
appropriate disclosure of information, consultation and the informed
participation of those affected;
• improve, or restore, the livelihoods and standards of living of displaced
persons;
• improve living conditions among physically displaced persons through
the provision of adequate housing with security of tenure at resettlement
sites.

PS 5 require a project to consider various processes and systems to avoid

/minimise social and economic impacts related to land acquisition and
resettlement.

This PS applies to physical or economic displacement resulting from the

following types of land transactions:
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• Land rights or land use rights acquired through expropriation or other
compulsory procedures in accordance with the legal system of the host
country;
• Land rights or land use rights acquired through negotiated settlements
with property owners or those with legal rights to the land if failure to
reach settlement would have resulted in expropriation or other
compulsory procedures;
• Project situations where involuntary restrictions on land use and access to
natural resources cause a community or groups within a community to
lose access to resource usage where they have traditional or recognizable
usage rights;
• Certain project situations requiring evictions of people occupying land
without formal, traditional, or recognizable usage rights;8 or
• Restriction on access to land or use of other resources including communal
property and natural resources such as marine and aquatic resources,
timber and non-timber forest products, freshwater, medicinal plants,
hunting and gathering grounds and grazing and cropping areas.9.

This PS does not apply to resettlement resulting from voluntary land

transactions (i.e., market transactions in which the seller is not obliged to sell
and the buyer cannot resort to expropriation or other compulsory procedures
sanctioned by the legal system of the host country if negotiations fail). It also
does not apply to impacts on livelihoods where the project is not changing the
land use of the affected groups or communities.

PS 6: Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural

Resources

PS 6 aims at protecting and conserving biodiversity, maintaining ecosystem

services, the variety of life in all its forms, including genetic, species and
ecosystem diversity and its ability to change and evolve, is fundamental to
sustainable development. The objectives of this PS are to:

• protect and conserve biodiversity;

• maintain the benefits from ecosystem services; and
• promote the sustainable management of living natural resources through
the adoption of practices that integrate conservation needs and
development priorities.

The components of biodiversity, as defined in the Convention on Biological

Diversity, include ecosystems and habitats, species and communities, and
genes and genomes, all of which have social, economic, cultural and scientific
importance. This PS addresses how clients can avoid or mitigate threats to

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biodiversity arising from their operations as well as incorporate sustainable
management of renewable natural resources 1.

PS 6 recognises that protecting and conserving biodiversity—the variety of life

in all its forms, including genetic, species and ecosystem diversity—and its
ability to change and evolve, is fundamental to sustainable development. It
reflects the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity to conserve
biological diversity and promote use of renewable natural resources in a
sustainable manner.

For the purposes of implementation of this PS, habitats are divided into
modified, natural and critical. Critical habitats are a subset of modified or
natural habitats. For the protection and conservation of biodiversity, the
mitigation hierarchy includes biodiversity offsets, which may be considered
only after appropriate avoidance, minimization, and restoration measures
have been applied. A biodiversity offset should be designed and implemented
to achieve measurable conservation outcomes that can reasonably be expected
to result in no net loss and preferably a net gain of biodiversity; however, a net
gain is required in critical habitats. The design of a biodiversity offset must
adhere to the “like-for-like or better” principle and must be carried out in

PS 7: Indigenous Peoples

PS 7 acknowledges the possibility of vulnerability of indigenous people 2

owing to their culture, beliefs, institutions and living standards, and that it
may further get compromised by one or other project activity throughout the
life cycle of the project. The PS underlines the requirement of avoiding /
minimizing adverse impacts on indigenous people in a project area, respecting
the local culture and customs, fostering good relationship and ensuring that
development benefits are provided to improve their standard of living and
livelihoods.

PS 7 recognises that Indigenous Peoples, as social groups with identities that

are distinct from dominant groups in national societies, are often among the
most marginalised and vulnerable segments of the population. The term
“indigenous people” is more clearly defined in the IFC Guidance Note for PS
7.

Objectives of PS 7 underscore the need to:

1Given the complexity in predicting project impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services over the long term, the client
should adopt a practice of adaptive management in which the implementation of mitigation and management measures
are responsive to changing conditions and the results of monitoring throughout the project’s lifecycle.

2 There is no universally accepted definition of “Indigenous Peoples.” Indigenous Peoples may be referred to in different
countries by such terms as “Indigenous ethnic minorities,” “aboriginals,” “hill tribes,” “minority nationalities,” “scheduled
tribes,” “first nations,” or “tribal groups.” This Performance Standard applies to communities or groups of Indigenous
Peoples who maintain a collective attachment, i.e., whose identity as a group or community is linked, to distinct habitats or
ancestral territories and the natural resources therein. It may also apply to communities or groups that have lost collective
attachment to distinct habitats or ancestral territories in the project area, occurring within the concerned group members’
lifetime, because of forced severance, conflict, government resettlement programs, dispossession of their lands, natural
disasters, or incorporation of such territories into an urban area.

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• ensure that the development process fosters full respect for the human
rights, dignity, aspirations, culture, and natural resource-based livelihoods
of Indigenous Peoples;
• anticipate and avoid adverse impacts of projects on communities of
Indigenous Peoples, or when avoidance is not possible, to minimize
and/or compensate for such impacts;
• promote sustainable development benefits and opportunities for
Indigenous Peoples in a culturally appropriate manner;
• establish and maintain an on-going relationship based on Informed
Consultation and Participation (ICP) with the Indigenous Peoples affected
by a project throughout the project’s life-cycle;
• ensure the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of the Affected
Communities of Indigenous Peoples when the circumstances described in
this Performance Standard are present; and
• respect and preserve the culture, knowledge, and practices of Indigenous
Peoples.

This PS also defines the private sector responsibilities where Government is

managing indigenous peoples issues and states that where the government
has a defined role in the management of Indigenous Peoples issues in relation
to the project, the client will collaborate with the responsible government
agency, to the extent feasible and permitted by the agency, to achieve
outcomes that are consistent with the objectives of this Performance Standard.
In addition, where government capacity is limited, the client will play an
active role during planning, implementation, and monitoring of activities to
the extent permitted by the agency. In this process, the client may need to
include: (i) the plan, implementation, and documentation of the process of ICP
and engagement and FPIC where relevant; (ii) a description of the
government-provided entitlements of affected Indigenous Peoples; (iii) the
measures proposed to bridge any gaps between such entitlements, and the
requirements of this Performance Standard; and (iv) the financial and
implementation responsibilities of the government agency and/or the client.

PS 8: Cultural Heritage

PS 8 aims to protect the irreplaceable cultural heritage and to guide clients on

protecting cultural heritage in the course of their business operations. In
addition, the requirements of this PS on a project’s use of cultural heritage are
based in part on standards set by the Convention on Biological Diversity.

PS 8 recognises the importance of cultural heritage with an objective to:

• Protect cultural heritage from the adverse impacts of project activities and
support its preservation; and
• Promote the equitable sharing of benefits from the use of cultural heritage
in business activities.

The PS requires the project proponent to comply with relevant national law on
the protection of cultural heritage, including national law implementing the
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 host country’s obligations under the Convention Concerning the Protection of the
World Cultural and Natural Heritage and other relevant international law.

The requirements of this Performance Standard apply to cultural heritage

regardless of whether or not it has been legally protected or previously
disturbed. The requirements of this PS do not apply to cultural heritage of
Indigenous Peoples; PS 7 describes those requirements.

2.7.2 IFC Project Categorization

As part of its review of a project’s expected social and environmental impacts,

IFC uses a system of social and environmental categorisation. This
categorisation is used to reflect the size of impacts understood as a result of
the client’s social and environmental assessment and to specify IFC’s
institutional requirements. The IFC categories are:

• Category A Projects: Projects with potential significant adverse social or

environmental impacts that are diverse, irreversible or unprecedented;
• Category B Projects: Projects with potential limited adverse social or
environmental impacts that are few in number, generally site-specific,
largely reversible and readily addressed through mitigation measures;
• Category C Projects: Projects with minimal or no adverse social or
environmental impacts, including certain financial intermediary (FI)
projects with minimal or no adverse risks;
• Category FI Projects: All FI projects excluding those that are Category C projects.

IFC therefore categorises project primarily according to the significance and

nature of impacts. IFC defines the project's area of influence as the primary
project site(s) and related facilities that the client (including its contractors)
develops or controls; associated facilities that are not funded as part of the
project (funding may be provided separately by a client or a third party
including the government), and whose viability and existence depend
exclusively on the project and whose goods or services are essential for the
successful operation of a project; areas potentially impacted by cumulative
impacts from further planned development of a project; and areas potentially
affected by impacts from unplanned but predictable developments caused by
the project that may occur later or at a different location. The area of influence
does not include potential impacts that would occur without a project or
independently of a project.

2.7.3 Categorisation of the Project

Project Classification as per IFC Performance Standards

With reference to the IFC’s environmental and social screening criteria, it is

anticipated that the proposed Project will fall under Category A for the
following reasons:

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 • Irreversible: Environmental and social impacts of the project are
anticipated during the construction and operation of the power plant. The
irreversible impacts will encompass increase noise and vibration during
the plant construction and operation, change in air quality due to existing,
proposed and future projects, impact on aquatic ecology due to water
intake from river, occupational health and safety issues, community health
and safety issues, risks due to storage and handling of highly flammable
chemicals and associated development in the area. These impacts will
irreversible in nature without any mitigation measures and hence require
proper attention to mitigate and minimise the overall impact in the project
influence area.
• Cumulative: Cumulative impacts on physical, biological and socio-
economic environmental conditions are anticipated due to existing S1
project and proposed S2 and S3 projects within the same complex. The
nature of projects is similar and this will lead to increase in magnitude of
impacts due to operations of all the plants in the complex.
• Unprecedented: The Project is a brownfield project. The Project site is a
developed land, already earmarked for the 400 MW ± 10% dual fuel fired
power plant. An operational dual fuel fired power plant is located
adjacent to the Project site within the Saidabad Power Generation
Complex. Associated infrastructure in the form of Approach road, HSD
pipeline, Gas pipeline RoW, jetty, boundary wall, switch yard already
exist. In addition, the GOB has proposed to set up an economic zone in an
area of about 1000 acres in the southern and western part of the Saidabad
Power Generation Complex. The Project and its impacts are therefore
having precedence; however, the development will attract more industrial
and infrastructure development in the neighbourhood, which is to some
extent unprecedented. There will be no change of land use due to the
Plant, however, associated infrastructure for water pipeline and gas
pipeline will require some government non-agricultural khas land.

2.7.4 IFC EHS Guidelines

The Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) General Guidelines 1 (April 30, 2007)
will be applicable for this Project. In addition to that, IFC’s Sector specific EHS
Guidelines for Thermal Power Plants 2 (December 19, 2008) will also apply.

2.8 APPLICABLE EHS STANDARDS

As per the Additional General Instructions (Section 6.4 of the RFP for the
Project), the Project shall have to comply with Bangladesh environmental,

(1) 1
http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/sustainability.nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/gui_EHSGuidelines2007_GeneralEHS/$FILE/Final+-
+General+EHS+Guidelines.pdf

(2) 2
http://www1.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/dfb6a60048855a21852cd76a6515bb18/FINAL_Thermal%2BPower.pdf?MOD=AJ
PERES&id=1323162579734

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 health and safety laws and World Bank Group Guidelines with special
attention to comply with the Bangladesh (GOB Environmental Conservation
Rule 1997) and World Bank Group requirements regarding air emissions
(December 2008).

Therefore, the EHS standards as stipulated in ECR 1997 and amendments

thereof as well as in the IFC EHS guidelines (General and Thermal Power
Plant specific) for air quality, surface and ground water quality, ambient noise
levels, emissions and effluent discharge will be applicable. Further, from the
existing substation and transmission lines, electro-magnetic field and corona
noise effects may have some impacts, which will be used by the proposed
project as well.

2.9 APPLICABLE ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS BOTH NATIONAL AND

INTERNATIONAL

The relevant environmental standards (national as well as international) for

thermal power plants as applicable to the proposed Project are presented in
the following tables:

Table 2.5 Air Emission Standards/ Guidelines

Parameter Unit Bangladesh* World Bank**

PM10 mg/Nm3 150 50 (liquid fuel)
- N/A (natural gas)
SO2 - Use less than 0.5%
sulphur fuel (liquid fuel)
- N/A (natural gas)
NOx mg/Nm3 - 152 (74 ppm) – liquid fuel
mg/Nm3 30 ppm 51 (25 ppm) – natural gas
Dry Gas, Excess O2 % 15 (natural gas)
content
% 15 (liquid fuel)
Note:
* Schedule 11 (Standards for Gaseous Emission from Industries or Projects) of the Environmental
Conservation Rules, 1997.
** Emission Guidelines for Combustion Turbines, WB/IFC EHS Guidelines for Thermal Power Plants
(Source: EU (LCP Directive 2001/80/EC October 23 2001), EU (Liquid Fuel Quality Directive
1999/32/EC, 2005/33/EC), US (NSPS for Stationary Combustion Turbines, Final Rule – July 6, 2006).
Represents the standard values applicable to the Project.

Table 2.6 Ambient Air Quality Standards/ Guidelines

Parameter Bangladesh** WHO ***

24 hourly (µg/m3) Annual (µg/m3) 24 hourly (µg/m3) Annual (µg/m3)
SPM 200 - - -
PM10 150 50 50 20
PM2.5 65 15 25 (guideline) 10
SO2 365 80 20 -
NOx - 100 - 40
CO* 10,000 - 10,000 -
Note:
* CO concentrations and standards are 8-hourly only.
** The Bangladesh National Ambient Air Quality Standards have been taken from the Environmental
Conservation Rules, 1997 which was amended on 19th July 2005 vide S.R.O. No. 220-Law/2005.

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 *** WHO Ambient Air Quality Guideline Values (2005 and 2000), which are also being referred in the
World Bank and IFC’s General EHS Guidelines (2007)
Represents the standard values applicable to the Project.

As per the WB/IFC General EHS guidelines, ambient air quality results need
to be compared with the relevant ambient air quality guidelines and standards
by applying national legislated standards, or in their absence, the current
WHO air quality guidelines or other internationally recognised sources, such
as the United States National Ambient Air Quality Standards and the relevant
European Council Directives. Since, Bangladesh has its own national ambient air
quality standards, these local standards are considered as the applicable standard for
the project.

Table 2.7 Effluent Standards/ Guidelines

Parameter Unit Bangladesh* WB/IFC**

pH - 6-9 6-9
Total Suspended mg/l 150 50
Solids (TSS)
Oil and grease mg/l 10 10
Total residual mg/l - 0.2
chlorine
Chromium (total) mg/l 0.5 0.5
Copper mg/l 0.5 0.5
Iron mg/l 2.0 1.0
Zinc mg/l 5.0 1.0
Lead mg/l 0.1 0.5
Cadmium mg/l 0.5 0.1
Mercury mg/l 0.01 0.005
Arsenic mg/l 0.2 0.5
Temperature increase °C 40 (summer) Site specific
at the edge of the 45 (winter) requirement to be
mixing zone established by the EA.
Elevated temperature
areas due to discharge
of once-through
cooling water (e.g., 1
Celsius above, 2
Celsius above, 3
Celsius above ambient
water temperature)
should be minimized
by adjusting intake
and outfall design
through the project
specific EA depending
on the sensitive
aquatic ecosystems
around the discharge
point.
Note:
* Schedule 10 (Standards for Waste from Industrial Units or Projects Waste) of the Environmental
Conservation Rules, 1997.
** Effluent Guidelines, WB/IFC EHS Guidelines for Thermal Power Plants.
Represents the standard values applicable to the Project.

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Table 2.8 Standards for Sewage Discharge

Parameter Unit Standard Limit (Bangladesh)*

BOD mg/l 40
Nitrate mg/l 250
Phosphate mg/l 35
Suspended Solid mg/l 100
Temperature °C 30
Coliform No./100 ml 1000
Notes:
(1) This limit shall be applicable to discharges into surface and inland waters bodies.
(2) Sewage shall be chlorinated before final discharge.
* Schedule 9 (Standards for Sewage Discharge) of the Environmental Conservation Rules, 1997

Table 2.9 Noise Level Standards/ Guidelines

Category of Bangladesh* IFC-WHO***

Area/ Receptor Day (dB(A)) Night (dB(A)) Day (dB(A)) Night (dB(A))
Silent Zone 45 35 55 45
Residential Area 55 45 55 45
Mixed Area 60 50 - -
Commercial Area 70 60 70 70
Industrial Area 75 70 70 70
Note:
* The Bangladesh National Ambient Noise Standards have been taken from Schedule 4 (Standards for
Sound) of the Environmental Conservation Rules, 1997 amended September 7, 2006.
** Guidelines values are for noise levels measured out of doors. Source: Guidelines for Community
Noise, World Health Organization (WHO), 1999.
*** As per IFC EHS noise level guidelines, Noise impacts should not exceed the levels presented in the
above table or result in a maximum increase in background levels of 3 dB at the nearest receptor
location off-site.
Represents the standard values applicable to the Project.

In addition to the above, working noise limits which trigger noise protection
to be provided to the workers shall be 85 dB(A) for an exposure duration of 8
hours per day. For every 3 dB(A) increase in sound levels, the ‘allowed’
exposure period or duration should be reduced by 50 percent 1.

It is evident from the above tables that except noise level standards, the
WB/IFC guidelines are more stringent than the local standards. The RFQ for
the Project (Section 6.4 of RFQ) also states that the Project shall comply with
the Bangladesh environmental, health and safety laws and World Bank Group
Guidelines. Hence, it is mandatory for the Project to meet the more stringent
standards, as necessary.

Dutch Criteria for Assessment of Soil

There is no Bangladesh soil or groundwater regulation/standard. In the

absence of local country standards, it is ERM’s practice to use ‘Dutch Ministry
of Public Housing, Land-use and Environmental Guidelines - Soil and
Groundwater Standards’ to assess soil and groundwater quality and to
determine the need, if any, for remedial action.

1 The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), 2006

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 The most recent issue of the Dutch Standards is published in the ‘Soil
Remediation Circular in 2009. These standards are used in the Netherlands to
evaluate and provide targeted ‘clean-up’ levels for a range of possible
pollutants in soils and groundwater (Table 2.11.)

The contaminants are subdivided into two categories (‘T’) and (‘I’), depending
upon the concentrations, and classified as follows:
• ‘T’ (Target) Values characteristic of clean, uncontaminated soils and waters;
and
• ‘I’ (Intervention) Values define sites where some form of intervention
would be required.

Table 2.10 Target values and soil remediation intervention values and background
concentrations soil/sediment and groundwater for metals

Metals EARTH/SEDIMENT (mg/kg dry matter)

Dutch National Target Value Intervention Value
background
concentration (BC) (incl. BC)
Antimony 3 3 15
Arsenic 29 29 55
Barium 160 160 625
Cadmium 0.8 0.8 12
Cobalt 100 100 380
Copper 9 9 240
Mercury 0.3 0.3 10
Lead 85 85 530
Molybdenum 0.5 3 200
Nickel 35 35 210
Zinc 140 140 720
Source: Dutch Ministry of Public Housing, Land-use and Environmental Guidelines Soil and
Groundwater Standards
Values for soil/sediment have been expressed as the concentration in a standard soil (10% organic matter
and 25% clay).

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3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

3.1 PRELUDE

The Project Description sets out the scope of the Project features and activities,
with particular reference to the aspects which can impact on the environment.
Details of the Project facilities’ design characteristics, as well as planned and
unplanned Project activities, are provided in the subsequent sections of this
chapter.

The proposed dual fuel CCPP of 413.792 MW (Gas)/333.02 MW (HSD) will be

located in district Sirajganj of Rajshahi division in north-western region of
Bangladesh. The Project will be implemented BOO basis under the GOB’s PPP
program. The Plant will operate on natural gas as its primary fuel and is
designed to operate on HSD for short periods of time as the back-up fuel in
case of interruptions in gas supply. The electrical capacity and electricity
generated will be sold under a 22 year Power Purchase Agreement (“PPA”)
with the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB). SNWPCL will enter
into a GSA with PGCL, a subsidiary of state-owned Petrobangla and a FSA
with state-owned BPC for natural gas and HSD supply to the Plant,
respectively. The water requirements for the Project will be met through
Jamuna River, which is flowing on the eastern part of the Project site. As back
up of water supply, ground water may be considered which is subject to the
local authority approval. A 230 kV switch yard/ sub-station will also be
constructed at the site as part of the Project and will be connected to the
existing 230 kV substation for power evacuation from the Project. The PGCB
grid station is situated adjacent towards north of the site.

3.2 LOCATION

The Project site is located within the Saidabad Power Generation Complex,
located in Saidabad Union of the Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla in the Sirajganj
District of Bangladesh. The Power Generation Complex is situated about 10
km from the Sirajganj District Headquarters and located about 2 km south-
west of the Bangbandhu (Jamuna Multipurpose) Bridge. The Saidabad Power
Generation Complex also has a newly constructed 225 MW dual fuel CCPP of
NWPGCL, which is operational with combined cycle since July 2014.

The aerial view of the land already acquired by BPDB for the Saidabad Power
Generation Complex with demarcation of Sirajganj 4 Project site on it is
presented in Figure 3.1 and the site layout plan of the Project has been
presented in Figure 3.2. The entire power generation complex has been raised
during the site preparation by BPDB and an embankment about 4-5 m high
has been constructed all along the site for flood protection, which is clearly

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visible in the aerial view of the area. 1 Towards the river side concrete boulders
have also been placed (refer Box 3.1). The Project site co-ordinates are as
follows:

• NW corner: 24°23'14.16"N, 89°44'32.53"E

• NE corner: 24°23'14.24"N, 89°44'39.82"E
• SE corner: 24°23'2.45"N, 89°44'39.99"E
• SW corner: 24°23'2.45"N, 89°44'32.47"E

1The
site preparation work was being done in the year 2006-2007. As per the information provided by the District
Administration, the land was government khas land.

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Figure 3.1 Aerial View of the Project Site in Sirajganj Power Generation Complex

Source: Developed based on reconnaissance survey on Google Earth Pro (Imagery Date: 15 April 2014)

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Figure 3.2 Layout Plan of Saidabad Power Generation Complex showing Sirajganj 4 Location

Source: NWPGCL

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Box 3.1 Flood Protection Measures – Saidabad Power Generation Complex

Source: ERM Site Visit (6 and 7 February 2015)

3.3 KEY FEATURES OF THE SITE AND SURROUNDINGS

The Project site with key features in the surrounding areas is presented in
Figure 3.3 The Project site is located on the western bank of the Jamuna River
and falls within the active floodplain of the river. The site is an elevated (by
land filling) and developed landmass, which is barren and unutilised at
present and part of the Saidabad Power Generation Complex. The site is
almost flat, with a gentle slope towards the south-east direction. The land has
been developed for setting up the power plant and is connected with the
National Highway (Dhaka – Rajshahi Road) by a dedicated access road that is
approximately 6 m wide and 1.5 km long (Box 3.2). The access road is suitable
for transportation of equipment and material for setting up the Plant and same
was used earlier by NWPGCL for construction of the 225 MW CCGT plant. A
valve station of Gas Transmission Company Limited (“GTCL”) is located next
to the access road near the highway and a Right of Way (RoW) of about 1.5
km, for gas supply to the Saidabad Power Generation Complex is already
available for the existing 225 MW CCGT plant. A gas pipeline and a HSD
pipeline for supplying gas and HSD to the NWPGCL power plant already
exists (Box 3.3). Another gas pipeline for the Project will be laid next to the
existing gas and HSD supply pipelines of NWPGCL from the GTCL Valve
Station.

In the close vicinity (within 2 km from the centre) of the Project site, habitation
is only present in the western, north-western and southern parts and the
nearest habitations are Khas Bara Simul and Bara Shimul Panchosona villages of
Saidabad Union. The nearest residential properties in each compass direction
is as follows:
• Bara Shimul Panchosona Village – Approximately 220 m west from the
Project Site boundary;
• Bara Shimul Village – Approximately 400 m west-north-west from Project
Site boundary;
• Punorbason Village – Approximately 800 m north-west from Project Site
boundary;

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• Chak Boira Village – Approximately 900 m south from Project Site
Boundary;
• Dharma Tatulia Village – Approximately 1,100 m south-west from Project
Site boundary.

The northern part of the power generation complex and eastern part of the
access road is the land allocated to the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (“BBA”).
The land contains the West Guide Bund, an access road and dense plantation
at present and is being maintained by BBA. To the East of the complex is
Government Khas Land 1 and dried Channel of River Jamuna followed by
Right Channel of Jamuna River, whereas to the southern of the complex is a
dried channel of Jamuna River and Government Khas Land. The habitation is
present on the other side of dried channel in this direction.

1Any land lost by river erosion and reappearing later on due to changes of river courses (accretion) is owned by the
government and declared as Khas Land (state-owned land).

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Figure 3.3 Key Features in the Surroundings

Source: Google Earth Pro (Imagery Date: 15 April 2014) and site reconnaissance survey (February 2015)

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Figure 3.4 Location of PGCL Facility and RMS with Gas Pipeline Alignment

Source: Draft Gas Supply Agreement and Proposed Plan of Power Generation Complex

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Box 3.2 Approach Road

Approach Road connecting National Highway Approach Road near Entrance to Saidabad
Power Generation Complex
Source: ERM Site Visit (February 2015)

Box 3.3 HSD and Natural Gas Arrangement of NWPGCL

HSD Pumping Station of NWPGCL at Dedicated Railway Siding of NWPGCL and

Bangbandhu Bridge West Railway Station Pumping Arrangement

GTCL Valve Station with Pillars indicating Underground HSD Pipeline Pillar and
Underground Gas Pipeline RoW Cathode Protection
Source: ERM Site Visit (February 2015)

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Box 3.4 Surrounding Features of Saidabad Power Generation Complex

West Guide Bund of BBA Internal Road Connecting to West Guide Bund

Plantation in BBA Land Open BBA Land – North of PGCB Sub-station

Khas Land – Towards East of Power Agricultural Activity – South of NWPGCL

Generation Complex Jetty

Agricultural Activity – West of Saidabad Agricultural Activity – West of Approach

Power Generation Complex Road
Source: ERM Site Visit (November 2012 and February 2015)

The River Jamuna forms the boundary of the Sirajganj and Tangail Districts.
The Jamuna River is a very dynamic braided river. Channel development and
abandonment is a very commonly observed annual phenomenon.
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 Considering the erosion taking place every year during the monsoon season,
and also to provide rail/road connectivity across the Jamuna River near
Sirajganj, construction of Jamuna Bridge was started in 1995. The route of the
Jamuna River around the location of the Jamuna Bridge changed significantly
after the building of the Bridge. Currently the main river channel is about 1.5
km from the Project site. However, there is a connecting channel, which is
about 0.5 km to the east of the Project site (refer to Figure 3.3). Currently water
availability in this channel is only during the monsoon season. It was
observed during the site visit that this channel was not connected with the
main channel due to siltation. A jetty has also been constructed at the south-
eastern part of the power generation complex; however this does not reach the
current path of the Main River or connecting channel. The jetty is 6 – 7 m
higher than the level of the dry channel located some 50 m away (Box 3.5).

Box 3.5 NWPGCL Jetty

NWPGCL Jetty NWPGCL Jetty and dried adjoining Channel

Source: ERM Site Visit (November 2012 and February 2015)

The entire Saidabad Power Generation Complex and access road has been
elevated about 1m above the highest flood level and appropriate
embankments have been constructed. Concrete boulders have also been
placed along the embankment in the southern and eastern part of the complex
boundary to provide additional protection from erosion (Box 3.1). In addition
an embankment for protection of the Bangabandhu Bridge has also been
constructed along the channel and a dense plantation has been planted by
BBA on the land adjacent to it (Box 3.4).

Agricultural practices are being carried out in the adjacent western and north-
western areas of the power generation complex. It has been reported that the
agricultural areas lying along the western boundary of the Project site are at
present used for growing crops throughout the year and these agricultural
lands are moderately to significantly affected by floods in the monsoon
season. Agricultural practices are being carried out in the adjacent western
and north-western areas of the Power Generation Complex (Box 3.4).

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3.4 SURVEY INFORMATION

Topographical survey map of the Project site is shown in Figure 3.5. The site
elevation varies from 14.3 m above MSL on the southern side to 15.85 m above
MSL on the northern side. Average elevation of the site is about 15 m above
MSL. Detailed topographical survey map of the site is included as Annex G.

3.5 SIZE AND MAGNITUDE OF OPERATIONS

The main power block of the Plant will consist of one dual fuel gas turbine
(GT), one steam turbine (ST), one heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and
bypass and exhaust stacks. Black start and emergency diesel generators will be
provided to provide black start and safe shutdown capabilities.

The Plant will be constructed to have a minimum continuous rating (MCR)

capacity of 413.8 MW (net) output of combined cycle with natural gas as fuel,
at the high voltage side of the outgoing terminals of the 230 kV transformer,
corrected to the Reference Conditions at 0.85 power factor (lag). However with
HSD as fuel, the net capacity of combined cycle will be 333.0 MW. The simple
cycle output capacity with natural gas will be 282.0 MW (net) at the high
voltage side of the outgoing terminals of the 230 kV transformer corrected to
the Reference Conditions at 0.85 power factor (lag), whereas with HSD as fuel
will be 236.8 MW. The overall performance of the CCPP based on 100 % load
is outlined in Table 3.1

Table 3.1 Overall Performance of Facility

Description Unit Gas HSD

Stage Simple Combined Simple Combined
Cycle Cycle Cycle Cycle
Gross capacity MW 288.9 427.18 243.73 342.37
Net capacity(1) MW 282.0 413.792 236.805 333.02
Auxiliary load(2) % 2.1% 2.8% 2.5% 2.4%
Heating Value of Fuel 0.95 MMBTU/MSCF 10,280 kcal/kg
Net plant heat rate(3) kJ/kWh 10,679 7,278 10,029 6,841
Source: Technical Specifications given by SNWPCL
(1) Preliminary figures provided by EPC are adjusted for degradation
(2) Auxiliary load expressed as a % of gross value
(3) HSD heat rate is quoted in LHV while Gas heat rate is quoted in HHV as per RFP

The basic process flow diagram of the power plant is included in Figure 3.6. A
3-dimentional Virtual Plan of the Sirajganj 4 Project has been presented in
Figure 3.7 and general layout of the Project within the Saidabad Power
Generation Complex has been presented in Figure 3.8.

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Figure 3.5 Topographic Survey of the Site

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Figure 3.6 Process Flow Diagram

Source: SNWPCL

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Figure 3.7 3-D Virtual Plan of Sirajganj 4 Project

Source: SNWPCL

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Figure 3.8 General Layout of the Project

Source: SNWPCL

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3.6 KEY COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT

The key Project components are as follows:

• Gas Turbine;
• Heat Recovery Steam Generator;
• Steam Turbine;
• Steam Turbine Condenser;
• Fuel Gas Compression and Conditioning System;
• HSD Storage;
• Water System including cooling water system;
• Electrical System
• Connection from S4 switch yard to PGCB sub-station
• Air Conditioning and Ventilation System; and
• Control and Instrumentation System.
• New RMS for natural gas compression and conditioning
• New natural gas pipeline from GTCL Valve Station to the RMS of S4
Project
• New water pipeline of about 4.0 km from River Jamuna, water intake
structure and water pump house
• HSD pipeline from the tapping point provided in HSD pipeline within
Saidabad Power Generation Complex.
• Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) and Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) with 4
m3/hr capacity each

3.6.1 Gas Turbine

The Project will have a heavy duty, single shaft M701F4 gas turbine that will
be directly coupled to a 50 Hz generator. A new and clean M701F4
combustion turbine makes 282 MW at a heat rate of 10,679 kJ/ kWh (HHV)
under reference conditions. The GT will be installed within an acoustic,
ventilated enclosure with fire detection and protection systems. The GT will
have all associated ancillary equipment and systems required for the safe,
efficient and reliable operation of the unit under Simple and Combined Cycle
modes. The combustion turbine specifications are shown in Table 3.2.

Table 3.2 Gas Turbine Generator Specification

Particular Unit Details

Combustion Turbine Manufacturer - Mitsubishi
Model/ Type - M701F4
Net Output kW 281,911 (Gas)
236,805 (HSD)
Heat Rate at 100% load kJ/kWh 10,679 (Gas)
10,029 (HSD)
RPM - 3,000

The gas turbine generator (GTG) will be installed in a GT Building. The GTG
will be capable of operation with their exhaust gases passing into the
associated heat recovery steam generator, or as simple open cycle turbine
generators, exhausting directly to atmosphere via an exhaust gas damper and

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 the bypass stack, located on the exhaust ducting upstream of the heat recovery
boiler.

All cooling requirements for the turbine shall be met using heat exchangers,
fed from either the Closed Circuit Water (CCW) system or Cooling Water
(CW) system.

Control of emissions of NOx will be achieved by Dry Low NOx (DLN)

burners. The gas turbines will be equipped with dual fuel systems, capable of
burning the specified fuel gas and back-up fuel oil.

A Gas Detection System (GDS) will be provided to warn operation personnel

immediately in the event of a leakage within the gas turbine and skid area.
The detectors will be infrared (IR), suitable for natural gas detection, and will
be located in front of the CTG enclosure ventilation fans and in the area of the
fuel gas valves. Audible and visual alarms will be located in the supervised
areas and at the control station. In addition, a Fire Detection System (FDS) will
be provided at the following areas of the gas turbine building:

• Gas turbine combustion chamber equipped with flame and heat detectors;
• Lube oil skid equipped with smoke and heat detectors;
• Hydraulic skid equipped with smoke detectors;
• Generator bearings equipped with smoke detectors;
• Fuel gas skid equipped with smoke and heat detectors; and
• Power control containers equipped with smoke detectors.

3.6.2 Heat Recovery Steam Generator

The HRSG will be of a triple pressure, unfired, natural circulation and

horizontal type, in accordance with the manufacturer’s standard design and
will be combined with the combustion turbine. The HRSG will mainly consist
of an inlet gas duct, boiler (heating surfaces, steel structure and casing); outlet
gas duct; main stack; high pressure (HP) and intermediate pressure (IP)
drums; deaerator; piping trims; and auxiliaries, such as feed water pump, LP
recirculation pumps and blow down tank. In addition, an economizer,
evaporator, and super-heater tube bank section(s) with finned tubing, as
appropriate, will be included to maximize heat transfer. Exhaust gas from the
combustion turbine will enter into the HRSG through the inlet duct and will
flow horizontally across heating surfaces and then exhaust through the outlet
duct and stack.

The HRSG will be sized to operate over the full range of ambient temperatures
specified. The HRSG consists of an economizer, evaporator, and super-heater
tube bank section(s) with finned tubing, as appropriate, to maximize heat
transfer. No supplemental firing facilities will be installed.

All pressure parts will be designed, manufactured and will be tested in

accordance with “ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section 1, Power
Boilers” or equivalent standards.
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 The HRSG will exhaust through a separate stack of approximately 60 m to
provide for adequate dispersion of flue gases in accordance with the
environmental standards requirements. The HRSG specification is provided
in Table 3.3.

Table 3.3 Heat Recovery Steam Generator Specifications

High Pressure Section

Maximum continuous capacity 87.1 kg/s
Rated steam outlet pressure 127.8 Bar(a)
Rated steam outlet temperature 569° C
Intermediate Pressure Section
Maximum continuous capacity 96.01 kg/s
Rated steam outlet pressure 25.15 Bar(a)
Rated steam outlet temperature 569° C
Low Pressure Section
Maximum continuous capacity 6.72 kg/s
Rated steam outlet pressure 3.97 Bar(a)
Rated steam outlet temperature 308° C
Source: SNWPCL

3.6.3 Steam Turbine

The ST will be of proven design and directly coupled to a 50 Hz generator to

produce 142.5 MW. The ST exhaust and condenser configuration will be in
accordance to manufacturer’s standard design. The ST will be sized to pass
the entire quantity of steam generated by the HRSG over the full range of
ambient temperatures specified.

The condensing Steam Turbine Generator (STG) will be of proven design and
complete with all auxiliary oil and steam systems. The steam turbine will be
directly coupled to a 50 Hz generator. The STG installed will be designed to
ensure a long creep life, cyclic duty and fast start-up.

The STG will be installed indoors for environmental protection (e.g., dust and
rains) and to provide acoustic attenuation. The STG building will include an
overhead travelling crane suitable for lifting the maximum heavy load for
maintenance activities and suitable indoor laydown areas for plant
maintenance. The steam turbine will be sized to pass the entire quantity of
steam generated by the HRSG over the full range of ambient temperatures
specified. The STG specifications are outlined in Table 3.4.

Table 3.4 Steam Turbine Generator Specifications

Particular Unit Details

Manufacturer - Dongfang/ equivalent
Net Output MW 142.5 MW (Gas)
105.9 MW (HSD)
Source: SNWPCL

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3.6.4 Steam Turbine Condensers

The steam turbine condenser will be designed and constructed with sufficient
margin and spare surface area for the maximum heat rejection duty under
both normal operation and turbine bypass operation conditions for the
operating regime specified. The condenser will be cooled by the cooling water
system.

On the water side, the condenser will be divided vertically into two
independent water paths. This arrangement will facilitate the operation of one
half of the condenser when the other half is under maintenance.

The condenser will be provided with integral air cooling zone from where air
and non-condensable gases are continuously drawn out with the help of air
evacuation system.

3.6.5 Feed Water System

The feed water system will provide sufficient and reliable feed water to the
HRSG. Feed water flow rate shall be approximately 100 kg/sec and the quality
shall be in accordance with Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and
HRSG Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) recommendations. The feed
water system will include necessary feed water heaters, de-aerators, feed
water pumps, control valves and auxiliaries. One feed water pump will be in
service during 100% plant output with another pump on standby. Each feed
water pump is provided with intermediate take-off to provide cooling water
supply for pressure reducing stations.

3.6.6 Cooling Water System

The main cooling water system will provide cooling water to the steam
turbine condenser by means of cooling water pumps installed in the cooling
tower basin. The warm water from the condenser is returned to the multi-cell
induced draft cooling tower, where it is cooled and collected in the cooling
tower basin for return to cool the condenser. The induced draft cooling tower
will be provided with the capacity for maximum heat rejection duty under all
steam turbine operation conditions for the design conditions specified. The
cooling tower shall have sufficient cells to allow for one cell to remain in
standby under reference operating conditions.

The cooling tower will contain clarified raw water. A cooling tower chemical
injection system will be provided to maintain the appropriate cooling tower
chemistry. The Cooling water chemistry will be maintained at approximately
5 cycles of concentration (COC) 1. Cooling Water blow down will be

1COC is the maximum allowed multiplier for the amount of miscellaneous substances in circulating water compared to the
amount of those substances in make-up water. Higher cycles of concentration mean more water reuse and, therefore,
correspondingly less make-up and treatment chemical requirements. COC upto 6 is generally considered good. As cycles
increase, so does the fouling potential in the system. Suspended solids and contaminants also increase with the increased
cycles of concentration. It is usually best to limit cycles at or below 6. Further increase does not result in significant makeup
water and treatment chemical savings and may not warrant the possibility of deposit formation and system fouling.

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 discharged on the Southern boundary of the Sirajganj Power Complex. There
is an existing adjoining channel in the downstream of the outfall location. 1

3.6.7 Natural Gas System

A natural gas supply and treatment system to deliver gas will be installed in
the vicinity of the Plant to meet the required gas quality and pressure
specified by the GT manufacturer. The natural gas system will include backup
metering equipment and all necessary compressors, pressure reduction
stations, gas filter-separators, isolation and control valves, safety valves, and
other equipment. Natural gas specification as per the draft GSA has been
provided in Table 3.5.

Table 3.5 Natural Gas Specification 2

Constituent Performance Specification Design Specification

(% by Volume) (Maximum % by Volume)
Methane 96.744 85 – 100
Ethane 1.774 6
Propane 0.299 5
Butane-N 0.147 3
Butane-I 0.000
Pentane-N 0.399 2
Pentane-I 0.000
Hexane 0.016
3
Oxygen 0.000
5
Nitrogen 0.455
CO2 0.166
H2S No Data
Total Mol % 100.000
Net Specific Energy Design 49,220
LHV (KJ/KG) per ISO 6976-
1975
Gross specific energy 54,604
HHV (KJ/KG)
Source: SNWPCL

Gas Pipeline

Design of the transmission pipeline will be as per ANSI B 31.8: Gas

Transmission and Distribution Systems. The class rating will be as per ANSI
Class 600. Welding of pipeline will be as per API Standard 1104. The welding
joints will be enveloped with Heat Shrink Sleeves and the Induction Bends
with two-ply polyethylene tape (Inner Wrap and Outer Wrap). The pipeline
will have a minimum cover of 1.0 m on top of it. Cathodic protection will be

1It has been observed at the discharge point of existing Sirajganj 1 power plant that the amount of water is less and due to
that the water does not flow towards the adjoining Channel. Furthermore, during the non-monsoon season, due to lower
water level in River Jamuna and heavy siltation at the starting point of adjoining channel, there is no flow of water in the
adjoining Channel.

2The draft gas supply agreement also mentions that the supplied gas shall be commercially free from objectionable odour
and dust or other solid matter, liquid matter, gum and gum forming constituents, toxic or hazardous substances in
concentration which might interfere with the proper operation of the Facility of which might present a health and / or
safety hazard to Company’s employee and / or the general public. No foreign particle/solid material beyond five (5)
microns in size will be associated with the Gas.

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in place for the buried section of the pipeline and the design will be based on
soil resistivity.

The high-pressure gas transmission system for the supply of Gas to the
Facility will be comprised of approximately 1.5 km considering the source
point of 20”ND pipeline and as per design to be operated at maximum
operating pressure of 1000 psig and at worst condition operating pressure will
be 200 psig. This pipeline will be connected with source at one end at the
Connection Point and the other end will terminate at the inlet of the RMS. The
pipeline will be constructed on a strip of land of 8 m width (which is being
used by NWPGCL as well for its gas pipeline) and is marked as required by
the Gas Safety Rules, 1991, as amended up to 2003. No back-up gas pipeline
will be available as per GSA.

Gas Pipeline Interconnection

SNWPCL will connect to GTCL’s Common Point of Delivery of gas, located

near to the highway, about 1.5 km from the Project site. This pipeline will
provide a safe and efficient method for transporting gas. A Regulating and
Metering Station (“RMS”) will be installed by the Company to control the gas
flow to the Plant. The interface between GTCL and the Company will be at
the RMS. The gas received from GTCL will be regulated at the Site to ensure
its suitability for the GT. The gas regulation station will include two 100% gas
compressors, a filter, a pressure control valve and a flow control valve with
full NFPA (National Fire Protection Association, United States of America) fire
protection system.

RMS

The RMS will be designed, procured, installed, tested, and commissioned

subject to the approval of design and specification of the RMS from the PGCL.
The RMS specification will be as follows:

• RMS Capacity : 25% higher than the maximum daily consumption

of the facility assuming HHV of 950 BTU per SCF
but shall not at any time have HHV of less than 900
BTU per SCF (MMSCFD)
• RMS Inlet Pressure : 200 psig to 1000 psig
• RMS Delivery/ Outlet Pressure : 150 psig ± 10%
• Velocity Limits : 60ft/sec before filtration and 120 ft/sec after
filtration.
• Pressure Regulation : Working monitor, two identical streams each of
100% capacity and a full capacity by-pass with two
isolating Dynamic/Pressure Balance Plug Valves
and a Hand-Control Valve. Regulators to be of axial
flow type and having online maintenance facilities
preferably.
• Over Pressure Protection : Slam-shut-off valve and relief valves as necessary
• Outlet Pressure Fluctuation : ± 1% of set pressure

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3.6.8 HSD Supply System

HSD will be delivered via rail from BPC Depot in Chittagong/Daulatpur/

Khulna up to the nearest rail head at Saidabad (i.e. Bangbandhu Bridge West
Railway Station), which is located approximately 3 km from the Project site.
NWPGCL has constructed an HSD unloading and pumping station at the
railway station and an HSD supply pipeline has been constructed up to the
Saidabad Power Generation Complex by NWPGCL (Box 3.3). HSD supply
arrangement of NWPGCL has been presented in Figure 3.9. HSD unloading
and pumping station consist of two separate rail spurs and a pumping station
consisting of 4 operating pumps, 1 standby pump, unloading piping, transfer
piping, simplex strainers, valves, associated instrumentation, local controls
and alarms. The unloading facility that has 30 rail car connections for
unloading purposes and screw type, electric motor driven, carbon steel pumps
rated for 100m3/hr at 70m head, capable of pulling suction, have been
provided. The unloading facility has been designed to unload 3 complete
trains (consists of 30 nos. oil tanker wagon having capacity of 42 ton each
wagon) per day. The available unloading oil tanker wagons having capacity of
42 tons are available for use by BPC. BPC will use the same system for HSD
supply as per the common agreement; however the exact location of the HSD
receiving point is yet to be confirmed by SNWPCL.

Three days of HSD supply will be stored in two tanks with capacity
equivalent to 15 days operation at 80% output on HSD, while the plant is
running on Gas. The tanks will be installed on a bund of adequate size per
environmental and safety requirements. Arrangements for sending HSD
forward through pipeline will be provided. HSD heaters will also be
provided, if required, between fuel oil forwarding skid and fuel oil filtering
skid to meet the GT’s requirements of fuel oil viscosity. HSD specifications as
per the draft FSA are shown in Table 3.6.

Table 3.6 HSD Specification

Test Method Limit

Density at 15 °C, Kg/L ASTM D 1298 Min. 0.820 Max. 0.870
Colour, ASTM ASTM D 1500 Max. 3.0
Neutralization Value:
Strong Acid No, mg KOH/gm ASTM D 664 Nil
Total Acid No, mg KOH/gm ASTM D 974 Max. 0.2
Ash , % mass ASTM D 482 Max. 0.01
Carbon Residue (Conradson) ASTM D 189 Max. 0.2
On 10% bottom, % wt.
Cetane Number ASTM D 613 Min. 45
Cetane Index Calculated) ASTM D 976 Min. 45
Pour point, °C ASTM D 97 Max. 9 (Winter)**
Max.12 (Summer)**
Copper Strip Corrosion ASTM D 130 Max. No. 1
(3 hours at 100 °C)

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 Test Method Limit
Flash point, PM(cc) / Abel,°C ASTM D 93/ IP 170 Min. 32
Kinematic viscosity at 38 °C, cst ASTM D 445 Max. 9.0
Sulphur total, % mass ASTM D 4294 Max. 0.25
Sediment, % mass ASTM D 473 Max.-0.01
Water content, % vol. ASTM D 95 Max. 0.1
Distillation: 90 % vol. recovery, °C ASTM D 86 Max. 375
Sediments total D6217/DIN Max. 20
and d < 10 µm EN12662 Max. 18.0
particulates 10 ≤ d ≤ 25µm DIN51575 Max. 2.0
for light d > 25 µm Max. 0
distillate)
Ash D482 / ISO6245 Max. -100
DIN51575 /
DIN EN 2645
Vanadium DIN 51790 <1
ASTM D 3605
Lead DIN 51790 Max. 1
ASTM D 3605
Zinc DIN 51790 Max 2.0
ASTM D 3605
Total of Sodium + Potassium DIN 51790 <1
ASTM D 3605
Calcium DIN 51790 Max. 10
ASTM D 3605
Nitrogen (FBN = Fuel Bound Nitrogen) ASTM D 4629 Max. 0.015
Sulphur D3246/D5453/ Max. 0.2
ISO6326
Acid Number D664 Max. 0.1
Calorific Value Kcal/Kg Max. 10280
Note:
* [Fuel oil will be tested by the Company, to confirm compliance with the above specification.
The test result will be attached with this Agreement]
** Winter shall be the period from November to February (both months inclusive) and rest of
the months of the year shall be deemed as Summer.
Source: Sembcorp, 2014 (extracted from the Draft FSA)

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Figure 3.9 HSD Supply Arrangement of NWPGCL

Source: SNWPCL
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3.6.9 Electrical Plant and Systems Requirements

In order to meet BPDB dispatch requirements, the Plant will be designed to

meet, as a minimum, the technical limits described below:

Voltage Limits / Current Limits

Power station and system voltages will be selected from International Electro-
technical Commission (“IEC”) Standard 38, and will be capable of operating
over the range of +10% to -20% of the nominal voltage.

230 KV Substation and Switchyard

The evacuation of electric power generated by the Plant will be via two 230 kV
lines connected to the existing Sirajganj switchyard owned by PGCB. At the
Site, the Company will construct a 230 kV substation which will connect to
PGCB’s switchyard. Ownership of the substation will be transferred from the
Company to PGCB at the start of Simple Cycle operations. Thereafter, PGCB
will be responsible for operating and maintaining the substation. The
Company will be responsible for laying and terminating cables at the interface
panel, which will be provided by PGCB within the switchyard control facility
for receiving signals from the grid.

Power and Auxiliary Transformers

The Company will provide generator step-up, start-up and auxiliary

transformers for facility services, including all protection and disconnection
switches, as required.

Generators

Each generator will have a minimum short circuit ratio of more than 0.5. Each
generator will comply with IEC Standard 34 and BPDB requirements, and be
rated to match the turbine output over the full range of ambient temperatures
specified. Generator and exciter windings will have insulation that is non-
hygroscopic and of Class F type complying with IEC Standard 85, but
compliant with temperature rises of Class B type under any operating
condition within the specified output.

3.6.10 Water Supply Systems

The Plant will include the following water systems:

• Intake System
• Raw Water System
• Circulating Water System
• CW Blow-down System
• CW Make-up System
• Pre-treatment Plant Feed System
• Pre-treatment Plant
• Demineralization Plant
• Potabilisation Plant
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 • Service Water Distribution System
• Potable Water Distribution System
• DM Transfer System
• Condensate Emergency Make-up System
• AC and Ventilation System Make-up Water System
• Fire Water Supply System
• Sump pumps, drainage pumps and submersible pumps.

Key water supply systems have been described below:

Raw Water System

Raw water will be drawn from the Jamuna River for cooling tower make up
and water pre-treatment plant requirements. The raw water system will
consist of an intake structure and vertical raw water pumps. The water
supply system will be designed to maximum gross demand of water in all
modes of operation. It is proposed to provide two buried river water
pipelines, designed to meet the total pumping capacity of the water intake
pumps. Suction pipe line will be laid mostly below the existing river bank and
river bed ranging from intake mouth to pump. The pump house location will
be located immediately downstream of the West Guide Bund (WGB). Due to
presence of the WGB, the location is considered safe as no significant threat of
bank shifting is present here. From the intake mouth a suction pipe line will
be laid over the WGB Launching Apron as shown in Box 3.6. Water will be
pumped directly from the river necessitating a higher capacity pump due to
the length of the suction pipe. Strainers will be fitted to the water intake point
of suction pump to protect the pump impellers.

Box 3.6 Plan View of Water Intake Location

Source: Sembcorp

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 The IWM study had identified three alternatives for water intake location and
abstraction mechanism (refer to Section 0.0.0 for detailed analysis of
alternatives) and out of those, following mechanism has been suggested:

The intake of suction pipe will be located below lowest water level to
guarantee water supply in lean flow period and will be ahead of maximum
possible extent of char to overcome possibilities of getting silted up. In the
end, it will ensure constant water supply to the cooling tower. In this
abstraction mechanism, suction pipe line will be laid mostly below the
existing river bank and river bed ranging from intake mouth to pump as
shown in the Figure 3.11. Water will be pumped directly from river that will
necessitate higher capacity pump due to long suction pipe. Strainers should be
fitted to the water intake point of suction pump to protect the pump impellers.

Figure 3.10 Cross-section View of Preferred Option for Water Abstraction

Source: IWM Study

This abstraction mechanism has the advantage such as there is no chance of

limiting the risks of the intake point pipe being silted up. Due to the
uncertainty of the extent of the char, however there is mild risk of having
silted up intake mouth even if intake mouth is placed beyond maximum
possible extent of char. However, pump can function with silted up mouth.
The pipe needs to be laid below scour level to avoid being exposed.
Furthermore, in order to avoid the impingement and entrainment of fish
within the hydraulic zone of influence of the intake, barrier nets/ fine mesh
screens/ wedge wire screen will be provided. The details of these will be
worked out during the design of water intake abstraction system.

A raw water intake pump house pit will be constructed with pumping
capacity of approximately 600 m3/hr and head of 30 m. Two pumps (1W+1S)
will be provided at the pump house. The pipeline from the water intake point
to the pump house will be along the West Guide Bund and will be
overground, whereas after pump house, same will be underground.
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From the in-plant reservoir, raw water will be supplied to a raw water pump
house by gravity. The raw water pump house will have raw water make-up
pumps to feed the Pre-Treatment (PT) plant by means of vertical turbine
pumps (externally lubricated). An overhead storage tank for clarified water
will be provided on the top of raw water pump house to provide adequate
storage of clarified water to be used for lubrication of raw water make-up
pumps.

As back up of raw water supply from river, the construction of groundwater

wells is being considered to supply groundwater to the plant. However, the
location and numbers of groundwater wells that are needed is still being
confirmed and is subject to local authority approval.

Pre-Treatment Plant

Water from the raw-water pump house will be pumped to two (2) (2x60%
capacity) reactor type clarifiers through one (1) flow control station (with
bypass arrangement and isolating valves), one (1) RCC Aerator and one (1)
RCC stilling chamber and through the isolating gates provided at the inlet to
the inlet channels (with each channel provided with parshall flume) for each
clarifier. Clarified water will be transferred to an above ground clarified
water storage tank. Water will be pumped from this tank by CW make-up
pumps to a cold water channel downstream of the cooling tower. These CW
make-up pumps will be located inside the clarified water pump house
adjacent to the clarified water storage tank. Clarified water pumps for
supplying make-up water to A/C & ventilation system shall also be located in
this clarified water pump house. These pump will draw water from the above
mentioned clarified water tank.

From the clarified water storage tank, horizontal centrifugal split casing type
filtered water pumps located in the clarified water pump house will draw
water and supply clarified water to Demineralization plant through two (2) (1
Working + 1 Standby) dual media pressure sand filters (DMPSF). Back wash
waste from dual media pressure sand filters will be collected in a backwash
wastewater sump (in twin compartments) and will be recycled back to the
clarifiers through two (2) (1 Working + 1 Standby) vertical wet pit type
backwash wastewater transfer pumps. Filters will be provided with two (2) (1
Working + 1 Standby) air blowers for air scouring / bed fluidization during
the backwash process. One sludge pit, in twin sections will be provided to
collect the sludge from all the clarifiers periodically and each section of the pit
will be provided with agitation by recirculation from the sludge pump
discharge (jetting nozzles) system and air agitation system. The sludge will be
transferred to the sludge treatment plant by means of two (2) (1 Working + 1
Standby) sludge transfer pumps.

Demineralization (DM) Plant

The DM Plant will include the following major equipment:

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 • Dual Media Filters (DMF) to reduce suspended solids from the feed water
(2x100% capacity);
• Activated Carbon Filters (ACF), provided downstream of the DMF to
remove organics, colour and residual chlorine (2x100% capacity);
• Strongly Acidic Cation (SAC) exchange units (2x100% capacity);
• Degasser system (2x100% capacity);
• Strong Base Anion (SBA) exchange units (2x100% capacity);
• Mixed Bed (MB) exchange units (2x100%capacity);
• Air blowers for the MB units (2x100% capacity);
• Ultra filters with all accessories to remove colloidal silica (2x100%
capacity);
• An acid regeneration system;
• A alkali regeneration system;
• DM water storage tanks (2 x 500 m3 capacity);
• DM water transfer pumps (2x 100% capacity);
• SBA resin alkaline brine cleaning system; and
• A neutralizing pit.

Closed Cooling Water System for GT Auxiliaries

Closed cooling water (“CCW”) system will provide cooling water to various
CT unit auxiliary coolers like generator coolers, lube oil coolers and air
compressors. The CCW system will be in a closed circuit with Fin Fan coolers
and passivized demineralized water as cooling media. CT CCW pumps will
pump the demineralized water to various auxiliary coolers of the CT unit.

Closed Cooling Water System for ST and HRSG Auxiliaries

A CCW system will provide cooling water to various coolers associated with
the ST and HRSG auxiliary equipment, lube oil coolers and boiler feed pumps.
The primary circuit CCW pumps will pump passivized demineralized water
through Plate Heat Exchangers to various coolers of auxiliary equipment. Hot
water from these coolers will be re-circulated.

The secondary cooling water for the CCW Plate heat exchangers will be in
open cycle with raw water as cooling media. Auxiliary cooling water will be
used for cooling the vacuum pump seal coolers.

3.6.11 Control and Instrumentation System

A complete control and instrumentation system will be provided based on the

DDCMIS philosophy. This will provide controlling sequence interlocks and
equipment protection, monitoring, alarms etc. for HRSG, STG, Balance of
Plant (BOP) 1 and common plant facilities.

(1) 1 Balance of Plant stands for the power plant area excluding the power generation units (GTG, STG and HRSG) and
utilities.

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 The control requirements of the main power plant, comprising of CTG, HRSG,
STG Auxiliaries, BOP system/ equipment like CW, ACW and other water
systems, plant electrical system, etc., will require a microprocessor based
Distributed Control System (DCS).

Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) based control systems will be provided

for all other unit specific and common utility systems and auxiliary plants,
including:

• DM/PT Plant;
• Fire Protection (PLC based) and Detection System (microprocessor based);
• A/C system;
• Raw water system;
• CW chlorination system; and
• Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) system.

The control matrix for various plant systems along with control locations is
shown in Table 3.7.

Table 3.7 Control Matrix for Various Plant Systems

S. No. System/ Plant Control System Control Location

1 GT DCS Operator stations in central control room
2 HRSG DCS Operator stations in central control room
3 ST DCS Operator stations in central control room
4 DM Cooling Water DCS Operator stations in central control room
System
5 CW & ACW System Remote DCS Operator station in central control room
processor with
input & output
6 Instrument Air and DCS Operator station in central control room
Service Air Compressors
including air drying
plant
7 Fuel oil unloading, Remote DCS Operator station in central control room
storage, pressuring and processor with
heating system input & output
Local control
panel for fuel oil
unloading
8 ETP PLC Local control room
9 DM Plant PLC Local control room
10 Centralized Turbine Oil Local control
Purification System panel
11 Fire Detection and PLC based Fire protection local control room
Protection System
12 A/C system PLC based Local control room
13 Auxiliary Boiler PLC Local control room
14 Condenser online tube PLC based Field mounted PLC panel
cleaning system & self-
cleaning filter
15 River Water System Relay based Local control room
Source: SNWPCL

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3.6.12 Civil Works

The civil works will comprise of the following:

• Site preparation works including protection for lay down areas, plant
areas, site roads and drainage within plant boundary
• Security Gate House and Time Office;
• Foundations of Combustion Turbine and auxiliaries, CT buildings;
• Steam turbine building and foundations including Steam Turbine
foundations, the powerhouse building and turbine auxiliaries;
• HRSG foundations and Boiler feed water pump building;
• Bypass Stack with diverter damper foundations;
• Main Stack foundations;
• Air Intake structure;
• Control room, administration offices and electrical annex;
• Workshop Building;
• Store Building;
• Generator Step up transformer area;
• Auxiliary transformer areas;
• Gas fuel skid areas and wash water module;
• DM Plant Building with neutralizing pit, storage tank foundation,
laboratory and potable water treatment plant;
• Water treatment plant structures, foundations including cascade aerator,
parshall flume clarifier and clarified water storage tank;
• Sludge treatment plant along with pump foundations;
• Fire Engine Building;
• Laboratory;
• Canteen Building;
• Chemical and Hazardous Goods stores building and tank foundations;
• Firewater pumps foundations and pump house;
• Cooling water conduits;
• Cooling water and Auxiliary Cooling water pumps foundations and Pump
house, MCC/ Control Room for CW pumps;
• Water tank area/foundations;
• Clarified cum fire water tank foundation;
• Raw Water Intake system structures with Pump House, sump, control/
switchgear room, raw water pipe line, etc.;
• Raw water storage reservoir with pump house (requirements shall be
defined as per system finalization);
• Clarified Water System with Chlorination Plant Structure;
• Black Start and Emergency Diesel Generator foundations;
• Air Compressor House;
• Incidental earthworks;
• Plant roads, drainage and underground services viz duct bank, pits etc.;
• Miscellaneous foundations and superstructure for pipe racks etc.;
• Foundations for sewage treatment plant;
• 230 kV Switchyard with control building civil works;
• RMS Control Room and Facilities
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 • Induced Draft Cooling Towers;
• Tank farm area with tank foundations, dyke wall, paving, fencing and all
associated civil works;
• Service road along raw water pipe line; and
• Enabling works:
o Temporary Site building/office
o Fabrication Yard
o Quality Control Laboratory
o Staff Welfare Society
o First Aid Building
o Cement Godown
o Temporary Store.

3.7 RESOURCES AND UTILITIES REQUIRED FOR THE PROJECT

3.7.1 Land

Approximately 23.6 acres of land is required for the Project. In addition to this
approximately 19.3 acres of land will be required temporarily for construction
laydown area and construction workers accommodation. The land required is
currently owned by institutions including equity partner BPDB/NWPGCL
and BBA. The land will be obtained by Land Lease Agreements with
respective entities in consideration of a lease rent as per the market price.
Table 3.8 provides a summary of the land requirement for various
components of the project for both the construction and operation phase.

Table 3.8 Break-up of Land Requirement for the Project and Associated Facilities

Project Component Required Current Status of Proposed Mode of Land

Land Area Land Acquisition
(In acres)
Power Plant 16 Under Possession of The land will be obtained under a
BPDB. NWPGCL will land lease agreement (LLA) for 22
years covering the entire period of
apply for allocation.
Implementation Agreement. The
lease rent paid to BPDB offsets part
of NWPGCL’s equity stake in the
company.
Gas Receiving, 0.9 Under Possession of The Row will be granted by BPDB
Metering, BPDB to SNWPCL.
Conditioning and
Compression Station
Approach Road 0 Under Possession of BPDB grants to the Company the
BPDB right to the non-exclusive, free and
unfettered use of the Access road
throughout the term of the LLA.
Gas Supply Line 3.95 Under Possession of The RoW for gas pipeline will be
BBA obtained through a Land Lease
Agreement between BPDB and
BBA and finally right of way will
be granted by BPDB to SNWPCL.

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 Project Component Required Current Status of Proposed Mode of Land
Land Area Land Acquisition
(In acres)
Transmission Line 0 Owned by PGCB The 230KV PGCB Switchyard is
(Underground) located in the Adjacent Plot. Hence,
there will be no land requirement
for transmission line for connecting
to the Grid.
HSD Supply System 0 Under possession of No additional land is required as
NWPGCL BPC will use the NWPGCL facility
to deliver the HSD, i.e. transport
the fuel by railway and thereon to
the site by HSD pipeline, which
will be laid across common land
from the railway siding to the site.

HSD pipe line (From 0.16 Under possession of The Row will be granted by BPDB
tapping point of the BPDB and NWPGCL to SNWPCL.
existing NWPGCL
HSD line to site)

Water Intake, pump 2.57 Land is under The RoW for water intake will be
house and possession of BBA obtained through a Land Lease
underground water Agreement between BPDB and
pipeline BBA. Finally right of way will be
granted by BPDB to SNWPCL.
Discharge from the project will be
on the southern boundary of the
complex.
Laydown Area 10.95 Land is under Outside the power generation
(Construction Phase) possession of BBA complex in government land and
this will be leased to the Project.
The land is available between the
national highway and railway line
near the GTCL Valve Station.
Worker 8.37 Land is under 70-80% of the labour will be locally
Accommodation possession of BBA employed. A small worker
(Construction Phase) accommodation for migrant
workers will be established outside
the power generation complex.
Open land is available between the
PGCL Gas Pipeline Corridor and
Punorbason Village along the
National highway (about 50 m
away from Highway).
Total 42.9

3.7.2 Water

The water requirement for the construction phase of the Project will be met
from Jamuna River. Analysis of water samples collected from Project site as
well as Jamuna River indicated the quality of water is suitable to be used in
the construction phase of the Project. The potable water requirement during
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 the construction phase will be provided by the EPC contractor. The contractor
will ensure that the quality of drinking water is compliant with the applicable
drinking water standards (Schedule 4 of ECR, 1997). The quantity of water
required during the construction phase of the Project is presented in Table 3.9.

Table 3.9 Water Requirement during the Construction Phase

S. No. Purpose Quantity (m3/day)

1 Concreting 40
2 Curing/ cleaning 30
3 Dust suppression (as applicable) 10
4 Site office and other utilities 10
5 Others 10
Total 100
Note: These are the peak quantities and the actual consumption will vary depending upon the construction
activities.

The water requirement during the operation phase of the Project will be
primarily for cooling water and “make up” water requirements. Proposed
water intake location, pump house location and tentative route of the water
pipeline has been presented in Figure 3.11. The water requirement during the
operation phase is presented in Table 3.10 and the water balance diagram
shown in Figure 3.12.

The potable water requirement during the operation phase will be met
through groundwater abstraction for which a bore well will be installed.
Necessary permission for installation and abstraction of groundwater will be
required from Upazilla Parishad. A potable water treatment plant will be
installed so that quality of drinking water is compliant with the applicable
drinking water standards (Schedule 4 of ECR, 1997). The industrial
wastewater treatment flow diagram has been presented in Figure 3.13.

Table 3.10 Raw Water Requirement during the Operation Phase

S. No. Purpose Quantity (m3/hr)

1 Cooling tower make-up 500
2 DM Plant 22
3 Service Water for WTP, HVAC, Misc. 15
4 Potable Water 5
5 Sludge Treatment Plant (Raw water treatment) 22
6 Miscellaneous 36
Total 600
* In addition to cooling, fire water storage (2 hours as per NFPA) will be available.

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Figure 3.11 Water Intake Location and Raw Water Pipeline Route

Source: Developed based on reconnaissance survey on Google Earth Pro (Imagery Date: 15 April 2014)

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Figure 3.12 Water Balance

Source: SNWPCL

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Figure 3.13 Industrial Wastewater Treatment System Flow Diagram

Source: SNWPCL

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3.7.3 Auxiliary Power

The auxiliary power requirement for running the Plant will be as follows:
• Facility operation under Simple Cycle mode: 6.9 MW (Gas) and 6.925 MW
(HSD); and
• Facility operation under Combined Cycle mode: 13.388 MW (Gas) and 9.35
MW (HSD).

One (1) Emergency Diesel Generator (DG) set will be connected to a 415 V
Emergency Board, for meeting safe shutdown and emergency loads. In
addition, three (3) set of Black Start DGs with 150% rated capacity will be
connected to 6.6 kV unit switchgear, to start a gas turbine in the event of grid
blackout conditions.

3.7.4 Materials Storage and Handling

The plant operation will require chemicals for water treatment and process
requirements. A list of the hazardous chemicals which will be used in the
Plant and the maximum quantity stored is presented in Table 3.11. 1

Table 3.11 Chemicals and Storage Capacity

S. No. Chemical Name Type (as per OSHA Maximum Storage

Classification 29 CFR Quantity
1910.1200)
1. Hydrochloric Acid (30%) 30 m3
Hazardous
2. Caustic Lye (48%) 30 m3
Hazardous
3. Sulphuric Acid 40 m3
Hazardous
4. Ammonia (25%) 500 l
Hazardous
5. Tri Sodium Phosphate 500 kg
Hazardous
6. HSD 19,000 m3
Source: SNWPCL

Acids and other hazardous materials will be stored in a dedicated room with
adequate ventilation, at the water treatment plant area. HSD to be used as
secondary fuel for power generation will be stored in two tanks with capacity
equivalent to 15 days operation at 80% output on HSD. The storage
arrangements for all chemicals will include secondary containment for
spillage control. HSD will also be stored in above ground oil tanks located in
the vicinity of the Black Start DGs and Emergency DG set.

3.7.5 In-house Laboratory

The Project will be having an In-house Laboratory for quality control as well
as for testing and monitoring of quality of the intake water, treated water and

1Hazardous or toxic materials/waste shall not be imported as raw material for industry.

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 discharge water. In addition to that the stack emissions will be directly being
monitored through the Continous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS) and
the emissions will be monitored by the Plant Control Room. The portable
instrument for the noise testing will be provided for the plant noise
monitoring. All the monitoring, testing and analysis will be carried out by
trained technicians.

Furthermore, the project will engage recognized third party monitoring

agency for periodic monitoring of stack emissions, ambient air quality, water
quality and noise (plant noise and ambient noise) monitoring and analysis, as
per the proposed environmental monitoring programme for operation phase
as well as based on the recommendations of the DoE.

3.8 OVERVIEW OF FACILITIES IN SAIDABAD POWER GENERATION COMPLEX

The Saidabad Power Generation Complex is already a developed area for

power generation, with an operational power plant of NWPGCL and
associated infrastructure for gas supply, HSD supply and power evacuation.
A brief description of the proposed project components including Associated
Facilities that would be used by the Project and other facilities in the Saidabad
Power Generation Complex are described below and presented in Figure 3.14:

3.8.1 Sirajganj 4 - Project Facilities

Sirajganj 4 project components include:

• Power Plant – A new power plant will be developed within the developed
area of Saidabad Power Generation Complex.
• Transmission Line – The project will have its own switch yard within the
project site and same will be connected with the 230 kV substation of
PGCB, which is located adjacent to the Saidabad Power Generation
Complex boundary.
• Regulating and Metering Station (RMS) – As part of the project an RMS
will be constructed within the site for fuel gas compression and
conditioning.
• Gas Pipeline – A new natural gas pipeline of about 1.6 km from GTCL
valve station to the RMS of S4 will be developed as part of the project.
• Water Pipeline – A new water pipeline of about 4 km length from River
Jamuna to the Project site will be constructed as part of the project.
• HSD Pipeline – HSD supply connection for the project will be taken for the
HSD pipeline of Sirajganj 1 and 2 Projects, located within the Saidabad
Power Generation Complex.

3.8.2 Associated Facilities

The Associated Facilities 1 for the Sirajganj-4 project include the following:

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 • GTCL Valve Station – a GTCL valve station is available in a 30” East-West
gas pipeline crossing the Bangabandhu Bridge, which is about 1.5 km from
the project site. The valve station already has a provision to supply the
natural gas to the Saidabad Power Generation Complex. The Sirajganj 1
operational power plant already has a gas pipeline connected to this valve
station. As the Valve Station was provisioned to provide the Project as
well as S1 and S2, this is considered an Associated Facility.
• PGCB Sub-Station and Transmission Line – there is an operational
substation, owned and operated by PGCB, adjacent to the site with
transmission lines connecting to the national grid. These were constructed
for power evacuation from the Saidabad Power Generation Complex
including sufficient capacity for the Project. Currently the operational
power plant of NWPGCL (S1) is evacuating power from this facility.
• Approach Road – A dedicated approach road of about 1.5 km connects the
Saidabad Power Generation Complex with the national highway. This
road is a common facility for access to the complex and owned by the
BPDB/NWPGCL but is considered an Associated Facility as without this
road the Project would not be viable.

The impacts associated with the operation of these Associated Facilities are
considered within this EIA.

3.8.3 Other Facilities

Other facilities in the Saidabad Power Generation Complex include:

• Sirajganj 1 Project – Sirajganj 1 is a 225 MW CCPP owned by NWPGCL
and is operational with combined cycle operation since May 2014.
• Sirajganj 2 and 3 Projects – These two projects will have similar capacity to
the existing project of NWPGCL (Sirajganj 1) and are currently in pre-
construction stage. Land for these projects has been earmarked between
the Sirajganj 1 and 4 projects. The projects are planning to share some
infrastructure with the existing Sirajganj 1 project. However, the details of
what infrastructure will be shared are currently unavailable.
• RMS – Sirajganj 1 has an existing RMS at site. Sirajganj 2 and 3 projects
will have separate RMS within the earmarked areas for these plants.
However, these are not Associated Facilities for the Sirajganj 4 project, as a
separate RMS will be required for the S4 project.
• Gas Pipeline – The Sirajganj 1 project has an existing pipeline from the
GTCL Valve station to the RMS of S1. It is understood that this pipeline is
adequate to cater to the needs of the S2 project as well. However, this is
not an Associated Facility for the S4 projects, because a new gas pipeline
will be constructed for S4 project to connect with GTCL valve station. It
has been reported that the Sirajganj 3 project will receive the gas from
Sirajganj 4 project pipeline near RMS of S4.
• HSD Pipeline –NWPGCL has an HSD unloading and pumping station at
the Bangabandhu Bridge West railway station and an HSD supply
pipeline of about 3 km has been constructed up to the Saidabad Power
Generation Complex by NWPGCL. The same pipeline will be used by the
S2, S3 and S4 projects upto Saidabad Power Complex, however there will
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 be separate tapping points and pipelines inside the complex upto the HSD
storage areas of the respective plants.

It is to be noted that all these facilities are owned and operated by other
agencies and not directly linked with the Sirajganj 4 project. Therefore, these
facilities cannot be considered as Associated Facilities for the Sirajganj 4
project however, as appropriate to the environmental issue under examination
the cumulative impacts associated with their operation has been considered in
the EIA.

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Figure 3.14 Overview of Facilities

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3.9 PROJECT LIFE CYCLE OVERVIEW ALONG WITH KEY ACTIVITIES AND SCHEDULE

Life cycle analysis of the project identifies the key issues and concerns that are
likely to evolve over the entire lifespan of a project. In the case of the
proposed Project, these issues may arise during the site preparation and
construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning. These issues
have been considered in this EIA study, prior to any irreversible actions being
undertaken by the Company, contractors and other project associates. The
following sub-sections identify the key activities to be completed and facilities
to be constructed and operated over the lifetime of this Project.
3.9.1 Site Preparation

The site is elevated by land filling and is a developed landmass, which is

barren and unutilised at present and forms part of the Sirajganj Power
Generation Complex. The site is almost flat, with a gentle slope towards the
south-east. The entire Power Generation Complex is having boundary wall of
about 2 m height. The average elevation of the Project site is 15.75 m above
mean sea level (MSL) and maintained above the recorded highest flood level
(HFL) of Jamuna River. Hence, the Project does not require any site
preparation work.

The level of the Project site is 2.4 m higher than the current danger level of the
river and 0.64 m above the level reached in 63 years of recorded data
(maximum level ever reached was 15.11 m in 1988) (refer Section 4.3.5 for
details).
3.9.2 Construction

The construction contractor and their subcontractors will construct the power
plant and shall adhere to the “Master Specification Document” developed by
SNWPCL for the Project.

Project site construction activities leading up to the operation of the power

plant, are anticipated to take approximately 30 months after Notice to Proceed
(NTP). The tentative schedule of construction phase milestones is presented
in Table 3.12. To complete the construction works within this time period, the
total manpower requirement is estimated to be 1500 people during peak
construction stage. This is broken down into 25% skilled labour and 75%
unskilled and semiskilled. Most of the unskilled and semi-skilled manpower
will be sourced from the neighbouring areas. The skilled manpower will
mainly be specialized personnel required to complete construction tasks, such
as, installation of the combustion turbine and GTG, HRSG, steam turbine and
STG, DCS and other plant control systems.

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Table 3.12 Tentative Schedule of Construction Phase Milestones

# Description No. of Calendar Months

Start Complete
1 Procurement of major equipment 1 23
2 CTG foundations 3 10
3 Major equipment installation 13 17.5
4 Fuel receiving facilities 3 14.5
5 Electrical interconnection 13.5 16.5
6 Start-up and testing for initial operation 17.5 23
7 Start-up and testing for commercial operation in Simple 23 24
Cycle
8 Commercial Operation of Simple Cycle Facility 24 24
9 Start-up and testing for commercial operation in 28 29
Combined Cycle
10 Commercial Operation of Combined Cycle Facility 30 30
Source: SNWPCL

As set out in the “Specification Manual”, the Construction Contractor will be

required to provide toilets, construction water, potable water, wastewater
disposal arrangement, site offices, first aid facility, etc. A labour camp will be
constructed outside the power generation complex, which will be maintained
by the construction contractor with adequate potable water, sanitation and
waste management facilities.

During the peak construction stage there will be approximately 50 SNWPCL

staff. Staff will stay in locally hired houses in Saidabad/ Sirajganj. The
construction contractor will provide temporary site facilities including offices
to accommodate 5 office rooms and workstations for 20 people; cafeteria and
toilets with shower facilities.

As part of the “Specification Manual”, the Construction Contractor will also

develop construction dust control measures, sediment and erosion control
measures and procedures to disposal of waste materials generated during
construction.

All of the major power plant components (e.g., GTG, STG and HRSG) will be
manufactured outside of Bangladesh and shipped via ocean barges to the
nearby port facility in Chittagong/ Khulna and from there these will be
transported by barges to the temporary jetty in Sirajganj, which was
previously used by NWPGCL during the construction of its 225 MW power
plant. Location of temporary jetty with respect to the Project site has been
presented in Figure 3.15. Total route length between the temporary jetty and
the Project site is about 6.0 km. All other heavy machinery, construction
equipment and construction material (aggregate, sand, cement, etc.) will also
be transported to the site via road.

Transportation of personnel during the construction phase will be by local

vehicles, such as, cars and autos for safe and secure transportation.

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 Construction power will be arranged from local 11 kV line and arranged by
the EPC Contractor at a suitable place within the plant boundary.

Figure 3.15 Location of Temporary Jetty and Heavy Lift Movement Route

Source: Developed based on reconnaissance survey on Google Earth Pro (Imagery Date: 15 April 2014)

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Box 3.7 Temporary Jetty Location – Earlier used by NWPGCL

Source: ERM Site Visit (February 2015) and Old Pictures provided by SNWPCL

3.9.3 Operation and Maintenance

There will be no Operation and Maintenance (O&M) contract with any third
party operator, as the power plant will be owned and operated by SNWPCL.
The O&M of the Project will be undertaken by SNWPCL with the support of a
long term service agreement (LTSA) for the GT and ST with the
manufacturer/s. The LTSA will cover the supply of spare parts, supervision
and specialized labour for inspections, major and minor overhauls.

Pursuant to a technical service agreement (TSA), SNWPCL and NWPGCL will

provide information, resources and technical assistance to the Company
during the mobilization and operational phase.

O&M staff with relevant experience of operating similar plants and with
adequate knowledge of comparable technology will be recruited prior to
Simple Cycle commercial operation date (COD) to commission and take over
the Plant from the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC)
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 Contractor. Given the maturity of the power sector in Bangladesh and track
record of combined cycle projects, it is expected that qualified engineers,
technicians, fitters, operators, general labour and administration staff will be
available locally in Bangladesh.

Maintenance

Hot gas inspections and maintenance overhauls will be scheduled and

performed in order to maintain output and availability. The need and
frequency of specific equipment overhauls will be established based on a
combination of factors including manufacturers’ recommendations, visual
inspections, testing data, equipment histories, insurance company
requirements, scheduling coordination with BPDB, electrical delivery needs
and other contractual obligations. The maintenance staff will consist of
mechanical and electrical maintenance, and plant support and auxiliary
services. During maintenance overhauls, the maintenance staff will be
supervised and supplemented pursuant to the LTSA and supported by
SNWPCL and NWPGCL professionals under the TSA.

The maintenance schedule of the Plant is presented in Table 3.13. Annual

availability of the Plant with HSD and Natural Gas as fuel is presented in
Table 3.14 and Table 3.15, respectively. Monitoring schedule is presented in
Table 7.2 of ESMP.

Table 3.13 Maintenance Schedule

S. Particular Duration (No. Time of Year Cycle (No. of

No. of Days) (Season) Operating Hours)
1. Annual Maintenance Outage 15 Anytime 8,000
Schedule – HSD
Annual Maintenance Outage 10 Anytime 8,000
Schedule – Gas
2. Major Overall Outage 35 Anytime 100,000
Schedule – HSD
Major Overall Outage 35 Anytime 100,000
Schedule – Gas
3. Combustion Turbine 6 Anytime 8,000
Inspection Schedule - HSD
Combustion Turbine 4 Anytime 8,000
Inspection Schedule – Gas
4. Steam Turbine Inspection 30 Anytime 50,000
Schedule
5. HRSG Inspection Schedule 10 Anytime 8,000

Table 3.14 Annual Availability of the Plant with HSD as Fuel

S. No. Particular Detail

1. Annual Availability while Running in Combined Cycle 80%
2. Operational Availability -
3. Planned and Maintenance Outages 10%
4. Forced Outages 8%
Total 100%

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Table 3.15 Annual Availability of the Plant with Gas as Fuel

S. No. Particular Detail

1. Annual Availability while Running in Combined Cycle 90%
2. Operational Availability -
3. Planned and Maintenance Outages 5%
4. Forced Outages 5%
Total 100%

As previously outlined, PGCL will supply natural gas to the power plant
under the terms of the GSA. The draft agreement specifies the quality of the
sulphur-free natural gas to be delivered to the Project site. A continuous
supply of natural gas will be required for the operation of the power plant and
to maintain uninterrupted power supply to the national grid.

Lubricating and hydraulic oils, in standard size steel drums, will be delivered
to the power plant on regular basis. Estimated annual consumption of lube oil
for CT and ST will be of the order of 1,200 to 1,500 litres, whereas hydraulic oil
consumption for both control oil and the by-pass station will be
approximately 100 litres. The drums will be stored at the Project in a
dedicated area with secondary containment until their contents are transferred
into use. The empty drums will be sent for reuse or for recycling in line with
the Department of Environment (DOE) guidelines.

Waste lubricating and hydraulic oils will be collected and delivered to a

licensed contractor with facilities to treat or recycle the waste oil for other
purposes.

During the operation phase of the Project, the total workforce will be 69. This
will consist of 49 skilled and 20 unskilled staff. The unskilled workers will be
contract staff for cleaning, gardening, drivers, fitters, security and helpers.
Workforce distribution for operating the Plant in three shifts is presented in
Table 3.16. The proposed organization chart for the Plant O&M is presented
in Figure 3.17.

Table 3.16 Shift-wise Skilled Workers Requirement during Operation Phase

Shift No. of Persons

General 34
Shift 1 5
Shift 2 5
Shift 3 5
Total 49

Most of the traffic associated with the Plant operations will be related to shift
changes that may occur 3 times per day as per the shift schedule. Carpooling
and use of public transport will be encouraged to minimize plant-generated
traffic.

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3.9.4 Decommissioning

The design life of the power plant is estimated to be 30 years, which is almost
8 years more than the Power Purchase Agreement term. If the Power
Purchase Agreement, Land Lease Agreement, Gas Supply Agreement and the
other relevant agreements are not extended or renewed and an alternative
economical fuel is available, the power plant may be retrofitted to support
alternative power generation. This option would be possible, provided the
required retrofits and new emission rates meet the applicable standards and
guidelines.

If retrofitting is not feasible and the operational life of the Power Plant expires,
the power plant will be decommissioned according to the requirements of the
authorities at that time.

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Figure 3.16 Proposed Major Maintenance Schedule for the Project

Hours 8000h 16000h 24000h 33000h 41000h 50000h 58000h 66000h 74000h 82000 91000 100000
Unit 1
Turbine /HRSG
Unit 1
Generator
Unit 1
Transformer
Unit 1
GIS
Unit 1
HV Motors
Unit 1
Battery Bank
Steam Turbine

Combustion Inspection
Yearly Boiler Inspection
Hot Gas Path Inspection Trans & OLTC Testing/Inspection

Major Inspection Life Time Extention

Major Inspection Inspection / Overhaul

Inspection / overhaul
Major Testing / Maintenance
Source: SNWPCL

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Figure 3.17 Proposed Operation and Maintenance Organization Chart

Station Manager
(1)

Secretary Quality Assurance Manager

(1) (1)

Operations Manager Maintenance Manager Finance & Accounting Manager Admin/ HR Manager
(1) (1) (1) (1)

Shift Leader Finance & Training

(5) Boiler & Accounting (1)
Boiler &
Auxiliaries (1)
Auxiliaries
Section Head
(2)
Performance (1)
Unit
(1)
Controller
Turbine & Warehouse
(5) Procurement,
Turbine & BOP BOP and (2)
Contracts &
Section Head Condition
Logistics
(1) Monitoring
Plant Chemistry (2)
(3)
Operator (1) HR Staff
(5) (1)
Electrical Section
Electrical
Head
(2)
(1)
Permit to Environment, IT & Document
Work Officer Health & Safety Control
(1) (1) C&I Section (2)
C&I
Head
(2)
(1)
Security
Approximately 20-30 Contract staff for:
Total No. of Staff = 49 (1)
Cleaning, Gardening, Drivers, Fitters, Security, Helpers

Source: SNWPCL

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3.10 SAFETY PROVISIONS

3.10.1 Fire Fighting System

The following protection systems are envisaged for the project for different
areas as per the requirement.
• Hydrant system for the entire plant and buildings
• Spray system for Transformers and cable galleries
• Inert gas extinguishing system for Central Control Room and Shaft cable
galleries
• Foam system for the HSD Tanks

Fire extinguishing system for Gas Turbine & its auxiliary equipment will be
CO2 gas extinguishing system. As per NFPA guidelines, the electric
generating stations (other than hydro) come under the “Ordinary Hazard”
category. Accordingly the fire protection system will consist of the following
sub-systems.

Fire hydrant system (Indoor / Outdoor) including fire water pumps

The fire water network of existing plant will cover entire Power Plant area
including all BOP buildings and switch yard building. Hydrant and spray
system shall be tapped from a common header, separate piping network is not
being provided. The fire water will be supplied with diesel engine pump
which can be operated without power supply. The overall plant firefighting
design will be finalized during detail design which will be in accordance with
NFPA. The water for firefighting will be stored in fire water tanks which will
be sourced from the raw water supply system of the plant.
• Hydrant Pumps: One (1) motor driven (main) and one (1) diesel engine
driven pump (standby) of adequate flow will be provided for hydrant,
MVW spray and sprinkler water requirements.
• Jockey Pumps: Two (2x100%) motor driven jockey pumps shall be
provided.

Water Spray system (Deluge system)

• Automatic High Velocity Water Spray system (HVW Spray system): For
all transformers located in the transformer yard and other transformers of
rating 10 MVA and above.
• HVW Spray Pumps: No separate spray pumps are required as the water
requirement shall be met from hydrant pumps.
• Automatic High Velocity Water Spray system (HVW Spray system): For
cable galleries, cable spreader room, cable vault, cable riser/shaft in
control room of main plant & switch yard building.

Automatic Inert gas fire extinguishing system

For main plant central control room (CCR) including above false ceiling and
below false floor, control equipment rooms (CER) including computer room,

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 programmers room, UPS & INVERTER rooms including above false ceiling
and below false floor. The system will be designed as per NFPA-2001.
Foam System for Fuel Tanks

Foam system will be used to protect the Fuel tanks and will be designed as per
NFPA 11.

Portable fire extinguishers

Portable fire extinguishers shall be supplied for entire Plant including all
buildings, equipment, etc. (Table 3.17)

Fire Detection, Alarm & Control System

For Power House building, switchyard control building, all auxiliary

buildings, equipment, cable trays of cable spreader rooms etc. The fire
detection alarm and control system mainly consists of main fire alarm panel,
interface station, various types of fire detectors, repeater stations, local fire
alarm panels etc.

Fire station and fire station equipment

Adequate size of Fire station and Fire station equipment will be provided as
per NFPA requirement.

Table 3.17 Portable Fire Extinguishers with Requisite Quantities

S. No. Type of Fire Extinguisher Capacity

1 Pressurised water type (operated by CO2 cartridge 9l
type)
2 CO2 type 4.5 kg
3 Mobile type CO2 22.5 kg
4 Dry chemical powder type 5 kg
5 Dry chemical powder type 2 kg
6 Mobile type dry chemical powder type 50 kg

3.10.2 Grounding

A grounding system designed for a fault level of 50 kA will be provided and

designed in accordance with the IS/IEEE-80 standards to meet the
requirements of safety and protective relaying. The earthing system will
consist of MS rods for buried applications and GI flats for exposed earthing
connections.

3.10.3 Lightning Protection

A lightning protection system for the Plant designed to satisfy the

requirements of IS/BS-6651-1991 and IEEE 142-1991 standards will be
provided in the Plant.

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3.10.4 Underground Gas Pipeline Protection

The gas pipeline will be constructed in accordance with GSA specification and
will be transferred to gas supplier 12 months after Simple Cycle COD.. The
separation of this pipeline to the existing HSD pipeline and proposed water
pipeline will be maintained as per Gas Safety Rule 1991 and its amendment
(2003) of Bangladesh. It will be gas supplier’s property as part of the gas
supply network during our plant operation. The pipeline will have a
minimum cover of 1.0 m on top of it. Cathodic protection will be in place for
the buried section of the pipeline and the design will be based on soil
resistivity. The gas supplier will ensure that there is no impact to adjoining
communities as Bara Shimul, Punorbason Villages during its operation. The
proposed alignment as well as the existing gas and HSD pipelines of the
Sirajganj 1 project are on the eastern side of the approach road (on the
embankment) and there are no habitations on that side except Police Station of
Bangabandhu West. During the construction stage the following provisions
for safety distances will be followed as per the applicable regulation:
• Safety Distance: The Safety Distance from the protected civil works will be
2.5 m from the edge of the pipe for pressure above 350 PSI and pipe
diameter not greater than 20”.
• If two High Pressure gas line crossed in underground, minimum 0.5m
distance needs to be maintain vertically.
• If two High Pressure gas line laid parallel underground, minimum 1.5m
distance needs to be maintain horizontally.

3.10.5 Health and Safety

Construction Phase

The Plant will be constructed, installed and commissioned and be operable

and maintainable in full compliance with relevant health and safety
requirements, all related acts, regulations, codes and statutory requirements of
the Laws of Bangladesh.

The Construction Contractor will submit a Health and Safety Plan prior to
commencing work on the Site.

The Health and Safety Plan will have method statements, which will include,
but not be limited to, working methods, plant utilisation, construction
sequence and safety arrangements. The Contractor’s key duties will be to:

• develop and implement the Health and Safety Plan, including rules for
management of the construction work;
• ensure that Sub-Contractors and workers comply with the health and
safety plan;
• monitor the health and safety performance of Sub-Contractors and give
directions as appropriate;
• arrange for competent and adequately resourced Sub-Contractors to carry
out the work safety where it is subcontracted;
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 • ensure the co-ordination and co-operation of Sub-Contractors;
• obtain from Sub-Contractors the main findings of their risk assessments,
the steps to be taken to control and manage the risks, including method
statements for all aspects of the work;
• ensure that Sub-Contractors and workers have information about risks on
Site and that there are co-ordinated arrangements for workers to discuss
health and safety and offer advice to the Contractor;
• ensure that all workers are properly informed, consulted and trained on
health and safety issues;
• ensure that only authorised people are allowed onto the Site; and
• pass information to the Employer for the health and safety file.

Operation Phase

The Company will implement an international standard environment, health

and safety (EHS) program in the Plant, which will be in full compliance with
relevant health and safety requirements, all related acts, regulations, codes
and statutory requirements of the Laws of Bangladesh and of the World Bank.
In addition, the Plant aims to be certified to OHSAS and ISO 14001 within 2
years of operation.

An offsite accident and emergency response plan to control and mitigate the
effects of any catastrophic incidents in above ground installations (AGI) or
underground installation (UGI) or road transportation will also be prepared
by the project in consultation with the district administration. The offsite
emergencies will also be communicated to the local people.

3.11 ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES

The Project has considered alternatives in terms of site location, design and
technology options. An analysis of these alternatives has been undertaken for
the proposed Project including consideration of a no-Project scenario.

3.11.1 No-Project Scenario

The generation and supply of electricity has a significant impact on the

national economy of any country. Presently, 68% of the total population has
access to electricity and per capita generation is 348 kWh, which is
significantly lower than other developing countries (Power Division 2015). 1
The total installed capacity of power plants in Bangladesh as of January 2015
is 10,817 MW, which includes 500 MW of imported power. 2

In the public sector a number of the generation units have become very old
and have been operating at much reduced capacities. As a result, their

1 The neighbouring country India was having per-capita energy consumption in 2007-08 as 704.2 kWh (www.cea.nic.in),
which in January 2012 is reported as 776 kWh per annum (The Wall Street Journal, January 3, 2012).
2 www.bpdb.gov.bd ( website of Bangladesh Power Development Board)

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 reliability and productivity has been poor. For the last few years actual
electricity demand in the country has not been met due to a shortage of
available generation capacity. In addition, due to a shortage of gas supply,
some power plants are unable to reach their full generation capability.

The current supply-demand in Bangladesh also has a knock on effect on all

other key sectors including agriculture, industry, commercial and domestic
sectors. There is therefore no alternative to adding more power generating
units to the existing power system of Bangladesh, to help improve and meet
the energy demand for both domestic and industrial requirements.

The ‘No Project Scenario’ is also likely to have a negative effect on

opportunities for employment, both directly from the proposed power project
and its dependant sectors such as agriculture, industries and manufacturing
that require stable power supply in order to operate and be competitive.

The electricity produced from the power plants are supplied to the
distribution grid and GoB decides on the areas to which the power generated
is to be supplied. So, though the power plant will be at Sirajganj, the local
community in Project AOI may or may not benefit from the power generated.
Therefore another perspective of the ‘No Project Scenario’ is whilst the
country as a whole will benefit from power; the local area may get subjected to
a disproportional impact vs the benefit to the whole nation.

3.11.2 With Project Scenario

Site Location

The Saidabad Power Generation Complex site was acquired by BPDB in 2005
to develop a major power generation complex in the north-west region of
Bangladesh. NWPGCL (a subsidiary company of BPDB) has already
constructed one 225 MW CCPP (Sirajganj 1) at this complex, which was
funded by ADB under its Public Sector department. As per the master plan of
the complex, space provision for three more power plants with capacity of 225
MW CCPP (Sirajganj 2), 225 MW CCPP (Sirajganj 3) and 400 MW±10%MW
(Sirajganj 4) CCPP, respectively have been made. A 230 kV substation
connects the complex to the national transmission system and the 30” East-
West gas pipeline crossing the Jamuna Bridge is about 2 km from the site.
Petrobangla has committed to provide gas to the Sirajganj complex.
Considering the advantages of the present location described below, as well as
the limited footprint and impacts, no alternative site location has been
considered for the Project.

The site for the Project offers following advantages:

Technical
• Adequate area available for 300 - 450 MW dual fuel fired power plant and
associated facilities;

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• Proximity to PGCL Valve Station and small gas pipeline length required,
(~ 2.0 km);
• Access to road and nearby water transportation networks;
• Proximity to the railway station/ siding;
• Available water supply source for process including cooling water;

Geological
• Geologically stable, moderate earthquake risks;
• Developed land with elevation above the highest flood level; and
• Constructed embankments for flood protection;

Social and Environmental

• No major sensitive environmental receptors ( such as communities,
hospitals, schools, etc.) in close proximity;
• No physical cultural resources on site and in close proximity (~500 m);
• Well connected with the National Highway through an access road
developed specifically for the Saidabad Power Generation Complex;
• Already developed land with no physical displacement of people
involved; and
• No resettlement requirements.

It must also be noted that the land for the Project was already identified by
BPDB prior to the tendering process; therefore there was no possibility to
explore alternative sites. BPDB selected the location, as 80% of the power
plants in Bangladesh are concentrated in the eastern zone of the country close
to the natural gas fields. This requires transmission of about 200- 300 MW
from the eastern part of the country to western part. Thus, from this point of
view, BPDB identified that power generation in the west is an urgent
necessity. Jamuna multipurpose bridge is the only connectivity from the east
to the west and locating the Sirajganj power hub nearest to the bridge is
economic in terms of transporting raw materials (gas) to the site. Another key
aspect of locating the Sirajganj power hub was its location adjacent to the
230/132 kV sub-station owned by PGCB which provides good access for the
power produced from the power plant to transmission grid system.

Place in the Master Plan

In order to meet the demand of electricity in the country for the next 20 years,
in 1995 BPDB prepared a Power System Master Plan (PSMP), with three
alternatives scenarios High, Low and Reference. The PSMP was updated in
2005. This document identified several generation, transmission and
distribution projects. NWPGCL along with Saidabad Power hub was one such
identified Power hub which would cater to the peak demand of the country.

Further, there are other smaller plants in the western zone. Power from all
these plants, together with the power imported from the eastern zone through
the existing interconnector, are not sufficient to meet the normal demand of
the western zone. Therefore, GoB and BPDB proposed installing the power

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hub as an important step towards meeting the power requirements of the
western zone 1.

In the existing scenario, about 400 - 500 MW is imported from the eastern part
of the country. To minimize this dependence and cater to normal as well peak
demand (as per PSMP), Sirajganj 4 was proposed to be developed.

Design

Plant Site
The BPDB had proposed to develop four power plants 2 within the Saidabad
Power Generation Complex with all the four facilities being dual fuel fired.
Primary fuel for the dual fuel fired power plants will be natural gas with a
switch to HSD triggered after instructions from BPDB to operate on HSD in
the event of a gas supply failure.
Transportation of Material

As previously outlined, the existing 6 m wide access road which connects the
site with the national highway will be used for transportation of material to
the site by road or from the nearby railway station. A temporary jetty will be
used for unloading heavy plant components and machinery, manufactured
outside of Bangladesh and shipped via ocean barges to Chittagong/ Mongla
Port and then via inland waterways to the temporary jetty location in
Sirajganj. Key raw material for power generation (i.e. natural gas/ HSD) will
be transported by pipeline.

A Jetty has also been constructed at the south-eastern part of the Power
Generation Complex; however this does not reach the current path of the
Jamuna River or connecting channel. It was observed that the Jetty surface
was at about 6 – 7 m higher than the water level in the nearby channel and is
located about 50 m away from the channel. Considering this limitation, it has
been proposed to use a temporary jetty located north of Bangabandhu
Multipurpose Bridge, which was earlier used by NWPGCL during erection of
225 MW CCPP (Sirajganj 1).

Alternative Cooling Options

Two options available for cooling are once through cooling system and
induced draft cooling tower. The channel close to the Jetty constructed by
NWPGCL is not connected with Jamuna River throughout the year due to
siltation. Therefore construction of intake and outfall for once through cooling
system will not be cost effective and would require additional land area. In
addition, once through cooling system will have impact on aquatic ecology
due to the large quantity of cooling water that would be discharged with
elevated temperature. Construction of a cooling tower will have cost

1 http://www.powerdivision.gov.bd/user/brec/40/55

2 Based on the information provided by NWPGCL and Sembcorp

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implications, but it will reduce the water requirement for the Project as well as
limit the quantity of warm water discharge from the project.

Adverse environmental and social impacts of cooling tower with respect to

once through cooling system are limited and therefore, induced draft cooling
tower has been considered in the Project design. This will also help in
reducing the raw water requirement of the plant significantly.

Technology Options

The technology selected for the Project is based on the technology specified in
the BPDB “Request for Proposal”. No alternative technology option has
therefore been considered.

As per the Request for Proposal, the simple cycle power plant (SCPP) will be
ready for operation within 24 months from the signing of the Project
Agreements including the PPA, FSA, GSA, IA, LLA and the SPA, whereas
combined cycle power plant (CCPP) will be ready for operation within 36
months the signing of the Project Agreements. Advantages and
disadvantages of both the options are presented below:

Simple Cycle Power Plant (SCPP)

The SCPP generates power by converting the heat and kinetic energies of hot,
high pressure jets of gas into mechanical energy through the use of rotary
blades, which in turn drives an electrical generator.

Advantages:

• Is a widely used technology for power generation;

• Has standardized design and manufacturing process;
• Has a wide range of capacity available: from 0.5 to 260 MW/unit;
• Requires a small area for the plant footprint Combined Cycle;
• Has a short construction period (1 to 18 months) due to standardized
designs as compared Combined Cycle;
• Has flexible operation mode: can start-up and shutdown rapidly (referred
to as “minimum up"), and can deal with rapid load changes; and
• Limited water requirement in comparison to Combined Cycle.

Disadvantages:

• It has a low thermal efficiency of about 32 - 38% at ISO standard

conditions;
• Requires high quality fuels;
• Has high maintenance costs; and
• Requires expensive fuel treatment equipment and inhibitors for reducing
hot corrosion if low quality fuels, such as HFO or crude oil are used. The
capacity, efficiency and operating lifetime of the units will be considerably
reduced.

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Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP)
In the CCPP, a combustion turbine (CT) and steam turbine (ST) are used in
combination to achieve greater efficiency. The gas turbine drives an electrical
generator and the turbine exhaust is used to produce steam in a heat recovery
steam generator (HRSG). The HRSG is then used by the ST to drive an
electrical generator, providing the means to generate more electricity per unit
of fuel. The proposed Project CCGT configuration will include 1 CT, 1 HRSG
and 1 ST.

Advantages:

• Has standardized design and manufacturing process;

• Broad power capacity range: from 30 to 1,000 MW;
• Its footprint is smaller than that required for conventional thermal power
plants;
• The construction period is short (~ 24-30 months) in comparison a
conventional thermal power plant (~36 months);
• Has flexible operation features, such as it starts up and shuts down
rapidly, and can be adjusted to rapid load changes;
• Is very efficient; can reach 57% at ISO standard conditions; and
• It has the lowest environmental impact with respect to other thermal
power generation options.

Disadvantages:

• Requires high quality clean and pure fuels; and

• Economic lifetime of between 20-25 years.

Thus, the technology option proposed for the Project is the best suited option
taken into consideration by BPDB. It has also been reported that the proposed
Sirajganj 4 project, will be one of the most efficient power plant in Bangladesh

Alternative Fuel Options

The fuel option was already stipulated in the RFP issued by NWPGCL based
on its analysis of the existing and available options in the country. A brief
description of the existing renewable energy scenario in the country is
presented to capture its availability/consideration in the proposed project.

Out of various renewable sources hydropower, geothermal, solar, tides, wind,

biomass, and bio fuel can be effectively used in Bangladesh. To rule out a few,
the progress of wind in Bangladesh has not been impressive and limited only
to coastal regions. Micro hydro power projects can only be installed in the
north-eastern hilly region of Bangladesh. Solar and biomass are the only
potential renewable energy resources of the country which can be utilized in
the inland plains. Solar power for a 414 MW power plant would occupy a vast

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area of land 1 for installing the solar panels or PV modules and can be ruled
out for the proposed location. Also solar radiation varies in Bangladesh from
season to season and cannot serve as a dependable source of energy.

Bangladesh is an agricultural country and biomass is available in huge

quantity. Rice husk as a biomass fuel is being explored as source of renewable
energy and has the capacity to produce 364 MW electricity from 20% i.e.
7,000,000 metric tons of the total rice production of Bangladesh in 2010-2011.
There are two biomass gasification based commercial power plants: a 250 kW
in Gazipur, and another 400 kW in Thakurgaon 2. The biggest renewable
energy program in Bangladesh is solar home system (SHS). In Bangladesh,
SHS project has been implemented under Infrastructure Development
Company Limited (IDCOL) and so far installed 900,000 units and still
increasing due to an integrated program undertaken by the government
through its financial institution, IDCOL. IDCOL’s program is considered as a
successful model for installation of SHSs in the world. Till now, national
capacity of renewable energy based power is approximately 50 MWe 3. Of
them, solar home system alone produces 45 MWe, wind energy produces
2 MWe, and biomass share is not more than 1 MWe.

From the above discussion it is clear that efficient utilization of renewable

energy resources is yet to assume commercial dimensions in Bangladesh. In
absence of the acceptable commercial renewable options, the chosen fuel
seems to be the best available alternative.

Construction Camp and Laydown Area

For the location of the construction camp and laydown area, three locations
were considered, (a) within the power generation complex, (b) area between
the national highway and railway line near the Bangabandhu memorial (C1),
and (c) the area available between the national highway and Punorbason
Village fence line (C3). However, as the Sirajganj 2 project is expected to begin
construction activities around the same time as the Sirajganj 4 project, the
location within the power complex is presently not available for the
construction camp and laydown area.

Of the other two possible locations identified by Sembcorp, C1 and C3, C1 has
been identified for laydown area, whereas C3 has been identified for the
construction phase labour camp. The following table provides an
understanding of the two areas

1Daily average solar radiation varies between 4 to 6.5 KWh per square meter.(Ref; Present Sceanrio of Renewable Energy in
Bangladesh and a proposed hybrid system to minimize power crises in remote areas by Nahid-ur-Rahman Chowdhury et
al, International Journal of renewable energy research, 2012

2 Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) http://idcol.org/home/other_re

3Renewable Energy Bangladesh, Power Division, Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Government of the
People’s Republic of Bangladesh, http://www.powerdivision.gov.bd

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Table 3.18 Laydown Area and Construction Camp Locations Identified

Features C1 C3
Total Area 10.95 acres 15.6 acres
Land Features • The land is flat and is • The land is located between the main
connected with a Jamuna highway and Punorbason
Bridge Patrolling Road and (Resettlement) Village
also goes towards Jamuna Eco • The land is characterised by an
Park, which is used by the elevated land, near the highway
general public. whereas the land between the road
• The area is bisected by a 2m x 1 embankment and the village fence
m concrete open drain line is low lying
• At the eastern part of the land, • The elevated portion of the area is
railways sleepers were bisected by the Main Gas Pipeline
observed in an area of about corridor, of about 5-6 m width.
900 sq. m • The area also has an embankment of
• No transmission line or gas about 1.6 acres, which cannot be
pipeline pass through the area used as a laydown area or for the
labour camp due to the slope
• The lower portion is approx. 8.37
acres (marked in green in Figure
6.14), and is characterised by two
transmission lines of 11 KV (marked
in black), NWPGCL’s HSD pipeline
(marked in orange) as well as
numerous pedestrian access routes.
These routes are being used by local
villagers and they had cut fence at
these places to have direct access to
the main road and railway station.
• This portion also serves as an
accumulation point for runoff water
from the highway and elevated areas
as well as the drainage from the
Punorbason Village, due to the
terrain.
• A 2-3 m wide village road is also
present on the western side of this
stretch, which provides the shortest
access to the main road from
Punorbason Village.
• During the site visit, it was also
observed that local village people
also use this area for drying their
crop as well as for cattle grazing.
• Furthermore, it was observed that
about 8-10 new hutments are
currently being constructed on the
eastern part of this land by local
villagers.
Proposed Use • Overall, the area is suitable for • Overall, the area can be used for the
the use as laydown area labour camp during the construction
including heavy equipment phase, with certain mitigation
storage measures put in place.

The Figure 3.18 shows the location of the laydown area identified (C1), while
Figure 6.14 showcases the construction camp area identified.

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Figure 3.18 Laydown Area Identified- C1

The reasons for C1 being identified for laydown area and C3 for construction
camp are as follows:

• The area C1 is located on the opposite side of the highway from the
project, thus, which would increase the risk of road accidents of labourers,
if the labour camp is constructed there, as the traffic flow in the area is of a
speed of more than 60 km/hr.
• Due to the presence of the Main Gas Pipeline Corridor in the C3 area, only
an approx. 10 m wide corridor is available for the laydown in the elevated
stretch
• Due to the proximity of the Punorbason Village (less than 10 m), C3 cannot
be used for material storage, and the only option is to use the area for a
construction camp.

However, the use of C3 for the labour camp may result in certain risks, which
have been discussed along with their mitigation measures in Section 6.4.10.

Water Intake Location

The river Jamuna has two prominent channels near proposed plants, one near
the West Guide Bund (WGB) and other near East Guide Bund (EGB). Water
from the Jamuna right channel will be extracted for cooling purpose. On top of
that, there is seasonal variation of water level throughout the year. Therefore,
thorough analysis has been undertaken to locate the intake facility.

The water intake facility needs to be developed for withdrawal of surface

water from nearby right channel of the Jamuna River and delivery of the
surface water to the Sirajganj 4 Plant for cooling and other purposes. The
required water withdrawal amount is about 600 m3/hr. The existing Sirajganj
1 project is extracting ground water for their cooling purpose and other
requirements. Sirajganj 2 project is also planning to use ground water,
whereas at present there is no information about the source of water for
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 Sirajganj 3 project and it is assumed that this plant will also be dependent on
ground water. Considering this fact and to receive mineral free water,
Sirajganj 4 project has decided to install a surface water intake facility for
Sirajganj 4 project.

Probable Intake Locations. Two intake locations were considered, one at

downstream part of West Guide Bund (Location–1) and the other just opposite
to proposed power plant (Location–2) as shown in Figure 3.19. The following
four factors were mainly considered for selecting suitable intake point.
• Presence of near bank channel
• Near bank erosion/scour,
• Extent of char, and
• Suction pipe length

Figure 3.19 Proposed Intake Locations

Source: IWM Study

Location 1
The IWM study on selection of the intake location indicates that Location 1 has
been selected to be located at the downstream end of the WGB (Figure 3.19).
The last 10 years satellite images show that there is possibility of temporary
char formation in this location. Maximum extent of char was found to be 910m
in year 2011. This extent of char is the lowest comparing other locations in the
vicinity of power plant and significant char at this location formed in only
three years out of the last 12 years. In addition, pilot dredging has been
accomplished along the right channel of Jamuna River at Bangabandhu Bridge
site. According to cross-section survey carried out as part of the study, the
extent of char is negligible along this location. Hence, abstraction of water
from Location 1 was found to be feasible.

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Location 2
In this location, the suction pipe line will need to cross a small channel besides
the Power Plant (Figure 3.19). Moreover, the extent of char formation along
this pipe line route is significantly higher. According to IWM study cross-
section survey, the required suction pipe line length would be 1740 m. And
analysis showed that the char extent could be up to 1860 m. Further, there is
possibility of pipe line exposure due to bed scour. In addition, pump
operation with a suction pipe length amounting to around 1800 m would be
less efficient.

As such, Location 2 was ruled out based on the above analysis. It is noted that
from bank erosion and near bank bed scour point of view, the proposed intake
point (Location 1) at the downstream end of West Guide Bund is considered
safer.

Water Intake/ Abstraction Mechanism Alternatives

Three alternatives were considered as described in the following sections.

Alternative 1
Pump house coupled with intake chamber (suction sump) will be located
onshore as depicted in Figure 3.20. The mouth of the intake will be located
below the lowest water level to guarantee water supply in lean flow periods
and will be ahead of maximum extent of char to overcome possibilities of
getting silted up. Two horizontal underground tunnels of diameter >= 900
mm will be laid extending from the intake mouth to the intake chamber.
Surface water will be transferred to the intake chamber via the tunnels and
stored there. Water will then be pumped up from the intake chamber to the
power station. The purpose of installing two horizontal tunnels is to facilitate
maintenance of the alternative underground tunnel including human
movement along the tunnel during inspection. In this alternative, the pump
will lift water directly from the intake chamber and surface water will flow to
the intake chamber from the river under gravity action through the tunnels.

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Figure 3.20 Typical Section View of Alternative 1

Source: IWM Study

Maintenance will be possible during all seasons. One gate valve will be
installed at the river end of the tunnel and another vertical life gate will be
installed at the intake chamber just before the intake chamber. An inspection
chamber will be constructed just outside of the intake chamber. With this
inspection chamber, it will be possible to get inside the tunnel. During
maintenance, the gate valve at the river end and the vertical life gate at
landside end will be closed. This way the tunnel under maintenance will be
water tight. Water can then be pumped out from the tunnel to allow entrance
to the tunnel via the inspection chamber. Trash rack needs to be provided at
the intake mouth to prevent larger floating debris from entering inside the
tunnel. Cleaning of debris can be performed during low flow.

This alternative has some disadvantages. The horizontal underground tunnel

may become silted up. So the tunnel needs to be inspected regularly.
Moreover due to uncertainty, there is risk of them both being completely
silted up at the intake mouths even if they were constructed beyond the
maximum extent of char, requiring dredging. Also, construction of a trash
rack at the intake mouth and lay out of horizontal tunnel required deep
excavation and dewatering.

Alternative 2
According to this alternative, the pump house will be installed at the near
bank. The intake of suction pipe will be located below lowest water level to
guarantee water supply in lean flow period and will be ahead of maximum
possible extent of char to overcome possibilities of getting silted up. In the
end, it will ensure constant water supply to the cooling tower.

In this alternative, the suction pipe line will be laid mostly below the existing
river bank and river bed ranging from intake mouth to pump as shown in the
Figure 3.21. Water will be pumped directly from river that will necessitate
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 higher capacity pump due to long suction pipe. Strainers should be fitted to
the water intake point of suction pump to protect the pump impellers.

Figure 3.21 Cross-section View of Alternative 2

Source: IWM Study

This alternative has advantage such as there is no chance of getting silted up

pipe. Due to uncertainty on char formation, there is mild risk of the intake
mouth becoming silted up even if it is placed beyond the maximum historical
extent of char. However, the pump can still function with a silted up mouth.
The pipe needs to be laid below the scour level to avoid being exposed.

Sufficient sand filter media needs to be placed around the pipe intake mouth
to guarantee constant water supply. In case the intake mouth is silted up,
water will be readily available through this coarse filter media.

Alternative 3
In this option, surface water can directly be extracted from near bank channel
during high flow period. However, during lean flow period channel is
expected to be away from bank line. In that period, ground water will be
extracted through pump instead of surface water abstraction. For
groundwater abstraction, submersible pump may be installed. In addition
another centrifugal pump will need to be installed at pump house for
pumping surface water. Figure 3.22 presents this Alternative 3. No special
arrangement needs to be implemented for surface water withdrawal during
high flow period. Arrangements will be there to join the pipe with the pump
as and when required. If necessary, additional pipe can also be added to the
pipe line to extract surface water. Pipe will be laid over ground surface. The
mechanism for surface water abstraction will require lowering the pipe below
the river water level and pumping the surface water. As soon as river water
level goes below a certain level, the centrifugal pump will reach its threshold
capacity and groundwater abstraction will start. In this alternative, the chance
of getting s silted up intake mouth is absent. However, screens (fine mesh
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 screen/ wedge wire screen/ aquatic filter barrier system) at the mouth will be
required in order to reduce the risk of impingement and entrainment of
aquatic life.

Figure 3.22 Cross-section View of Alternative 3

Source: IWM Study

Multi Criteria Analysis

The following multi-criteria analysis has been done as part of the IWM study
to select the most suitable alternative out of the three selected alternatives as
proposed.

Table 3.19 Multi-Criteria Analysis of Water Intake/ Abstraction Mechanism

Alternative Selection Alternative 1 Alternative 2 Alternative 3

Criteria
Economy in terms of
construction -- +/- +
expenditure
Safety in terms of
siltation at intake +/- + ++
mouth
Navigability at near
+/- + ++
bank channel
Economy in terms of
maintenance and
- +/- +
monitoring
expenditure
Fulltime surface water
++ ++ --
abstraction
Simplicity of
- +/- +
Construction work
Note: Very poor (--), Poor (-), Average (+/-), Good (+), Excellent (++)

Considering economy, navigability and safety in terms of siltation at intake

mouth the decision matrix suggests Alternative 3 is the most promising.
However, considering the all-weather availability of surface water from the

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 river and no withdrawal of ground water, Alternative 2 has been considered
as the preferred option for water abstraction.

Pump House Location

Initially pump house installation over the bank of West Guide Bund was
considered. But as the pipe and intake chamber cannot be laid out through
guide bund slope protection measures, this location was ruled out. The pump
house location is intelligibly selected at immediate downstream of WGB. Due
to presence of WGB, the location is safe; no significant threat of bank shifting
is present here. Moreover, the pump station will be constructed sufficiently
inside bank line. Hence protection against erosion and scour is not necessary.

3.11.3 Conclusion

The ‘No Project Scenario’ is likely to have a negative effect on opportunities

for employment, both directly from the proposed power project and its
dependant sectors such as agriculture, industries and manufacturing that
require stable power supply in order to operate effectively and be competitive.
This will further affect the proposed industrial development in the Sirajganj
District.

The site location is well suited for setting up of power plant with availability
of adequate availability of land, water, access to road, rail and waterways, fuel
source/supply arrangement. Associated facilities, such as, water intake and
abstraction mechanism, pump house location, construction laydown and
camp areas have also been selected based on the basis of alternative analysis
and selection of best suited option.

The project design has considered embedded pollution control systems, which
include NOx control, stack height for dispersion of pollutants, use of cleaner
primary fuel (natural gas), use of Jamuna river water for the Project as
opposed to ground water, induced draft cooling tower for reducing water
requirement and no direct discharge of cooling water into Jamuna River/
Channel.

Best suited technological options have been considered by BPDB and the dual
fuel system has been selected to provide more reliability of power generation.

To conclude, many of the alternatives as site location, gross capacity, fuel

options were not directly under purview of Sembcorp as the proposed project
will be implemented through a PPP model (with 29% stake of NWPGCL). .
Within the available alternatives, Sembcorp has opted for best suited
technological option for power generation.

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4 BASELINE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION

4.1 THE ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE

The baseline conditions define the physical and biological conditions that
prevail in the Project Study Area. It includes information on all receptors and
resources that were identified during the scoping stage of the Impact
Assessment process as having the potential to be affected by the Project, as
well as have an impact on the sustainability of the Project.

This section describes the environmental baseline conditions in the Study Area
(defined below). The analytical framework for the impact assessment is based
on the sustainable livelihoods framework (1), which focuses on putting people
at the center of development (refer Figure 4.1). The baseline therefore
describes the interrelated resources and receptors, which in the livelihoods
framework are termed ‘capital’. The five broad areas of resource and
receptors on which livelihood depends are as follows:

• Natural Capital – natural resource stocks, which include physical (e.g.

climate topography, land use), terrestrial (e.g. flora, fauna), and aquatic (e.g.
benthos, fisheries);

The baseline studies were carried over a period of three months from
December 2012 to February 2013 (air, noise, soil, sediment, water and traffic)
as part of an earlier EIA of the same project as well as an update over two
weeks in February 2015 for this EIA Study (air and noise) and additional field
surveys and consultations in May and June 2015. Reference has also been
included to secondary sources.

(1) “A livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets (including both material and social resources) and activities required for
a means of living. A livelihood is sustained when it can cope with and recover from stresses and shocks and maintain or
enhance its capabilities and assets both now and in the future, while not undermining the natural resource base.” (UK
Department for International Development – DFID)

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Figure 4.1 Resources and Receptors as per Sustainable Livelihoods Framework

INFRASTRUCTURE &
EQUIPMENT ECONOMIC MEANS
including:
Access to & quality of: • Cash income
• Transportation • Benefits (e.g.
• Roads, harbors pensions,
• Water & Sewerage income support)
• Electricity/ energy • Savings
• Telecommunication • Non cash income

NATURAL RESOURCES SOCIAL NETWORKS,

including: & ORGANIZATIONS,
• Climate CULTURE, RELIGION
• Topography
• Physical landscape • Cultural heritage
• Marine resources • Religious
organizations
• Land ownership/land
use patterns • Services e.g. police,
fire, shops
• Access/availability to
resources (e.g. water) • Community
networks
• Fisheries

SKILLS, EDUCATION,
HEALTH AND HUMAN
CAPACITY
• Population
• Migration patterns
• Gender & age
balance
• Education levels
• Literacy levels
• Health levels

4.1.1 Project Site

The Project site is located in Saidabad Union of Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla (Sub-
district) in the Sirajganj District of Bangladesh. The detail of the Project
location along with site surroundings has been discussed in Section 3.

4.1.2 Area of Influence

The Area of Influence (AOI) of the Project comprises of the Project Site and the
surrounding area, where influence of the Project activities is anticipated. The
areas likely to be affected by the Project and its associated activities may
include:

• the project activities and facilities that are directly owned, operated or
managed by the project proponent (including by contractors) and that are
components of the project, such as the power plant, gas pipeline, water
pipelines and transmission line to the power grid sub-station;
• impacts from unplanned but predictable developments caused by the
project that may occur later or at a related location such as increase in
traffic on the approach road;
• impacts on biodiversity or on ecosystem services upon which affected
communities’ livelihoods are dependent;
• associated facilities, that are not funded as part of the project and that
would not have been constructed or expanded if the project did not exist
and without which the project would not be viable; and
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• cumulative impacts that result from the incremental impact, on areas or
resources used or directly impacted by the project, from other existing,
planned or reasonably defined developments at the time the risks and
impacts identification process is conducted e.g. existing Sirajganj 1 power
plant, proposed Sirajganj 2 and 3 power plants of similar capacity and
fuel types and proposed industrial area in the surroundings 1.

Further to this, the AOI with respect to the environmental and social resources
was considered based on the following reach 2 of impacts:

Air Quality

• Gaseous pollutants (e.g. NOx, CO and SO2) and fine particulate matter
(PM10 and PM2.5)–typically up to 2-2.5 km from operations; 3
• Cumulative impact of air pollutants emission from Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and 4
projects; and
• Dust fall –typically up to 200 m from construction activities.

Noise

• Noise impact area (defined as the area over which an increase in

environmental noise levels due to the project can be detected) –typically
500 m from operations and 100 m from the access roads; and
• Cumulative impact of noise generation from Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and 4 projects

Water

• Surface water body –typically 500 m upstream and downstream of water

intake point and 1-1.5 km upstream and downstream of discharge point.
• Other Surface water bodies within 2-2.5 km of the project footprint
• Ground water in 1-2 km radius of project footprint.

Flora and Fauna (Terrestrial and Aquatic)

• The direct footprint of the project comprising the project site.

• The areas immediately adjacent to the project footprint within which a
zone of ecological disturbance is created through increased dust, human
presence and project related activities (e.g., trampling, water
intake/outfall, transportation). This kind of disturbance has been
estimated to occur within the project footprint and surrounding areas of
about 500 m to 1 km from the activity areas.

11An industrial area development project, namely “Sirajganj Economic Zone Development Project” is conceptualised
adjacent to the Saidabad Power Generation Complex. The total area of this project is about 1041.43 acres. The land
acquisition process in underway, however, details of the type of industries proposed in this industrial area are currently
not known.

2 Distance based on ERM’s experience with similar projects

3The air quality dispersion modelling results also indicated that the maximum ground level concentration in all cases will
occur between 1.5 to 2.0 km from the project site.

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Resources

• Bridge of national importance, the Bangbandhu Bridge at approximately

1.75 km from project site.

Based on the above the AOI for environmental studies was limited to 5 km
from the Project site.

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Figure 4.2 AOI at 5 Km from the Project Site with Receptors Locations

Source: Based on Satellite Imageries, field surveys, Local GIS and LGED maps.
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4.2 OBJECTIVE AND METHODOLOGY

The primary objective of the environmental and social baseline study is to

provide a baseline against which potential impacts from the construction,
operational and decommissioning phases of the Project can be assessed.

The methodology adopted for collecting the baseline data is as follows:

• Reconnaissance survey for scoping was carried out in January 2015 for the
current study and in November 2012 for an EIA study of the same project.
The detailed environmental and social field monitoring and survey was
carried out during the period of February 2015 and December 2012 to
February 2013 as well as additional field surveys and consultations in
May and June 2015;
• Study area of 5 km radial zone from the centre of the proposed Project
location was selected for the baseline studies considering the location of
project components, associated components and nature of project
activities;
• Primary environmental data collection was through monitoring and field
survey for water, air, soil, sediment, noise, traffic and ecology;
• Social baseline of the study area was captured through field consultations,
interviews, meeting with stakeholders, discussions with government
departments and secondary data review etc.; and
• Secondary data was collected from government reports, academic
institutes, websites, published literature, interactions with government
department and stakeholders etc.

4.3 NATURAL CAPITAL: PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

4.3.1 Landuse/cover - AOI

Land use/cover inventories are an essential component in land resource

evaluation and environmental studies due to the changing nature of land use
patterns especially because of the Jamuna River in the AOI. The land use
study for the proposed power plant and its 5 km buffer was undertaken with
the following objectives:

• To study the land use/cover in the 5 km radius areas of the proposed

power plant site and provide inputs for environmental planning of the
proposed plant by analysing the existing land use/land cover scenario.
For this the 5 km radius was divided into 3 radial zones of 1 km, 2 km and
5 km and detailed breakups of these radial zones were analysed to get a
clear understanding of the landuse/landcover;
• To establish the existing baseline scenario using a GIS database for
incorporation of thematic information on the different physical features
including drainage and water bodies, settlements, transport networks and
administrative boundaries etc.

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 • To identify and map the waterbodies, drainage and the streams in the
study area.

Methodology

In the present study for delineation and analysis of land use / land cover,
cloud free multi-temporal Satellite Imagery of IRS LISS- IV RESOURCESAT-2
(Path/Row: 109/055 A; DOP: 21-OCT-2014) has been used for Kharif seasons 1
(August to November) of 2014 2. The details of the scenes, multi-spectral
bands, spectral and spatial resolutions and date of pass are given in Table 4.1.
The date of over pass is optimum for classifying the Kharif crop / vegetation
as it is in the peak of the season. Besides multi-spectral data set, reference
sheets provided by the Local Government Engineering Unit, Local GIS Units
and field surveys were used for detailed mapping of roads, railway line, etc.
Land use classification was however analysed using the individual multi-
spectral scenes only. The LANDSAT-ETM satellite data (geo-referenced) is
used for Geo-referencing of the other reference maps/imageries.

All the data sets were processed using the ARC GIS software (version 10). All
vectors are prepared with the following projection parameters:
• Projection Type: Transverse Mercator
• Spheroid Name: WGS 84
• Datum: WGS 84
• Zone: 45N

The area has good coverage of homestead vegetation which shows great
mixing in digital classification. For better accuracy, land use /cover analysis
was carried out using on screen visual interpretation technique. Different
landuse classes were digitized as vector layer keeping the imagery on the back
drop. These landuse vectors were stored separately, corrected topologically
and assigned codes for individual landuse class. Area calculation done using
the calculate geometry tool.

Table 4.1 Details of Satellite Data used in the Study

Satellite and Orbit/row Date of Pass Spatial No. of bands and Band
Sensor Resolution width (Microns)
(meters)
LISS-IV 15.1.2010 5.8 G : 0.52 – 0.59
R : 0.62 – 0.68
NIR : 0.77 – 0.86
Landsat LC8138043201 31.10.2014 15 Coastal/Aerosol :0.433 -
8(OLI) 4304LGN00 0.453
B-G : 0.450 - 0.515
G: 0.525 - 0.600

1 Due to non-availability of cloud free imageries of other season crops only kharif season crop could be studied.

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Satellite and Orbit/row Date of Pass Spatial No. of bands and Band
Sensor Resolution width (Microns)
(meters)
R: 0.630 - 0.680
IR: 0.845 - 0.885
SWI : 1.560 - 1.660
SWI: 2.100 - 2.300
PAN: 0.500 - 0.680
Cirrus : 1.360 - 1.390

Landuse Interpretation of the Study Area

The evaluation of the existing environmental status of the study area was
divided into 3 radial zones of 0-1km, 0-2 km and 0-5 km around the Project
site. This revealed that the land use/land cover consists mainly of agricultural
land, homestead plantation, built-up, wasteland, wetlands and water bodies
on Level-I classification. A further detailed classification into Level II and
Level-III was also carried out and the statistics for all the 3 zones and level
classifications are presented in Table 4.2. Figure 4.3 gives the Land use/Land
cover map for the AOI.

Brief descriptions of the land uses/land covers assessed in the AOI are
provided below:

Built-up Land 1
Built-up Land is defined as an area of human habitation development due to
intensive non-agricultural use. They appear in dark bluish green in core built-
up area and bluish in the periphery irregular and discontinuous in appearance
in satellite imageries. These areas are classified and mapped using satellite
data. Due to the large number of homestead plantations, the settlements are
not clearly visible in the satellite imageries. The major categories discernible
on the satellite data within the study area include several rural residential
areas and very marginal mixed built-up areas. Settlement areas are very
scattered. In the island areas settlement patches are visible adjacent to the
Riverbed cultivated areas.

Some industrial activities are also seen within the study area. The proposed
project site is located in such an area. Built up area including the rural
settlement, Mixed Built Up, Transportation/open land and Industrial area
acquired land covers only 2.46% of the 5 km buffer area around the proposed
site.

Agricultural Land
Agricultural landuse by and large is dependent on agro-climatic condition
prevalent in the area. Cropped areas appear in bright red in colour with
varying shape and size in a contiguous to non-contiguous pattern. Due to the

1Built ups are normally hut/cottage like structures. Proper concrete structure is not common in the AOI therefore the
reflection is less and creates problem to pick the settlements properly. Settlement location with considerable size were only
counted as otherwise the whole map gives a salt pepper effect..

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non-availability of the cloud free data, only the Kharif season satellite data is
analysed and the single crop (Kharif only) is classified and mapped. The
riverbed cultivation areas were found to be confined to the areas around the
Jamuna river and other natural drains and streams.

Agricultural land is the major land use class in the study area as agriculture is
the main source of livelihood in the area. The total agriculture area is 29.806
sq.km (38.04%) comprising of Kharif crop lands, River bed cultivation and
fallow lands. Fallow land observed is 12.946 sq. km (16.52%) lying vacant
during this cropping season of the total land cover.

Wasteland
Wasteland is described as ‘degraded land’ which can be brought under
vegetative cover with reasonable effort and which is currently under-utilized
for the lack of appropriate water and soil management or on account of
natural causes. In the study area existent wasteland classes are those sandy
areas of Jamuna River as well as the scrub lands near the river sides. The
width of the Jamuna River is large and therefore sedimentation and siltation
occur on the river banks. Those areas covered under sedimentation and river
sand are unused landuse of the study area buffer. These areas are barren and
with high reflectance and easily marked in the imagery. Area under sand
cover is categorised as waste land within the project buffer. Some areas are
covered with dried scrubs which are also included under this class.

Wasteland is a very important category of landuse class of the study area.

Total area under wasteland is recorded as 15.082 Sq. Km (19.25%) of the total
geographical area of the studied 5 km buffer zone.

Water bodies
River/streams, tanks are the important waterbodies seen in the study area.
The major river in the study area is Jamuna River flowing along the eastern
most corner of the proposed project site. This river is used for navigation
purpose also. Within the AOI, the streams and natural drainages are found to
be discontinuous. At some places drainages break and develop some
waterbodies. In some places dark patches of water like signature were
observed but interestingly those places are under cultivation. Water bodies
cover 22.210 Sq. Km (28.34%) of the total geographical area of the 5 km buffer
zone. The river Jamuna covers 18.469 Sq. Km (23.57%) area.

Plantation
Plantation appears in dark red to red tone of different sizes with regular and
sharp edges in satellite images. The area covered under Plantation is 2.020 Sq.
km (2.58%). This category includes the entire agricultural plantation as well as
the roadside plantation and plantation in the Jamuna Eco Park. Along the
major roads good plant cover are visible. Jamuna Eco Park is a considerable
feature falling in this category. This park has lots of plantation maintained by
the forest department. It shows very dark signature like forest in the imagery
signifying its thick plant density.

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Others
Homestead Plantation is also an important class observed in the study area.
Scattered patches of homestead plantation with different sizes are observed.
Due to these homestead plantations, the settlement areas are not visible
properly in the satellite imageries. Homestead plantation with rural settlement
covers 7.308 Sq. Km (9.33 %) of the study area.

From the landuse/land cover assessment it can be concluded that majority of

the area is under agriculture in the 5 km AOI. Under agricultural landuse,
fallow land is more than the cropland. However, this may be the scenario
because present statistics are drawn based on Kharif season imagery and the
crop area will definitely increase with the addition of the Rabi crop. The next
major category is waterbodies followed by wasteland and plantations in the
AOI. Landuse under built up is the lowest.

Landuse Interpretation of the Fuel Pipeline with 100 m buffer

In order to evaluate the land use/ land cover along the pipelines associated
with the project, a 100 m buffer on both side of these pipelines has been
considered and studied based on the satellite imageries and other resources
including ground trothing of these areas. This revealed that the land use/land
cover within the 100 m buffer of the fuel pipelines consists mainly of built-up
land (36.65%), waste land (30.71%), agricultural land (14.55%) and homestead
plantation with rural settlement (12.96%), whereas within 100 m buffer of the
water pipeline the landuse/ land cover mainly consists of waste land (31.36%),
plantation (27.68%), built-up land (14.16%) and agricultural land (12.69%). A
further detailed classification into Level II and Level-III was also carried out
and the statistics and level classifications for the fuel and water pipelines are
presented in Table 4.3. Figure 4.4 and Figure 4.5 gives the Land use/Land
cover map along the fuel and water pipelines with 100 m buffer.

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Table 4.2 Landuse/ Land cover statistics of the Project AOI

Level-1 Level-2 Level-3 1 km Radial Zone 2 km Radial Zone 5 km Radial Zone

Area (sq.km) % of Area Area (sq.km) % of Area Area (sq.km) % of Area

Built-up Rural Rural Settlement 0.002 0.050 0.060 0.48 0.575 0.73
Mixed Built Up 0 0 0 0 0.007 0.01
Transportation/ Open 0.046 1.47 0.745 5.93 1.074 1.37
Land
Industrial Saidabad Complex 0.273 8.690 0.273 2.18 0.273 0.35
Sub Total 0.321 10.22 1.078 8.58 1.929 2.46
Agriculture Cropland Kharif Crop 0.361 11.51 1.759 14.01 13.081 16.69
Riverbed Cultivation 0.290 9.23 0.868 6.91 3.779 4.82
Fallow Land Fallow Land 0.382 12.17 2.468 19.66 12.946 16.52
Sub Total 1.034 32.81 5.095 40.58 29.84 38.08
Waste land Waste Land Scrub Land 0.229 7.29 0.349 2.78 1.624 2.07
Other Waste Land 0.540 17.18 1.221 9.73 3.357 4.28
Sand covered areas 0.361 11.50 0.761 6.06 7.235 9.23
Sandbars 0 0 0 0 2.867 3.66
Sub Total 1.130 35.97 2.331 18.56 15.082 19.25
Water bodies River River 0 0 1.417 11.29 18.469 23.57
Stream Natural 0.164 5.22 0.369 2.94 2.747 3.51
Drainage
Water bodies 0 0 0.128 1.02 0.993 1.27
Sub Total 0.164 5.22 1.914 15.24 22.210 28.34
Plantation Plantation Agri+Road side+ 0.340 10.83 1.337 10.65 2.020 2.58
Jamuna Eco Park
Sub Total 0.340 10.83 1.337 10.65 2.020 2.58
Others Homestead Homestead Plantation 0.153 4.86 0.801 6.38 7.308 9.33
Plantation + Rural Settlement

Sub Total 0.153 4.86 0.801 6.38 7.308 9.33

Total 3.141 100.00 12.555 100.00 78.355 100.00
Source: Based on Satellite Data (refer Table 4.2), ground truthing and local GIS Unit and Upazilla maps

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Table 4.3 Landuse/ Land cover statistics of the Fuel Pipelines (Gas and HSD) and Proposed Water Pipeline with 100 m buffer

Level-1 Level-2 Level-3 Fuel Pipeline with 100 m Buffer Water Pipeline with 100 m Buffer
Area (sq.km) % of Area Area (sq.km) % of Area

Built-up Rural Rural Settlement 0.009 1.61 0.001 0.12

Transportation/ Open Land 0.130 24.34 0.051 9.38
Industrial Saidabad Complex 0.057 10.69 0.026 4.66
Sub Total 0.195 36.65 0.078 14.16
Agriculture Cropland Kharif Crop 0.039 7.41 0.043 7.87
Riverbed Cultivation 0 0 0 0
Fallow Land Fallow Land 0.038 7.14 0.026 4.82
Sub Total 0.077 14.55 0.070 12.69
Waste land Waste Land Scrub Land 0.068 12.75 0.126 23.03
Other Waste Land 0.096 17.96 0.046 8.33
Sub Total 0.163 30.71 2.331 18.56
Water bodies River River 0 0 1.417 11.29
Stream Natural Drainage 0 0 0 2.94

Water bodies 0 0 0.128 1.02

Sub Total 0 0 0.172 31.36
Plantation Plantation Agri+Road side+ Jamuna Eco 0.027 5.14 0.152 27.68
Park
Sub Total 0.027 5.14 0.152 27.68
Others Homestead Homestead Plantation + 0.069 12.96 0.027 4.94
Plantation Rural Settlement

Sub Total 0.069 12.96 0.027 4.94

Total 0.532 100.00 0.548 100.00
Source: Based on Satellite Data (refer Table 4.2), ground truthing and local GIS Unit and Upazilla maps

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Figure 4.3 Landuse/ Landcover Map of the Project AOI

Source: Based on Satellite Data (refer Table 4.1), ground truthing and local maps
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Figure 4.4 Land Use/ Land Cover Map of Fuel Pipelines with 100 m Buffer

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Figure 4.5 Land Use/ Land Cover Map of Water Pipeline with 100 m buffer

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4.3.2 Topography

Most of Bangladesh is plain land except the hilly regions to the east and
northeast. The plain land mainly consists of fluvio-deltaic sediments
deposited by the Padma, the Brahmaputra (currently named as Jamuna) and
the Meghna River systems. The elevation of the major part of the floodplain
ranges from 3 to 5 meters. As the floodplains approach the Himalayas from
the northern part of the Pabna District (Sirajganj District is just north of Pabna
District) the elevation gradually increases.

A digital elevation model (DEM) or 3-D representation of the terrain surface of

5 km Project AOI is shown with the height range in Figure 4.6.

Contours of the Project AOI are generated from the Advanced Spaceborne
Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) relief maps and
relevant information are extracted from the Shuttle Radar Topography
Mission (SRTM) DEM. All the processing was completed using the ARC GIS
9.3 software.

Contour maps derived from DEM shows that the topography of the Project
AOI is predominantly flat terrain with depressions in the Jamuna River
section. However, interestingly the sandbars/ island areas within the River
are clearly visible with higher elevation values. The Jamuna Eco Park and
Saidabad Power Generation Complex can be observed to be in the elevation
range of 12-18 m above MSL from the map. As referred from the Project
report of NWPGCL’s 225 MW CCPP, the average elevation of the NWPGCL’s
plant site is 15.75 m above MSL. The proposed Project site is on the same level
as the NWPGCL’s plant as the entire Power hub was raised by sand filling as a
flood protection measure.

A slope map of the 5 km Project AOI is represented in Figure 4.7. The area has
no considerable slope variations. More than 80 % of the area falls in the
gradient range of 0-5 % and some places have 5-10 % slope. Very few areas fall
in the 20-27% gradient range, i.e. near Saidabad, near river bank of Jamuna
Eco Park and at the edges of few char areas on the Jamuna River. The entire
river bank can be seen to have a slope range of 10-15% variation because of the
difference in the land embankment and the river level.

The Saidabad Power Generation Complex including the Project site has a very
gentle slope from north east to south west i.e. from the land towards the River.

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Figure 4.6 DEM Map of Project AOI

Source: Based on Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) relief maps and processing through GIS Arc GIS 9.3 software

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Figure 4.7 Slope Map of Project AOI

Source: Based on Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) relief maps and processing through GIS Arc GIS 9.3 software

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4.3.3 Geology

The geological evolution of Bangladesh is related to the uplift of the

Himalayan mountains and outbuilding of deltaic landmass by major River
systems having their origin in the uplifted Himalayas. This geology is mostly
characterised by the rapid subsidence and filling of a basin in which a huge
thickness of deltaic sediments were deposited as a mega delta built out and
progressed towards the south. The floodplains of the Ganges, the
Brahmaputra (Jamuna) and the Meghna Rivers cover approximately 40% of
Bangladesh.

The geology of Bangladesh can be divided into three distinct regions each
having distinguishing characters of its own:

• Stable Precambrian Platform in the North West- characterised by limited

to moderate thickness of sedimentary rocks above a Precambrian igneous
and metamorphic basement.
• Geo-Synclinal Basin in the southeast- characterised by the huge
thickness of clastic sedimentary rocks, mostly sandstone and shale of
tertiary age. The basin is further subdivided into two parts, i.e. fold belt in
east and a fore deep to the west. As the intensity of the folding decreases
towards the west, the fold belts unit merges with the fore deep unit,
which is characterised by only mild or no folding. So the sedimentary
layers are mostly horizontal to sub-horizontal and free from major
tectonic deformation in the fore deep area covering the central part of the
basin and this is expressed as River to delta plain topography of the land.
• Hinge Zone-is a 25 km wide northeast-southwest zone that separates the
Precambrian platform in the northwest from the geosynclinals basin to
the south east. It is also known as the Ecocene hinge zone.

Geology of Sirajganj

Sirajganj lies in the Rajshahi Division of Bangladesh which falls under a stable
Precambrian platform and is characterised by limited to moderate thickness of
sedimentary rocks above a Precambrian igneous and metamorphic basement.
This unit is geologically stable in relative terms and has not been affected by
fold movement.

The AOI lies in the active delta region of the Brahmaputra- Jamuna floodplain
and the surface geology consists of alluvial deposits of alluvial silt and sand.
The geological map of Bangladesh indicating the Project site is shown in
Figure 4.8.

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Figure 4.8 Geological Maps of Bangladesh

Source: Geological Survey of Bangladesh (www.gsb.gov.bd)

4.3.4 Soil and Sediment Quality

Sampling Methodology and Locations

The soil and sediment sampling strategy was designed to assess the existing
soil quality over the study area. Samples were collected from a total four (4)
locations within the study area. The detail of the sampling locations is
presented in Table 4.4 and Figure 4.9. A composite sampling technique 1 was
used for soil and sediment sampling from each location.

(1) 1In this technique at any location 2-3 soil samples are collected from different point and then mixed homogeneously
to prepare a sample for analysis. Similarly for sediment, 2-3 sediment samples are collected from different points and
mixed homogeneously to prepare a sample for analysis.

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Table 4.4 Location of Soil and Sediment Samples

S. Sample Sample Sampling Location Geographical Landuse and

No. type Code Location justification
1 Soil SQ1 Top soil from the Site 24°23'13.20"N Project site filled with
89°44'33.44"E river sand
2 Soil SQ2 Top Soil from Punorbason 24°23'17.43"N Agricultural field
Village 89°44'4.86"E near Project site
3 Sediment SE1 24°23'58.45"N Waterbody-Jamuna
Jamuna River-Upstream of 89°45'15.21"E River representing
Project Area sediment near water
intake
4 Sediment SE2 24°23'0.89"N Water body –
89°44'59.98"E Channel from Jamuna
Near the existing jetty next River adjacent to
to the site Project site
representing sediment
near water outfall

Soil samples were collected using tools from a depth of 45 cm from the top soil
surface. At each location, soil samples were collected from three spots and
homogenized. The homogenized samples were collecting following quartering
technique and then packed in polythene plastic jars and sealed. The sealed
samples were sent to the laboratory for analysis.

Sediment samples were collected using a sediment sampler from the Jamuna
River and its channel. At each location, sediment samples were collected from
three spots and homogenised. Care was taken to minimize the surface
disturbance to the sediments. The homogenised samples were then packed in
polythene plastic bags, sealed and sent to the laboratory for analysis.

The soil and sediment samples were analysed for physical and chemical
characteristics including minerals, heavy metals and trace elements.

Analysis Results and Discussions

The analysis results of physico-chemical parameters of soil and sediment

samples are presented in Table 4.5.

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Figure 4.9 Soil (SQ1-SQ2), Sediment (SE1 – SE2) and Water (SQ1 – SQ2) Sampling Locations

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Table 4.5 Soil and Sediment Quality

S. No. Parameters SQ1 SQ2 SE1 SE2

1. Particle size Sand-70% Sand-12% Sand-22% Sand-18%
distribution Silt-25% Silt-57% Silt-42% Silt-45%
Clay-5% Clay-31% Clay-36% Clay-37%
2. Texture Sandy loam Silty clay loam Clay loam Silty clay loam
3. EC (dS/m) 1.8 0.79 0.53 0.48
4. Bulk Density (g/cm3) 1.67 1.29 1.29 1.27
5. Cation Exchange 0.03 0.05 1.04 0.08
Capacity
6. pH 7.8 7.3 7.6 7.2
7. Organic Content (%) 0.43 1.05 0.63 0.51
8. Calcium (mg/kg) 4.35 6.24 12.61 10.54
9. Magnesium (mg/kg) 3.73 4.80 13.5 15.7
10. Potassium (mg/kg) 0.09 0.25 2.7 3.1
11. Sodium (meq/100g) 1.05 2.4 5.62 4.57
12. Ammonium- 17.62 38.5 - -
Nitrogen (mg/kg)
13. Nitrogen (mg/kg) 0.02 0.08 - -
14. Phosphorus (mg/kg) 1.82 4.5 2.78 2.13
15. Sulphur (mg/kg) 24.41 31.8 3.76 2.43
16. Boron (mg/kg) 0.08 0.15 0.07 0.05
17. Copper (mg/kg) 2.4 4.3 32.5 21.2
18. Iron (mg/kg) 24 76.3 76.7 68.3
19. Manganese (mg/kg) 19.4 37.9 67.4 72.7
20. Zinc (mg/kg) 1.68 2.6 49.63 42.51
21. Lead (mg/kg) 9.45 24.6 25.8 20.6
22. Cadmium (mg/kg) 0.05 0.01 0.1 0.1
23. Arsenic (mg/kg) 0.13 0.28 0.70 0.62
24. Mercury (mg/kg) 0.06 0.04 0.09 0.05
Source: Lab Analysis Report, February 2013

Physical Characteristics of Soil and Sediments

The particle size distribution of the soil and sediment samples shows major
percentage of silt in all the samples. The soil at the Project site has 70% sand
and is of sandy loam texture. This can be attributed to the infilling with
Jamuna river sand depositions in the entire Project site to raise it above flood
level initially during site preparation. In the soil sample from agricultural land
(SQ2) located nearby Punorbason village shows more percentage of clay as
compared to sand. The sediment samples are clay loam and silty clay loam in
texture.

pH of Soil and Sediments

The pH of the soil sample from the site and the sediment sample from Jamuna
River was found to be slightly alkaline as per the standard soil classification
given in Table 4.6. The soil sample from the Punorbason agricultural land and
sediment from the adjoining Channel were found to be neutral.

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Table 4.6 Standard Soil Classification

pH Classification
<4.5 Extremely acidic
4.51-5 Very strong acidic
5.01-5.5 Strongly acidic
5.51-6 Moderately acidic
6.1-6.5 Slightly acidic
6.51-7.3 Neutral
7.31-7.8 Slightly alkaline
7.81-8.5 Moderately alkaline
8.51-9.00 Strongly alkaline
>9 Very strongly alkaline
Source: http://www.esf.edu/pubprog/brochure/soilph/soilph.htm

Organic Content in Soil

The organic content of soil greatly influences the plant, animal and
microorganism populations in soil. The soil of the Project site was found to
have low organic content of 0.43% and that of Punorbason village of 1.05 %
respectively.

Soil Minerals and Nutrients

Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) are the main nutrients that define
soil fertility. Phosphorous was observed to be 1.82 and 4.5 mg/kg for the
project site and Punorbason agricultural land respectively. The potassium
content was 0.09 and 0.25 mg/kg for the project site and Punorbason
agricultural land respectively, whereas the nitrogen content was 0.02 and 0.08
mg/kg for the project site and agricultural land of Punorbason village,
respectively.

Metals in Soil and Sediment

Copper, Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic and Mercury were
detected in the soil and sediment samples. Among these metals, the content of
iron, manganese and zinc were highest.

Criteria for Assessment of Soil

There is no Bangladesh soil or groundwater regulation/standard. In the

absence of local country standards, it is ERM’s practice to use globally
recognized ‘Dutch Ministry of Public Housing, Land-use and Environmental
Guidelines - Soil and Groundwater Standards’ to assess soil quality and to
determine the need, if any, for remedial action (Refer Section 2.9).

Conclusions

Metals analysed in baseline quality of both soil and sediment were observed
to be well below the threshold limits for Intervention as per the Dutch
Standards.

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4.3.5 Hydrology and Drainage Pattern

The Sirajganj District mostly falls under the Brahmaputra-Jamuna floodplains

on the eastern side and Karatoya-Bangali floodplains on the western side. The
Jamuna River borders the eastern side of the Sirajganj District and divides it
from the Tangail District. The other important rivers of the district are Baral,
Ichamati, Karatoya, Bangali, Sarsagar, Gumni, Gohala and Phuljhuri.

The hydrological regime of the Project AOI is governed by the Jamuna River
and it is the main drainage channel of the area. Historically, the sediments
carried by the Jamuna River have been deposited in the area. The Jamuna
River is a braided River characterised by a network of interlacing channels
with numerous sandbars enclosed in between them. The sandbars, known
locally as “Chars” do not, however, occupy a permanent position. The river
deposits them in one year often to destroy and redeposit them in the very next
rainy season. The process of deposition erosion and re-deposition goes on
continuously making it difficult to precisely demarcate the boundary between
the district of Sirajganj and Tangail. Some of the chars have stabilized due to
continuous depositions every year and people have started using it because
the fertile alluvial deposits provide good agricultural yield.

Another river within the Project AOI is Hurasagar River, a tributary of

Jamuna River in the western side of the Project AOI. There are also many
small streams and ponds within the Project AOI. Through the eastern and
southern boundaries of the Saidabad Power Generation Complex flows a
Channel branching out of the main Jamuna River. This channel carries water
during the rainy season (June onwards) and gets dry after January, till the
arrival of rains, due to siltation on the mouth of the channel.

The general run-off pattern is from west to east through the Jamuna River. The
drainage map of the Project AOI is shown in Figure 4.10.

Jamuna River Hydrology

The water level data for the Sirajganj Hardpoint was collected from the
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) office for last 65 years (1950-
2014). The danger level is 13.35m and from the data it was observed that
almost every year during rains between July to September, the River crosses
the danger level mark. The recorded highest water level till date at Sirajganj is
15.11 m on 30.8.1988. The last reported major flood in the area was in 2007
when the maximum level of Jamuna reached 14.95 m on 1st August. In 2014
the maximum level reached was 13.51 m on 29th September. The Project site
along with the Saidabad Power Generation Complex is situated at an
elevation of 15.75 m which is 0.64 m above the level reached in 65 years of
recorded data (maximum level ever reached was 15.11 m in 1988). Water level
rise due to any climate change impacts have been discussed in Section 1.

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 The maximum water levels reached by Jamuna River at Sirajganj over the 65
years span are shown in Table 4.7 and the historical variation in the water
level is shown in Figure 4.11.

Table 4.7 Maximum Water levels of Jamuna River at Sirajganj

S. No. Date Maximum Water Level (m) Danger Level (m)

1. 01-09-1950 13.40
2. 20-07-1951 13.43
3. 16-07-1952 14.03
4. 01-08-1953 13.87
5. 01-08-1954 14.22
6. 07-08-1955 14.17
7. 25-06-1956 13.38
8. 13/14-08-1957 13.90
9. 30-08-1958 13.83
10. 1959 Data not available
11. 1960 Data not available
12. 1961 Data not available
13. 24-08-1962 14.15
14. 1963 Data partially available
15. 06-08-1964 13.89
16. 16/17-08-1965 13.77
17. 01/02-09-1966 13.87
18. 22/25-07-1967 13.45
19. 26/27-07-1968 13.94
20. 25-07-1969 13.77
21. 29-07-1970 14.22
22. 1971 Data not available
23. 02-08-1972 13.90
24. 11-08-1973 14.22
25. 07-08-1974 14.24
26. 06-08-1975 13.46
27. 06/07-07-1976 13.46
28. 22-08-1977 13.90
29. 29-06 and 01-07 -1978 13.46
30. 11-10-1979 13.67
31. 22-08-1980 14.50
32. 08-07-1981 13.87
33. 21/22-09-1982 13.73
34. 16-09-1983 14.19
35. 20-09-1984 14.62
36. 30-07-1985 14.14
37. 05-08-1986 13.45
38. 17-08-1987 14.57
39. 30-8-1988 15.11 13.35
40. 21-07-1989 13.42 13.35
41. 27/30-07-1990 13.95 13.35
42. 15-07-1991 14.37 13.35
43. 01-07-1992 13.25 13.35
44. 03-09-1993 13.74 13.35
45. 18-08-1994 13.05 13.35
46. 10-07-1995 14.69 13.35
47. 19-07-1996 14.01 13.35
48. 15-07-1997 13.58 13.35
49. 08-09-1998 14.76 13.35
50. 27-08-1999 14.10 13.35
51. 06-08-2000 14.04 13.35
52. 04/05-08-2001 13.44 13.35
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S. No. Date Maximum Water Level (m) Danger Level (m)
53. 29-07-2002 14.38 13.35
54. 14-07-2003 14.34 13.35
55. 23-07-2004 14.81 13.35
56. 01-09-2005 13.31 13.35
57. 19-09-2006 12.94 13.35
58. 01-08-2007 14.95 13.35
59. 07-09-2008 14.33 13.35
60. 22-08-2009 13.68 13.35
61. 15-09-2010 13.83 13.35
62. 25-07-2011 13.41 13.35
63. 28-09-2012 13.98 13.35
64. 11/12-09-2013 13.51 13.35
65. 29/30-08-2014 13.79 13.35
Source: Data collected for Station ID SW49-Sirajganj from BWDB office at Sirajganj and Dhaka

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Figure 4.10 Drainage Map of Project AOI

Source: Based on Satellite Data, ground truthing and local maps

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Figure 4.11 Water Level variation in Jamuna River at Sirajganj Hardpoint

16.0

15.0

14.0

13.0

12.0
Water Level (m)

11.0

10.0

9.0

8.0

7.0

6.0
1/Jan 31/Jan 2/Mar 1/Apr 2/May 1/Jun 2/Jul 1/Aug 1/Sep 1/Oct 1/Nov 1/Dec

Days
1950 1980 2000 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 D.L 2013 2014

Source: Based on Data collected from BWDB

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 Water Discharge

Water discharge and maximum velocity data for 2000-2014 was also collected
from BWDB for Station SW46.9L (Bahadurabad-Transit) the nearest upstream
data collection location 1 from Sirajganj. A brief summary of the data collected
has been presented in Table 4.8 reflecting the dynamics and water availability
in the Jamuna River.

Table 4.8 Water Discharge Data

S. No. Variation Date Water Discharge Cross Maximum

Level(m) (m3/sec) section (m2) Velocity
(m/sec)
1. Minimum 02-05-2000 15.75 3,095.50 14,301.38 1.76
Maximum 07-08-2000 20.06 69,320.37 45,347.40 3.58
2. Minimum 24-02-2001 13.19 3,178.02 7,136.63
Maximum 07-08-2001 19.06 49,229.56 32,153.78
3. Minimum 28-02-2002 12.93 4,512.01 9,596.28 1.05
Maximum 30-07-2002 19.97 69,727.84 67,006.77
4. Minimum 12-03-2003 13.28 4,278.34 9,474.23 0.86
Maximum 14-07-2003 19.86 65,683.93 35,026.66 2.78
5. Minimum 01-03-2004 13.04 5,613.66 10,781.52 0.81
Maximum 12-07-2004 20.10 96,105.52 64,579.89 3.19
6. Minimum 08-02-2005 13.27 6,566.08 10,316.53 1.07
Maximum 29-08-2005 19.45 58,766.89 42,495.20 2.84
7. Minimum 20-02-2006 12.95 8,366.66 12,303.75 1.10
Maximum 17-07-2006 18.57 47,666.45 36,965.29 2.45
8. Minimum 12-02-2007 13.31 14,358.65 14,258.06 1.43
Maximum 01-07-2007 18.85 42,240.84 40,183.47 1.91
9. Minimum 17-03-2008 13.41 5,222.52 7,290.24 1.27
Maximum 02-09-2008 19.60 62,378.87 47,045.09 2.71
10. Minimum 02-03-2009 13.16 5,043.83 11,174.21 0.74
Maximum 19-01-2009 13.52 86,939.11 12,644.53 1.25
11. Minimum 23-02-2010 13.03 3,749.42 5,569.48 1.13
Maximum 26-07-2010 19.52 45,775.37 37,068.89 2.09
12. Minimum 08-03-2011 13.27 3,796.70 6,608.00 1.17
Maximum 26-07-2011 19.57 53,317.36 41,449.40 2.28
13. Minimum 28-02-2012 12.62 3,293.76 5,654.11 1.00
Maximum 25-09-2012 20.11 55369.47
14. Minimum 05-03-2013 12.48 2036.82 - 0.65
Maximum 10-09-2013 19.72 75660.06 - 3.66
15. Minimum 12-05-2014 14.25 6715.24 - 1.17
Maximum 22-08-2014 19.83 62924.48 - 2.54
Source: Based on data collected from BWDB office, Dhaka,

The water discharge measurement carried out by the Institute of Water

Modelling (IWM), Dhaka for the purpose of capital dredging project on the
Jamuna River near the Sirajganj Hardpoint is shown in Figure 4.12. As can be
observed from the values, about 25,389 m3/sec is the total discharge
measurement just after the Sirajganj Hardpoint.

BWDB at 1Sirajganj Hardpoint maintains water level data only. Discharge, cross section and velocity data is collected at
Bahadurabad transit.

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Figure 4.12 Water Discharge Measurement at Sirajganj Hardpoint

Source: BWDB and Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) and updated based on field surveys between February and June 2015
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4.3.6 Water Availability in Jamuna River

A mathematical modelling and survey of the Jamuna River was carried out by
Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) in Feb 2013 1 in connection with the
proposed Power plant with the following objectives:
• Assess the planform of the Jamuna right channel in the vicinity of the
project site, for its persistence over time;
• Assess the availability of water in the right channel of the Jamuna to
facilitate water intake for the proposed power plant; and
• Suggest workable and suitable suction point, pipeline route and
sustainable location pump house for the entire project life of 22 years;

Based on the last 15 years data of water flow in the River Jamuna as recorded
by BWDB, minimum flow of the River was measured as 2,036.82 m3/s on 5th
March 2013. Whereas the proposed water requirement of the Sirajganj 4
project is about 0.17 m3/s. This amount is only 0.008% of the lean season flow
of the Jamuna River in Sirajganj. Furthermore, the study conducted by IWM
also revealed that the minimum discharge of the channel near the West Guide
Bund (WGB) is about 745 m3/s and the maximum char extent between the
channel and WGB is around 910 m at intake location and 1040 m after 250 m
downstream. Considering the lean season flow of the channel near intake
location, the water intake is of the order of 0.02%. Considering the lean season
water availability in the River Jamuna as well as the channel near WGB, it is
evident that the amount of water intake is negligible in the context of water
availability in the River/ Channel. The amount of intake is also considered
incapacble of changing the morphology of the right channel.

4.3.7 Water Quality

Water sampling and analysis was undertaken to understand the overall

baseline water quality characteristics of the surface and groundwater in the
Project AOI. The surface water sampling was based on the identification of
the major surface water body and its interaction with the project e.g. Jamuna
River. Groundwater sampling locations were selected to obtain representative
water samples from various zones within the AOI. The samples were collected
from existing tube well (hand-pumps being used by the villagers) and bore
well.

A total of 5 samples, three (3) surface water and two (2) ground water samples
were collected. Details of the sampling locations is provided in Table 4.9 and
depicted in Figure 4.9.

1 The study was carried out by IWM on behalf of LANCO Power International Pte Ltd for the proposed project.

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Table 4.9 Details of Surface and Ground Water Sampling Locations

S. Sampling Location Code Geographical Type of Justification

No. Location Source for selection
of location
1 Jamuna River SW1 24°24'7.87"N River Representing
upstream of Project’s 89°45'13.27"E water quality
water intake pint upstream of
water intake
2 Jamuna River SW2 24°23'8.87"N River Representing
downstream of water 89°45'51.01"E water quality
intake point downstream
of intake
3 Adjoining channel near SW3 24°23'3.50"N River Representing
the jetty next to the site 89°45'3.91"E Channel water quality
of outfall
point
4 Project Site GW1 24°23'14.04"N Borewell Represents
89°44'33.74"E ground water
quality at
projects site
5 Punorbason Village GW2 24°23'23.79"N Tubewell Represents
89°44'7.69"E (hand pump) ground water
in nearest
village in
Project AOI

The samples were analysed for parameters covering physical, chemical and
bacteriological characteristics as mentioned in the scope of work which
includes certain heavy metals, trace elements and toxic constituents.

Water samples were collected as grab water samples in pre-washed 5-litre

plastic jerry cans and 250 ml sterilized clean PET bottles for complete physio-
chemical and bacteriological tests respectively.

The samples were analysed as per standard procedure/method given in

Standard Method for Examination of Water and Wastewater Edition 20,
published by the American Public Health Association (APHA). Details of the
analysis method and protocol are presented in Table 4.10.

Table 4.10 Method for Water Analysis

S. No. Parameter Method Protocol

1. Temperature Digital Thermometer
2. Turbidity Turbidity meter APHA., 2130 B
3. pH pH meter APHA., 4500 H+ B
4. Salinity Digital Salinity Meter APHA., 2520 B
5. Dissolved Oxygen Digital DO Meter
6. Conductivity at 25 0 C Conductivity meter APHA., 2510 B
7. Total Dissolved Solids Digital TDS meter
8. Oil and Grease Partition Gravimetric method APHA., 5220 B
9. COD Open reflux method APHA., 5210 B
10. BOD BOD 5 day APHA., 5210 B
11. Total Coliform Multiple tube technique APHA 9221 B
12. Fecal Coliform Faecal coliforms Procedure APHA 9221 E

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 S. No. Parameter Method Protocol
11. Nitrate as NO3 Ion chromatography APHA.,4110 B
12. Nitrite Ion chromatography APHA.,4110 B
13. Manganese Atomic Absorption APHA 3113 B
Spectrophotometer (AAS)
14. Phosphate Colorimetric APHA 4500-P.C
15. Iron as Fe AAS APHA 3113 B
16. Turbidity (NTU) Nephelometric APHA 2130 – Part (B)
17. Oil and Grease (mg/L) Partition Gravimetric APHA 5520 B
18. Alkalinity (HCO3) Titrimetric IS 3025 - Part (23)
19. Total Hardness (as EDTA Titrimetric APHA 2340-
CaCO3) (mg/l) Hardness(C)
20. Chloride (Cl) (mg/l) Argentometric APHA 4500(B)
21. Arsenic (As) (mg/l) Silver diethyldithiocarbamate APHA 3500(B)
22. Calcium (Ca) (mg/l) AAS APHA 3500 –Ca (B)
23. Chromium (Cr+6) (mg/l) Colorimetric APHA 3500 - Cr (D)
24. Fluoride (F) (mg/l) Colorimetric APHA 4500 – F_ (D)
25. Cadmium (Cd) (mg/l) AAS APHA-3500-Cd (B)
26. Lead (Pb) (mg/l) AAS APHA 3500 - Pb (B)
27. Mercury (Hg) (mg/l) Dithizone APHA 3500 - Hg (C)
28. Potassium (K) (mg/l) AAS APHA-3500-K (B)
29. Sodium (Na) (mg/l) AAS APHA-3500- Na (B)
30. Boron (B) (mg/l) AAS APHA-3500-B (B)
Source: Laboratory Results Report, January 2013

The quality of surface water was compared with the standards for Inland
Surface Water, Environment Conservation Rules (ECR), 1997-Schedule 3 (A).
Few additional parameters were also analysed, apart from those given in
Schedule-3 (A), for determining the ambient water quality of the Jamuna
River. The groundwater was compared with the Drinking Water Standard
E.C.R.-Schedule-3(B), 1997. The standards have been presented along with the
monitoring results of surface and groundwater for comparison.

Surface Water Quality

The surface water Quality was compared with the Bangladesh ECR standard
for best practice based classification criteria. Table 4.11 shows the analysis
results.

As per the best practice based classification standards of the Bangladesh ECR,
the quality of none of the three surface water samples from the Jamuna River
is of a level that can be utilized for any purposes as per the classification i.e.
source of drinking water after disinfection, recreational activity, fisheries,
industrial process and cooling purpose and for irrigation. This is because of
the high levels of total coliform are far above the standard limits.

Some of the water analysis parameters are discussed below in detail:

pH: All results for pH in surface water fall within the permissible limits of 6.5
to 8.5.

Dissolved Oxygen (DO): DO of all three samples range in between 7.5 to 8.2
mg/l and thus meets the surface water classification for all usages.

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Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): The BOD levels range between 1.1 to
1.6 mg/l and is below the limit of 2 for being utilized as drinking water
source.

Coliform levels: The Total coliform levels range between 20000 to 26000
number/100ml which is notably higher than the classification limits of 5000 or
less to be used for any criteria as irrigation, industrial purposes etc. Even the
faecal coliform levels are in the range of 9000 to 12000 no./100 ml which
indicates high levels of contamination which may be from disposal of
untreated sewage and run-offs in the upstream of the River.

Heavy Metals: Among the heavy metals analysed in the Jamuna River
samples, Iron was found in the range of 0.19 to 0.24 mg/l, whereas Arsenic,
Lead, Chromium, Mercury, Manganese and Cadmium were found below the
detection limits.

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Table 4.11 Surface Water Quality Analysis

S. Parameter Unit Sample Location Bangladesh standards (Best practice based classification)*
No. SW1 SW2 SW3 Source of Water usable Source of Water Water Water
drinking water for recreational drinking water usable by usable by usable for
for supply only activity for supply after fisheries various irrigation
after conventional process and
disinfecting treatment cooling
industries
1. Temperature °C 17 18.6 19.64 - - - - - -
2. TDS mg/L 100 100 90 - - - - - -
3. EC - - - - - 2250 (at
µS/cm 210 210 180 temp of
25 °C)
4. DO mg/L 7.5 8.2 7.8 6 or above 5 or above 6 or above 5 or above 5 or above 5 or above
5. pH - 7.93 7.11 7.06 6.5-8.5 6.5 – 8.5 6.5 – 8.5 6.5 – 8.5 6.5 – 8.5 6.5 – 8.5
6. Salinity mg/L 0.10 0.10 0 - - - - - -
7. BOD 5 mg/L 1.3 1.1 1.6 2 or less 3 or less 6 or less 6 or less 10 or less 10 or less
8. COD mg/L 31 27 29 - - - - - -
9. Fecal Coliform No:/100 ml 11000 12000 9000 - - - - - -
10. Total Coliform No:/100 ml 24000 26000 20000 50 or less 200 or less 5000 or less - 5000 or less 5000 or less
11. Nitrate mg/L 0.4 0.5 0.5 - - - - - -
12. Nitrite mg/L <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 - - - - - -
13. Manganese mg/L BDL BDL BDL - - - - - -
14. Phosphate mg/L 0.45 0.41 0.55 - - - - - -
15. Iron mg/L 0.21 0.24 0.19 - - - - - -
16. Turbidity NTU 195 180 90 - - - - - -
17. Oil and Grease mg/L 0.2 0.1 BDL - - - - - -
18. Alkalinity 147 142 137 - - - - - -
mg/L
(HCO3)
19. Total Hardness 47 38 42.3 - - - - - -
mg/L
(as CaCO3)
20. Chloride (Cl) mg/L 23.53 20.13 18.47 - - - - - -
21. Arsenic (As) mg/L BDL BDL BDL - - - - - -
22. Calcium (Ca) mg/L 4.96 5.12 4.84 - - - - - -
23. Chromium (Cr) mg/L <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 - - - - - -
24. Fluoride (F) mg/L 0.54 0.57 0.49 - - - - - -
25. Cadmium (Cd) mg/L <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 - - - - - -
26. Lead (Pb) mg/L <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 - - - - - -

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S. Parameter Unit Sample Location Bangladesh standards (Best practice based classification)*
No. SW1 SW2 SW3 Source of Water usable Source of Water Water Water
drinking water for recreational drinking water usable by usable by usable for
for supply only activity for supply after fisheries various irrigation
after conventional process and
disinfecting treatment cooling
industries
27. Mercury (Hg) mg/L BDL BDL BDL - - - - - -
28. Potassium (K) mg/L 3.92 4.13 3.7 - - - - - -
29. Sodium (Na) mg/L 13.18 17.11 10.08 - - - - - Less than
26% (at
temp of
25 °C)
30. Boron (B) mg/L 0.25 0.12 0.17 - - - - - Less than
0.2% (at
temp of
25 °C)
* Bangladesh Environment Conservation Rules, 1997- Schedule 3 (Standards for inland surface water)

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 Groundwater Quality

The results of two groundwater samples collected from the borewell at the
Project site and tube well (hand pump) from Punorbason village are shown in
Table 4.12.

Table 4.12 Groundwater quality analysis

S. No. Parameters Units GW1 GW2 Applicable

Standards*
1. Depth m ˜ 36.5 ˜ 28
2. Temperature OC 23°C 19.8 °C 20-30°C
3. TDS mg/l 180 280 1000
4. EC μS/cm 370 540 -
5. pH 6.85 6.91 6.5-8.5
6. Dissolved Oxygen mg/l 5.2 5.9 6
7. Salinity mg/l 0.20 0.20 -
8. Alkalinity (HCO3-) mg/l 287 276.7 -
9. Total Hardness (as CaCO3) mg/l 317 292 200 – 500
10. Chloride (Cl-) mg/l 256 347 150-600
11. Arsenic (As) mg/l 0.01 0.01 0.05
12. Calcium (Ca) mg/l 12.72 27.35 75.0
13. Chromium (Cr) mg/l <0.01 <0.01 0.05
14. Cadmium (Cd) mg/l <0.001 <0.001 0.005
15. Fluoride Mg/l 0.2 0.4 1
16. Iron (Fe) mg/l 2.1 2.9 0.3-1.0
17. Lead (Pb) mg/l BDL BDL 0.05
18. Mercury (Hg) mg/l BDL BDL 0.001
19. Potassium (K) mg/l 4.73 6.46 12.0
20. Sodium (Na) mg/l 153 168 200
21. Boron (B) mg/l 0.2 0.3 1.0
22. Fecal Coliform No:/100ml Nil Nil 0
23. Total Coliform No:/100ml Nil Nil 0
* Bangladesh Environment Conservation Rules, 1997- Schedule 3 (B) (Standards for drinking water)

The key parameters in groundwater are discussed below, compared with the
Bangladesh ECR Standards for drinking water.

pH: The pH of the samples of Project site is 6.85 and that of Punorbason
Village is 6.91 which are within the standard range of 6.5 to 8.5.

Total Dissolved Solids: The total dissolved solids content in the Project site
and Punorbason Village are 180 mg/l and 280 mg/l, which are well below the
standard limits of 1000 mg/l.

Total Hardness (as CaCO3): Total Hardness varied in the Project site ground
water is 317 mg/l and that of Punorbason Village is 292 mg/l, well within the
upper limit standard of 500 mg/l.

Chloride: The chloride content in the Project site groundwater is 256 mg/l and
that of Punorbason village is 347 mg/l and is well within the upper limit
permissible standards of 600 mg/l.

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Coliform: Both the total coliform and faecal coliform levels were found to be
nil in the ground water samples meeting the drinking water standard
requirement of 0 number/100ml.

Iron and Arsenic: The iron content of the groundwater sample at Project site
is 2.1 mg/l and that of Punorbason village is 2.9 mg/l which exceeds the
standard range of 0.3 to 1 mg/l indicating high iron content in the ground
waters of the study area.

Arsenic content was observed 0.01 mg/l for both the groundwater samples
analyzed. The level of arsenic is below the standard limit of 0.05 mg/l.

Other Heavy Metals: The other heavy metals, Mercury, Cadmium, Lead and
Chromium were below the detection limits in both the groundwater samples
in the area.

Conclusion

A high level of iron was found in the groundwater of study area. This is a
common occurrence in many parts of Bangladesh and can be attributed to
predominance of reducing conditions in the aquifers of Bangladesh 1. Apart
from iron, other parameters fall within the standard permissible limits for
drinking water. Arsenic contamination is also found in the Project AOI though
both the groundwater samples analysed were within limits. Arsenic
contamination of geological origin has been reported in many districts of
Bangladesh 2 and Sirajganj District is also affected by it. Data about arsenic
contamination in the Sirajganj Upazilla is shown in Box 4.1.

1 Groundwater studies of Arsenic contamination in Bangladesh, DPHE/BGS/DFID, 2000

1 Groundwater studies of Arsenic contamination in Bangladesh, DPHE/BGS/DFID, 2000

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Box 4.1 Arsenic contamination in Sirajganj District

The data available from the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) of Sirajganj Sadar
Upazilla shows the number of arsenic contaminated and safe tube wells in 12 unions of
Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla along with the number of patients affected with Arsenicosis.
Union Tubewell Surveyed Population Surveyed
Name

Surveye Operati Arsenic Arsenic Contamina Surveyed Total

d ve Safe contamin tion (%) Patients of
ated Arsenicosis

Bagbati 4,778 4,735 4,289 466 9.42 55,687 19

Bahuli 3,066 3,034 2,897 137 4.52 35,549 04
Chhangacch 3,142 3,097 2,895 202 6.52 30,385 10
a

Kalia 3,386 3,356 3,212 144 4.29 33,916 01

Haripur

Kaoakola 1,322 1,305 1,283 22 1.69 15,578 01

Khoksabari 3,368 3,313 3,182 131 3.95 38256 02

Mechhera 2,681 2,651 2,636 15 0.57 27,020 00

Ratankandi 2,783 2,756 2,488 268 9.72 25,107 13

Saidabad 3,283 3,213 2,987 226 7.03 31,912 01

Siyalkol 2,705 2,657 2,457 192 7.23 26,859 08
Total 30,514 30,117 28,334 1783 5.92 3, 20, 269 59

Source: Data for 2011-2012, Department of Public Health Engineering, Sirajganj Upazilla

4.3.8 Meteorology

Climate

Bangladesh is located in the tropical monsoon region and its climate is

characterised by high temperature, heavy rainfall, often excessive humidity,
and fairly marked seasonal variations. From the climatic point of view, three
distinct seasons can be recognised in Bangladesh - the cool dry season from
November through February, the pre-monsoon hot season from March
through May, and the rainy monsoon season which lasts from June through
September. January is the coolest month with temperatures averaging near
26°C and April the warmest with temperatures from 33 to 36°C. Most places
receive more than 1,525 mm of rain a year, and areas near the hills receive
5,080 mm. Most rains occur during the monsoon (June-September) and little in
winter (November-February). Moderate rains are also reported in the months
of March, April and October.

Climatic sub-regions of Bangladesh are presented in Figure 4.13 and as per

that, the Sirajganj District falls in two climatic sub-regions of South-Western
(in the southern portion) and North –Western (in the Northern portion) zones.

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 The nearest Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) 1 meteorological
station is at Tangail, which is the neighbouring district of Sirajganj on the east.
The climatic conditions as recorded at Tangail are therefore considered
applicable for the Project AOI. To assess the climatic conditions of the area,
climatology data has been obtained from BMD.

Figure 4.13 Climatic Sub-regions of Bangladesh

Source: http://www.poribesh.com/Maps/Climate.htm

1 Bangladesh Meteorological Department is the authorised Government organisation for all meteorological activities in

Bangladesh. It maintains a network of surface and upper air observatories, radar and satellite stations, agro-meteorological
observatories, geomagnetic and seismological observatories and meteorological telecommunication system.

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Figure 4.14 Normal Maximum and Minimum Temperature Profile in Tangail

40
35
30

Temperature ( °C)
25
20
15
10
5
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Months

Normal Maximum Temperature (°C) Normal Minimum Temperature (°C)

Source: BMD

Humidity

Due to heavy rainfall and proximity to the Bay of Bengal, the humidity levels
in Bangladesh remains high. Relative humidity in the Project AOI is generally
above 80% during June to December. The month of March is the driest with
relative humidity around 69%. Relative humidity normally varies in the range
of 69-85% throughout the year. The monthly variation of normal humidity in
Tangail has been presented in Figure 4.15.

Figure 4.15 Normals of Relative Humidity in Tangail

90
80
70
Percentage (%)

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Months

Monthly Normal Humidity (%)

Source: BMD

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 Rainfall

About 80% of the precipitation occurs during five monsoon months (May to
September) with June and July getting the maximum rains. Minimum
precipitations are reported during the months of November to February,
whereas average showering does occur in March, April and October.

The monthly average normal rainfall variation based on the climatology data
and number of normal rainy days in each month in Tangail has been
presented in Figure 4.16

Figure 4.16 Normals of Rainfall and number of Rainy days in Tangail

Source: BMD

Wind Speed and Wind Direction

Wind direction and speed exhibits seasonal variation. Winds are generally
moderate during non-monsoon season, whereas during the monsoon season,
these are moderate to strong. The wind speed varies from 1.02 m/s to 7.71
m/s, with wind speed varying in between 2.31 to 3.34 m/s most of the times.

The annual windrose shows the predominant wind direction to be SSE to

NNW. During the months of May to October the predominant wind direction
is SSE to NNW and during November to April it is NNE to SSW. The annual
windrose and monthly wind roses based on the pre-processed meteorological
data from MM5 (Fifth Generation NCAR/Penn State Mesoscale Model) are
presented in Figure 4.17 and Figure 4.18, respectively.

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Figure 4.17 Annual Windrose of Project Site

Source: Pre-processed meteorological data from MM5 for Project Site

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Figure 4.18 Monthly Windrose Diagrams of Project Site

January February March April

May June July August

September October November December

Source: Pre-processed meteorological data from MM5 for Project Site

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4.3.9 Natural Hazards

Earthquakes

As per the Seismic Zoning Map of Bangladesh, the country is divided into
three seismic zones (Figure 4.19). The northern part of the country that
includes the greater districts of Rangpur, Mymensingh, and Sylhet are in the
Zone-I where earthquake shock of maximum intensity of IX of the Modified
Mercalli Scale is possible. The Zone-II includes the greater districts of
Dinajpur, Bogra, Dhaka and Chittagong and the shocks of intensity of VIII are
possible. The southern part of the country, the least active region, where the
maximum intensity is not likely to exceed VII, is in the Zone-III. The Project
site falls in the Zone-II area with a basic seismic coefficient of 0.05g and at
moderate risks from earthquakes.

Cyclone and Storm Surges

Bangladesh, due to its unique geographic location, repeatedly becomes the

landing ground of cyclones formed in the Bay of Bengal. These cyclones are
devastating and cause extensive damage to life, property and livestock. The
cyclones occur in two seasons, April-May and October-November – i.e. before
and after the rainy season.

Cyclones in Bangladesh are presently classified according to their intensity

and the following nomenclature is in use:
• depression (winds upto 62 km/hr.);
• cyclonic storm (winds from 63 to 87 km/hr.);
• severe cyclonic storm (winds from 88 to 118 km/hr.); and
• very severe cyclonic storm of hurricane intensity (winds above 118
km/hr.).

As shown in Figure 4.20 the Project site does not fall under cyclone affected
area. There are reports of a Tornado in 1991, wind storm in 2001 and tropical
storm in 2002 1.

1 (www.adrc.asia/publications/databook/ORG/...20th/BGD8.xls, 2008)

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Figure 4.19 Earthquake Zone Map of Bangladesh

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Figure 4.20 Cyclone map of Bangladesh

Floods

Every year near about one-fifth of Bangladesh undergoes flood during the
monsoon season. A flood season in Bangladesh may start as early as May and
can continue until November.

Floods of Bangladesh can be divided into three categories: (i) monsoon flood -
seasonal, increases slowly and decreases slowly, inundate vast areas and
causes huge loss to the life and property; (ii) flash flood-from sudden
torrential flows, following a brief intense rainstorm or the bursting of a natural
or manmade dam or levee; and (iii) tidal flood - short duration, height is
generally 3-6m, prevents inland flood drainage.

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 Figure 4.21 shows the flood affected areas of Bangladesh. The Sirajganj district
is heavily prone to floods. The project AOI also gets inundated with flood
waters of Jamuna River every year during rainy season and is highly prone to
River bank erosion. The Project site also used to get affected by flood waters
prior to its raising and embankment construction. However, with the
construction of the 225 MW NWPGCL plant, the entire Power hub including
the site has been raised by 2.5 m – 3m and embankment constructed all
around the power hub. Currently, the Project site lies at an elevation level of
15.75 m as against the danger level of 13.35 m. The river embankment Map of
Bangladesh is shown in Figure 4.22.

Figure 4.21 Flood Map of Bangladesh

Source: mapofbangladesh.blogspot.com

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Figure 4.22 River Embankment Map of Bangladesh

Source: http://www.bpedia.org/E_0049.php

A brief note on the Flood Control measures being carried out by BWDB on
Jamuna River in Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla is given in Box 4.2.

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Box 4.2 Flood Control Measures on Jamuna River in Sirajganj

Bangladesh is one of the most disaster prone countries in the world. Among different disasters,
flood is one of the most threatening disasters for Bangladesh as it causes damage to people and
their properties and frequently covers most of Bangladesh. Though flood affects almost every
part of the country, the intensity and frequency of flood vary from region to region. Sirajganj is
one of the most flood vulnerable districts of the country and Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla is one of
the highly flood and erosion prone areas in the Sirajganj district.

As a flood protection measure, Brahmaputra Right Bank Embankment was one of the first
embankments constructed in 1960s to provide flood protection to about 230,000 ha lying on the
western side of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Tista Rivers. It is 217 km long and extends from
Kaunia in Rangpur at the northern end up to Bera upazilla in Sirajganj district at the southern
end. Construction of the embankment started in 1963 and was completed in 1968 at a cost of
about Tk 8 crores[1]. The average height is 4.5m, crest width 6m and side slope 1:3 on both sides.
The embankment has been under constant threat of erosion by the Jamuna river and needs
relocation further away from the riverbank. This embankment is present throughout the Project
AOI.

Further, during the construction of Bangabandhu Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge in 1998, around
2.5 kilometres long Sirajganj town protection embankment (also called Sirajganj Hard point)
was built at a cost of Tk 350 crore to protect Sirajganj district town from erosion by the Jamuna
River. However, the town protection embankment has been breached several times in the last
few years, though it was built with an estimated longevity of 100 years. The embankment was
breached three-times in July 2011 and could be affected by future breaches any time due to the
rising or falling of the water level of the Jamuna. The BWDB declared the town protection
embankment as a KPI (Key Point Installation) in 2011 and started the process to implement
capital dredging (theindependent 2011).

The government has taken up a three-year long project and already sanctioned Tk 1000 crore
through BWDB to dredge about 20-kilometer portion of Jamuna River from Bangabandhu
Jamuna Bridge to Mesra in a bid to keep the flow of water in the river smooth and protect
Sirajganj district town. The government also directed the Sirajganj WDB to spend the money in
three phases in three years.

As discussed with BWDB officials at Sirajganj and observed during field visit, dredging work is
ongoing in the main Jamuna River channel upstream of the Saidabad Power Generation
Complex. The BWDB officials also discussed about regular monitoring of the embankment and
water levels at the Sirajganj hard point.
[1] 1 crore = 10 million

Dredging Machines on Jamuna River Dredging Pipes

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 Geobags at various points in the Jamuna River Trawler for carrying dredged sediments
Source: During field survey by ERM team

4.3.10 Ambient Air Quality

The objective of the ambient air quality monitoring program was to establish
the baseline ambient air quality in the study area. The profile of the Project
AOI is mainly rural on the western and Jamuna River on the eastern side. The
major sources of air pollution noted within the study area include heavy
vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Rajshahi National Highway and domestic
emissions apart from the existing NWPGCL’s power plant. No major
industrial activity is reported in the study area.

The air quality monitoring locations were selected based on the locations of
settlements and receptors within the study area. Logistic factors such as
consent of villagers, mainly the house owners, power connection, accessibility,
security, etc. were also taken into account in finalising the monitoring stations.

Methodology of Air Quality Monitoring

The existing ambient air quality of the study area was monitored at four (4)
locations during the monitoring period (Dec 2012 – Feb 2013 and Feb 2015).
The monitoring parameters included Particulate Matter (Suspended
Particulate Matter (SPM), PM10 and PM2.5), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Oxides of
Nitrogen (NOx) and Carbon Monoxide (CO). All the parameters except CO
were monitored on 24-hourly basis twice a week during the duration of the
study. CO was monitored as eight-hourly average.

Selection of Sampling Locations

The baseline status of ambient air quality has been established through a
scientifically designed ambient air quality monitoring network. The ambient
air quality monitoring locations (Table 4.14) were based on the following
aspects covered in field survey plan developed prior to the field work:

• Meteorological conditions of the area based on information of BMD

observatory at Tangail and Bogra;
• Topography of the study area; and
• Location of sensitive receptors such as major settlements.

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 The particulate and gaseous samples collected during the monitoring have
been analysed as per the procedures specified in Table 4.13. The geographical
locations and setting of the ambient air quality monitoring locations has been
presented in Table 4.14 and are depicted in Figure 4.23 and photographs of
ambient air quality monitoring are presented in Box 4.3.

Table 4.13 Methodology for Analysis of Ambient Air Quality

S. No. Parameter Analysis Procedure

1. SPM Gravimetric method
1. PM10 Gravimetric method
2. PM2.5 Gravimetric method
3. SO2 Colorimetric method at 560nm using spectrophotometer (West-Gaeke
method)
4. NOx Colorimetric method at 540 nm using spectrophotometer (Jacob and
Hochheiser method)
6. CO Digital CO meter (Model GCO-2008)

Table 4.14 Ambient Air Quality Sampling Locations

S.N. Sampling Station Distance Direction Geographical Location Setting

Station Code from from Location
Project Project
Boundary Site
1 AQ1 0 - 24°23'14.35"N Part of Saidabad
89°44'33.00"E Power Generation
Project Site Complex with
nearby 225 MW
power plant
2 AQ2 980 m NNW 24°23'42.17"N Small commercial
Near the 89°44'19.02"E area and proximity
Access road to the National
Highway
3 Punarbason AQ3 800 m WNW 24°23'23.84"N Village and Rural
Village 89°44'7.67"E Setting
4 Radhunibari AQ4 2,800 m SW 24°21'58.81"N Village and Rural
Village 89°43'18.53"E Setting

Box 4.3 Site Photographs - Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Locations

AQ1 AQ2

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 AQ3 AQ4

Ambient Air Quality in the Study Area

The monitored ambient air quality is summarized in Table 4.15 and results are
annexed in Annex H.

Table 4.15 Ambient Air Quality in the Study Area

Monitoring Concentration in (µg/m3)

Period Location Observed SPM PM10 PM2.5 SO2 NOx CO*
December AQ1 Maximum 237.4 152.5 22.7 2.8 20.9 2300.0
2012 – Minimum 172.5 117.5 14.6 1.2 6.0 0.0
February Average 208.0 134.4 18.1 2.1 10.3 575.0
2013 98 Percentile 236.1 152.0 22.5 2.7 20.0 2047.0
AQ2 Maximum 292.8 172.6 24.8 4.0 20.8 2300.0
Minimum 218.5 134.7 10.4 1.5 8.6 0.0
Average 253.3 150.8 19.3 3.0 15.2 1533.3
98 Percentile 290.8 170.5 24.7 3.9 20.7 2300.0
AQ3 Maximum 202.0 140.3 19.1 2.9 13.3 1150.0
Minimum 149.5 102.6 11.4 1.2 4.2 0.0
Average 170.3 117.7 14.4 1.9 7.8 95.8
98 Percentile 199.9 137.5 19.0 2.7 12.5 897.0
AQ4 Maximum 285.4 137.7 22.6 3.6 20.6 1150.0
Minimum 164.8 109.7 11.0 1.6 11.6 0.0
Average 207.7 120.3 15.0 2.5 15.2 191.7
98 Percentile 275.0 136.1 22.0 3.5 20.1 1150.0

February AQ1 Maximum 188.5 145.8 16.4 5.7 19.0 1375.0

2015 Minimum 162.5 136.9 12.8 3.6 16.7 750.0
Average 174.6 140.4 14.6 4.5 17.9 1031.3
98 Percentile 187.8 145.4 16.4 5.6 18.9 1360.0
AQ2 Maximum 239.8 142.8 20.6 7.2 18.3 1875.0
Minimum 215.7 128.6 17.8 5.2 15.7 1375.0
Average 228.3 136.0 18.7 6.2 16.7 1656.3
98 Percentile 239.4 142.4 20.5 7.1 18.1 1867.5
AQ3 Maximum 167.5 118.7 16.7 1.8 7.1 1250.0
Minimum 141.8 105.5 14.5 1.2 4.2 0.0
Average 155.3 111.8 15.6 1.5 5.4 437.5
98 Percentile 167.3 118.3 16.7 1.8 7.0 1190.0
AQ4 Maximum 165.8 113.5 18.7 2.8 16.6 0.0
Minimum 152.7 101.9 14.1 1.9 10.2 0.0
Average 159.2 107.2 16.4 2.3 12.9 0.0
98 Percentile 165.5 113.2 18.6 2.7 16.4 0.0
Standards
Bangladesh** 24 hourly 200 150 65 365 - 10,000
Annual - 50 15 80 100 -
Note:

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* CO concentrations and standards are 8-hourly only.
** The Bangladesh National Ambient Air Quality Standards have been taken from the
Environmental Conservation Rules, 1997 which was amended on 19th July 2005 vide S.R.O. No.
220-Law/2005.

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Figure 4.23 Air Quality (AQ 1 – AQ 4) and Traffic Monitoring (T1) Locations

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 Analysis and Discussion of Results

SPM: The 24-hourly average SPM concentration in ambient air was recorded
in the range of 141.8 – 292.8 µg/m3. The 98th percentile SPM concentration at
the four monitoring locations was recorded in the range of 199.2 – 290.1
µg/m3. Average concentration of SPM at the monitoring locations was
reported in the range of 166.52 – 247.0 µg/m3. During the monitoring period,
the maximum SPM concentration was reported at AQ2 as 292.8 µg/m3.
Higher SPM concentrations at this location are primarily due to unpaved road
stretches, traffic movement and agricultural activities. SPM level at three
locations (except AQ2 – refer Table 4.14 for location details) were observed
slightly higher than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards of
Bangladesh. The SPM pattern in the study area has been presented in Figure
4.24. While comparing the air quality results of monitoring being carried out
in 2012-13 with additional monitoring done in 2015, it was noted that the SPM
levels were only exceeding at the AQ2 location, with highest concentration of
239.75 µg/m3, whereas in other three locations, the levels were found between
141.75 µg/m3 and 188.5 µg/m3, which are well within the applicable standard
of 200 µg/m3. Similarly, the air quality monitoring data of S1 and S2 projects
monitored by the DOE in September 2013 indicated the SPM levels at the
Sirajganj Power Generation Complex between 135.25 µg/m3 and 144.12
µg/m3. Considering these the airshed cannot be considered as degraded as
the industrial activities in the area are very limited and the higher SPM levels
are mainly resulted due to the traffic induced dust, open agricultural areas
and windblown dusts.

Figure 4.24 SPM Concentration Pattern in the Project AOI

PM10: The 24-hourly average PM10 concentration in ambient air was recorded
in the range of 102.6 – 172.6 µg/m3. The 98th percentile PM10 concentration at

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 the monitoring locations was recorded in the range of 136.1 – 169.76 µg/m3.
Average concentration of PM10 was reported in the range of 117.7 – 150.8
µg/m3. During the monitoring period, the maximum PM10 concentration was
reported from AQ2 as 172.6 µg/m3. PM10 level (98th percentile) at AQ1 and
AQ2 were reported slightly above 150 µg/m3, which is a 24-hourly National
Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM10 in Bangladesh, whereas
PM10 level (average) at three monitoring locations (except AQ2) was reported
below the NAAQS. The PM10 pattern in the study area has been presented in
Figure 4.25. While comparing the air quality results of monitoring being
carried out in 2012-13 with additional monitoring done in 2015, it was noted
that the PM10 levels were found to be within the applicable standard of 150
µg/m3 in 2015, with highest concentration of 145.75 µg/m3 at location AQ1
and minimum concentration of 101.85 µg/m3 at location AQ4.

Figure 4.25 PM10 Concentration Pattern in the Project AOI

PM2.5: The 24-hourly average PM2.5 concentration in ambient air was recorded
in the range of 10.9 – 24.7 µg/m3. The 98th percentile was recorded in the range
of 19.0 – 24.7 µg/m3. Average concentration of PM2.5 was reported in the range
of 14.4 – 19.1µg/m3. During the monitoring period, the maximum PM2.5
concentration was reported at AQ2 as 24.7 µg/m3. PM2.5 level (98th percentile
as well as average) at all the locations were reported well within the 24-hourly
National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM2.5 in Bangladesh (65
µg/m3). The PM2.5 pattern in the study area has been presented in Figure 4.26.

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Figure 4.26 PM2.5 Concentration Pattern in the Project AOI

SO2: The 24-hourly average SO2 concentration was recorded in the range of 1.1
– 5.7 µg/m3. The 98th percentile was recorded in the range of 2.7 – 6.9 µg/m3.
Average concentration of SO2 at the monitoring locations was reported in the
range of 1.9 -3.8 µg/m3. SO2 concentrations (both average and 98th percentile)
at all the monitoring locations were reported well below 365 µg/m3, which is
the 24-hourly National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for SO2 in
Bangladesh (Figure 4.27).

Figure 4.27 SO2 Concentration Pattern in the Project AOI

NOx: The 24-hourly average NOx concentration was recorded in the range of
4.2 – 20.9 µg/m3. The 98th percentile was recorded in the range of 12.5 – 20.7
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 µg/m3. Average concentrations of NOx at all the monitoring locations were
reported in the range of 7.8 – 15.6µg/m3. The NOx pattern in the study area
has been presented in Figure 4.28. There are no stipulated standards for 24-
hourly NOx concentration in Bangladesh. The annual Bangladesh standard for
NOx is 100 µg/m3 and present 24 hourly average concentrations at all the
locations are well below these values.

Figure 4.28 NOx Concentration Pattern in the Project AOI

CO: The 8-hourly average CO concentration was recorded below the detection
limits or ranged up to maximum of 2300µg/m3. The 98th percentile was
recorded in the range of 1082.650.0 – 2300.0µg/m3. Average concentrations of
CO are reported low at all the monitoring locations while comparing with the
Bangladesh Standards (10 mg/m3). The CO pattern in the study area is
presented in Figure 4.29.

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Figure 4.29 CO Concentration Pattern in the Project AOI

Conclusion

It is evident from the above comparison of ambient air quality results with the
applicable standards that the ambient air quality of the project AOI is good
with respect to the gaseous pollutants and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
Industrial activity in the area is currently limited to the operational 225 MW
power plant of NWPGCL and small scale handlooms at household level.
Further the comparison of the ambient air quality monitoring carried out in
2012-13 and 2015 in the same area indicated that the levels in 2015 were much
lower than previous monitoring results and that clearly indicates that the AOI
is not a degraded airshed.

4.3.11 Ambient Noise Levels

Noise levels were recorded at six locations in the study area during the
monitoring period of Dec 2012 to Feb 2013. Noise levels were recorded in the
form of sound pressure levels using a digital sound level meter. The details of
noise monitoring locations are given in Table 4.16 and depicted in Figure 4.23.

Noise levels were also recorded at 14 locations in the study area during Feb
2014 to map the current noise levels with the operational 225 MW NWPGCL’s
plant. The details of noise monitoring locations are given in Table 4.17 and
Figure 4.30. Photographs of noise monitoring locations are presented in Box
4.4.

The purpose of ambient noise level measurement was to determine sound

intensity at the monitoring locations. These locations are chosen in such a way
that representative data could be recorded all over the block. The sound level
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 is recorded in form of A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level
(Leq) values with the use of A-weighting filters in the noise measuring
instrument.

Table 4.16 Details of Ambient Noise Monitoring Locations carried out during Dec 2012
to Feb 2013

S.N. Location Stations Distance Direction Geographical Location Setting

Code from from Location
Project Project
Boundary Boundary
1 NQ1 Project Site - 24°23'2.47"N Industrial area with
boundary on 89°44'32.60"E NWPGCL’s plant in
0
south western vicinity
corner
2 NQ2 Khas Bara W 24°23'15.07"N Village setting
220
Shimul 89°44'25.50"E (nearest receptor)
3 NQ3 Settlement Near WNW 24°23'32.20"N Village setting with
access road 665 89°44'22.12"E access road near by
(MMS office)
4 NQ4 Starting point of WNW 24°23'42.17"N Mixed Setting
access road near 89°44'19.02"E (commercial and
945
National road nearby)
Highway
5 NQ5 Makimpur SW 24°21'53.98"N Village and Rural
3000
village 89°43'19.42"E Setting
6 NQ6 Punorbason NW 24°23'23.84"N Village and Rural
760 m
Village 89°44'7.67"E setting

Noise level monitoring was carried out for 24 hours during monitoring period
with 1-min equivalent sound pressure levels. At all the locations,
measurement was taken at 1-min intervals over a 24 hour period. The
equivalent noise levels have been converted to hourly equivalent noise levels.
Finally, the measurements were carried out by dividing the 24 hours into two
parts, i.e. daytime, which is considered from 0600 to 2100 hours and night
from 2100 to 0600 hours. At each location, day time Leq has been computed
from the hourly sound pressure level values measured between 0600 to 2100
hours and night time Leq has been computed from the hourly sound pressure
level values measured between 2100 to 0600 hours.

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Table 4.17 Ambient Noise Monitoring Locations, February 2015

S.N. Location Code Stations Distance from Project Direction from Geographical Location Location Setting
Boundary Project Boundary
- Industrial with 225
24°23'9.68"N
1. NL1 Center of the Project area 0 MW operational
89°44'36.09"E
plant in vicinity
- Industrial with 225
North-East Corner (In front of 24°23'14.85"N
2. NL2 0 MW operational
rest house) 89°44'50.08"E
plant in vicinity
- 24°23'14.76"N Vicinity of access
3. NL3 South side of the Mosque 0
89°44'34.82"E road
4. - 24°23'3.42"N Industrial setting
NL4 Jetty Ghat 0
89°44'56.88"E Near Jamuna River
North-west corner of the - 24°23'15.25"N Boundary of power
5. NL5 0
boundary 89°44'32.45"E complex
Middle point of the west side - 24°23'7.76"N Boundary of power
6. NL6 30 m
boundary (outside) 89°44'31.12"E complex
South west corner of the - 24°23'2.67"N Boundary of power
7. NL7 0
boundary 89°44'32.59"E complex
In front of the GTCL’s quarter - 24°23'14.70"N Boundary of power
8. NL8 0
89°44'42.50"E complex
Khas Bara Shimul village W 24°23'14.94"N Village setting
9. NL9 220 m
(Suruzzan Shek’s house) 89°44'25.44"E
Khas Bara Shimul village W 24°23'8.02"N Village setting
10. NL10 220 m
(Salim Uddin’s house) 89°44'25.07"E
Chak Boira Village (Akter S 24°22'40.44"N Village setting
11. NL11 680 m
Mia’s house) 89°44'55.06"E
Chak Boira Village (Ala- SW 24°22'41.17"N Village setting
12. NL12 840 m
Uddin’s house) 89°44'12.56"E
Bara Shimul village (Tota N 24°23'31.35"N Village setting with
13. NL13 490 m
Mia’s house) 89°44'31.33"E access road nearby
Khas Bara Shimul village W 24°23'15.23"N Village setting
14. NL14 560 m
(Samsul Islam’s house) 89°44'13.59"E

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Box 4.4 Site Photographs - Ambient Noise Monitoring Locations

NL1 NL2

NL3 NL4

NL5 NL6

NL7 NL8

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 NL9 NL10

NL11 NL12

NL13 NL14

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Figure 4.30: Noise Monitoring locations (NQ1 – NQ6) (December 2012 to February 2013) and (NL1-NL14) (February 2015)

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 Observations

The recorded noise levels in the Project AOI during January – February 2013
are summarised in Table 4.18. The equivalent sound pressure level (Leq)
during day and night time measured during the monitoring period is
presented in Figure 4.31.

Table 4.18 Noise Levels in the Study Area, (January – February 2013)

Locations Noise level (dB(A)) Applicable Standard

(dB(A))* as per Landuse
Leqday Leqnight Lmax Lmin Day Night
NQ1 48.2 48.9 49.9 45.2 70 70
NQ2 48.9 42.5 56.3 35.2 55 45
NQ3 47.0 42.4 54.2 38.6 55 45
NQ4 54.5 55.3 57.1 52.1 55 45
NQ5 52.8 42.6 56.2 36.6 55 45
NQ6 50.4 42.4 55.3 36.3 55 45
Note: The time from 0600 hrs. to 2100 hrs. is counted as daytime and from 2100 hrs. to 0600 hrs. is counted
as night time.
Source: Environmental Conservation Rules, 1997 (Schedule 4) amended September 7, 2006

Ambient daytime noise level (Leq day) was recorded in the range of 48.2 to 52.8
dB (A). Whereas, ambient night time noise level (Leqnight) in the study area
varied in the ranged of 42.4 to 55.3 dB (A). Maximum noise levels (Lmax) at the
monitoring locations were recorded in the range of 49.9 to 56.3 dB(A) and the
minimum noise levels (Leqmin) at the monitoring locations were recorded in the
range of 35.2 to 52.1 dB(A).

Figure 4.31 Noise Levels Recorded in the Study Area during Dec2012-Feb 2013

The noise sources at the Project site in 2012-13 were mainly the ambient noise
and from the activities related to commissioning of the 225 MW Power plant.
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 In other locations, the main sources of noise are traffic (especially at NQ4),
noise from the agricultural activities, sound of engines – diesel generators,
small water pumps etc. in and around the monitoring locations.

The recorded noise levels in the Project AOI during Feb 2015 are summarised
in Table 4.19. The equivalent sound pressure level (Leq) during day and night
time measured during the monitoring period is presented in Figure 4.32.

Table 4.19 Noise Levels in the Study Area, Feb 2015

Locations Noise level (dB(A)) Applicable Standard

(dB(A))* as per Landuse
Leqday Leqnight Lmax Lmin Day Night
NL1 40.7 32.4 48.0 41.9 70 70
NL2 45.9 46.9 54.7 53.2 70 70
NL3 40.2 24.8 46.9 34.3 70 70
NL4 40.2 47.6 53.4 47.7 70 70
NL5 47.7 44.5 49.7 43.5 70 70
NL6 48.0 45.1 51.2 44.2 70 70
NL7 39.5 40.6 48.3 46.8 70 70
NL8 46.8 47.5 55.9 53.8 70 70
NL9 55.6 45.2 60.9 47.4 55 45
NL10 47.3 43.5 49.4 42.6 55 45
NL11 46.5 40.7 49.9 39.0 55 45
NL12 46.4 40.8 53.6 39.7 55 45
NL13 44.6 42.6 47.4 41.0 55 45
NL14 50.8 44.2 54.3 42.2 55 45
Note: The time from 0600 hrs. to 2100 hrs. is counted as daytime and from 2100 hrs. to 0600 hrs. is counted
as night time.
Source: Environmental Conservation Rules, 1997 (Schedule 4) amended September 7, 2006

Ambient daytime noise level (Leq day) was recorded in the range of 39.5 to 55.6
dB (A). Whereas, ambient night time noise level (Leqnight) in the study area
varied in the ranged of 32.4 to 47.6 dB (A). Maximum noise levels (Lmax) at the
monitoring locations were recorded in the range of 48.0 to 60.9dB(A) and the
minimum noise levels (Leqmin) at the monitoring locations were recorded in the
range of 39.0 to 53.8 dB(A).

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Figure 4.32 Noise Levels Recorded in the Study Area, Feb 2015

Conclusion

From the above it can be concluded that ambient noise levels in the rural and
village setting of the Project AOI between Dec 2012- Feb 2013 were within the
prescribed limits for residential landuse, which is 55dB(A) for day time and 45
dB(A) for night time at most of the locations. At that point of time, only NQ-4
(starting point of the access road near National Highway) a mixed landuse
location was found to exceed the night time limit of 50 dB(A) for mixed area
mainly because of increased heavy vehicular movement at night time. It also
shows higher noise levels during night time as compared to the daytime noise
levels. This indicates the heavy traffic movement during night time on the
national highway.

In the current scenario with the 225 MW operational plant, the noise levels
around the power complex boundary when compared to the prescribed limits
for industrial landuse was well within the limits. However at NL-9, location
in Bara Shimul Panchosona Village, monitoring results marginally exceed
both day and night time limits for residential land use. Detailed analysis of the
monitoring data indicated that the noise levels on the day of monitoring at
this location were in the range of 58.5 to 60.9 dB(A) between 15:00 to 18:00 hrs.
This has resulted into higher daytime noise levels. Since NQ2 and NL9 are the
same locations of noise monitoring and the comparison of the results
indicated that the noise results of February 2015 are not a regular
phenomenon and it is being contributed due to the anthropogenic activities on
the day of monitoring. When the results at NL9 are compared with NL1 to
NL8 results (monitoring locations within and around the Saidabad Power
Generation Complex), which provide the baseline due to the operation of
existing NWPGCL power plant, it is evident that the noise levels at NL9 are
higher than these monitoring results. This clearly indicates that majority of
noise at NL9 is not being contributed by the existing power plant operations.
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 It is also to be noted that the locations NL9, NL 10 and NQ 2 are equidistant
from the boundary of Saidabad Power Generation Complex in the west
direction. The comparison of monitoring results of these three locations clearly
indicate that the noise is only exceeding at location NL9 from the applicable
standard during day and night time, whereas the monitoring carried out on
the west boundary of the Saidabad Power Generation Complex (NL5, NL6
and NL7) show much lower noise levels than NL9. This clearly depicts that
the higher noise levels at NL9 are due to anthropogenic activities near the
monitoring location and not a result of noise generated due to the operation of
S1 project.

4.3.12 Traffic

The current traffic assessment was identified for two locations in the Project
AOI, which are connected to the Project Site. The traffic assessment locations
were selected based on discussions with the client and survey of main access
roads which will provide connectivity to the Project for transportation of
manpower and materials. The two location details are provided in Table 4.20.
However, daily traffic data (both way movement) for one of the location i.e.
Bangabandhu Bridge was available from the BBA Toll Plaza office and the
same has been used in this study. For the other location i.e. access road to the
Project site, the traffic volume was monitored continuously for 24 hours, one
time, during the study period.

Table 4.20 Locations of Traffic Survey

SN Location Code Geographical Coordinates/ Location detail and justification

Location
1 TD1 BBA East and West Toll Plaza Traffic on National Highway 405
connecting Dhaka-Rajshahi and
fro and connects the Project area
to Dhaka and Rajshahi.
Represents the main traffic on
National Highway connecting
the Project area to other districts.
2 TD2 24°23'45.12"N Acess Road connecting Project
89°44'14.70"E Site to the National Highway 405
and fro. Represents traffic on the
main access road.

The BBA Toll Plaza collects the traffic data categorized as Motor Cycles, Light
Vehicles (LV which indicates Cars, jeeps, micros), Trucks- Small trucks (ST),
Medium trucks (MT) and Large trucks (LT), Buses - Small buses (SB) and
Large buses (LB). Similar format was used for traffic data collection for the
access road to the Project site with addition of non-motorized vehicles as
cycles, rickshaws, vans and others as battery driven auto rickshaws and CNG
autos. These additional categories i.e. non-motorized vehicles, battery driven
auto rickshaws and CNGs are forbidden to pass Bangabandhu Bridge but
used within the town and village areas as a means of transport by villagers
and local people.

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 The summarised details of the traffic data collected from the Toll Plaza and
survey at the access road are given in Table 4.21. The detailed traffic data is
included in Annex I.

Table 4.21 Existing Traffic Volumes on the National Highway and Connecting Road

Description Traffic on National Acess Road connecting Project

Highway 405 connecting Site to the National Highway
Dhaka-Rajshahi and fro* 405 and fro**
Number of Motor Cycles 250 89
Number of LVs 2033 25
Number of Trucks 5937 36
Number of Buses 2264 2
Number of Non-motorized Prohibited 99
Vehicles (cycles, Rickshaws
and vans)
Number of Other Category Prohibited 42
Vehicles (battery driven and
CNG auto rickshaws)
Total Traffic (Nos.)/24 Hours 10,484 449
(To and fro)
Average Traffic Flow/Hr. 437 19
Max Traffic Flow (Nos)/Hr. - 55 (12.25%)
15.00-16.00 hrs.
Min Traffic Flow (Nos)/Hr. - 0
1.00 -5.00 hrs
Peak Traffic hours (over 8% of - 11.00-12.00 hrs
total daily traffic) 15.00-17.00 hrs
8.00-10.00 hrs
Source: *(BBA Toll Plaza office) 1st October 2012 Data ** Primary data collection.

The National Highway is at a distance of about 1.5 km from the Project site
gate and the Bangabandhu Bridge 1 starts at about 3 km from the Project site
towards east from the highway. The highway is 4 laned with a RoW of
approx. 14 m and connects the Rajshahi Division to the eastern parts and
Capital Dhaka via the Bangabandhu Bridge. The highway faces heavy traffic
as it provides an important connectivity. The traffic trends for the months of
September and October 2012 of Bangabandhu Bridge is shown in Figure
4.33.The month of October reflects higher traffic compared to September
because of increased travel related to the main festival of Id-ul Fitr celebrated
in that month.

1The Bangabandhu Bridge also called the Jamuna multipurpose Bridge is a strategic link connecting the north western
Bangladesh to the eastern parts and Capital Dhaka. The Bridge is 4.8 km long and 18.5 m in width. The carriageways are
6.315 metres wide separated by a 0.57 metre width central barrier. The toll plaza at the Bridge was used as a traffic
assessment location as there are no major roads jutting in or out till the Bridge and reflects the traffic on the national
highway connecting to the Project site access road.

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Figure 4.33 Traffic Trend for the Bangabandhu Bridge

*MC- Motorcycle, LV-Light Vehicles, SB-Small Bus, LB-Large Bus, ST-Small Truck, MT-Medium
Truck, LT-Large Truck

The access road connecting the Project site from the National Highway is
about 6 m in RoW. This road was built with the sole purpose of providing
access to the Saidabad Power Hub i.e. the existing NWPGCL’s 225 MW power
plant, proposed power plant and related facilities as the grid station.
However, local villages of Punorbason, Boro Simul and Panchosona also
started using this road for connectivity as this is accessible even in the
monsoon season. The maximum number of vehicles are non-motorized (22%)
followed by motor cycles (19.82%), being used by the local villagers and
labourers for commuting to the under commissioning NWPGCL power plant.
The heavy vehicles movements i.e. truck and buses contribute only 8.4% of the
total traffic. The hourly traffic variation in the access road connecting the
Project site is shown in Figure 4.34.

Figure 4.34 Traffic Volume in the access road connecting the Project site

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 LV-Light Vehicle, MC-Motor Cycle, NMV- Non-motorized Vehicles, Others-battery operated rickshaws
and CNGs

4.4 NATURAL CAPITAL – BIODIVERSITY BASELINE

4.4.1 Terrestrial and Aquatic ecology

Bangladesh is situated in the “oriental region”, between the Indo-Himalayas

and Indo-Chinese sub regions. The country has a total area of 147,570 sq. km,
of which about 80 % comprises of one of the largest deltaic plains in the world,
formed at the confluence of the Ganges, the Brahmaputra (Jamuna), and the
Meghna Rivers. The remaining 20 % of the land area is comprised of the
undulating, forested hill tracts. Distinct physiographic characteristics,
variations in hydrological and climatological conditions, and difference in the
soil properties in Bangladesh contribute in developing diverse forms of
ecosystems enriched with great diversity of flora and fauna.

4.4.2 Introduction to the Project AOI

The Project AOI (5 km radius from the project site) is situated at the right bank
of Jamuna (Brahmaputra) River at a distance of 1.5 km from the Jamuna
Multipurpose Bridge. The proposed power plant area is situated at Saidabad
Union of Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla of Sirajganj District in Bangladesh. The
annual average temperature reaches a maximum of 34.6 °C, and a minimum
of 11.9 °C. The annual rainfall is 1610 mm (63.4 in). The soil/ land pattern of
the district is flood plain, loose sandy soil.

Jute, Mustard Seed, Pulses, Ground Nut, Sweet Potato, Chilli, Onion, Garlic,
Wheat, Sugarcane, Tobacco, Sesame, Paddy and winter vegetables are
common crops cultivated in the agricultural lands of Project AOI while
Jackfruit, Mango, Banana, Papaya, Jujube Fruit, Bengal Quince, Black Berry,
Olive and Guava are the most common among horticultural or fruit crops.

The majority of the project AOI falls in agricultural uses comprising 40.23% of
the project AOI, followed by 24.84% of waste land and 20.14 % of water
bodies. Plantation area comprises only 4.23%. Agricultural lands are very
fertile due to deposit of alluvial soil from Jamuna River. It is under the agro
ecological zone of Active Brahmaputra – Jamuna Floodplain. The region has an
irregular relief of broad and narrow ridges and depressions, interrupted by
cut off channels and active channels.

The Project site is located at an elevated dredged area called the Saidabad
Power Generation Complex.

4.4.3 Objective of the Ecological Study

The study was undertaken with following broad objectives:-

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1. Terrestrial Flora and Fauna Survey
 Assess the status of major floral and faunal components of all the
terrestrial habitats (Forest, grassland, fallow land, riverine land, agro-
ecosystem and homestead plantation) present in the Project AOI
(including the project site) adopting different standard techniques;
 Collection and compilation of secondary information on the status of
floral and faunal components and habitats from the concerned
stakeholders – Forest department and others;
 Provide quantitative information on different floral and faunal
components: using statistical analysis and derive diversity indices;
 Identification and listing of floral and faunal species of conservation
significant (rare, endangered and threatened – RET species and
endemic species in accordance with International Union of
Conservation for Nature - IUCN RED List/ MoEF) in the Project AOI;
 Identification of areas of conservation significance (Protect Areas:
Sanctuary, National Parks, Biosphere Reserve, landscape and Sacred
grows- pertaining to Floral diversity) areas in the vicinity of the
(within 5 km Radius) Project AOI; and
 Assess the status of floral components (macro and micro flora) of
perennial aquatic habitats (lake, reservoirs/dams and rivers) present
in the Project AOI (Including the project site) adopting standard
techniques.

2. Habitat Survey
 Identification of different habitat types (forest/vegetation types) of
the Project AOI and provide information on forest types, species
composition, terrain and topographical features. This will then allow
for the identification of natural and modified habitat for a critical
habitat assessment.
 Provide a biodiversity action plan to improve the habitat quality of
the project area to enhance the overall biological diversity (Flora and
Fauna).

3. Aquatic Ecology
 Aquatic survey, including fish and stream macro invertebrates;
 Identify and evaluate the likely impacts on faunal components
(Amphibians reptiles, terrestrial and aquatic birds and mammals) due
to proposed projects and associated activities;
 Physico-chemical variables of river water and quantitative
enumeration of phytoplankton and zooplankton; and
 Suggest mitigation measures to minimize and/or to avoid identified
impacts on different faunal components.

4. Fisheries Survey
 Identification of various fish species found in the Project AOI based
on survey and market survey;
 Identification of fishermen villages in the Project AOI;
 Consultation with local people and in local fish markets;

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  Focused Group Discussions with Fishermen community in the
Project AOI;
 Identification of threatened/ endemic and protected fish species in the
Project AOI;
 Assessment of migratory movement of fish species in the Jamuna
River based on previous studies conducted in that area, if any.

4.4.4 Approach and Methodology-Terrestrial Ecology

Floral Survey

Ecological surveys were undertaken from 22nd to 28th January 2013 in the
Project AOI using quadrate sampling method for different habitats. Different
quadrate sizes for different type of vegetation class were taken. Details of the
same are provided in the Table 4.22 and shown in Figure 4.35.

Table 4.22 Sampling details of Landuse Class in the Project AOI

Land Use Area Quadrates Coordinates Dist. and

Class. Dir. from
Plant
Boundary
Forest Jamuna Ecopark (North Side of FQ1 N 24°24'32.73" and E 2.39
Plantation (5 Bangabandhu Multipurpose 89°44'56.44" km/N
Quadrates Jamuna Bridge) FQ2 N 24°24'31.72" and E 2.36/N
each of size 89°44'57.16"
20m x 20 m) FQ3 N 24°24'8.85" and E 1.6 km/N
89°44'49.15"
Forest Plantation area South Side FQ4 N 24°23'34.98" and E 0.59
of Bangabandhu Multipurpose 89°44'34.70" km/N
Jamuna Bridge FQ5 N 24°23'39.66" and E 0.92
89°44'57.24" km/NE
FQ6 N 24°23'42.07"and E 1.17
89°45'8.80" km/NE
Homestead Punorbason Village HPQ1 N 24°23'12.76" and E 1.32
Plantation 89°43'45.62" km/W
(3 Quadrates Village north of National HPQ2 N 24°23'51.88" and E 2.39
each of size Highway 405 89°43'20.99" km/NW
30m x 30 m) Village West of Saidabad Power HPQ3 N 24°23'14.42" and E 0.22
Generation Complex 89°44'24.57" km/W
Riverine Right Bank of Jamuna River near RQ1 N 24°23'42.09" and E 1.28
Habitat Bangabandhu Multipurpose 89°45'12.56" km/NE
(3 Quadrates Bridge
each of size Right Bank of Jamuna River near RQ2 N 24°23'42.75" and E 1.29
5m x 5m) Bangabandhu Multipurpose 89°45'13.07" km/NE
Bridge
Right Bank of Jamuna River near RQ3 N 24°23'44.74" and E 1.35
Bangabandhu Multipurpose 89°45'13.98" km/NE
Bridge
Agriculture West of Saidabad Power AGQ1 N 24°23'12.79" and E 0.08
Land Generation Complex 89°44'29.75" km/W
(3 Quadrates West of Saidabad Power AGQ2 N 24°23'13.18" and E 0.11
each of size Generation Complex 89°44'28.56" km/W
1m x 1m) West of Saidabad Power AGQ3 N 24°23'0.56" and E 0.06
Generation Complex 89°44'33.91" km/S

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 Land Use Area Quadrates Coordinates Dist. and
Class. Dir. from
Plant
Boundary
Grasslands Jamuna Ecopark (North Side of GQ1 N 24°24'34.24" and E 2.53
(4 Quadrates Bangabandhu Multipurpose 89°44'56.83" km/NE
each of size Jamuna Bridge)
1m x 1m) Jamuna Ecopark (North Side of GQ2 N 24°24'34.41" and E 2.47
Bangabandhu Multipurpose 89°44'56.80 km/NE
Jamuna Bridge)
Jamuna Ecopark (North Side of GQ3 N 24°24'34.82" and E 2.49
Bangabandhu Multipurpose 89°44'57.26" km/NE
Jamuna Bridge)
Jamuna Ecopark (North Side of GQ4 N 24°24'36.21" and E 2.53
Bangabandhu Multipurpose 89°44'56.05" km/NE
Jamuna Bridge)
Fallow Land West of Saidabad Power FLQ1 N 24°23'13.15" and E 0.09
(3 Quadrates Generation Complex 89°44'29.22" km/W
each of size West of Saidabad Power FLQ2 N 24°23'13.08" and E 0.1
1m x 1m) Generation Complex 89°44'26.05" km/W
South of Saidabad Power FLQ3 N 24°23'01.08" and E 0.04
Generation Complex 89°44'35.25" km/S
Note: The habitat types present within the AOI has been assessed in the subsequent sections as per IFC
Performance Standard 6 on biodiversity conservation, 2012

Table 4.23 shows the sampling efforts undertaken at Project AOI.

Table 4.23 Summary of Field Activities between January 22-29th 2013 and June 1-4th 2015

Dates Activities Remarks

22 January 2013 Reaching Site from Identification of Habitats and Sampling points,
Dhaka ,Reconnaissance Discussion with Survey team for the requirement of
visit to AOI data collection, survey methodology discussion
23 January 2013 Flora and Fauna Quadrate survey at project site and Jamuna Eco Park
Survey
24 January 2013 Fishery Survey, Flora Quadrate survey at Agricultural Land and Fallow
& Fauna Survey Land
25 January 2013 Fishery Survey, Flora Quadrate survey at Jamuna Eco Park in Grassland
& Fauna Survey and Riverine Habitat
26 January 2013 Fishery Survey, Flora Quadrate survey at Jamuna Eco Park and Southern
& Fauna Survey, Phyto Plantation Area
and Zoo Plankton
Survey
27 January 2013 Fishery Survey, Flora Quadrate survey at Jamuna Eco Park and Southern
& Fauna Survey, Phyto Plantation Area
and Zoo Plankton
Survey
28 January 2013 Flora & Fauna Survey Homestead Plantation Area
29 January 2013 Fishermen Survey& Jamuna River and Fish Markets of Sirajganj and
Fish market Survey adjoining areas
30 January 2013 Return to Dhaka
1 June 2015 Reaching Site and Visit to Temporary Jetty Area (from Land side and
target survey Water side)
2 June 2015 Transportation route Jamuna Eco Park
survey within
3 June 2015 Dolphin and Turtle Jamuna river
habitat survey

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Dates Activities Remarks
4 June 2015 Construction Camp
Survey and Return to
Dhaka

Micro level approach involved mainly the field based primary data collection
on different components of the project objectives/scope of work using well
established and accepted ecological methods in different habitats identified
within the Project AOI. The field data collection mainly included biodiversity
status assessment of different life forms of floral elements such as trees,
shrubs, climbers, herbs and grass. Faunal diversity was assessed by
inventorizing the major taxa like herpetofauna (amphibian and reptiles),
avifauna (both aquatic and terrestrial) and mammals.

Faunal Survey

A faunal Survey was conducted based on the opportunistic search method in

different habitats as detailed in Table 4.22. The survey included the fauna such
as herpetofauna, avifauna and mammals. Photographic evidences were
collected in order to facilitate identification of species. Focused group
consultations were also undertaken in order to confirm the range of fauna
occasionally visiting the Project AOI.

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Figure 4.35 Ecological Monitoring Locations in Project AOI

Source: Google Earth Pro (Imagery Date: January 8 2015) and site reconnaissance survey (January 2013)

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Quantitative Analysis

Quantitative analysis such as density, frequency, and abundance of tree

species, shrubs, sedges, climbers and herbs species were determined (1) .

Density and Relative Density

Density is an expression of the numerical strength of a species where the total
number of individuals of each species in all the quadrates is divided by the
total number of quadrates studied. Density is calculated by the equation:

Total number of individuals of a species in all quadrates

Density =
Total Number of Quadrates studied

Relative density is the study of numerical strength of a species in relation to

the total number of individuals of all the species and can be calculated as:
Number of individuals of the species x 100
Relative Density =
Number of individuals of all the species
Frequency and Relative Frequency
Frequency refers to the degree of dispersion of individual species in an area
and usually expressed in terms of percentage occurrence. It was studied by
sampling the Project AOI at several places at random and recorded the name
of the species that occurred in each sampling units. It is calculated by the
equation:
Number of quadrates in which sample occurred x 100
Frequency (%) =
Total number of quadrates studied

Relative Frequency is the degree of dispersion of individual species in an area

in relation to the number of all the species occurred. It is calculated by the
equation;
Number of occurrance of the species x 100
Relative Frequency =
Number of occurrances of all the species

Abundance and Relative Abundance

Abundance is the study of the number of individuals of different species in
the community per unit area. By quadrates method, samplings are made at
random at several places and the number of individuals of each species was
summed up for all the quadrates divided by the total number of quadrats in
which the species occurred. It is represented by the equation:

Total number of a species in all quadrates

Abundance =
Total number of quadrates in which species occurred

Relative Abundance describes the relationship between the number of species

observed in a field study as a function of their observed abundance. It is
represented by the equation:

(1) Curtis, J. T., and R. P. McIntosh. 1950. The Interrelations of Certain Analytic and Synthetic Phytosociological Characters.
Ecology 31:434–455. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1931497

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 Abundance of the species
Relative Abundance =
Total abundance of all the species

Biodiversity Indices
Species Richness: Species richness in the Project AOI was determined by using
Margalef’s Index (1) , Menhinik’s Index (2) and Peet Index (3)
S−1
Margalef ′ s Index SR =
ln(n)
S
Menhinick ′ s Index SR =
√n
Peet ′ s Index SR = S(n)1/2
Where, SR= Species Richness; S= Number of Species; N=Number of Individuals

Species Diversity: Species diversity is calculated based on Shanon Weiner

Index. (4)
𝑠
n n
H = � � � 𝑙𝑙𝑙2 ( )
N N
𝑖=1
Where H’=Shannon Weiner Diversity Index; n =Individuals of a species; N= Individuals of all the species

4.4.5 Terrestrial Ecology

Floral Component-Phytosociology

Quantitative Plant surveys were conducted in six habitats to enumerate the

vegetation occurring within the Project AOI. These are discussed below. A
comprehensive list of flora in the Project AOI is provided in Annex J.

Project Site

The proposed power plant Project site is mainly harbouring naturalized

shrubs, herbs, grasses and weeds as listed as Annex K. None of the plant
species are listed as RED category by IUCN and are commonly occurring in
the Project AOI.

Plantation

A total of 3.32 sq. km area (i.e., 4.23% of the Project AOI) is under plantation.
The plantation is spread within the fenced area and outside fenced area and
jointly forms the Jamuna Eco Park. Out of 6 quadrats studied a total of 18
species of trees belonging to 15 genera of 10 families were found occurring in
the quadrats studied in Project AOI. Major plantation areas within the Project

(1) Margalef DR 1958, Information theory in ecology. Gen. Sys. 3:36-71

(2) Menhinick EF 1964. A comparison of some species-individual diversity indices applied to samples of
field insects. Ecology 45: 859-861
(3) Peet RK 1974 The measurement of species diversity Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 285-307
(4) Shannon CE and W Weaver 1949 The Mathematical Theory of Communication. University of Illionis
Press. Urbana, IL USA.

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 AOI are present within the Jamuna Eco park area on the north and south of
west end of Bangabandhu Multipurpose Bridge. Major plant species planted
by the Forest department are Terminalia arjuna, Dalbergia sisso, Eucalyptus
citiodora, Albizia lebbeck with species density more than 0.5. Forest department
has planted the trees by step plantation way or block system like fruit plants,
medicinal plants, timber yielding plants, ornamental plants, road side
plantation/ revenue plant etc. Among these species Dipterocarpus turbinatus is
identified as critically endangered and Hopea odorata as a vulnerable species as
per IUCN (2015 v2)

Lower storied vegetation was dominant with the most common grasses-
Ulu/son (Imperata cylinderica), Kash (Saccharum spontaneum), Durba (Cynodon
dactylon), Benajoni (Sporobolus diander), Paspallum sp., Eleusine indica; Cedges-
Mutha (Cyperus spp.), Fimbristyllis sp.; and angiospermic weeds like Dhudhia
(Euphorbia hirta), Tripotri (Desmodium trifolium), Kontikari (Solanum
xanthocarpum), Mukhia (Mukhia sp.), Choto dhudhia (Euphorbia nerrifolia), Bon
marich (Croton sp.), Sukuria (Lindernia sp.), Bhui (L. cilliata), Jhonjoni(Crotalaria
sp.), Futka (Physalis minima), Bhui Amla (Phyllanthus sp.), Khet Papri
(Oldenlandia sp.), Bon Okra (Triumfetta romboidea), Berela (Sida rombifolia), Dron
(Leucas indica), Misrirdana (Scoparia dulsis), Choto berela (Sida acuta), Bhui
Okra ( Phyla nodiflora), Kanduli (Murdania sp.) etc. were found in the grass
lands of the Jamuna Ecopark. The result of these surveys is provided in Table
1.0 of Annex L.

Agriculture Land

A total of 31.59 sq. km (40.23 % of the Project AOI) falls under agriculture land
within Project AOI. The agriculture pattern in the Project AOI is given in
Table 4.24. .

Table 4.24 Major Cropping Pattern in the Project AOI

Land Type Rabi Kharif I Kharif II

Medium Highland Mustard Aus/Jute Fallow
Mustard Mixed broadcast Aus and Aman
Blackgram Millets/Aus/Jute Fallow
Source: Department of Agriculture Extension, Sirajganj District

A variety of naturalized weeds also grow along with the crops listed in Table
2.0 of Annex L. Out of 3 quadrats studied a total of 21 species belonging to 19
genera of 12 families occur in the agricultural lands of Project AOI.
Agricultural lands are dominated with herbs like Lippa alba, Xanthium indicum,
Alternanthera sesilis, Grangea sp., Dentalla repens, Eclipta alba, Lens esculenta etc.,
having density more than 0.7. Sedges like Cyperus rotundus are commonly
occurring in the agricultural lands. Grasses like Cynodon dactylon and Paspalum
conjugatum can be found in the natural state. Climbers like Vicia hirsuta and
Ipomea indica also occur in the Project AOI.

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Fallow Land

A total of 14.56 sq.km (18.55%) area has been identified as fallow land. Out of
3 quadrates studied a total of 22 species belonging to 22 genera of 15 families
occur within the quadrates studied in Project AOI listed in Table 3.0 of Annex
F. A detailed list of species occurring in the fallow lands is provided in Table
3.0 of Annex L. Fallow lands were dominated by herbs species of Xanthium
indicum, Alternanthera sesilis, Lipia ciliate, Cyperus rotundus, Persicaria
praetermissa, Croton caudatus and Desmodium triflorum exhibiting density more
than 0.7. Shrub species of Anisomeles indica, Cassia tora and Crotalaria pallida
were also found commonly occurring with a density of more than 0.7. Among
the grasses Cynodon dactylon was found occurring in all quadrats studied.

Grassland

A total of 29 species belonging to 25 genera of 13 families were recorded from

the 4 quadrats studied within Project AOI listed in Table 4.0 of Annex L. Seven
(07) species of grasses were identified. Among them Sparobollus diander,
Saccharum pontaneum and Imperata cylinderica were found most commonly
occurring with density more than 0.8. Herbs were represented by 19 species
dominated by Euphorbia hirta, Solanum xanthocarpum, Desmodium trifolium and
Triumfetta rhomboidea with density more than 0.8.

Homestead Plantation

A total of 7.46 sq.km area (9.5% area of the Project AOI) was represented by
Homestead Plantation. Out of 3 quadrates studied a total of 33 species
belonging to 32 genera of 21 families were reported listed in Table 5.0 of
Annex L. Twenty six (26) species of fruit and vegetable bearing trees were
recorded in these quadrats. Swietenia mahagoni tree species is endangered as
per IUCN (2015 v 2) classification. Cocos nucifera, Eucalyptus citriodora,
Mangifera indica, Psidium guajava, Ricinus cummunis, Lichi chinensis, Ziziphus
mauritiana, Carica papaya, Lannea coramandelica, Moringa oleifera, Citrus
aurantifolia, Sweitenia mahagoni, Musa sapientum, Musa paradisiac, Atrocarpus
heterophyllus, Ficus hispida and Syzygium cumunii were recorded most
commonly occurring trees with density more than 0.7. Beside trees, 4 species
of shrubs, 2 species of climbers and one species of herb were also recorded
from the quadrates laid in Homestead Plantation areas.

Riverine Areas

A total of 3 quadrats were laid in the riverine areas which enumerated 21

species belonging to 20 genera of 15 families listed in Table 6.0 of Annex L.
Linderina ciliate, Cyperus rotundus, Saccharum spontaneum, Alternanthera sesilis,
Lippia alba, Cynodon dactylon, Fimbristylis sp., Amania sp., Ludwigia decurrens,
Grangia sp., Rananculus sp., Rumax sp., Hydrocotyl asiatica, Centella asiatica and
Dentella sp. were reported in the riverine areas with density more than 0.7.

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 The threatened floral species observed from these habitats are discussed in
Table 4.25 and represented in Figure 4.36.

Table 4.25 Threatened floral species from the Area of Influence

S. Floral Species Vernacular Conservation Location of Distance/Direction

No. Name Status Sighting from Project
Boundary
1 Dipterocarpus Teli-garjan Critically Jamuna Eco Park 2.47 Km/North-
turbinatus Endangered eastern Direction
2 Hopea odorata Telsur Vulnerable Jamuna Eco Park 2.45 Km in North-
eastern Direction
3 Swietenia mahagoni Mahogany Endangered Punorbason 2.31 Km in North
Village West Direction
Khas Chtragachha 1.31 Km in West
Direction
Note: Species reported based on Primary Survey

None of the species as described in Table 4.25 were observed in Temporary

Jetty route survey and water intake pipeline route survey undertaken in May
– June 2015.

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Figure 4.36 Threatened floral species observed within AOI

Source: Google Earth Pro (Imagery Date: January 8 2015) and site reconnaissance survey (January 2013)

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 Species Richness and Species Diversity

Species Richness is generally described as number of species occurring in a

unit area. It is also calculated with Margalef’s, Menhinik’s and Peet’s index.
Table 4.26 depicts the total number of species in habitats and quadrates
studied in each habitat. In addition, species richness indices have been
calculated for quadrates studied in each habitat.

On the diversity scale, biologically realistic H’ values range from 0 (only one
species present with no uncertainty as to what species each individual will be)
to about 4.5 (high uncertainty as species are relatively evenly distributed). In
theory, the H’ value can be much higher than 4.5, although most real world
estimates of H’ range from 1.5 to 3.5 (1) Species Diversity index (Shannon
Weiner Index-H’) has been also calculated for each habitats based on the
quadrats studied.

Table 4.26 Species Richness and Species Diversity Indexes

Status of Habitats Indexes Calculated Quadrats Studied Species

Diversity
H’
Forest Plantation FPQ1 FPQ2 FPQ3 FPQ4 FPQ5 FPQ6 3.3
18 Species # of Species 7 12 7 4 2 4
15 Genera Margalef Index 1.3 2.8 1.8 0.9 0.4 0.8
10 Families Menhinik Index 0.7 1.7 1.3 0.8 0.6 0.6
Peets Index 72.4 84.9 37.0 20.4 7.2 25.0
Agricultural Land AGQ1 AGQ2 AGQ3 2.93
21 Species # of Species 14 14 11
19 Genera Margalef Index 2.14 2.16 1.81
12 Families Menhinik Index 0.67 0.69 0.70
Peets Index 291.99 283.13 173.93
Fallow Land FLQ1 FLQ2 FLQ3 2.04
22 Species # of Species 17 11 12
22 Genera Margalef Index 2.60 1.96 1.76
15 Families Menhinik Index 0.78 0.85 0.53
Peets Index 368.16 141.73 274.17
Grassland GLQ1 GLQ2 GLQ3 GLQ4 1.2
29 Species # of Species 12 13 10 22
25 Genera Margalef Index 1.58 1.76 1.36 3.14
13 Families Menhinik Index 0.37 0.43 0.36 0.78
Peets Index 43.27 394.31 274.04 621.48
Homestead 3.9
Plantation HPQ1 HPQ2 HPQ3
33 Species # of Species 22 20 25
32 Genera Margalef Index 3.81 3.96 5.04
21 Families Menhinik Index 1.39 1.81 2.31
Peets Index 98.39 220.91 270.42
Riverine Land RLQ1 RLQ2 RLQ3 3.3
21 Species # of Species 15 13 13
20 Genera Margalef Index 2.12 2.05 2.28
15 Families Menhinik Index 0.55 0.70 0.93
Peets Index 54.08 241.81 181.54

(1) Sagar, R. and Singh, J.S. 1999. Species diversity and its measurement. The Botanica 49: 9-16.

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 Source: Primary Data Survey January, 2013

Based on the results presented in Table 4.26 and graphically represented in

Figure 4.37 homestead plantation represents maximum species richness (# of
species 33) and diversity (H’-3.9).

Figure 4.37 Species Richness and Species Diversity

H’- Shannon Weiner Index

Faunal Component

Faunal Studies were undertaken in the Project AOI by opportunistic search

methods where habitats of the different faunal species were repeatedly visited
3 times to confirm their presence and usage of the habitats. Focus was given
on the larger animals which are under threat of frequent urbanization and
industrialization in the area. The survey schedule is discussed in Table 4.23.
The target faunal species studied are Mammals, Avifauna, Reptiles,
Amphibians, etc. A complete checklist of the fauna occurring in the Project
AOI is provided in the Annex M and discussed below;

Mammals

Ten species of terrestrial mammals belonging to the 6 genera of 8 families

were recorded to occur in wild in the Project AOI. Golden Jackal (Canis
aureus), Bengal Fox (Vulpes bengalensis), Indian Gray Mongoose (Herpestes
edwardsi) and Black Napped Hare (Lepus nigricolis) were seen visiting the
forest plantation areas to the south of the Bangabandhu Multipurpose Bridge
during the field survey by the ERM team. Three Striped Squirrel (Funambulus
palmaram), Jungle Cat (Felis chaus) and Black Napped Hare (Lepus nigricolis)
were reported to be seen by locals during field consultations in the forest and
homestead plantation areas. None of the species are reported to be listed in
RED category of IUCN 2015 v 2 however, Indian Gray Mongoose (Herpestes
edwardsi), Three Striped Squirrel (Funambulus palmaram), Jungle Cat (Felis
chaus) and Asian House Shrew (Suncus murinus) are reported to be listed in
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Bangladesh Wildlife Prevention Order,1973 as Sch-III which protects them
from hunting, killing and capturing.

Avifauna

A total of 40 species belonging to 37 genera of 25 families was observed to be

in the Project AOI during field survey by ERM team in 22-29 January, 2013
during the winter season. These species are present in variety of habitats from
Grassland to riverine and aquatic habitat. The list of species is included in
Table 2.0 of Annex M. Out of these 40 species, Red Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus
cafer), Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus), Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus
saularis), Long Tailed Shrike (Lanius schach), Spotted Dove (Streptopelia
chinensis), Black Kite (Milvus migrans), Large Billed Crow (Corvus
macrorhynchos), Rufous Treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda), Indian Roller (Coracias
benghalensis), Common Hoopee (Upupa epops), Black Rumped Flameback
(Dinopium benghalense), White Throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis), Pied
Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis), Fulvus breasted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos macei),
Shikra (Accipiter badius), White Wagtail (Motacilla flava), Red Wattled Lapwing
(Vanellus indicus), Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopacea), Rock Pigeon (Columba
livia), Common Stonechat (Saxicola torquate) Common Myna (Acridotheres
tristis), Jungle Myna (Acridotheres grandis) and Green Beeeater (Merops
orientalis) are reported to be listed in Bangladesh Wildlife Prevention
Order,1973 as Sch-III which protects them from hunting, killing and capture.

The proposed Power Plant Project Site harbours species such as Spotted Dove,
Red Watted Lapwing, Black Kite, Black Drongo, Rock Pigeon, Long –tailed
Shrike and Common Myna. These species are common in the area and
sufficient habitats are available within AOI once the construction and
operation activities are commenced. None of the species were listed as
threatened as per IUCN classification.

Reptiles

A total of 9 species belonging to 9 genera of 5 families are reported from the

Project AOI. Out of these House Gecko ( Hemidactylus brookii), Rat Snake
(Coluber mucosus )and Checkered Keelback (Xenochropis piscator) were
observed by ERM team during field survey in January 2013. Rest of the
reptilian fauna were reported to be observed by locals during field
consultations in the villages of AOI. Among the 9, Grey Indian Monitor
(Varanus benghalensis) and Ganges Soft Shell Turtle (Nilssonia gangetica) are
reported to be listed in Bangladesh Wildlife Prevention Order,1973 as Sch-III
which protects them from hunting, killing and capturing. Two turtles and one
terrapin , the Ganges Soft Shell Turtle (Nilssonia gangetica) are listed as
Vulnerable, River Terrapin (Batagur baska) as Critically Endangered and
Striped Roof Turtle (Kachuga dhongoka) as Endangered as per IUCN (2015, v 2)
category.

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 During recent survey (May-June 2015) habitat mapping for the above
threatened species was undertaken in order to understand the sensitivities
related to their nesting/egg laying sites near the Temporary Jetty area and
Water Intake location. Consultations were also carried with the fishermen in
the area in order to identify habitats of these threatened species. The location
details are given below;

The details of these species including their sighting (as reported) have been
presented in Table 4.27. Reported sighting locations with respect to the Project
site are presented in Figure 4.38. Table 4.27 also provides a brief note of
reported reptile species with conservation status in the study area.

Table 4.27 Endangered Reptile Species with the Study Area

S. Reptile Commo Conservatio IUCN 2015 Locatio Dist. from Dist. Dist.
No Species n Name n Status ver.2 n of Temporar from from
. Sightin y Jetty Water Project
g Intake Boundar
Structur y
e
1 Varanus Grey Bangladesh Least Reporte 1 km/E 2.5 1.3 km
benghalensi Indian Wildlife Concern d km/NW (N)
s Monitor Prevention
Order,1973
as Sch-III
2 Nilssonia Ganges Bangladesh Vulnerable Reporte 2.42 km/E 2.28 km 4 km
gangetica Soft Wildlife d /NE (NE)
Shell Prevention
Turtle Order,1973
as Sch-III
3 Batagur River Bangladesh Critically Reporte 2.45 km/E 2.28 3.9 km
baska Terrapin Wildlife Endangere d km/NE (NNE)
Prevention d
Order,1973
as Sch-III
4 Kachuga Striped Bangladesh Endangere Reporte 2.51 km/E 1 2.94 km
dhongoka Roof Wildlife d d km/NE (NNE)
Turtle Prevention
Order,1973
as Sch-III
Note: None of these species were observed during the field assessment and are reported based
on fishermen consultation after providing visual aids for identification.

Further consultation with IUCN Bangladesh and a recent study conducted by

IUCN (EIA of the River Management Improvement Programme (Bangladesh
Water Board, Ministry of Water Resources, May 2015) revealed that major
turtle habitats lie north of the area of influence of this project (i.e. near
Shreepur, which is about 30 km north), therefore despite a report by
fishermen, it is unlikely that these species are found here. Fisheraen reports
tend to be through memory and therefore reports of the species may have
been due to sightings further north. Species presence in this area is very
unlikely.

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Figure 4.38 Location of Threatened Species within Project AOI

Source: Google Earth Pro (Imagery Date: January 8 2015) and site reconnaissance survey (November 2012 and December 2012 and May-June 2015) Note: None of these species were observed
during the field assessment. The sightings are marked based at consultation (May June 2015) with the local villagers and fisherman after providing them visual aids for identification.

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 Amphibians

A total of 5 species belonging to 5 genera of 3 families were observed by the

ERM team during the field survey in January, 2013 from the Project AOI.
None of the species are reported for conservation status under the Bangladesh
Wildlife Prevention Order, 1973 or by the IUCN.

4.4.6 Protected Areas

It is to be noted that the entire study area does not have any protected area 1
earmarked by the GOB. The study area has an eco-park, named Jamuna Eco-
Park 2, which was developed by the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) on the
west-guide bund constructed for the protection of the Bangabandhu Multi-
purpose Bridge from erosion. The plantation in this eco-park is being
developed and maintained by the Forest Department and this eco-park is
being used for eco-tourism and recreational purposes. The Jamuna Eco Park is
frequently visited by locals during weekend holidays. However, Jamuna Eco-
Park is neither a classified forest nor notified by the Government of
Bangladesh as Protected Area 3. A map of protected areas, eco-parks and safari
parks of Bangladesh is presented in the Figure 4.39.

It is evident from this figure that the nearest protected area from the project
site is Madhupur National Park (IUCN: Category V) (4) , which is located in
Tangail and Mymensingh districts of Bangladesh and is about 42 km in north-
east direction from the project site.

1 “Protected Area” means all sanctuaries, national parks, community conservation areas, safari parks, eco-parks, botanical
gardens notified under the provisions of sections 13, 17, 18 and 19 under Chapter IV and special biodiversity conservation
area established under the provisions of section 22 under Chapter V and traditional heritage and kunjaban declared under
section 23
2 The Jamuna Eco Park is having a total area of about 600 acres and out of that only 124 acres area is fenced and is being

used for recreational and eco-tourism activities.

3 In Bangladesh, there are a total of eight (8) eco-parks are covered under the conservation sites.

(http://www.bforest.gov.bd/index.php/protected-areas). However, Jamuna Eco-park is not covered in that list as well.

(4) lUCN (1990). lUCN Directory of South Asian Protected Areas. lUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, U.K. xxiv +
294 pp.

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Figure 4.39 Protected Areas Map of Bangladesh

Source: http://www.poribesh.com/Maps/Protected_Forest.htm

Important Plant Areas, Key Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction Sites

The AOI does not hold any Important Plant Areas (IPAs) as identified as
Plantlife International, Key Biodiversity Areas as identified by IUCN and
Alliance for Zero Extinction Sites (AZE)

Ramsar Sites

The AOI does not hold any RAMSAR Sites.

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 Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Jamuna-Brahmaputra river is identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) as

category (A1, A4i 1: ) : The Jamuna-Brahmaputra River IBA (BD009) was
assessed in Year 2004 and covers an area of 200,000 ha. The IBA area covers
the entire Jamuna River (from its Northern end at the India Bangladesh Border
and Southern end at the confluence of Jamuna River with the Padma River).
The boundary of the IBA passes through the AOI and the overlap is very
small. Only3 % of the AOI overlaps with the IBA. This overlap area
represents an insignificant portion of the total IBA area. Furthermore the
primary survey conducted during 22nd to 28th January 2013 did not identify
the presence of such species as described in Table 4.28. Also a recent study (2)
did not suggest the presence of the species listed in Table 4.28 in the AOI. The
details of the IBA and IBA trigger species which are reported from the IBA are
given in Table 4.28.

Table 4.28 Details of IBA: Jamuna-Brahmaputra River (3) and IBA trigger species

Population Quality of IBA IUCN

Species Season Period
estimate estimate Criteria Category
Northern Pintail Anas unknown 2004 present - A4i Least
acuta Concern
Gadwall Mareca unknown 2004 present - A4i Least
strepera Concern
Garganey Spatula unknown 2004 present - A4i Least
querquedula Concern
Common Teal Anas unknown 2004 present - A4i Least
crecca Concern
Common Pochard unknown 2004 present - A4i Least
Aythya ferina Concern
Ferruginous Duck winter 2004 present - A4i Near
Aythya nyroca Threatened
Tufted Duck Aythya unknown 2004 present - A4i Least
fuligula Concern
White-rumped non- 2004 present - A1 Critically
Vulture Gyps breeding Endangere
bengalensis d
Indian Skimmer winter 2004 present - A1 Vulnerable
Rynchops albicollis

The species listed above were not observed in the previous surveys (December
2012 – January 2013) as the river water recedes during the winter season and
other surrounding waterbodies dried up or had limited water availability. The
fish breeding areas are also subject to a lot of disturbance due to fishing
activities as well as dredging activities in the Jamuna River for riverbank
erosion control. The activities might disturb the habitat of migratory species

1 A1: Threatened Species) and A4i: Site known or thought to hold, on a regular basis, ≥ 1% of a biogeographic population of
a congregatory waterbird species. for the thresholds of this criterion, relevant flyway populations are combined to produce
biogeographic population estimates).
(2) Rahman, H., Jaman, M.J. & Rahman, MS (2013) Ecology and Diversity of Wildlife in the Eco Park of the Jamuna Bridge
and its adjacent area, Sirajgonj, Bangladesh Ecoprint 20: 27-36.
(3) BirdLife International (2015) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Jamuna-Brahmaputra river. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 22/07/2015

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 hence reduced the number of birds in the AOI. During the recent survey
(May-June 2015) 3 individuals of Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula), a late migrant
was observed near the Temporary Jetty area.

Figure 4.40 Important Bird Area Boundary (Jamuna River) passing through AOI

Notes: The Purple shaded area is Boundary of Jamuna-Brahmaputra river passing through AOI, the complete IBA
map is given in Yellow Boundary line
Source: http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=15228,

4.4.7 Approach and Methodology-Aquatic Ecology

Plankton Survey

Jamuna River was surveyed for the planktonic diversity within the Project
AOI. The details of the area surveyed are given in Table 4.29.

Table 4.29 Planktonic Survey sampling details

Sample Area Area Coordinates

Code
L1 Near Water Intake Point in Jamuna River N 24°23.817' and
E 89°45.259'
L2 Near Water Intake Point in Jamuna River N 24°23.687' and
E 89°45.475'
L3 250 m from the Water Outlet Point in Jamuna River N 24°23.606' and
E 89°45.420'
L4 Near Water Intake Point in Jamuna River N 24°23.446' and
E 89°45.638'

Replicate phytoplankton samples, each of 50 L, were collected from various

locations around each station by means of a 5L plastic bucket and filtered
through bolting silk conical plankton net of 50 μ mesh size with little

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modification in design or improvement in accuracy. The filtrate was
transferred from the filtering sample container of plankton net to a plastic PET
(polyethylene terephthalate) bottle and preserved immediately in 1:100
Lugol’s solution.

Zooplankton sampling was undertaken using vertical haul to sample the

water column. The plankton net was lowered to the desired depth (upto 1.5 to
2 m) and hauled slowly upwards. At least 1 replicate of sample were collected
from each selected site. Sample from the filtering cone of the plankton net was
transferred to a plastic PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottle and preserved
immediately in 5% buffered formalin. After preservation procedure bottles
were tightly screwed and covered with commercial packaging tape for further
safety and transferred to the laboratory.

These samples were identified in the laboratory using an upright light

microscope with white light achromatic objectives of 10x, 20x, 40x and 100x
magnification and Sedgwick-Rafter (S-R) cell were used to count the numbers
of phytoplankton and zooplankton. Sedgwick-Rafter (S-R) cell is a device
commonly used for plankton counting because it is easily manipulated and
provides reasonably reproducible data when used with a calibrated
microscope (APHA, 1998). Plankton was counted on the bottom of the S-R cell.
Large cells or colonies are counted at 100 x while the majority of cells is
counted at 200x. Plankton number in the S-R cell derived from the following
equation;
C x 1000 𝑚𝑚3
Plankton No./mL =
LxDxWxS
Where,
C = number of organisms counted,
L = length of each strip (S-R cell length), mm,
D = depth of a strip (S-R cell depth), mm,
W = width of a strip (Whipple grid image width), mm, and
S = number of strips counted.

The number of cells per millilitre was multiplied by a correction factor to

adjust for sample dilution or concentration. Identification of phytoplankton
and zooplankton was undertaken following the descriptive keys of Prescott (1),
Edmondson (2) and APHA (3)

Fish Survey

The objective of the baseline fisheries survey was to examine and evaluate the
existing environmental status concerning aquatic habitat and overall fisheries
state of affairs prevailing in and adjacent areas of the Project site viz. Jamuna
river within the 5 km radius and concerned fish culture ponds and fishermen

(1) Prescott, G.W. 1982. Algae of the Western Great Lakes Area. Otto Koeltz Sci. Publ., W-Germany. pp. 977.
(2) Edmondson, W.T. 1959. Freshwater Biology. Wiley, New York, New York, USA
(3) APHA, 1998, Standard Methods for the Examination of water and waste water, 20t ed. American Public Health
Association.

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community in villages including fish landing and marketing network scenario
within the Project AOI.

To meet these objectives the following activities were undertaken:

a) Identification of current aquatic habitat types vis-à-vis to collect data on

important aquatic flora and fauna within the Project AOI and to establish a
realistic inventory of Upstream and downstream of Jamuna River from the
Project Site including associate canals and flood plains through Primary
Productivity Analysis;
b) Build up data bank and information through practical assessment of
existing species-wise quantity of fish catch in open water capture fisheries
(Jamuna riverine tract, its shallow canals, marshy area and floodplain) in
order to determine community structure (“Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE)”
Data) as part of fish population dynamics study;
c) To collect data on current status of closed water culture fisheries (fish-
culture in pond) in the Study Villages under the Project AOI by field
survey;
d) Collection of information/ data on existing Fish Landing Centres within
and adjacent to the Project AOI through gathering data from both primary
and secondary sources as well as recording of quantum of each major
species fish landed/ marketed in each centre during specific period of its
operation with pricing structure and also identifying the modus operandi
of these centres.
e) Identification and interpretation of Fish Spawning /Rearing Ground and
Fish Migration Routes/ Gateway of most major species of fish in the
Jamuna River and associated flood plain through gathered data/
information from secondary source.

Five (5) important and basic survey processes were used to obtain the primary
data and information (through application of Structured Survey
Questionnaires and modules) with a view to make qualitative and
quantitative situational impression and assessment of the Project AOI about
aquatic diversity, open water capture fisheries and closed water pisciculture.
Survey Process Modules was applied to the following ‘Field Study
Components’;

a) Limnological and Water Quality Parameter surveys to identify and

quantify aquatic habitat characteristics, which includes collection of data
and information on limnological parameters for primary productivity
analysis and water quality indices analysis to know the aquatic habitat
conditions as well as water pollution load as indicator for determining fish
species abundance and richness suitability along with their seasonal
variation in the AOI ;
b) Fish catch surveys in Jamuna River and associated canal, flood plains to
obtain data and information;

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c) Species-wise fish catch and effort data analysis for traditional fishing along
the AOI under Fish Community Structure Study which constitutes one of
the component of ‘Fish Population (Dynamics);
d) Closed water culture fisheries (pisciculture in Pond) surveys in Villages in
the Project AOI to gather data and information of number of ponds, areas,
physical condition and culture status and fish; and
e) Fish Landing and Marketing Network surveys to obtain data on fish
landing and marketing network including fish pricing strata, marketing
structure and distribution system occurring in different season within the
Project AOI.

Four main tools/procedures comprising of participatory observation, field

survey through Checklist and Focused Group Discussion (FGD) techniques,
and review of observed/ collected data and analysis with interpretation of
findings/ results were used to develop and establish survey design and to
undertake in-depth field survey process studies on 6 different aspects of
fisheries state of affairs prevailing within the Project AOI.

Data on fish species availability, fish catch, seasonal variation of fish catch, its
weight and value, fish spawning ground and migration route, fish landing
and marketing centres were collected through direct observation, survey
processes, and interviewing fishermen/ fish traders with structured
questionnaire during field studies was undertaken through FGD. These
exercises have been undertaken to test the applicability/ suitability of the
design of sampling schemes of the survey processes including methodology
and data collection procedures during field studies.

Secondary information was also collected from the following organizations

and sources were either contacted or consulted;
• District Fishery Officers of Sirajganj District.
• Upazilla Fishery officers of Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla.
• Department of Fisheries, Government of Bangladesh (GOB)
• Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), GOB
• Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), GOB
• Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC), GOB
• Department of Fisheries, Dhaka University
• Fisheries Resource Survey System of Department of Fisheries, GOB
• Meteorological Department, GOB
• Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics Publication Division
• Relevant Flood Action Plan (FAP) Reports
• Relevant Survey Reports

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4.4.8 Aquatic Ecology

A total of 15.82 sq.km (20.14%) of the Project AOI represents the water body
including Jamuna River, natural streams/drainage and stagnant water bodies.
The aquatic bodies support as a habitat to variety of plants and animals.

Plankton Study

In Primary Productivity Analysis of Inland Open Water ecosystem, the

biological part of the limnology study of Phytoplankton and Zooplankton are
of paramount importance. These play vital role in the food chain (in water
body) of fish, plankton, zoobenthos and other animals, etc. and provides
data/ information in the productivity of a given aquatic eco-system as well as
to determine the type of Aquatic Habitat which is related to the seasonal
abundance, relative occurrence of planktonic flora and fauna and their
relationship with some important physico-chemical quality conditions of
water bodies of Jamuna river adjacent to the Proposed Power Station Area.

Four (04) planktonic samples in duplicates were collected in the Jamuna River
in order to assess the planktonic types and their population. The details of
phyto and zooplanktons are given in the Table 4.30 and Table 4.31 below.

Table 4.30 Phytoplankton Details from Jamuna River

Phytoplankton Number (individuals/L)

Genera Station 1 Station 2 Station 3 Station 4
Sample A Sample Sample Sample Sample Sample Sample Sample B
B A B A B A
Navicula 6,450 6,300 4,980 5,100 2,800 2,740 3,200 3,400
Synedra 12,580 12,750 12,000 11,650 7,600 7,230 11,400 10,800
Cyclotella 9,110 9,350 8,050 8,400 4,250 4,300 7,230 6,900
Coscinodiscus 17,200 17,600 17,550 17,200 14,600 14,100 14,700 14,400
Anabaena 910 950 430 520 1,340 1,200 1120 1,150
Nostoc 850 870 670 700 1,200 1,,250 920 950
Oscillatoria 2,150 2,160 2,250 2,350 910 940 1,500 1,610
Chlorella 450 430 650 510 820 880 610 690
Spirogyra 650 600 750 820 890 900 810 850
Coelastrum 1,80 1,900 1,500 1,300 1,260 1,300 1,100 1,320
Scenedesmus 18,650 17,750 17,250 17,400 12,100 11,850 15,470 15,300
Microspora 210 190 60 35 ---- ---- ---- ----
Ankistrodesmus 3,800 3650 3,200 3,300 2,100 2,150 2,140 2,220
Ceratium 590 550 460 450 ----- ----- 240 220
Phacus 6,630 6,800 6,100 5,900 4890 4,850 5,250 5,400
Pediastrum 920 850 640 530 --- --- 250 180
Melosira 3,20 4,100 3,850 3,780 2,450 2,260 3,100 3,350

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Table 4.31 Zooplankton in Jamuna River

Zooplankton Number (individuals/L)

Genera Station 1 Station 2 (Inlet) Station 3 (Outlet) Station 4
Sample A Sample B Sample Sample Sample Sample Sample Sample B
A B A B A
Brachionus 7,660 7,580 6,220 6,300 4,430 4,225 5,850 5,780
Keratella 2,800 2,650 2,100 2,220 1,350 1,280 1,980 1,920
Philodina 1,320 1,350 250 240 --- --- --- ---
Nauplius 5,120 5,100 4,860 4,650 4,150 4,060 4,660 4,750
larvae
Cyclops 3,440 3,430 3,100 3,200 1,460 1,420 2,250 2,350
Bosmina 890 830 470 410 --- --- --- ---
Moina 2,610 2700 2,850 2,810 2,120 2,100 2,320 2,310
Daphnia 3,100 3,140 3380 3,460 1,600 1,620 3,110 3,120
Cypris 910 940 320 250 --- --- --- ---
Polyarthra 740 690 410 350 270 240 330 350
Diaptomus 60 80 --- --- --- --- --- ---

The phytoplankton enumerated from the 4 duplicate samples include different

species of Diatoms (5 species), cyanobacteria (3 species), green algae (8
species) and protozoa (1 species).

The zooplankton enumerated from the 4 duplicate samples include different

species of rotifers (4 species), crustaceans (2 species), Copepods (2 species) and
ostacods and cladoceras with single species. None of the species observed are
of conservational significance.

Aquatic and Amphibious Plants

The plant species usually submerged or partially submerged/floating in the

water recorded from the Project AOI are Azolla sp, Eichornia crassipes, Ipomea
alba, Hydrilla verticillata, Calocasia esculenta Rorippa indica, Oxalis corniculata,
Marselia sp, Chenopodium album, Sphenoclea zeylanica and Ceratophyllum sp.
None of the species observed are of conservational significance.

Macro-invertebrate Fauna

Macroinvertebrate surveys were conducted in May-June 2015 survey. Macro

invertebrate species such as water spiders (Argyroneta aquatic), Common
Apple snail (Pila globosa), Disk Snail (Macrochlamys sequax), River Snail
(Bellamya begalensis), Brotia Snail (Brotia costula), Lymneid Snail (Lymnaea
luteola), Fresh water Mussels species such as (Lamellidens corrianus),
(Lamellidens marginalis), (Lamellidens jenkinsianus) were observed in the study
area. None of the species observed are of conservational significance.

Fish

In order to get secondary information, various literatures were consulted.

Data / information on the specific river/floodplain of the Project AOI were
generally not available.

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Primary Fish surveys were carried out long the Jamuna River and fish
breeding area along the Dhaka Rajshahi Highway by consulting respective
stakeholders such as fisherman, surveying fish landing centres, fish pond
owners and operators and fish markets from the Project AOI. The details of
the fishing areas are depicted in Figure 4.41.

The Department of Fisheries, GoB has designated one pond as a fish breeding
area. This pond is located about 2.10 km away to the west of the project site
near the village of Purbo Radhunibari within the AOI. This is effectively used
seasonally for increasing fish production during the monsoons for the user
community in the vicinity.

In order to understand the fish culture status in ponds within the Project AOI,
all the villages under Sirajganj Sadar and Belkuchi Upazilla within the project
area of 5 km were surveyed. The details are provided in Table 4.32 and details
of fish species reported are listed in Table 4.33 and represented in Figure 4.42.
Fishing takes place along the entire Jamuna River in the AOI. It is noted
however that fishing related activities are not allowed under the Bangbandhu
Bridge due to security reasons related to the bridge. Boats were observed to be
occasionally parked near the proposed temporary jetty area in a small water
channel which is used by the local people for fishing when the water level of
the river is high. When the river level is low the fisherman fish in the main
river. These boats are also used by the people from the neighbouring villages
for connectivity to the char lands, which are used for cultivation during non-
flooding period. Some fishermen from the villages mentioned in Table 4.35
were surveyed. The table provides the distance from the proposed project
components. However these populations were not solely dependent on
fishing for their livelihood as mentioned during surveys.

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Figure 4.41 Fishing Areas within AOI

Source: Google Earth Pro (Imagery Date: 15 April 2014) and site reconnaissance survey (November 2012 and December 2012 and May and June 2015)

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Table 4.32 Fishing pond status in Project AOI

Name Study UnionUpazill No. Pond Species Culture Cultur Total fish
of the village a of size cultured practice e productio
pond pond * period n
owner s
Abdu Panchoson Saidaba Sirajga 1 16 Rui, Semi- 15 250
s a d nj pond decima Catla, intensiv years kg/year
Sama Sadar l Mrigal, e
d Sarpunti,
Tilapia,
Grasscar
p
Samsu Punorbaso Saidaba Sirajga 1 100 Rui, Semi- 8 years >2000
, n d nj pond decima Catla, intensiv kg/year
Bashe Sadar l Commo e
r and n carp,
Sayed Mrigel,
Kalbaus
Abul Paschim Rajapur Belkuch 1 30 Rui, Semi- 10 400
Kalam Radhuniba i pond decima Catla, intensiv years kg/ year
ri l Commo e
n carp,
Mrigel,
Kalbaus,
Sarputi
Source: Primary Survey Jan 2013
* Kindly refer to Table 4.33 for scientific names

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Figure 4.41 Fishing activity in the Jamuna River and Temporary Jetty area

Fishing Boat in Army surveying in the Fishing Boat in Temporary

Temporary Jetty Area Temporary Jetty Area Jetty Area

Fishing mouth of Fishing at the turning Point of Fishing Inside Temporary

Temporary Jetty Temporary Jetty Jetty area

Fishing in the main Jamuna River

Current Net near Fishing in the Jamuna River Fisherman placing Current
Temporary Jetty Net near Temporary Jetty

Consultation with Fisherman

Source: ERM Survey May-June 2015

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Figure 4.42 Map showing Location of Fishing Ponds and Fishing Area in Jamuna River

Source: Google Earth Pro (Imagery Date: 15 April 2014) and site reconnaissance survey (November 2012 and December 2012, May-June 2015))

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Table 4.33 Availability of Major Fish Species in the Project AOI with seasonal variation

Scientific name Local name IUCN Migratory/ Seasonal

Status Endemic availability
Sperata aor Ayre LC E June-November
Eutropiichthyes vacha Bacha NA E March-November
Bagarius bagarius Baghair NT E June-November
Mastacembelus armetus Baim NA E May-February
Wallago attu Boal NT E May-August
Botia dario Bou mach LC E March-February
Chela laubuca Chela NA E March-November
Macrobrachium sp. Chingri NA E April-August
Chitala chitala Chital NT E June-October
Monopterus cuchia Cuchia LC E November-February
Tenualosa ilisha Ilish LC E March-November
Mystus cavasius Kabashi tengra LC E July-December
Corica soborna Kachki LC E March-November
Xenentodon cancila Kaikka LC E May-October
Labeo calbasu Kalibaus LC E March-November
Catla catla Katal NA E March-November
Channa punctatus Lata, Taki NA E March-November
Rita rita Rita LC E March-November
Labeo rohita Rui LC E March-November
Pangasius pangasius Yellowtail catfish LC E March-November
Tor tor* Mohashoul NT E -
Systomus sarana* Shorpunti LC E -
Source: Primary Survey Jan 2013(* Consultation with Fishery Department)
Notes: LC-Least Concern, NT-Near Threatened, NA-Not Assessed, E-Endemic to Indian
Subcontinent

Most of the fish species were found in the rainy season while some major fish
species like Hilsha (Tenualosa ilisha) were found in the early winter and also in
the early monsoon. Small indigenous fish species were available especially in
the post monsoon season. Such fish are It is an important protein source for
the poor people and during discussion with the local fishermen fishing
community it was revealed that most of the subsistence and part-time
fishermen depend on these small fishes not only as a protein source in their
diet but also a major part of their income comes is derived from the sale of
these fish.

Fish Catch Assessment

The fish Catch Assessment surveyed included seasonal variation of fish catch,
total number of fish and quantitative analysis of the landed caught fish in the
Project AOI, fish landing centres, fish traders who buy fish in the river and the
local fish market. The survey was conducted from morning to evening for
close observation and in addition FGD were completed to get accurate
information. Details of fish landing centers/fish markets are given in Table
4.34.

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Table 4.34 Derails of Surveyed Fish Landing Centres/ Fish Market

Name of the Fish markets/ Number of Fish Average sale Rate of Operational
Landing centres with GPS Traders/ per day(kg) Commission Duration of
Locations commission taken by the the Landing
Agent/ Aratdar Commission Centres /day
Agent/Aratdar
1. Saidabad market
6-7 30-150 2-3% 7-10 am
N 24˚23.383’ E 89˚42.890’
2. Chok-mokimpur bazaar
5-7 50 - 200 2-3% 7-10 am
N 24˚21.832´ E 89˚ 43.193´
3. Sirajganj Boro Bazar
20-30 500-700 2-5 7 am-9 pm
N 24˚27.396´ E 89˚ 41.370´
Chala Bazar, Belkuchi
3-5 25-80 1-2% 7-10 am
N 24˚18.031´ E 89˚ 41.788´
Railway Station Market,
Sirajganj 3-6 50-150 2-3% 4-8 pm
N 24˚27.080´ E 89˚ 42.130´

Survey of fish landing center/fish market enumerated various types of fish,

their source and market price. These are given in Table 4.35.

Table 4.35 Field Survey and Inspection on Fish Landing and Marketing Centres of the
Project AOI

Sl. Scientific name Local name Sources Quantity Price

No. (kg/day) (BDT/kg)
1. Labeo rohita Rui R, P 80-200 150-350
2. Catla catla Katal P 50-100 150-350
3. Clarias batrachus Walking catfish R, P 5-10 200-300
4. Wallago attu Boal R, 25-70 250-800
5. Pangasius pangasius Yellowtail catfish R, P 300-400 70-150
6. Eutropiichthyes vacha Bacha R, 3-5 300-600
7. Rita rita Rita R, 5-8 400-600
8. Sperata aor Ayre R, 15-25 450-700
9. Mystus cavasius Kabashi tengra R, 10-15 150-400
10. Bagarius bagarius Baghair R 15-20 400-550
11. Chitala chitala Chital R 7-12 450-700
12. Tenualosa ilisha Ilish R 30-80 350-1200
13. Corica soborna Kachki R 25-40 200-350
14. Mastacembelus armetus Baim R, 15-20 250-350
15. Anabas testudineus Koi P 50-80 150-300
16. Xenentodon cancila Kaikka 8-15 250-350
17. Channa striatus Shol R 15-30 180-250
18. Channa punctatus Lata, Taki R 30-50 150-250
19. Chela laubuca Chela 15-20 200-350
20. Labeo calbasu Kalibaus R 50-100 220-350
21. Botia dario Bou mach R 15-20 250-400
22. Heteropneustes fossilis Shing R 20-30 200-300
23. Macrobrachium sp. Chingri R, 50-100 200-350
24. Oreochromis mossambicus Tillapia P 70-150 120-200
25. Puntius sarana Sarpunti P 50-100 150-250
26. Hypophthalmichthys molitrix Karfu P 70-150 180-250
27. Ctenopharyngodon idella Grass carp P 100-150 150-200
28. Puntius puntio Punti fish R 60-100 120-200
29. Awaous guamensis Baila R 10-20 200-300
30. Neotropius atherinoides Batasi R 15-20 250-350

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 Sl. Scientific name Local name Sources Quantity Price
No. (kg/day) (BDT/kg)
31. Ailia coila kajuli R 8-10 250-400
32. Puntius sophore Bhadi puti R,P 20-25 150-200
33. Gonialosa manmina Chapila R 10-12 200-300
34. Ompok pabo Pabda R 5-10 300-450
Source: Based on Sample Survey in three Fish Landing Centres
Note: R= River, P=Pond

The fish Catch Assessment Survey Study’ undertaken in the aforesaid aquatic
Project AOI, showed an average daily catch of about 2.25 kg of different fish
species/day from the Jamuna river within the Project AOI. More than 90% of
the fish were caught by using mostly 3 types of fishing gear/unit namely
Current jal, Jhaki jal and Ber jal. Most commercial and dominant fish species
were different types of Carps, Prawns, Boal, Pangas, Baga ayer, Catfishes,
Hilsha, etc. Most of fishes were 0+ and 1+ year old. Hilsha fish were caught in
the same water bodies, were 1+ years old. About 10% of the catches were 1+
and 2+ years old but 3+ age class fish was not found in this Project AOI during
the study period.

There are no specific fisherman villages in Project AOI. There are some
discrete fisherman households in three villages within 5 km study area. Three
study villages consist of 39 fishermen household and all of these household
were surveyed. The details are provided in Table 4.36.

Table 4.36 Details of the Fisherman Population in the Project AOI

Village Distance, Distance, Total Fishermen Total Total

direction direction population ( full time Number of Number of
from jetty from water (approx..) and part Fishermen Surveyed
intake time) Households Households
(approx..)
Paschim 4.33 km/W 5.88 km/W 887 15 10 3
Mohanpur
Khas Chtragachha 2.23 km/W 3.73 km/W 101 35 25 7
Purbo Radhunibari 3.69 km/SW 4.89 km/W 1972 7 4 3
Source: Based on Fisherman Survey in AOI

Aquatic Mammals

Based on a study conducted in 1995-96 (1) , South Asian river dolphin

(Platanista gangetica –IUCN v 2015.2 EN) were recorded from the Project AOI.
During this study, dolphins were observed in the Jamuna River at 0.13
sightings per kilometre and 1.5 sightings per hour.

(1) Brian D Smith, AKM Aminul Haque, M Shakhawat, Anisuzzaman Khan (1998)River Dolphins in Bangladesh:
Conservation and the effects of water Development, Published by Springer Verlag New York Inc.323-35

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Table 4.37 Aquatic Mammal

Scientific name Local name Seasonal availability

Platanista gangetica* South Asian river July-November
dolphin IUCN (1)
EN Species

During the recent survey (May-June 2015), the Jamuna River within the AOI
was surveyed twice for the South Asian River Dolphin and a total of three
sightings occurred. The species is commonly spotted by the fishermen in the
area during the pre-monsoon and monsoon period when the water level is
high. The main sightings occurred at the turning point of the river for
Temporary Jetty area, however with the rise of water in summer and monsoon
the species can be seen in the temporary jetty area too..

Figure 4.43 Sighting of River Dolphin

Source: Google Earth Pro (Imagery Date: January 8 2015) and site reconnaissance survey May-June 2015

(1) Ref.: Smith, B.D. & Braulik, G.T. 2012. Platanista gangetica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.1.

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5 SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

5.1 THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC BASELINE

The baseline conditions define the cultural and human conditions that prevail
in the Project Study Area. It includes information on all receptors and
resources that were identified during the scoping stage of the Impact
Assessment process as having the potential to be affected by the Project, as
well as have an impact on the sustainability of the Project.

This section describes the socioeconomic baseline conditions in the Study Area
(defined below). The analytical framework for the impact assessment is based
on the sustainable livelihoods framework (1), which focuses on putting people
at the center of development (refer Figure 4.1). The baseline therefore
describes the interrelated resources and receptors, which in the livelihoods
framework are termed ‘capital’. The five broad areas of resource and
receptors on which livelihood depends are as follows:

• Natural Capital – natural resource stocks, which include physical (e.g.

climate topography, land use), terrestrial (e.g. flora, fauna), and aquatic (e.g.
benthos, fisheries);
• Human Capital – skills, knowledge, ability to labour and good health (e.g.
population composition, technical skills, education and health status);
• Social Capital - networks, membership and trust (e.g. social networks,
cultural practices and sites);
• Financial Capital – financial resources (e.g. sources of employment, wages
and subsistence and other economic resources); and
• Physical Capital – basic infrastructure and producer of goods (e.g. utilities
and services).

5.1.1 Area of Influence

Socio-economic/ Social

The AOI for social (including health) receptors was fixed to include 5 km
radial zone which has been developed based on reconnaissance site visits and
limited stakeholder consultations with the local community.

The AOI for development of the social baseline comprises of 55 villages,

which according to the administrative structure falls in 38 Mauzas, 3 Unions
and 2 Upazillas under Sirajganj District and covers a radial zone of 5 km. The
AOI is largely spread within Saidabad and Kalia Haripur Unions of Sirajganj

(1) “A livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets (including both material and social resources) and activities required for
a means of living. A livelihood is sustained when it can cope with and recover from stresses and shocks and maintain or
enhance its capabilities and assets both now and in the future, while not undermining the natural resource base.” (UK
Department for International Development – DFID)

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 Sadar Upazilla. However, only a small fraction (south of the plant location)
falls under Rajapur Union in Belkuchi Upazilla. The composition of the AOI
(in terms of geographical area, number of households, and population) vis-à-
vis higher levels of administrative classifications is provided in Table 5.1.

Table 5.1 Composition of Project AOI (5 km)

Admin Zilla Upazillas Unions Area of Influence (AOI)

Levels (Sirajganj) (Sirajganj (Saidabad Total % of % of % of
Sadar+ + Kalia Zilla Upazilla Unions
Belkuchi) Haripur+
Particulars Rajarpur)
Area in 593,559 118,368 22,006
19,397 3.26 16.38 88.14
Acres
No of HHs 714,971 199,935 31,701 15,681 2.19 7.84 49.46
Population 3,097,489 907,990 146,322 73,721 2.38 8.11 50.38
Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

The socio-economic information presented in this report has used information

from different administrative levels, depending primarily on the availability
of appropriate data. Figure 4.2 shows areas with 5 km, 2 km and 1 km radius
from the Project Site. The area within 1km radius falls in Saidabad Union is
considered as the core zone. The Saidabad Union is comprised of 14 Mouzas
and 24 Villages.

Project AOI covers part of the two districts of Sirajganj and Tangail. The
western side of the AOI includes the Project site which falls under Sirajganj
District, and the eastern part of the area falls under Tangail District. The AOI
falling under Tangail District is mostly Jamuna River including char lands.
South of the project AOI is also occupied by char “Boro Simul” and
Makimpur.

5.2 NATURAL CAPITAL: LIVELIHOOD INTERFACE

5.2.1 Land Resources Use

Agriculture Land-Use

Sirajganj District falls within active Brahmaputra-Jamuna Floodplain (agro

ecological zone) which comprises of unstable alluvial land where land is
constantly being formed and eroded by shifting river channels. According to
the most recent available agricultural statistics (Agriculture Census 2008 for
Sirajganj District n.d.), the total cultivable land available within the district
was observed to be 172439.79Ha. Out of this, the land under permanent crop
cultivation was estimated at 1.67%, and under seasonal crop cultivation was
estimated at 97.53%. The remaining area was registered as fallow land. The
total cultivable land under irrigation was observed to be at 79.87%.

The primary crops grown within Sirajganj District are paddy, jute, wheat,
mustard, sugarcane and a variety of pulses. The district is also a major
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 producer for variety of vegetables and fruits. Typical vegetables grown within
the district are onion, garlic, potato, sweet potato, chilly and ground nut
whereas the main fruits include mango, jackfruit, black berry, papaya, guava,
coconut, palm, date, olive, bael, tamarind and banana. There are also a few
varieties of crops that are reportedly extinct or nearing extinction within the
district such as indigo, tobacco, local varieties of aus paddy, china, kaun, and
some varieties of pulses. The Table 5.2 highlights the area under cultivation
for some of the key crops in Sirajganj District, Sirajganj Sadar and Belkuchi as
per the (Agriculture Census 2008 for Sirajganj District n.d.).

Table 5.2 Area under cultivation (in acres) for various crops in Sirajganj District,
Sirajganj Sadar and Belkuchi Upazilla

District Different varieties of Rice under cultivation

/Upazilla
Local Boro

Sugarcane
HYV Boro
Local Aus

Oil Seeds
HYV Aus

Hybrid

Wheat

Pulses
Maize
Aman

Aman
Local

HYV

Boro

Jute
Sirajganj 9499 9191 58284 29836 24354 64050 222402 7386 14132 27847 39864 192193 5645
Sirajganj 531 436 2344 1811 2347 5256 20231 1176 1438 4318 4720 14690 3472
Sadar
Belkuchi 407 246 2447 627 1187 3868 11991 1844 83 2585 3988 15073 40

Source: (Agriculture Census 2008 for Sirajganj District n.d.)

Non-Agricultural and Industrial Land Use

Only the Preliminary Report on Economic Census 2013 is available at present.

The preliminary report reports that more than half of the labour force in
Bangladesh is engaged in economic activities outside the farm sector. This
underscores the growing importance of the sector in supporting faster growth
of the overall economy ( (Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics Nov 2013, 53).
Rajshahi division has recorded increase in total economic units. It is
noteworthy that Sirajganj and Rajshahi division has received a targeted public
investment and special credit programme to facilitate non-farm activities to
address seasonal unemployment. According to the (Economic Census 2001
and 2003 Sirajganj District n.d.), the industrial landscape of Sirajganj is
primarily marked by manufacturing industries and establishments.
Manufacturing includes manufacturing of textiles, food products and
beverages, local made wooden furniture, and fabrication of metallic and non-
metallic products. The manufacturing industry is equally supported by
wholesale retail and trade and community, social and personal services. More
information on the industrial landscape of Sirajganj and within the AOI is
provided in Economic Capital section.

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5.2.2 Water Resources

Inland Fishery

Fishing is not a major commercial activity within Sirajganj District or Sirajganj

Sadar or Belkuchi Upazilla. The local people undertake fishing in the river or
local ponds in small scale for consumption and sale in local markets. Fish
rearing in ponds and local water bodies is very limited.

Based on consultation with the fishing department of Sirajganj Sadar, it was

reported that the department is trying to develop fishing resources within
Sirajganj. The Department has initiated development of a ‘fish breeding area’
in Saidabad Union where various species of fishes are bred and released into
the river.

Irrigation from Surface Water and Ground Water

The primary source of irrigation within Sirajganj District as per the

(Agriculture Census 2008 for Sirajganj District n.d.) is shallow or deep
tubewell. The other source for irrigation is motorized pumps. However, its
prevalence is low due to higher running costs from the use of diesel. Surface
water bodies like ponds and backwaters are also used by local people for
irrigation. The Table 5.3 provides a snapshot of the land under irrigation
within Sirajganj District, Sirajganj Sadar and Belkuchi Upazillas respectively.

Table 5.3 Land under irrigation in Sirajganj District, Sirajganj Sadar and Belkuchi
Upazillas

Classification Net Cultivated Total Irrigated Area

Area (Ha)
Area in (Ha)
Sirajganj District
All Holdings 370032 340311
Non-Farm 40 39
Farm 369991 340272
Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla
All Holdings 37381 30529
Non-Farm 7 6
Farm 37374 30522
Belkuchi Upazilla
All Holdings 20116 16212
Non-Farm 4 4
Farm 20008 16209
Source: (Agriculture Census 2008 for Sirajganj District n.d.)

5.3 HUMAN CAPITAL

5.3.1 Administrative Structure and Composition

The administrative setup of Sirajganj District could be better understood from

the Figure.5.1 that explains the overall administrative setup of Bangladesh.

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 According to the (Census 2011 n.d.), the administrative setup of Sirajganj
District comprises of nine (9) Upazillas, eighty-two (82) Unions, one thousand
four hundred and seventy two (1472) Mauzas, two thousand one hundred and
eighty (2180) Villages, sixty (60) Wards, hundred and seventeen (117)
Mahallas and six (6) Paurasavas.

Figure.5.1 Governance Structure in Bangladesh

Source: Adopted from www.bangladesh.gov.bd

It can be observed from the above figure that the administrative setups for
rural and urban areas are different. The rural area governance structure
primarily comprises of unions, mauzas and villages. A mauza can be a single
village but in most cases comprises of a no. of villages. The village is the
lowest rural geographic unit. The urban structure of governance comprises of
Paurasavas, wards, and Mahallas. The Paurasava is headed by an elected
mayor who is the administrative head and is responsible for its overall
functioning of the various wards and the Mahallas falling within it.
Simultaneously, the union is headed by the union chairperson who is
responsible for the administration of the union and the mauzas and villages
falling within it.

The council of all union representatives within an Upazilla is termed as the

council of unions or Union Parishad while the council comprising of all
Paurasava representatives is termed as Paurasava Parishad. The two
parishads functions under the governance of the sub-district or upazilla
parishad. The upazilla can also be called as thanas in certain locations
depending on the local administrative scenario. The overall administrative

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 head is the District or Zilla Parishad and more or less has a coordinating and
supervisory role of the lower echelons of administrative governance.

5.3.2 Demography

As per Census of Bangladesh (2011), total population of Sirajganj District is

estimated at 30,97,489 comprising of 7,14,971 households. The average annual
increase in population since 2001 has been estimated at 1.38%. The following
Table.5.4 provides an overview on the population trends of Sirajganj District
over a period of 10 years from 2001 to 2011.

Table.5.4 Population trends of Sirajganj District

Index Population Details of Sirajganj District

2011 2001
Total Households 714971 562708
Total Population 3097489 2693814
Change in Population 403675 474111
Average Annual Increase 40367 47411
Annual rate of Growth over period of 1.38 1.76
10 years (%)
Average Household (HH) size 4.3 4.7
Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

The populations of Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla and Belkuchi Upazilla are

estimated at 5,55,155 and 3,52,835 respectively as per the 2011 census. Sirajganj
Sadar Upazilla constitutes approximately 17.92% of the total population of
Sirajganj District whereas Belkuchi comprises of approximately 11.39% of the
population of Sirajganj District.

The total population of the AOI is estimated to be approximately 73, 721 and
15,681 households. Out of this, a total population of 32,895 under 6,863
households falls within Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla while the remaining
population of 40,827 within 8,818 households falls under Belkuchi Upazilla.
With respect to households, approximately 5.5% of the total households of
Sirajganj Sadar and 11.8% of the total households of Belkuchi falls within the
AOI. Table 5.5 shows the d overview of the population indicators of the AOI .

Table 5.5 Detailed Overview of the Core Zone and AOI

Union Name Total House- Population

holds
Saidabad Union (Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla) 5968 27421

Kalia Haripur Union (Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla) 895 5474

Rajapur Union (Belkuchi Upazilla) 8818 40827
Total 15681 73721
Source: Census 2011

The Saidabad Union is the immediate Union Parishad, hence is considered as

the core zone of the AOI and Karlia Haripur and Rajarpur constitute the
buffer zone. Saidabad Union is comprised of 14 Mouzas and 24 Villages. The
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 population size and number of households of these Mouzas and Villages in
Saidabad Union is provided in the table below.

Table 5.6 Mouzas and Villages comprising Saidabad Union

Mouzas 1 Villages House-holds Population

1. Dukhiabari Purba Dukhiabari 87 353
Paschim Dukhiabari 351 1569
2. Jamtail Khidirpur Jamtail Khidirpur 203 873
Dighir Char 269 1182
3. Jamtail Das Uttar Porabari 337 1502
Dakshin Porabari 263 1226
4. Jarila Jarila 432 2003
Maisura 82 398
Jarila Madhyapara 200 879
Jarila Digrir Char 89 400
5. Gachhabari Purba Gachhabari 150 661
Paschim Gachhabari 296 1430
6. Saidabad Uttar Saidabad 629 2784
Dakshin Saidabad 513 2444
Kalibari 88 365
7. Purba Mohanpur Purba Mohanpur 324 1537
Paschim Mohanpur 194 877
8. Khas Khas Chhatragachha 101 431
Chhatragachha
9. Rehai Rehai Chhatagachha 86 387
Chhatagachha
10. Bara Shimul Bara Shimul Panchosona 782 3741
Panchosona
11. Khas Khas Barashimul 128 698
Barashimul**
12. Chak Boyra Chak Boyra 109 528
13. Birhati Birhati 93 478
14. Jamunabali Jamunabali 162 675
5968 27242
Source: Census 2011

The average household size within the core zone of Saidabad Union stands at
4.6 persons per household. The average household size within the AOI has
been calculated at 4.7 persons per household. The Table.5.7 provides
comparison of the key demographic indicators of the AOI (both core and
buffer zone) with indicators from the aforementioned Upazilla level as well as
the district level.

Table.5.7 Comparison of Key Demographic Indicators

Mauza/Union/Sub-District/District Total Total Average

Population Households Household Size
AOI 73721 15681 4.7
Population within Saidabad Union (Core 27421 5968 4.6

(1) 1 The mouzhas within the 5km study area have been identified using revenue maps collected from local Revenue
Department.

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 Mauza/Union/Sub-District/District Total Total Average
Population Households Household Size
Zone)
Population within Kalia Haripur Union 5474 895 6.1
(Buffer Zone)
Population within Rajapur Union ?(Buffer 40827 8818 4.6
Zone)
Population in AOI, within Sirajganj Sadar 32895 6863 4.8
Upazilla
Population in AOI. within Belkuchi 40827 8818 4.6
Upazilla
Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla 555155 125485 4.4
Belkuchi Upazilla 352835 74450 4.7
Sirajganj (District) 3097489 714971 4.3
Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

Saidabad Union, which for the purpose of this study has been identified as the
core zone, has a total population of 27421, which is approximately 37% of the
population in the AOI. Total population of the AOI is approximately 2.38% of
the total population of the district and comprises of 2.19% of its total
households.

Rural and Urban Population Distribution

The Table 5.8 indicates the distribution of rural and urban population within
Sirajganj District, Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla and Belkuchi Upazilla respectively.

Table 5.8 Dissemination of Rural and Urban Population

District/Upazilla Rural/Urban 2011 2001 % Growth % of

from 2001 Sirajganj
figures District (2011
Census)
Sirajganj District Rural 2660912 2372561 12.51 -
Urban 436577 321253 35.89 -
Sirajganj Sadar Rural 387955 349019 11.15 14.57
Upazilla
Urban 167200 135151 23.71 38.29
Belkuchi Rural 277471 282350 (-)1.73 10.43
Upazilla
Urban 75364 20328 270.73 17.26
Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

It can be observed from the above figure that in all three cases, the rural
population is greater than the urban population.. However, it can be seen that
over two consecutive census period, the growth within the urban population
has been significantly more as compared to rural population. The maximum
growth has been observed in Belkuchi Upazilla where population has more
than trebled within the ten year period.

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5.3.3 Age Structure

The census of Bangladesh divides the population age groups into ten (10)
categories. These being, those below the age of 4, between 5 and 9, 10 to 14, 15
to 19, 20 to 24, 25 to 29, 30 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 64 and those above the age of 64
respectively. The following Figure. 5.2 highlight the age-wise distribution of
population within the AOI. Figure. 5.4 highlight the comparative trend in the
age-wise population distribution within the AOI with that of the overall
district.

Figure. 5.2 Age-Wise Distribution within the AOI

Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

Figure 5.3 Age Composition within Saidabad Union

Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

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Figure. 5.4 Comparison of Age Distribution within AOI and Sirajganj District

Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

It can be observed from the above figure that the larger proportion of the
population within the core zone and AOI falls within the age group of 30 to 49
years followed by population within the age group of 5 to 9 and upto 4
respectively. The trend is similar to that the district level where the larger
percentages of population within Sirajganj District falls within the age group
of 30 to 49 years followed by age group of 5 to 9.

5.3.4 Education

The literacy rates in Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla and Belkuchi Upazilla have been
observed at 47.4% and 47% respectively. The overall literacy rate for the
district has been estimated at 40.6%. The literacy rate within the AOI has been
estimated at a low 34.12%. The literacy trends in all these locations were
observed to be poor when compared to the national literacy rate for
Bangladesh estimated at 56.75%. The graphical representation of literacy
indicators are shown in Figure.5.6.

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Figure 5.5 Breakdown of AOI literacy rate- Core and Buffer Zone

Figure.5.6 Literacy Profile

Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

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 With respect to individual literacy trends amongst males and females, it can
be observed that literacy amongst women is lower than their male
counterparts. The difference registered was lowest within the AOI (4.31%) but
gradually increases as one takes into account Sirajganj (7.4%) and Belkuchi
(9.5%). The difference is the highest when the overall district is taken into
context with 10.1% more men being considered literate in comparison to their
women counterpart.

5.3.5 Health Profile

According to the available healthcare data from the sub-divisional health

complex of Belkuchi Upazilla, the health profile for the area indicates that the
most prevalent diseases within these locations and hence the AOI include
Arsenicosis (due to arsenic poisoning), Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, and
Diarrhoea. The Table 5.9 indicates single year data from the sub-division
health complex of Belkuchi.

Table 5.9 Disease data for sub-divisional health complex, Belkuchi Upazilla for 2011

Month Cases of Diarrhoea Cases of Tubercolosis Cases of IMCI

Patients
January 118 26 250
February 256 37 240
March 125 31 246
April 262 47 300
May 143 48 85
June 117 28 160
July 278 20 248
August 124 16 140
September 178 44 103
October 264 23 66
November 321 22 149
December 394 25 480
Total 2580 367 2467
Source: Sub-divisional health complex

The above table also indicates the cases of patients under the Integrated
Management of Child Illness (IMCI) programme which looks after the overall
healthcare issues rising amongst children.

5.3.6 Gender Equity

The male and female composition of the population is relatively equitable

with only Belkuchi indicating a marginally higher male dominated population
as compared to female population. The sex ratio 1 within the AOI has been
determined at 105 as against 101 for Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla and 102 for
Belkuchi Upazilla. The sex ratio for the overall Sirajganj District is 101

(2) 1Sex Ratio is defined as Number of Males per 100 Females

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 If one assesses the sex ratio individually at the mauza level within the AOI, it
is observed that the most skewed ratio is prevalent at Nakphata mauza with
over 175 males for every 100 women and Mathpara with only 73 males for
every 100 women, on both ranges of the spectrum.

The Figure.5.7 provides an account of the employment status of men and

women within the AOI, Sirajganj Sadar and Belkuchi Upazilla respectively.

Figure.5.7 Employment Status among men and women

Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

Figure 5.8 Employment Status among Males and Females

Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

It can be observed from the above figure that the participation of women in
the work force within the core zone, AOI as well as in the overall context of
Sirajganj Sadar and Belkuchi is very low and restricted. In terms of
participation ratio, the men outweigh the women with only one women being
employed for every 15 men. The figures for Sirajganj and Belkuchi are 15 and
13 respectively. Also, in terms of unemployment rate, it is observed that

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 women have a higher unemployment rate as compared to men in all the three
locations.

Box 5.1 Status of Women in Bangladesh

Women comprise approximately 49.56% of the total population within the project study area
which more or less indicates a healthy sex ratio of approximately 105. This indicates a lower
disparity for the girl child. However, women in Sirajganj Sadar may still be classified as
vulnerable due to the fact that a large fraction of the same are not allowed to work or earn a
living or pursue higher level education due to religious and cultural beliefs. They are mostly
relegated to household level chores, raising families and domestic work like raising cattle and
crop harvest. They are also occasionally attributed to social evils like child marriage, polygamy,
and domestic violence. In particular, from stakeholder consultation it was noted that a large
number of women have been victims of acid attacks in Sirajganj Sadar.

Due to the large NGO landscape in Sirajganj District and Sirajganj Sadar with a multitude of
local and international NGO’s working in the area, a large no. of women related empowerment
and development programs are under implementation. Some of the key women centric
programs that came to notice are Resilience through Economic Empowerment and Climate
Adaptation, Leadership Learning (REECALL) funded by Oxfam-GB, Rural Employment
Opportunities for Public Assets (REOPA) funded by UNDP & EC and Community Based
Adaptation with Local Government in Bangladesh (CBA-LG) funded by Action Aid,
Bangladesh amongst others. A broad understanding on these programs has been provided in
the following sections.
Source: Manab Mukti Sangstha (Local NGO Working in Sirajganj Sadar and Belkuchi)

Female participation is primarily at the household level including domestic

household activities and in minor agricultural practices such as livestock
breeding, post-harvest work like thrashing of grains, etc. and this is clearly
evident from the graph with over 166 women employed in domestic work for
every one man. Women are rarely encouraged in gainful employment or
service roles or allowed to travel far for employment.

Figure 5.9 Employment Sectors- Core & Buffer

Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

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5.3.7 Human Rights Context

According to the Section 2(f) of the National Human Rights Commission Act,
2009 of Bangladesh, “Human Rights” means Right to Life, Right to Liberty,
Right to Equality and Right to Dignity of a person guaranteed by the
constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and such other human
rights documents and ratified by the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and
enforceable by the existing laws of Bangladesh.

As per the (Annual Report 2011, National Human Rights Commission,

Bangladesh 2011), the main complaints and cases that have been classified as
human rights violation includes abductions, rapes, murders, custodial deaths,
torture, human trafficking, domestic violence, enforced disappearance from
homestead amongst others.

5.3.8 Labour and Employment

As per the Preliminary Report of Economic Census 2013 (Bangladesh Bureau

of Statistics Nov 2013), the labour and persons engaged in economic activities
are classified under following categories:

• Proprietor/Partner: is directly engaged in the economic activity of the

establishment and has the right of ownership in the business;
• Full-time Employees: are workers who are paid regular salary and other
emoluments for work for full hours are full time employees;
• Part-time workers: are those workers who work on a part time basis fall
under this category. They are not usually entitled to full time salary or
allowance;
• Irregular workers: workers who are employed irregularly for a special
purpose or an emergency basis falls under this category; and
• Unpaid family workers: includes any family member of the proprietor or
partners if works in the unit usually without salary or wage in return is an
unpaid family worker.

The Table 5.10 details the persons engaged as per type of employment and
establishment in Sirajganj District and also the annual growth rate from 1986
onwards upto 2003 1.

1The Preliminary Report for Economic Survey 2013 only gives aggregate figures at Division level. The final report along
with District and Upazilla level data is yet to be published by Bangladesh Beureau of Statistics.

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Table 5.10 Persons engaged by working status and by type of establishment

Type/Working Persons Engaged Growt

Status h Rate
1986 2001 and 03
Total % Male Female Total % Male Female
Permanent 183,075 100 156,99 26,077 249,066 100 211,176 37890 1.9
Establishment 8
Working 25,852 14.1 25,270 582 55,871 22.4 54,502 1,369 4.8
Proprietor
Unpaid family 19,768 10.8 14,098 5670 30,559 12.3 24,220 6,339 2.7
workers
Full time 118,119 64.5 104,40 14036 152,368 61.2 124,098 28,270 1.5
workers 83
Part-time 19,336 10.6 13,547 5,789 10,268 4.1 8,356 1,912 -3.7
workers
Temporary 1,620 100 1,608 12 12,350 100 12,012 338 13
Establishments
Working 1,296 80 1,293 3 6,996 56.6 6,924 72 10.7
Proprietor
Unpaid family 132 8.1 126 6 1,883 15.2 1,778 105 17.4
workers
Full time 166 10.2 163 3 3173 25.7 3,041 132 19.5
workers
Part-time 26 1.6 26 0 298 2.4 269 29 15.8
workers
Household 102,310 100 76,531 25,779 88,947 100 69,505 19,442 -0.8
premise based
establishments
Working 20,502 20 17,664 2,838 21,183 23.8 16,738 4,445 0.2
Proprietor
Unpaid family 21,367 20.9 10,916 10451 14,544 16.4 8,025 6,519 -2.3
workers
Full time 50,352 49.2 41,964 8388 49,178 55.3 41,597 7,581 -0.1
workers
Part-time 10089 9.9 5987 4,102 4,042 4.5 3,145 897 -5.4
workers
Source: Sirajganj District Economic Census 2001 and 2003

As per the (Economic Census 2001 and 2003 Sirajganj District n.d.) skill and
human capacity of the population engaged in any form of economic activity
within Sirajganj District has been primarily defined on the basis of seventeen
(17) types of mutually exclusive categories of work on the basis of which the
skill set is derived. These seventeen categories are agriculture, hunting,
forestry; fishing; mining and quarrying; manufacturing; electricity, gas and
water supply; construction; wholesale and retail trade; hotels and restaurants;
transport, storage and communication; bank, insurance and financial
institutions; real estate and renting; public administration and defence;
education; health and social works; community social and personal services;
household services; and services of international and extra-territorial bodies.
A detailed understanding on the engagement status of the labour and workers
engaged within these skill sets have been provided in Section 5.5.2.

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5.4 SOCIAL CAPITAL

5.4.1 Historical and Political Overview

Sirajganj District was formerly a sub-division of Pabna District. It was made a

full-fledged district as a part of up-gradation programme of Sub-divisions to
Districts. During the reign of Nawab 1 Alivardi Khan between 1740 and 1756
Sirajganj became the commercial centre of Bengal. He developed this
commercial centre further to supply paper to different parts of the country by
transferring a group of highly skilled people in making hand-made paper
(generally known as Tulat kagas) from central Asia to this place. Their
descendants are still living in Kalia and Kandpara Mauzas adjacent to
Sirajganj town. The place was named as “Sirajganj” after the name of
Alivardi’s grandson Sirajuddowla, the last independent Nawab of Bengal.
(Census Handbook of 2011).

Sirajganj Sadar came into existence in 1988. As per the District Gazetteers it is
learnt that the town was founded by a Zamindar or landlord by the name of
Siraj Ali who founded the Sirajganj town. Belkuchi came into existence in
1983. It is believed that the name of the Upazilla was taken from that of an
Englishman named Belkuchi who came for indigo plantation during British
rule in this region

Box 5.2 Historical Events of Importance

In 1922, many people were killed and wounded when police opened fire on an assemblage of
people gathered at Salanga Hat (as a part of the Khelafat and non-cooperation movement)
under the leadership of Maulana Abdur Rashid Tarkabagish. This is known as the Salanga
Movement or 'Salanga Genocide'.

In 1942 Mohammad Ali Jinnah came to Sirajganj to attend the All India Muslim League
Conference; Mahatma Gandhi and Subhas Chandra Bose came to Sirajganj to attend the
convention of the Brahmo Samaj in 1928.

The Hindu-Muslim Pact of the Swaraj Party, headed by Deshbandhu Chitta Ranjan Das, was
adopted in the Conference of the All India Congress Party held in 1924 at Sirajganj.

National poet Kazi Nazrul Islam came to Sirajganj in 1932 to preside over the Conference of the
Tarun Muslim. Ak Fazlul Huq laid the foundation stone of Sirajganj Degree College in 1940.

During the War of Liberation, a battle was fought between the freedom fighters and the Pak
army at Naogaon of Tarash Upazilla in which the Pak army was defeated and about 150
members of the Pak army were killed. During 11 to 14 December a battle was fought between
the Pak army and the freedom fighters at Shailabari in which Pak army was defeated. Sirajganj
was liberated on 14 December 1971.
Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011.

1Nawab was a pricely title used for the administrative or ruling heads in most parts of eastern India and Bangladesh prior
to Independence.

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5.4.2 Ethnic Composition 1

Although the country has identified a total of twenty seven (27) ethnic
population groups living within Bangladesh, almost 98% of the total
population are Bengalis, native to the region of Bengal.

From the 2011 census data, approximately 0.6% of the total district population
belong to the ethnic minority categories. The census records states that this
population is largely from the Orao (5170), Coach (723), Santhals (621) and other
(13258) ethnic communities within Sirajganj district.

It is significant to note that Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla registers an ethnic

population of 36 whereas Belkuchi does not register any presence.
Consultations with Saidabad Union president and local communities revealed
that the core area of influence do not have any ethnic minority households.

5.4.3 Religious Composition

The religion followed by local community is Islam religion. As per the 2011
census, the population within the AOI primarily consists of Muslims,
constituting 98% of the total population. The remaining 2% are mostly
Hindus. There is no other religious minority such as Christianity or Buddhism
within this area.

The Table 5.11 indicates the population distribution from the various religions
within the AOI as well as Sirajganj Sadar, Belkuchi and the district as a whole.

Table 5.11 Religion and Community Profile

S. Mouzas/Union/Sub- Muslim Hindu Christian Buddhist Others

No. District/District Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Tot. Tot. Tot. Tot. Tot.
Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop.
1 AOI 69316 98.03 2779 1.98 1 <1 0 0 0 0
2 Sirajganj Sadar 534622 96.3 20490 3.69 23 <1 10 <1 10 <1
Upazilla (Sub-
District)
3 Belkuchi Upazilla 333735 94.6 18949 5.6 50 <1 8 <1 93 <1
4 Sirajganj (District) 2948505 95.2 147514 4.76 380 <1 24 <1 1066 <1
Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

The Muslim communities are mostly from the Sunni sect of Islam with the
Shia sect being in minority. The school of law followed by the Sunni sect is the
Hanafi School of law.

According to (Heitzman and Worden, A Country Study: Bangladesh 1988)

traditional Muslim class distinctions has had little importance in Bangladesh.

1 Primary sources of information include CIA World Factbook, Census Handbook and Wikipedia

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 The proscription against marriage between individuals of high-born and low-
born families, once an indicator of the social gap between the two groups, had
long ago disappeared. Most matrimonial alliances were based on wealth and
power and not on the ties of family distinction. Also, many so-called upper-
class families, because of their traditional use of the Urdu language, had
become alienated in independent Bangladesh.

According to (Heitzman and Worden, Social Classes and Stratification n.d.),

Hindu society used to be formally stratified into caste categories, caste did not
figure prominently in the Bangladeshi Hindu community. About 75 % of the
Hindus in Bangladesh belonged to the lower castes, notably namasudras
(lesser cultivators), and the remainder belonged primarily to outcaste or
untouchable groups. Some members of higher castes belonged to the middle
or professional class, but there was no Hindu upper class. With the increasing
participation of the Hindus community in non-traditional professional
mobility, the castes were able to interact in wider political and socioeconomic
arenas, which caused some erosion of caste consciousness.

Family, Kinship and Marriage

Family and kinship ties form the core of social life in Bangladesh. A family
resides in a bari (or “house”) and functions as the basic economic unit
(Heitzman and Worden, Family, Household, and Kinship n.d.). In the eyes of
rural people, the chula (or “stove”) defines the effective household, an
extended family exploiting jointly-held property and being fed from a jointly
operated kitchen. A bari might consist of one or more such functional
households, depending on the circumstances of family relationship. Married
sons generally live in their parents’ household during the father's lifetime.
However, families at different stages of the cycle display different
configurations of household membership.

Inter-Community Relationship

Although Sirajganj has a majority Islamic population, the intercommunity

relationship has been reportedly relatively stable based on mutual tolerance
and harmony. Prior to partition, the district used to be a vital trading port,
centre of business and literary exchange. This has led to a larger
amalgamation of cultures within the society. Festivities such as Durga Puja
and Id being still celebrated today with equal fervour amongst both
communities as well as the similarity in the marriage events that take place are
examples of that.

5.4.4 Vulnerable Social Groups and Households

Vulnerable groups include specific group of persons, households or a section

of the community vulnerable to multiple stressors including abuse, social
marginalization, social exclusion, domination or are under greater
susceptibility to external influence.

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 Table 5.12 provides an account of some of the vulnerable groups identified
above including widows, old aged and disabled within the AOI. It also
provides an account of the total number of these individuals presently
registered with the Department of Social Welfare under their Social Safety Net
Program 1 as well as the Department of Disaster Management and Relief
office, and receiving monetary aid from them.

Table 5.12 Status on Widows, Old Aged and Disabled within AOI

S No. Parameter Widow Old Aged Disabled

1. Pop. in Saidabad Union* 1666 2142 2190
2. Population in Kalia Haripur Union* 1612 1864 1260
3. Pop. in Rajapur Union* 1594 1981 532
4. Tot. members receiving grant from Safety 2325 6856 818
Net Program in Sirajganj Sadar
5. Tot. members receiving grant from 232 850 14
Sirajganj Sadar Disaster Management and
Relief Office
Source: Sirajganj Purosabha Office *Census 2001

Box 5.3 Community Opinion on Vulnerable households in Saidabad Union

The key vulnerable groups identified in discussion with the local stakeholders are those who
are unemployed or with irregular incomes (including rickshaw pullers, fishermen, van drivers),
beggars, physically handicapped, widows, at the individual levels. At the household level, these
include households displaced by flooding, Char 2 and low land dwellers, families solely
dependent on Char cultivation, large families without any permanent source of income, women
headed households, as well as households headed by chronically ill or disabled persons.

5.4.5 Language

The primary language of communication within Sirajganj as in most parts of

Bangladesh is Bengali or Bangla. There are four main dialects of Bengali which
are Chittagonian, Rangpuri, Noakhailla and Sylheti; of which the Noakhailla
is the most spoken dialect within Sirajganj District. The other languages that
are comprehended well within the society though not used in day to day
communication are English (the second language of Bangladesh and mostly
used within urban clusters) and Hindi. (Bangladesh: Ethonologue, UNESCO
n.d.)

It was also reported by the community that the other language that is used but
mostly restricted to a very niche group in society is the Urdu language. It is
mostly used in religious scriptures, by the religious scholars as well as taught
at Madrasas and religious schools.

1 Discussed in future sections

2Char are large sand or silted land formations occurring within the river during the dry season. During monsoon, these
Char lands get submerged and becomes inaccessible.

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5.4.6 Civil Society Organizations

Sirajganj District is a major hotspot for a large number of Development

Agencies, NGOs and welfare organizations working at the community level in
order to address a variety of social issues including loss of life, loss of land,
displacement and food shortages caused from frequent flooding during the
monsoons, abject poverty and marginalization of lower income groups or
families below the national poverty line, irregular or no employment, hunger,
etc.. Some of the key amongst these agencies and the relevant schemes and
programmes are as follows:

• Department of Social Welfare, Government of Bangladesh: This is the

primary social welfare agency under whose authority most of the
government schemes and programmes are implemented at the ground
level. Some of the key schemes implemented by this agency are:
o Micro Credit Schemes for the poorest sections of the society;
 Old age and Widow Pension schemes
 Freedom Fighter Allowance
o Schemes for highly marginalized sections of the society including
Beggars, Handicapped and Destitute
o Conducting awareness programs on Education, Healthcare, Family
planning, etc.
• All local and international NGOs’ working within Sirajganj are required to
register with the Department of Social Service prior to implementing any
community related work or service;
• Aid Organizations: Sirajganj sees active participation from a variety of
major aid organizations including USAID, UNICEF, World Food Program
(WFP), World Sanitation Program (WSP), Oxfam, Action Aid Bangladesh,
and CARE Bangladesh amongst others. They are responsible for
implementation of a variety of their schemes and programmes on poverty
alleviation, hunger, disaster management, sanitation, literacy,
immunization amongst others. These programs and services are
implemented at the ground level through active local NGO’s and Self Help
Groups (SHG). Offices of most of these aid organizations are located at
Sirajganj Sadar.

The well-known NGOs working in study area include BRAC, ASA, Proshika,
Grameen Bank, JKS, NDP, SDS, Grameen Uddag, Ganasastha Kendra,
Sirajganj Uttaran Mohila Sangstha and Social Work Centre. One of the most
prominent amongst these and located very close to the project site is the
Manab Mukti Sangstha (MMS). This organization is a local level NGO
established back in 1984 at Chawli Upazilla in Sirajganj District. The
organization obtained registration from the Department of Social Services in
1984 and NGO affairs bureau in 1990. It primarily works in Sirajganj, Tangail
and Pabna District in the northern parts of Bangladesh.

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Box 5.4 Rural Social Service (RSS) Programme - An Initiative by the Government of
Bangladesh

The RSS project was launched as a pilot project in 1974 in 19 selected Thanas of 19 Districts in
Bangladesh. In 1984, Upazilla Social Service Offices were established in all Upazillas. Under
these offices, the RSS Programme was introduced all over the country.

The RSS Programme is particularly designed for the vast majority of by-passed groups to
organise them and to build their capacity to fight against poverty, illiteracy, ill health,
unemployment and population explosion. The direct target groups of the RSS are children,
youth, women, landless families and other disadvantaged groups who do not directly get
benefit from other development activities in the rural areas.

Some of the key salient features of this programme are as below:

• To identify the target people (the disadvantaged and by-passed community groups)
through socio-economic survey with a view to bring them within the orbit of development
activities of the Programme,
• Creating self-employment and increase income by giving interest free micro-credit at the
rate of TK 2000 to 5000 1, for income generating economically profitable activities
• Providing informal education on health, nutrition, mother and child care, sanitation, use of
safe drinking water, motivation on family planning, social a-forestation, literacy etc. for the
improvement of the basic living standard of the people
• Establishing democratically functioning Village Based Institutions (VBI) of different target
population and form Project Village Committee (PVC) and Village Executive Committees
to identify key problems, needs and resources of the village and plan and implement
development activities to improve their socio-economic conditions
• Providing skill training for increasing the income capabilities and productivity of
unemployed and underemployed persons
• Awareness on family planning practices
Source: www.dss.gov.bd

5.5 ECONOMIC CAPITAL

5.5.1 Fixed Assets (Land & Property) Ownership

Land ownership pattern for a total of 179964.02 hectares in Sirajganj District

suggests that out of the total land holding, 21.85% is controlled by the landless
cultivators and agricultural labourers, 22.41% marginal farmers, 32.37% small
farmers, 17.58% intermediate farmers, and 5.79% large farmers. The total
cultivable land per head of the population as per the 2001 census figure has
been estimated at only 0.07 hectare.

As per the census data, majority of the population within the AOI lives in
kuchcha structures. The material used for construction of houses includes mud,
bamboo, home baked bricks or tin sheets. Tin sheets are the most commonly
used material especially those living closer to the river bank as it allows the
household to dismantle the structure quickly in case of flooding during
monsoons and relocate and reconstruct their homes at higher grounds. The
situation is similar in the rest of the study area where 84% of the houses are

(1) 1 Figure subjected to change

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 kutcha The Figure 5.10 indicates the housing structures within the AOI. It can
be observed from the above graph that the total pucca and semi-pucca houses
within the AOI are relatively less in comparison to kuchcha houses.

Figure 5.10 Type of Housing Structure in Core, AOI and Upazillas.

Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

With respect to ownership pattern within the AOI, the majority of the houses
are self-owned in comparison to houses being rented out or under rent-free
occupation. The Figure 5.11 indicates the ownership pattern amongst
households within the AOI.

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Figure 5.11 Property ownership

Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

5.5.2 Employment and Local Enterprises

It can be observed from (Economic Census 2001 & 2003 Sirajganj District n.d.)
data that the majority of the population within Sirajganj District are employed
in the manufacturing sector with over 201052 persons engaged in over 22867
establishments. The manufacturing sector in Sirajganj primarily comprises of
handlooms, textile mills, jute mills, cement factory, manufacturing of food and
agro based products, and handicrafts amongst others (refer Table 41.445).
Also, the population observed to be in manufacturing were primarily from the
rural areas as compared to urban sections. The manufacturing industries also
contribute significantly to export demand for products such as Jute products,
molasses, flour, cotton sarees, and lungi, amongst others.

The next sector that employed the most personnel was the wholesale and
retail trade with over 91069 persons employed in over 42817 establishments.

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 This primarily includes local produce sellers and vendors, commodity traders,
retails shops and establishments, exporters amongst others. Here again, the
majority of the population employed came from the rural clusters.

Table 5.13 Sectors of Employment in Sirajganj District

Type of Employment Establis Persons Engaged Average

hments Establishment
Total Male Female Urban Rural size
Mining and Quarrying 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Manufacturing 22867 201052 152394 48658 11194 189858 8.8
Electricity, gas and water 15 384 378 6 7 377 25.6
supply
Construction 45 576 574 2 203 373 12.8
Wholesale and retail 42817 91069 88330 2739 23001 68068 2.1
trade
Hotels and restaurants 2443 7253 7103 150 2528 4725 3
Transport, storage and 2232 4365 4162 203 755 3610 2
communication
Bank, insurance and 315 3207 2396 811 1959 1248 10.2
financial institution
Real estate and renting 483 1179 1160 19 598 581 2.4
Public administration 360 3421 3131 290 2698 723 9.5
and defence
Education 3073 17794 15353 2441 2057 15737 5.8
Health and Social works 964 3050 2573 477 1101 1949 3.2
Community, social and 8435 17013 15139 1874 3240 13773 2
personal services
Total 84049 350363 292693 57670 49341 301022 4.2
Source: Economic census of Sirajganj 2003

The Bangladesh economy has grown at the rate of 6 to 7% per annum in the
last few years. More than half of the GDP is generated by the service sector,
while merely half of the total population is employed in the agricultural
sector.

According to the Economic Census 2003 for Sirajganj District, most of the
manufactured material (81.2%) meets the local demand with only about 0.8%
being exported. It is significant to note that the textile export in Bangladesh
over past years has shown significant growth. However, the contribution of
Sirajganj District to textile exports is limited. Hence, the Government of
Bangladesh is developing a Special Export Zone (SEZ) close to the Saidabad
Power Generation Complex to provide better access to international textile
markets and optimize the regional potential of the existing textile sector in
Sirajganj.

According to the (Economic Census 2001 & 2003 Sirajganj District n.d.), 22.9%
of the total establishments catering to the various economic activities within
Sirajganj District are established in household based premises. Out of these,
over 12.5% of the industries are from the manufacturing category followed by
wholesale and retail trade. The household industries in this district primarily
includes home based handlooms, weaving bamboo and cane work jute and
jute goods, goldsmiths, handicrafts, blacksmiths, potteries, wood works, mat

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 and pati making. Most of the produce is either sold in the local market or
exported out to the neighbouring district of Tangail or as far as Dhaka.

The micro establishments mostly constitute of the household level enterprises

while the macro establishments are larger human capital engaging enterprises.
The table below provides an overview of the macro and micro level
establishments within Sirajganj District.

Table 5.14 Macro and Micro level establishments within Sirajganj District

Type of Establishment Total Micro Macro Permanent Establishment

Permanent Total Small Medium Large
Establishments
Mining and Quarrying 0 0 0 0 0
Manufacturing 8626 85403 63900 7795 13708
Electricity, gas and water 12 322 15 93 214
supply
Construction 15 475 45 68 362
Wholesale and retail trade 31428 1420 1420 0 0
Hotels and restaurants 1928 238 238 0 0
Transport, storage and 801 106 106 0 0
communication
Bank, insurance and 194 1456 1401 55 0
financial institution
Real estate and renting 427 0 0 0 0
Public administration and 267 2072 1641 211 220
defence
Education 2524 8010 7523 487 0
Health and Social works 824 1009 419 152 438
Community, social and 6613 638 637 0 0
personal services
Sirajganj District 53659 101149 77346 8861 14942
Source: (Economic Census 2001 & 2003 Sirajganj District n.d.)

It is again evident from the above table that manufacturing alone is the most
significant and primary employment activity followed widely across Sirajganj
District. In Saidabad Union, it was noticed that household based industries
particularly the handloom sector is an important avenue for employment and
income for people. Many of them also reported to work in the wholesale
trading companies operating from Sirajganj Sadar. The trend for going abroad
to work as wage labours is also reported to be a popular option for the youths.

Box 5.5 Proposed Industrial Park in Sirajganj Sadar

In order to bolster the local economy of Sirajganj, an industrial park close to the Bangabandhu
Bridge is being proposed by the Government of Bangladesh. The industrial park would be
spread over an area of over 400 acres and would come along the banks of river Jamuna. The
park will primarily house chemical based dye manufacturers as well as agro based packaging
and retailing industries. The output from these industries would be primarily catered to the
growing textile and agro related export market which is a major source of foreign exchange for
the Bangladesh Government.
Source: Stakeholder Consultation

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5.5.3 Access to Finance

According to the Central Bank of Bangladesh 1, the financial system prevalent

within the country is comprised of three broad fragmented sectors, i.e. formal,
semi-formal, and informal sector. Access to various financial sectors in
Sirajganj District varies in urban and rural clusters. Based on discussion with
the individual stakeholders such as MMS, BRAC, Department of Social
Welfare, as well as the overall community within the AOI, it was reported
that, the formal and the semi-formal sectors mostly catered to the urban
populations within the paurasavas, wards and municipalities, etc. while the
semi-formal and most of the informal sectors catered to the financial
requirements of the rural population. Some of the key microfinance agencies
and NGOs that represent the semi-formal agencies within the AOI include
MMS, Grameen Bank, BRAC, and Buro Bangla amongst others.

Box 5.6 Overview of Grameen Bank, one of the largest microfinance institutions of
Bangladesh

The Grameen Bank is a Nobel Peace Prize winning microfinance organization and community
development bank started in Bangladesh that makes small loans (known as microcredit or
"grameen credit") to the impoverished without requiring collateral. The name Grameen is derived
from the word “gram” which means "rural" or "village" in the Bengali language.

The system of this bank is based on the idea that the poor have skills that are under-utilized. A
group-based credit approach is applied which utilizes the peer-pressure within the group to
ensure the borrowers follow through and use caution in conducting their financial affairs with
strict discipline, ensuring repayment eventually and allowing the borrowers to develop good
credit standing. The bank also accepts deposits, provides other services, and runs several
development-oriented businesses including fabric, telephone and energy companies. Another
distinctive feature of the bank's credit program is that the overwhelming majority (98%) of its
borrowers are women

Source: http://www.grameen-info.org/

5.6 PHYSICAL CAPITAL: DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE

5.6.1 Health Service Infrastructure

The primary centres for immediate medical assistance in Sirajganj are the
private or government clinics and the health complex located at the upazilla
and the union levels respectively. However, these clinics and health
complexes are mostly for diagnosis of minor medical conditions and are not
equipped to handle any serious medical conditions or surgical procedures.
Assistance in those regards is provided at either district level hospital or
private hospitals.

1 Bangladesh Bank (http://www.bb.org.bd/fnansys/index.php)

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 Table 5.15 provides an overview of the medical and healthcare infrastructure
within Sirajganj District as per the 2007 statistics of the Bangladesh Bureau of
Statistics.

Table 5.15 Healthcare Infrastructure Statistics for Sirajganj District

Healthcare Facility Doctors Nurses Total Number of Beds

Clinics 18 32 48
Family Welfare Centre 27 370 7
Primary Health Centres 5 5 0
Maternity Centres 5 11 28
Hospitals 98 222 372
Source: http://www.bbs.gov.bd/RptZillaProfile.aspx

The following Table 5.16 provides an overview of the healthcare infrastructure

within Sirajganj Sadar as per 2007 statistics.

Table 5.16 Healthcare Infrastructure Statistics for Sirajganj Sadar

Healthcare Facility Doctors Nurses Total Number of Beds

Clinics 13 28 38
Family Welfare Centre 7 10 7
Primary Health 5 5 0
Centres
Maternity Centres 1 5 10
Hospitals 52 73 141
Source: http://www.bbs.gov.bd/RptZillaProfile.aspx

However, the situation was observed to be very poor in Belkuchi Upazilla

with only nine (9) doctors, forty nine (49) nurses available catering to a mere
31 beds.

It can be observed from the above statistics that the healthcare services within
the district with respect to infrastructure and access is limited. Based on these
available statistics, there is only one clinic or hospital bed for every 7,375
persons in context of the entire district. The situation is better within Sirajganj
Sadar with one bed for every 3,101 persons. However, it is worse for Belkuchi
with one bed for every 11,382 persons.

5.6.2 Roads and Transport

Roads

Sirajganj District has a total road network of 2808 km. Out of this the total
pucca network or concreted road with bituminous top is for 324 km, the total
semi-pucca or only concreted road is for 91 km and kuchcha or mud road is
2393 km.

The internal roads within the AOI are primarily kuchcha in nature. The major
road closest to the project site is the national highway number 405 connecting
Dhaka to Rajshahi which is located approximately 1.4kms towards North.

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 The total navigable waterway that has been estimated within Sirajganj District
is 175 nautical miles. The waterway is primarily used by small trawlers,
transportation boats and ferries. Due to frequent siltation in the Jamuna River
during the dry season, the waterway is not used by larger ships or boats in
and around Sirajganj District.

There are a total of three (3) railway stations and the busiest station is Sirajganj
Sadar. The closest railway station to the project site is the Bangabandhu West
railway station located at an approximate distance of 1.4km. The station will
be utilized for project related transportation purposes.

5.6.3 Electricity

Based on stakeholder consultation with the local community within the AOI,
it was reported that although a power plant complex has been established
within the area and is functional, access to electricity was still a major
problem. This observation was also supported by the census information
which indicates that only about 31.67% of the total households within the AOI
have access to power. However, the scenario is better in Sirajganj Sadar or
Belkuchi Upazilla level. The access to power within Sirajganj Sadar and
Belkuchi were observed to be 65.9% and 55.7% of households respectively.

The following Figure 5.12 shows the percentage of households electrified

within the various locations.

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Figure 5.12 Household level electrification

Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

Overall, if one observes the overall electrification scenario within the entire
district, it may be inferred to be very low with only 47.1% of the total
households having any form of access to electricity. In the core zone and
overall AOI, less than 40% of the houses are electrified.

The lower percentage of electrification indicates reliance on other sources of

energy to meet the domestic demand for heat and lighting. It also can be taken
as a proxy indicator for quality of life of most of the people as lack of
electricity impedes use of modern equipment.

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5.6.4 Education

Table 5.17 provides an overview of the educational institutions available

within Sirajganj District. It also provides data on the educational institutions
within Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla 1.

Table 5.17 Educational Institutions within Sirajganj District

Educational Institutions Total Number in Total Number in Sirajganj

Sirajganj District Sadar Upazilla
Government Primary Schools 880 151
Non-Government Primary Schools 503 5
Junior High Schools 43
Government High Schools 3 2
Non-Government High Schools 245 61
Madrasas 249 26
Community Schools 2
Kindergartens 2
Government Colleges 5 3
Non- Government Colleges 75 14
Source: Banglapedia

Some of the noted educational institutions within the district are the Islamia
College (formerly Senior Madrasa (dated 1887), Gayanadayeni High School
(1884), BL High School (1869), Sirajganj Government University College
(1940), Pakrashi Primary School (1856, Chauhali), and Ullahpata Merchants
Pilot Multilateral High School (1906) amongst others.

5.6.5 Water Supply Infrastructure

The primary source of water used for drinking and sustaining household level
domestic water is tube wells. More than 95% of the total households within
the district are dependent on tube wells for their water consumption or usage.
Tap water usage was observed to be relatively high only within Sirajganj
Sadar and mostly restricted to paurasavas or urban areas. Other sources of
water that were used by a minority include river (primarily used by char
dwellers), pond and riverine within the inland areas.

1 Data for Belkuchi Upazilla was not available

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Figure 5.13 Distribution of Households (%) by source of drinking water

Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

In Saidabad Union, the tube well water is primarily used for drinking water
for most other domestic purposes such as cattle washing, clothes and utensil
washing etc. is sourced from tube well water or nearby surface water.

According to census data (Agriculture Census 2008 for Sirajganj District n.d.),
apart from rain-fed irrigation, the primary sources of irrigation in Sirajganj has
been identified as deep tube wells, shallow tube wells and power driven
pump irrigation.

5.6.6 Sanitation and Waste Management

According to the census information, the sanitation facilities within the AOI
comprises mostly of pit latrines with dry disposal without any sanitary
hardware. The pit latrine facility was observed to be prevalent in more than
50% of the households. A smaller fraction of the households were observed to
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 be using sanitary hardware without any water based flushing. Proper
sanitation facilities with water sealed latrines were observed only in 11% of
the households, mostly within urban clusters and municipalities. Open
defecation or absence of any form of sanitation facilities was observed in 9% of
the households. Graphical representation of distribution of sanitation facilities
is shown in Figure 5.14.

Figure 5.14 Distribution of Households according to the type of sanitation facilities used

Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011

The trend is similar when compared to that of the district, with more than
77.5% of the population being dependant on the dry pit latrines or sanitary
hardware without water based disposal system. Only 17.9% of the total
population has access to proper latrine systems.

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6 IMPACT ASSESSMENT & MITIGATION/ENHANCEMENT MEASURES

6.1 INTRODUCTION

This section assesses the manner in which the Project will interact with
elements of the physical, biological, cultural or human environment to
produce impacts to resources/receptors. This has been organized as per the
various stages of the project lifecycle to understand the risks and impacts
associated with each of these individual stages.

The Project does not envisage any significant environmental/ social impact in
the pre-construction phase, which primarily involves feasibility study and
possession of land for development of the power plant, as there is no land
acquisition and resettlement involved, which is typically the social issue in
pre-construction phase. Hence, the environmental and social impacts due to
the Project activities are considered in three distinct stages of the Project life
cycle: (a) construction of the Plant (Construction Phase); (b) operation and
maintenance of the Plant (Operation Phase) and (c) closure of the Plant
(Decommissioning Phase) 1.

6.2 SCOPE OF THE ASSESSMENT

The scope of the assessment captures the understanding on the envisaged

risks and impacts assessed during the scoping exercise of this impact
assessment study as well as the risks identified during subsequent physical
baseline assessment and impact evaluation process. The key environmental
and social issues and risks identified are further elaborated in the following
sections.

6.3 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY

Impact identification and assessment starts with scoping and continues

through the remainder of the IA Process. The principal IA steps are
summarized in Figure 6.1 and comprises of:

1 Environmental and social impacts during decommissioning of the Plant have not been considered in the impact
assessment, as these will depend on the options available at the time of expiry of the power purchase agreement between
Sembcorp and BPDB/NWPGCL. The design life of the power plant is estimated to be 30 years, which is almost 8 years
longer than the Power Purchase Agreement term. If the Power Purchase Agreement, Land Lease Agreement, Gas Supply
Agreement and the other relevant agreements are not extended or renewed and an alternative economical fuel is available,
the power plant may be retrofitted to support alternative power generation. This option would be possible, provided that
the required retrofits and new emission rates meet the applicable standards and guidelines. If retrofitting is not a feasible
option, and the operational life of the Power Plant expires, the power plant will be decommissioned according to the
requirements of the authorities at that time.

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 • Impact prediction: to determine what could potentially happen to
resources/receptors as a consequence of the Project and its associated
activities.
• Impact evaluation: to evaluate the significance of the predicted
impacts by considering their magnitude and likelihood of occurrence,
and the sensitivity, value and/or importance of the affected
resource/receptor.
• Mitigation and enhancement: to identify appropriate and justified
measures to mitigate negative impacts and enhance positive impacts.
• Residual impact evaluation: to evaluate the significance of impacts
assuming effective implementation of mitigation and enhancement
measures.

Figure 6.1 Impact Assessment Process

Prediction of Impacts

Prediction of impacts was carried out with an objective to determine what is

likely to happen to the environment as a consequence of the Project and its
associated activities. From the potentially significant interactions identified in
Scoping, the impacts to the various resources/receptors were elaborated and
evaluated.

Evaluation of Impacts

Each impact was described in terms of its various relevant characteristics (e.g.,
type, scale, duration, frequency, extent). The terminology used to describe
impact characteristics is shown in Table 6.1.

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Table 6.1 Impact Characteristic Terminology

Characteristic Definition Designations

Type A descriptor indicating the relationship of the Direct
impact to the Project (in terms of cause and Indirect
effect) Induced
Extent The “reach” of the impact (e.g., confined to a Local
small area around the Project Footprint, National
projected for several kilometres, etc.) Global
Duration The time period over which a resource/ Temporary
receptor is affected. Short-term
Long-term
Permanent
Scale The size of the impact (e.g., the size of the area [no fixed designations;
damaged or impacted, the fraction of a intended to be a numerical
resource that is lost or affected, etc.) value or a qualitative
description of “intensity”]
Frequency A measure of the constancy or periodicity of [no fixed designations;
the impact. intended to be a numerical
value or a qualitative
description]

The definitions for the type designations are given in Table 6.2. Definitions for
the other designations are resource/receptor-specific.

Table 6.2 Impact Type Definitions

Type Definition
Direct Impacts that result from a direct interaction between the Project and a
resource/ receptor
Indirect Impacts that follow on from the direct interactions between the Project and its
environment as a result of subsequent interactions within the environment
Induced Impacts that result from other activities (which are not part of the Project) that
happen as a consequence of the Project.

The above characteristics and definitions apply to planned and unplanned

events. An additional characteristic that pertains only to unplanned events is
likelihood. The likelihood of an unplanned event occurring was designated
using a qualitative scale, as described in Table 6.3.

Table 6.3 Definitions for Likelihood Designations

Likelihood Definition
Unlikely The event is unlikely but may occur at some time during normal operating
conditions (probability less than 20%)
Possible The event is likely to occur at some time during normal operating conditions
(probability greater than 20% and less than 50%)
Likely The event will occur during normal operating conditions (probability greater
than 50% and less than 90%)
Certainly Greater than 90%

Once an impact’s characteristics were defined, each impact was assigned a

‘magnitude’. Magnitude is typically a function of a combination (depending
on the resource/receptor in question) of the following impact characteristics:

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• Extent
• Duration
• Scale
• Frequency

In case of unplanned events only, magnitude incorporates the ‘likelihood’

factor discussed above.

Magnitude essentially describes the intensity of the change that was predicted
to occur in the resource/receptor as a result of the impact. As discussed above,
the magnitude designations themselves are universally consistent, but the
descriptions for these designations vary on a resource/receptor-by-
resource/receptor basis. The universal magnitude designations are:

• Positive
• Negligible
• Small
• Medium
• Large

In the case of a positive impact, no magnitude designation (aside from

‘positive’) was assigned. It was considered sufficient for the purpose of the IA
to indicate that the Project was expected to result in a positive impact, without
characterising the exact degree of positive change likely to occur.

In the case of impacts resulting from unplanned events, the same resource/
receptor-specific approach to concluding a magnitude designation was
followed, but the ‘likelihood’ factor was considered, together with the other
impact characteristics, when assigning a magnitude designation.

In addition to characterising the magnitude of impact, the other principal

impact evaluation step was definition of the sensitivity/ vulnerability/
importance of the impacted resource/receptor. There are a range of factors
that was taken into account when defining the sensitivity/ vulnerability/
importance of the resource/receptor, which may be physical, biological,
cultural or human. Other factors were also considered when characterising
sensitivity/ vulnerability/importance, such as legal protection, government
policy, stakeholder views and economic value. The sensitivity/
vulnerability/importance designations used herein for all resources/receptors
are:
• Low
• Medium
• High

Once magnitude of impact and sensitivity/ vulnerability/ importance of

resource/ receptor have been characterised, the significance was assigned for
each impact. Impact significance is designated using the matrix shown in
Figure 6.2.
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Figure 6.2 Impact Significance

Sensitivity/Vulnerability/importance of Resource/Receptor

Low Medium High

Negligible Negligible Negligible Negligible

Small Negligible Minor Moderate

Magnitude of Impact

Medium Minor Moderate Major

Large Moderate Major Major

The matrix applies universally to all resources/receptors, and all impacts to

these resources/receptors, as the resource/receptor-specific considerations are
factored into the assignment of magnitude and sensitivity/ vulnerability/
importance designations that enter into the matrix. Box 5.1 provides a context
of what the various impact significance ratings imply.

Box 6.1 Context of Impact Significances

An impact of negligible significance is one where a resource/ receptor (including people) will
essentially not be affected in any way by a particular activity or the predicted effect is deemed
to be ‘imperceptible’ or is indistinguishable from natural background variations.

An impact of minor significance is one where a resource/ receptor will experience a noticeable
effect, but the impact magnitude is sufficiently small and/or the resource/receptor is of low
sensitivity/ vulnerability/ importance. In either case, the magnitude should be well within
applicable standards/ guidelines.

An impact of moderate significance has an impact magnitude that is within applicable

standards/guidelines, but falls somewhere in the range from a threshold below which the
impact is minor, up to a level that might be just short of breaching a legal limit. Clearly, to
design an activity so that its effects only just avoid breaking a law and/or cause a major impact
is not best practice. The emphasis for moderate impacts is therefore on demonstrating that the
impact has been reduced to a level that is as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP). This does
not necessarily mean that impacts of moderate significance have to be reduced to minor, but
that moderate impacts are being managed effectively and efficiently.

An impact of major significance is one where an accepted limit or standard may be exceeded, or
large magnitude impacts occur to highly valued/sensitive resource/receptors. An aim of IA is
to get to a position where the Project does not have any major residual impacts, certainly not
ones that would endure into the long-term or extend over a large area. However, for some
aspects there may be major residual impacts after all practicable mitigation options have been
exhausted (i.e. ALARP has been applied). An example might be the visual impact of a facility. It
is then the function of regulators and stakeholders to weigh such negative factors against the
positive ones, such as employment, in coming to a decision on the Project.

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It is important to note that impact prediction and evaluation takes into
account any embedded controls (i.e., physical or procedural controls that are
already planned as part of the Project design, regardless of the results of the
IA Process).

Identification of Mitigation and Enhancement Measures

Once the significance of an impact has been characterised, the next step was to
evaluate what mitigation and enhancement measures are warranted. For the
purposes of this IA, ERM adopted the following Mitigation Hierarchy:

• Avoid at Source, Reduce at Source: avoiding or reducing at source

through the design of the Project.
• Abate on Site: add something to the design to abate the impact.
• Abate at Receptor: if an impact cannot be abated on-site then control
measures can be implemented off-site.
• Repair or Remedy: some impacts involve unavoidable damage to a
resource (e.g. agricultural land and forestry due to creating access, work
camps or materials storage areas) and these impacts can be addressed
through repair, restoration or reinstatement measures.
• Compensate in Kind, Compensate Through Other Means: where other
mitigation approaches are not possible or fully effective, then
compensation for loss, damage and disturbance might be appropriate
(e.g., planting to replace damaged vegetation, financial compensation
for damaged crops or providing community facilities for loss of
fisheries, access, recreation and amenity space).

The priority in mitigation was to first apply mitigation measures to the source
of the impact (i.e., to avoid or reduce the magnitude of the impact from the
associated Project activity), and then to address the resultant effect to the
resource/receptor via abatement or compensatory measures or offsets (i.e., to
reduce the significance of the effect once all reasonably practicable mitigations
have been applied to reduce the impact magnitude).

Management and Monitoring

The final stage in the IA Process was the definition of the basic management
and monitoring measures that are needed to identify whether: a) impacts or
their associated Project components remain in conformance with applicable
standards/ guidelines; and b) mitigation measures are effectively addressing
impacts and compensatory measures and offsets are reducing effects to the
extent predicted. This is covered in Chapter 9 under environmental and social
management plan (ESMP)

An activity – impact interaction matrix for construction and operation phases

of the Project is presented in Table 6.4, which has been further used to assess
the impact significance at activity levels on environmental, ecological and
social resources.

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Table 6.4 Activity-Impact Interaction Matrix for Construction and Operation Phases of the Project

Project Activity/ Hazards

Environmental Resources Social Resources

Aquatic Flora/ Fauna (Biodiversity)

Demographics (i.e. Displacement)

Surface Water Quantity/Quality

Social/ Community Cohesion

Occupational Health & Safety

Social & Cultural Structures

Community Health & Safety

Land Use (Inc. Economic

Infrastructure & Services

Economy & Livelihoods
Soil/ Sediment Quality

Ambient Noise Levels

Ground Water Quality
Land Forms/ Profile

Terrestrial Ecology

Cultural Resources

Vulnerable Groups
Drainage Pattern
Climate Change

Displacement)
Air Quality
Land Use

Vibration
Construction Phase
Site Clearing/ Levelling
Building of structures including
temporary structures and laying of
pipelines
Heavy equipment operations
Storage, handling and disposal of
waste
Generation of sewage
Influx of construction workers
Transportation of power plant
equipment over water
Transportation of personnel &
material by road
Storage and handling of chemicals
(unplanned release)
Maintenance of vehicles and
equipment
Concreting works
Operation Phase
Air emissions from stacks of the plant
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Project Activity/ Hazards
Environmental Resources Social Resources

Aquatic Flora/ Fauna (Biodiversity)

Demographics (i.e. Displacement)

Surface Water Quantity/Quality

Social/ Community Cohesion

Occupational Health & Safety

Social & Cultural Structures

Community Health & Safety

Land Use (Inc. Economic

Infrastructure & Services

Economy & Livelihoods
Soil/ Sediment Quality

Ambient Noise Levels

Ground Water Quality
Land Forms/ Profile

Terrestrial Ecology

Cultural Resources

Vulnerable Groups
Drainage Pattern
Climate Change

Displacement)
Air Quality
Land Use

Vibration
GHG emissions
Noise generation due to operation of
plant and auxiliaries
Water demand for plant operations
Wastewater discharge/ disposal
Wastes – domestic waste and other
non-hazardous wastes handling,
storage
Hazardous material and waste
storages
Natural gas transportation by
pipeline
HSD transportation by pipeline
Transportation of personnel, raw
material/s and disposal of wastes
Employment
Operation of Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and 4 Projects (Cumulative)
Water Demand for plant operations
Wastewater discharge/ disposal
Air emissions from stacks of the
plants
GHG emissions
Noise generation due to operation of
plants and auxiliaries

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 = Represents “no” interactions is reasonably expected
= Represents interactions reasonably possible but none of the outcomes will lead to significant impact
= Represents interactions reasonably possible where any of the outcomes may lead to potential significant impact

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6.4 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS - CONSTRUCTION PHASE

Construction of the power plant will be carried out by the construction

contractor appointed by Sembcorp. The construction phase for the Project will
comprise of primarily two distinct phases: (a) civil construction work that
would require a minimum of one year for completion; and (b) mechanical and
electrical work for Plant commissioning. The entire construction phase is
expected to continue for 30 months. The approximate number of workers for
both civil and mechanical works is expected to be around 1500 (during peak
construction). The workers will be sourced both locally as well as from
outside. A summary of the activities with the potential to cause impacts to the
surrounding environment and human receptors is presented below.

• Site preparation: include clearance of vegetation and site levelling.

• Civil work for power plant: Construction of Lay down areas and
construction workers camp (outside the power generation complex),
internal roads, site drainage, excavation for foundations work,
buildings, etc.;
• Construction of a temporary jetty: to receive heavy power plant
equipment;
• Procurement and transportation of power plant equipment: will
include Transportation of construction materials, construction
machinery and equipment for the power plant through the existing
access road and the temporary jetty via Jamuna River ;
• Installation of power plant equipment: will include installation of
GTG, HRSG, STG, cooling tower, transformer, switch yard, etc.
• Installation of gas pipeline: 1.5 km long gas pipeline will be
constructed from the GTCL value station to the site.
• Installation of water pipeline: about 2.0 km long raw water pipeline
from River Jamuna to the project site.
• Construction of on-site and off-site work facilities: including site
office, sanitation and labour accommodation

6.4.1 Soil and Sediment Quality

Potential sources of impacts to soil and sediment quality due to the

construction phase activities include:

• Clearance of vegetation from the project site and ancillary areas within the
power generation complex and laydown areas outside the power
generation complex;
• Civil work activities;
• Transportation of construction material, equipment and personnel;
• Storage of construction materials including hazardous material;
• Storage, handling and disposal of wastes generated from site clearance, site
excavation and formation, civil works and activities of construction
workers (general waste and sewage).
• Erection of Power Plant Building

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 Criteria

For the assessment of soil and sediment quality, the sensitivity and magnitude
criteria outlined in Table 6.5 and Table 6.6, respectively have been used.

Table 6.5 Sensitivity Assessment Criteria for Soil and Sediment quality (compaction,
erosion and contamination) and Landuse

Sensitivity Contributing Criteria

Criteria
Environment Social
Soil and The extent to which the soil and The extent to which the soil and
sediment sediment quality plays an ecosystem sediment quality provides a use
Quality related role in terms of supporting (agricultural use, fishing) to the local
criteria as biodiversity. This includes its role as communities and businesses, or is
compaction, in supporting a lifecycle stage important in terms of national
erosion and resource protection objectives, targets
contamination and legislation
and Landuse
change
Low • The soil quality does not support • The soil and sediment quality has
diverse habitat or populations little or no role in provisioning of
and/or supports habitat or services as agricultural uses for the
population of low quality. local community.
• The sediment quality does not
support diverse aquatic habitat or
populations and and/or supports
aquatic habitat or population of
low quality.
• Designated area, No change or • Landuse not of relevant use by
negligible Change from designated Community.
Landuse.
• Minor Visual Change.
Medium • The soil quality supports diverse • The soil and sediment has local
habitat or population of flora and importance in terms of provisioning
fauna and supports habitats services as agricultural services but
commonly available in the Project there is ample capacity and / or
AoI. adequate opportunity for alternative
• The sediment quality does not sources of comparable quality i.e.
support diverse aquatic habitat and ready availability across the AoI.
supports habitats commonly
available in the Jamuna river across
the Project AoI.

• Perceived change from designated • Landuse of important local use by

landuse. communities.
• Visual Change but common feature
in Project AoI.
High • The soil quality supports • The soil and sediment is wholly
economically important or relied upon locally, with no suitable
biologically unique species or technically or economically feasible
provides essential habitat for such alternatives, or is important at a
species. regional level for provisioning
• The sediment quality supports services.
economically important or
biologically unique aquatic species
or provides essential habitat for
such species.

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 • Major change in Landuse. • Landuse of regional importance.
• Visual Change aesthetically Change would impact Landuse
affecting locals. classification of the area.

Table 6.6 Criteria for Impact Magnitude for Assessment of Impact to Soil and Sediment
Quality and Landuse

Magnitude Negligible Small medium Large

Criteria
Soil compaction • Qualitative-No • Perceptible • Clearly evident • Major (e.g.
and erosion perceptible or change from (e.g. perceptible order of
readily baseline and readily magnitude)
measurable conditions but measurable) change in
change from likely to easily change from comparison to
baseline revert back to baseline baseline
conditions earlier stage conditions conditions
• Scale-Localized with mitigation and/or likely and/or likely
area as • Scale- -Project take time to difficult or may
Particular site, activity revert back to not to revert
activity areas areas and earlier stage back to earlier
• Time-Short immediate with mitigation stage with
duration (few vicinity not • Scale- Project mitigation
days) or one impacting any site, activity • Scale- Regional
time as sensitive areas and or international;
temporary receptor immediate • Permanent
• Sort term-Only vicinity change
during impacting
particular sensitive
activities or receptor/s
phase of the • Long term-
project lifecycle Spread across
as civil works several phases
or construction of the project
phase (few lifecycle (few
months) years)

Soil and sediment Well within Well within Exceeds Target Exceeds
contamination Dutch standard 1 Dutch standard 2 Value but well Interventional
(refer Section 2.9 within Value and needs
for Dutch Interventional intervention.
guidelines) Value (Refer (Refer Table 2.11)
Table 2.11)

1 Dutch Target and Intervention Values (Soil remediation Circular 2009-2012 Revision),
https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stcrt-2012-6563.pdf.
The assessment of potential impacts to soil and sediment has been considered as per the Dutch
Standard as Bangladesh does not have any local standards for soil or sediment quality.
2 Dutch Target and Intervention Values (Soil remediation Circular 2009-2012 Revision),
https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stcrt-2012-6563.pdf.
The assessment of potential impacts to soil and sediment has been considered as per the Dutch
Standard as Bangladesh does not have any local standards for soil or sediment quality.

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Magnitude Negligible Small medium Large
Criteria
Land use No change Temporary Permanent but no Permanent with
visual and use visual and use
impact impact

Receptors

The analysis of soil and sediment sampling in the Project area indicate that the
soils are mainly sandy loam to silty clay loam and sediments from the Jamuna
River were of the silty clay loam type. Soil samples were found to be slightly
alkaline in nature (i.e. pH between 7.31 and 7.8) while the pH of sediment
samples from Jamuna River was found to be neutral.

The soil at the project site contains sand depositions from the Jamuna River
used for filling. It does not support any diverse habitat or species and
agricultural activities. Furthermore, soil of the areas identified for laydown,
construction workers camp, temporary jetty and water and gas pipeline and
pump house are also not having any agricultural activities. The same was
observed with the sediment and hence soil and sediment was considered as
low under sensitivity assessment criteria.

Impact Significance

Soil Compaction
The Project site contains sand depositions from the Jamuna River used for
filling to raise the height of the entire Saidabad Power Generation Complex
above the highest flood level recorded. However soil outside the project site
will be compacted during the establishment of laydown areas, gas pipeline
and installation of equipment to ensure soil stability. Movement of heavy
vehicles and heavy construction machinery will also cause soil compaction
however a permanent access road to the Project site is already in place and
being used by the existing NWPGCL power plant. Soil compaction and
possible damage to the soil structure due to heavy vehicular movement will
only be limited to the vicinity of temporary jetty, gas pipeline route, water
pipeline route and Project site. The pipeline routes are not involving any
agricultural activities and are part of the government non-agricultural khas
land or BBA land. The area identified for temporary jetty was already being
used in the past by NWPGCL for unloading and transportation of heavy lifts
during the commissioning of Sirajganj 1 (225 MW) power plant, located with
the same complex and there is an existing road of BBA, which connects this
jetty location to the national highway. Based on the impact magnitude
assessment criteria as given in Table 6.6 the impact was assessed as
negligible.

Impact Soil Compaction

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent

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Impact Extent Local Regional International
Limited to Project Site, gas and water pipeline RoW and temporary jetty
site vicinity as well as areas identified for laydown and construction
Impact Scale
workers camp. Approach road and access to temporary jetty location,
GTCL valve station and water intake location already exist.
Frequency Primarily during Civil work
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

Soil erosion
The project AOI is prone to soil erosion due to nature of soil enhanced by
heavy rains and flooding in the area. As mentioned earlier, the project site
within the power complex is already raised and compacted with filled sand.
This is also having embankment for safety from flood induced erosion.
However soil erosion may occur in vicinity of the temporary jetty, during the
laying of gas pipeline, water pipeline and laydown areas due to clearance
activities, transportation of materials and excavation. Soil erosion will
typically be worse during the monsoon months however no construction
activities will be taking place during this period. Further it will be proposed
in the specification manual for EPC contractors that:
• All areas of excavation will be closed and compacted before the monsoon
season to prevent soil erosion.
• Storm water is properly channelized to settling tanks for controlling soil
erosion.

Based on the impact magnitude assessment criteria as given in Table 6.6 the
impact was assessed as negligible.

Impact Soil Erosion

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Limited to gas and water pipeline RoW, temporary jetty and laydown
Impact Scale
areas vicinity.
Frequency Primarily during Civil work
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

Soil and Sediment Contamination (Spills and Leaks)

Soil contamination during the construction phase may result from leaks and
spills of oil, lubricants, fuel from heavy equipment or leakage from
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chemical/fuel storage. Sediment contamination may take place during the
construction of the temporary jetty north of Bangabandhu Bridge on Jamuna
River and unloading of heavy equipment. Such spills can have long-term
impact on soil and sediment quality, but are expected to be localised in nature.
While the risk of accidental spillage of potentially hazardous substances is
low, proper handling and disposal of contaminated materials will further
reduce the risk if such event does take place. The following prevention and
mitigation measures will be proposed in the Specification Manual for EPC
Contractors:
• The Contractor will prepare unloading and loading protocols for the
temporary jetty and train staff to prevent spills and leaks
• The Contractor will prepare guidelines and procedures for immediate
clean-up actions following any spillages of oils, fuels or chemicals;
• A site specific Emergency Response Plan will be prepared by the
Contractor for soil clean-up and decontamination

Soil and sediment samples analysis indicates that the soil/fill material at the
Project site and Jamuna River is not contaminated. Spill control measures such
as storage and handling of chemicals and fuels on impervious areas (such as
concrete surfaces) will be implemented to minimize impacts in case of spills.
Loaders to be used near the temporary jetty will be checked for lubricant leaks
and workers trained not to dispose of waste in the area. Liquid effluents
arising from construction activities will be treated to the standards specified in
Schedule 9 and 10 of ECR, 1997 of the GOB (Table 2.8 and Table 2.9);. Therefore,
the likelihood of unplanned events (i.e. spills and leaks) leading to soil and
sediment contamination is considered likely. Based on the impact magnitude
assessment criteria as given in Table 6.6 and impact has been considered as
minor.

Impact Soil and Sediment contamination from spills and leaks

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Limited to Project Site and temporary jetty

Limited to construction Phase primarily during transportation,

Frequency
handling and storage of materials, waste and equipment installation
Likelihood Likely
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered minor.

Soil Contamination from Waste Handling

Soil may become contaminated due to improper handling and storage of
waste. The majority of the generated wastes will be non-hazardous. General
construction waste will comprise of surplus or off-specification materials such
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as concrete, steel cuttings/filings, wooden planks, packaging paper or plastic,
wood, plastic pipes, metals, etc. During the construction phase of the Project,
solid waste generation will mainly be concrete waste and bitumen. It is
estimated that approximately 100 – 150 m3 of such waste will be produced.
The inert wastes will be stored near the batching plant (which is planned to be
located within the power generation complex in an area of about 2 acres to be
provided by NWPGCL) and will be reused under floors or under road to
increase the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) 1 value. Bitumen or any hazardous
wastes will be disposed off to licensed contractors. Domestic wastes consisting
of food waste, plastic, glass, aluminium cans and waste packages will also be
generated by the construction workforce.

A small proportion of the waste generated during construction will be

hazardous and may include:

• Used paint, engine oils, hydraulic fluids and waste fuel;

• Spent solvents from equipment cleaning activities; and
• Spent batteries or spent acid/alkali from the maintenance of machinery on
site.

If improperly managed, hazardous waste may create impacts on land. With

reference to similar projects, it is anticipated that the quantity of hazardous
waste (mainly waste lubricant oil and waste paints/solvents) will be less than
100 litres per month. The construction contractor will handle, store and
dispose of all waste in accordance with applicable GOB guidelines. Concrete
waste of inert nature will be stored near the concrete batching plant and will
be reused under floors or internal roads. Any bitumen waste will be stored
separately in lined areas to be disposed-off to licensed contractors. There is a
potential for direct, long-term negative impacts to soil quality from improper
waste handling; however, with the implementation of the mitigation measures
discussed above the impacts to soil quality as discussed in Table 6.6 is
assessed to be negligible.

Impact Soil Contamination from Waste Handling

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Limited to Project Site

Limited to construction Phase primarily during transportation,

Frequency
handling and storage of waste
Likelihood Likely
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large

1The California Bearing Ratio (CBR) is a penetration test for evaluation of the mechanical strength of road subgrades and
base courses.

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Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

Mitigation Measures

Potential impacts to soil and sediment during the construction phase are
attributed to soil compaction, erosion and soil /sediment contamination from
spills and leaks and wastes.

The following measures will be implemented to mitigate potential soil

compaction and erosion:

• Demarcating routes for movement of heavy vehicles;

• Stripping and placing soils when dry, and not when wet;
• Restricting the height of topsoil stockpiles to minimize erosion and
compaction during gas pipeline RoW excavations and
• Building small bunds in areas with slope to prevent soil erosion.

The following measures will be implemented for the storage and handling of
chemicals and to minimise impacts to soil/sediment:

• Fuel tanks and chemical storage areas will be sited on sealed areas and
provided with locks to prevent unauthorized entry;
• Use of spill or drip trays to contain spills and leaks;
• Use of spill control kits to contain and clean small spills and leaks.
• The storage areas of oil, fuel and chemicals will be surrounded by bunds
or other containment device to prevent spilled oil, fuel and chemicals from
percolating into the ground or reaching the receiving waters;
• The Contractor will prepare unloading and loading protocols for the
temporary jetty and train staff to prevent spills and leaks
• The Contractor will prepare guidelines and procedures for immediate
clean-up actions following any spillages of oils, fuels or chemicals;
• A site specific Emergency Response Plan will be prepared by the
Contractor for soil clean-up and decontamination; and
• The construction contractor will implement a training program to
familiarise staff with emergency procedures and practices related to
contamination events.

The measures in place to properly manage waste and thereby minimize any
impacts to soil and sediment quality are:

• Design processes to prevent/minimise quantities of wastes generated and

hazards associated with the waste generated;
• Training labourers for waste disposal in designated areas and use of
sanitation facilities;

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 • Proper storage of the construction materials and wastes to minimise the
potential damage or contamination of the materials; and
• Implementation of construction materials inventory management system
to minimise over-supply of the construction materials, which may lead to
disposal of the surplus materials at the end of the construction period.
• Segregation of hazardous and non-hazardous waste and provision of
appropriate containers for the type of waste type (e.g. enclosed bins for
putrescible materials to avoid attracting pests and vermin and to minimise
odour nuisance);
• Storage of wastes in closed containers away from direct sunlight, wind
and rain;
• Storage of waste systematically to allow inspection between containers to
monitor leaks or spills;
• Ensuring that storage areas have impermeable floors and containment, of
capacity to accommodate 110% of the volume of the largest waste
container; and
• Disposal of waste by licensed contractors.

Residual Impacts

Criterion Rating pre Rating post Remark

mitigation mitigation
Soil and Sediment contamination from spills and leaks
Residual Impact Minor Negligible With implementation of the
precautionary and the mitigation
measures mentioned for the storage
and handling of chemicals and to
avoid /minimise impacts to
soil/sediment the residual impact
would be negligible.

6.4.2 Water Resources

The potential sources of impact to surface and ground water resources are:

• Excavation activities at the Project site and for gas and water pipeline RoW
may increase the erosion, especially during rainfall, which may increase
the suspended sediment concentrations and pollute water sources. Similar
impacts are possible from construction of the temporary jetty north of
Bangabandhu Bridge for receiving heavy equipment;
• Sewage generated from the construction workforce (toilets). Liquid
effluents will be generated from washing of construction equipment and
vehicles;
• Commissioning phase testing of pipelines and wastewater generation; and
• Inappropriate storage of waste leading to water quality impacts from
runoff entering the adjoining channel to the Project site or seepage to
ground water.

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 Criteria

For the assessment of water resources, the sensitivity and magnitude criteria
outlined in Table 6.7 and Table 6.8 have been used respectively.

Table 6.7: Sensitivity Assessment Criteria for Water Resources (Surface water and
Ground water)

Sensitivity Criteria Contributing Criteria

Environment Social
Water Resources -Surface The extent to which the water The extent to which the water
water and ground water resource plays an ecosystem or resource provides or could
(quality/quantity related amenity role in terms of supporting provide a use (drinking water,
criteria) biodiversity either directly or agricultural uses, washing and
indirectly, particularly with respect other domestic or industrial,
to dependent ecosystems. use as waterways) to the local
communities and businesses,
or is important in terms of
national resource protection
objectives, targets and
legislation.
Low The water resource does not The water resource has little or
support diverse aquatic habitat or no role in terms of
populations, or supports aquatic provisioning services as
habitat or population that is of low agricultural water source,
quality. other domestic uses as
washing, bathing, industrial
use and waterways for the
local community.

The groundwater resource is

not currently abstracted and
used in the vicinity of the
Project, but is of sufficient
quality and yield to be used
for that purpose in the future
(and there is a reasonable
potential for future use).
Medium The water resource supports The surface water resources
diverse populations of flora and / have local importance in terms
or fauna but available in the surface of provisioning services but
water bodies in the region. there is ample capacity and /
or adequate opportunity for
alternative sources of
comparable quality.
The groundwater resource is
an important water supply,
and is currently used, but
there is capacity and / or
adequate opportunity for
alternative sources of
comparable quality.
High The water resource supports The surface water resources
economically important or are wholly relied upon locally,
biologically unique aquatic species with no suitable technically or
or provides essential habitat for economically feasible
such species alternatives, or is important at
a regional or transboundary
watershed level for
provisioning services

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 Sensitivity Criteria Contributing Criteria
The groundwater resource is
wholly relied upon locally,
with no suitable technically or
economically feasible
alternatives, or is important at
a regional or national level for
water supply or contribution
to groundwater dependent
ecosystems (e.g.
transboundary rivers).

Table 6.8 Criteria for Impact Magnitude for Assessment of Impact to Surface and
Ground water Resources

Magnitude Negligible Small Medium Large

Criteria
General Criteria No perceptible or Perceptible Clearly evident Major changes in
readily change from (e.g. perceptible comparison to
measurable baseline and readily baseline
change from conditions but measurable) conditions and /
baseline likely to be change from or likely to
conditions. within applicable baseline regularly or
norms and conditions and / continually
standards for or likely to exceed applicable
mode of use. approach and norms and
even occasionally standards for
exceed applicable mode of use.
norms and
standards for
mode of use.
Water Quality Discharges are Discharges are Occasional Repeated
expected to be expected to be breach(es) of breaches of
well within within statutory statutory statutory
statutory limits* limits* discharge limits discharge limits
(limited periods) (over extended
expected* periods)
expected*

Groundwater Groundwater Groundwater Groundwater

quality be well quality be within quality exceeds quality exceeds
within ambient ambient levels or ambient levels or ambient levels or
levels or allowable allowable allowable
allowable criteria** or may criteria** for key criteria**.
criteria** exceed for 1-2 parameters.
parameters which Abstractions or
Abstractions from is common Abstraction or discharge to
or discharge to occurrence due to discharge to aquifer(s) are
aquifer(s) are geological regime aquifer(s) are expected to cause
unlikely to cause of the area. expected to cause potentially severe
water quality potential effects on
issues. Abstraction or localized effects groundwater
discharge to on groundwater quality which are
aquifer(s) may quality which are likely to be long-
cause small but likely to be fairly lasting (e.g. years
local changes in long lasting and / or permanent)
water quality in or give rise to and / or give rise
the aquifer indirect to indirect
system. These can ecological and / ecological and /
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Magnitude Negligible Small Medium Large
Criteria
be considered or socio-economic or socio-economic
potential short- impacts. impacts.
term localized
effects on
groundwater
quality which is
likely to return to
equilibrium
conditions within
a short (months)
timeframe.
Water Quantity There is likely to The Project will The Project will The Project will
be negligible (less consume surface consume surface consume surface
than 1% of lean water, but the water, and the water, and the
season flow) or amounts amounts amounts
no consumption abstracted are abstracted are abstracted are
of surface water likely to be likely to be likely to be very
by the Project at relatively small in significant in significant in
any time comparison to the comparison to the comparison to the
resource available resource available resource available
at the time of use at the time of use at the time of use
(i.e. taking into (i.e. taking into (i.e. taking into
account seasonal account seasonal account seasonal
fluctuation) fluctuation) fluctuation)
There is likely to The Project will The Project will The Project will
be negligible or consume consume consume
no abstraction, groundwater or groundwater or groundwater or
use of or deliver discharge discharge to discharge to
discharge to the to groundwater, groundwater, groundwater,
groundwater by but the amounts and the amounts and the amounts
the Project at any abstracted / abstracted / abstracted /
time. discharged are discharged are discharged are
likely to be likely to be likely to be very
relatively small in significant in significant in
comparison to the comparison to the comparison to the
resource available resource available resource available
at the time of use at the time of use at the time of use
(i.e. taking into (i.e. taking into (i.e. taking into
account seasonal account seasonal account seasonal
fluctuation). fluctuation). fluctuation).

*The quality assessment of potential impacts to surface water has considered according to
Schedule 9 of ECR, 1997 of the GOB (refer to Table 2.9).
**The quality of groundwater was compared with Schedule 3 (B) (Standards for drinking water)
of ECR 1997 of the GOB.

Receptors

The major surface water body adjacent to the southern boundary of the Project
site is an adjacent channel located about 200 m from the boundary of the
Saidabad Power Generation Complex and east of the Saidabad Power
Generation Complex is the main Jamuna River, which is located at a distance
of about 1.2 km. The adjacent channel is seasonal and runs dry during the
non-rainy season with water left only in depressions. The main Jamuna River
will be used as means of transport for heavy equipment and temporary jetty
constructed on it. Details of the hydrology and drainage pattern in the AOI are
discussed in Section 4.3.5.
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Based on the sensitivity assessment criteria described in Table 6.7 both surface
and ground water resource was found to be medium. However at places
where discharge is to the channel when it is dry, the sensitivity assessment
criteria for soil and sediment quality described in Table 6.5 was used and the
receptor assessed as of low sensitivity.

Impact Significance

Wastewater Discharge
Wastewater will be generated from washing of equipment and machinery on
site. This wastewater may contain suspended solids and traces of
hydrocarbon. The contractor will be responsible for ensuring that any
wastewater discharged meets the standards stipulated in Schedule 10 of ECR,
1997 prior to discharge of such wastewater. Sanitary facilities including toilets
will be provided for the use of the construction workforce both on-site and at
the workers’ accommodation. Such sewage streams are likely to be high in
organic matter, suspended solids, coliform and other pollutants. Septic tanks
will be provided to treat sanitary wastewater. The contractor will be
responsible for ensuring that any wastewater discharges meet the standards
stipulated in Schedule 9 of ECR, 1997 (refer to Table 2.8 and Table 2.9) prior to
discharge of such wastewater if required. Potential impacts are expected to be
short-term and localised in nature. Based on the above discussion and
referring to the magnitude criteria in Table 6.8, the impact to surface water
from wastewater discharges during construction is assessed to be negligible.

Impact Wastewater discharge

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Limited to on land discharge outside the southern boundary of the
Impact Scale
power generation complex
Limited to construction Phase –washing of machinery, equipment, use
Frequency
of sanitation facilities, cleaning of pipelines
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

Groundwater Contamination
Groundwater contamination during the construction phase may occur from
unplanned events such as leaks and spills of oil, lubricants, fuel from heavy
equipment, improper handling of sewage or chemical/fuel storage. Mitigation
measures such as storage of chemicals at concreted laydown areas will be
implemented to minimize contamination in the event of a spill. Septic tanks
will be provided to treat sanitary wastewater. As stated above, all wastewater

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discharges will meet the standards stipulated in Schedule 9 and 10 of ECR, 1997
prior to discharge. While there is a potential for long-term direct impacts to
groundwater quality from construction, with the implementation of
mitigation measures for proper handling of chemicals, waste and liquid
effluents, impact to ground water would be limited. Based on the above
discussion and referring to the magnitude criteria in Table 6.8, the impact to
groundwater from spills and leaks is assessed to be minor.

Impact Ground water contamination

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Limited to Project site, ancillary areas and jetty site

Limited to construction Phase and unplanned events as leaks, spills,

Frequency
sewage discharge
Likelihood Likely
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered minor.

Mitigation Measures

The following measures will be implemented to reduce impacts to surface

water and groundwater:

• Vehicle servicing areas and wash bays will, as far as practical, be located
within roofed and cemented areas. The drainage in these covered areas
will be connected to oil/water separator and channelized properly to the
land/inland waters ;
• Oil leakage or spillage will be contained and cleaned up immediately.
Waste oil will be collected and stored for recycling or disposal;
• Oil and grease separator shall be used for wastewater generated from
cleaning activities;
• Any surplus wastewater from the concrete batching will be treated to
comply with discharge standards before it is discharged to the Jamuna
River;
• Adequate sanitary facilities, i.e. toilets and showers, will be provided for
the construction workforce;
• Workers will be trained in the use of designated areas/bins for waste
disposal and encouraged to use toilets.
• Septic tanks will be provided to treat sanitary wastewater; and
All sewage and liquid effluent will be treated to meet the standards
specified in Schedules 9 and 10 of the ECR, 1997 respectively prior to
discharge to land/inland waters.

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 Residual Impacts

Criterion Rating pre Rating post Comment

mitigation mitigation
Groundwater contamination
Residual Impact Minor Negligible With implementation of the
precautionary and the mitigation
measures mentioned for prevention of
groundwater contamination the
residual impacts would be negligible.

6.4.3 Air Quality

Sources of Impact

The potential sources of impacts to air quality are as follows:

• Site preparation and levelling;

• Excavation of soil to create building and equipment foundations;
• Pile driving for the equipment foundation;
• Exhaust emission from movement of heavy equipment by barge, heavy
loaders, trucks;
• Loading and unloading of materials,
• Installation of gas pipeline;
• Concreting works, including operation of concrete batching plant, which
will be located away from sensitive receptors and additional net fencing on
section of boundary wall facing the residential receptors to reduce dust
transport;
• Operation of diesel generators and other diesel based construction
machineries.
• Dust generated from stockpiles of materials, waste, loose earth, handling
and moving excavated material and transporting wastes on vehicles.

Dust generated from many of these activities will increase the particulate
matter levels in ambient air. Vehicles and equipment exhaust emissions can
lead to increases in levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2),
particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), volatile petroleum hydrocarbon
constituents and carbon monoxide (CO), which are key pollutants of concern
with respect to human health.

Criteria

For the assessment of air quality, the sensitivity and magnitude criteria
outlined in Table 6.9 and Table 6.10 respectively have been used.
The standards considered for assessment of potential impacts to air quality,
are Schedule 11 ECR, 1997 of the GOB (Table 2.7). The air quality impacts
associated with the construction activities have been assessed qualitatively,
using professional judgement and based on past experience from similar
projects.

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Table 6.9 Sensitivity Criteria for Air quality

Sensitivity Criteria Contributing Criteria

Human Receptors Ecological Receptors
Low Locations where human exposure is Locally designated sites;
transient. 1 and/or
areas of specific ecological
interest, not subject to
statutory protection (for
example, as defined by the
project ecology team).
Medium Locations where the people exposed Nationally designated sites.
are workers 2, and exposure is over a
time period relevant to the air quality
objective for PM10 (in the case of the 24-
hour objectives, a relevant location
would be one where individuals may
be exposed for eight hours or more in a
day 3.
High Locations where members of the public Internationally designated
are exposed over a time period relevant sites.
to the air quality objective for PM10 (in
the case of the 24-hour objectives, a
relevant location would be one where
individuals may be exposed for eight
hours or more in a day).

Table 6.10 Criteria for Impact Magnitude for Assessment of Impact to Air Quality
(Construction Phase)

Magnitude Negligible Small medium Large

Criteria
Air Quality • Total site • Total site area • Total site • Total site
area < 500 500 m2 to area 2,500 area > 10,000
m;2 2,500 m2; m to 10,000
2 m2;
• Soil type with
• Soil type m2; • potentially
large grain
with large • Moderately dusty soil
size (e.g.
grain size sand); and/or dusty soil type (e.g.
(e.g. sand); • Total type (e.g. clay, which
and/or material silt); and/or will be
• Total moved 5,000 • Total prone to
material to 20,000 material suspension
moved < tonnes. moved when dry
5,000 tonnes. 20,000 tonnes due to small
to 100,000 particle
tonnes. size); and

1As per the GOB, there are no standards that apply to short –term exposure, eg one or two hours, but there is still a risk of
health impacts, albeit less certain.

2Notwithstanding the fact that the air quality objectives and limit values do not apply to people in the workplace, such
people can be affected to exposure of PM10. However, they are considered to be less sensitive than the general public as a
whole because those most sensitive to the effects of air pollution, such as young children are not normally workers. For this
reason workers are included in the medium sensitivity category.

3 Schedule 11 ECR, 1997 of the GOB (Table 2.7).

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Magnitude Negligible Small medium Large
Criteria
• Total
material
moved
100,000
tonnes.

Receptors

From the landuse analysis and field study, it is clear that most of the land
surrounding the Project site is agricultural/fallow land on the north and west
sides and plantations done by the BBA on their land on the north eastern side.
On the immediate east exists vacant land for two proposed 225 MW dual fuel
based combined cycle power plant (Sirajganj 2 and Sirajganj 3) and existing
225 MW NWPGCL power plant (Sirajganj 1) followed by a Channel, char
lands and Jamuna River. The immediate south of the Project site has barren
land followed by a dried channel and char/waste lands. A few (3-4) scattered
huts are located on the west side about 200-220 m from the Project site
boundary and few settlements are located along the access road. The main
village settlements (Panchosona and Khas Bara Shimul) start at about 400 m
away from the Project site boundary on the west and north-west side. The
laydown area has also been selected away from the settlements of Khas Bara
Shimul and Punorbason village. It has further been noted that the area on the
western and southern part of the Saidabad Power Generation Complex is
currently being acquired for development of an export processing zone (EPZ)
by the Government of Bangladesh. However, details of type of industries
planned were not available at the time of this assessment.

As can be referred from Table 6.9 and above discussion, the human receptors
were assessed to be of Medium sensitivity, whereas ecological receptors were
considered as of Low sensitivity.

Impact Significance

Dust Generation
Most of the construction activities mentioned above have the potential to
generate dust. The extent of impacts from dust will depend on the exact
location of these activities and on the weather conditions; stronger winds and
dry conditions will enhance the transfer of dust, while damp or wet conditions
will reduce this impact. Construction dust dispersion is expected to be
localised due to the relatively high mass of the dust particles which will tend
to confine the most significant dust impacts to the area within 200 m of the
source. The potential for dust emissions during the wet season will be small,
due to the moistening of any dust by rainfall. During the dry season, dust
suppression techniques will be used and stockpiles will be covered to
minimise fugitive dust emissions from spoil storage.

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As the dust is expected to settle within 100 m and dust suppression techniques
will be practiced, the main receptors would be workers on site and
neighbouring plant and people living near the access road.

On the basis of the above factors and the magnitude criteria described in Table
6.10, and considering the high levels of SPM and PM10 recorded during the
baseline monitoring in the surrounding areas, the magnitude of the impact
associated with the emission of dust during construction activities is predicted
to be medium and the significance of the impacts is assessed to be moderate.

Impact Air quality degradation due to dust generation

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Within 100 m from project boundary and within 100 m from access road

Limited to civil works in Construction Phase and transportation of

Frequency
material to site
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered moderate.

Exhaust Emissions
Heavy equipment such as excavators, cranes, and compactors will be used
onsite. Emissions from these equipment and diesel generator sets used to
generate power will cause impacts to ambient air quality. Transportation of
construction material using 10-15 heavy trucks and other transport vehicles
per hour during daytime will also contribute to exhaust emissions.

Impacts from vehicle emissions decrease rapidly with increasing distance

from the source and are not likely to be significant at distances of more than
200 m from the source; they are usually minor at a distance of more than 50 m
with limited no. of vehicles plying the access road. The distance between the
Project site boundary and the closest residential dwelling is approximately
200-220 m. However there are a few settlements located along the access road.

The implementation of the good site practices, such as the regular

maintenance of vehicles and equipment, using cleaner fuels and switching off
vehicles when not in use will reduce exhaust emissions from the operation of
the diesel-powered construction equipment and therefore minimise adverse
air quality impacts. Based on the above discussion and Table 6.10, the air
quality impacts associated with the vehicular and equipment emissions
during construction activities are assessed to be of minor potential
significance.

Impact Air quality degradation due to exhaust emissions

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Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Within 100 m from project boundary and within 100 m from access road

Limited to Construction Phase primarily due to transportation of

Frequency
material and use of heavy machinery and DG sets
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered minor.

Mitigation Measures

The mitigation measures listed below will be implemented to ensure that air
quality impacts during the construction phase are as low as reasonably
practicable.

To reduce dust impacts, the following measures will be put in place:

• Implementation of a regular watering and sprinkling dust suppression
regime, during the dry season;
• Concrete batching plant will be located within the power generation
complex to keep it away from sensitive receptor/s;
• Stockpiles will be maintained at site only, which is a fenced area. No
stockpiles will maintained outside, and maximum possible distance
between the stockpiles and receptors will be maintained;
• Covering and/or watering of all stockpiles of dusty materials such as
excavated spoils to avoid fugitive dust emissions;
• During construction, the approach road will be kept clean, free from mud
and slurry.
• Material transport will be totally enclosed with impervious sheeting and
wheel washing will be carried out at site ; and
• Waste from construction will not be burned.

Exhaust emissions will be minimized as follows:

• The movement of construction vehicles will be minimised and a 20 km/hr
speed limit will be enforced around the construction site;
• All diesel-powered equipment will be regularly maintained and idling
time reduced to minimise emissions;
• Low sulphur diesel (S<0.5%) will be used in diesel powered equipment in
collaboration with best management practices;
• Vehicle / equipment air emissions will be controlled by good practice
procedures (such as turning off equipment when not in use); and
• Vehicle / equipment exhausts observed emitting significant black smoke
in their exhausts will be serviced/ replaced.

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 Residual Impacts

Criterion Rating pre Rating post Comment

mitigation mitigation
Air Quality Degradation due to dust generation
Residual Impact Moderate Minor With implementation of the
precautionary and the mitigation
measures mentioned for
prevention/reduction of dust
generation the residual impacts would
be minor.
Exhaust Emissions
Residual Impact Minor Negligible With implementation of the
precautionary and the mitigation
measures mentioned for minimizing
exhaust emissions the residual impacts
would be negligible.

6.4.4 Noise

Sources of Impact

The potential sources of noise during the construction phase of the Project
include equipment, machinery and transportation used for the construction
activities. The heavy equipment used for the construction activities will be the
major sources of noise. This will include piling and preparing concrete
foundations for major plant and buildings. There is expected to be an increase
in traffic and thereby in traffic noise impacts to receptors near the existing
access road from the transportation of equipment, construction materials and
workers. To minimise these impacts, only those vehicles meeting the
standards stipulated in Schedule 5 of the Environmental Conservation Rules, 1997
will be used.

Construction works are expected to last for 30 months. As per the Master
Specifications, the Contractor is required to seek permission from the
authorities to carry out construction works at night (2100 to 0600) on
weekdays.

The detailed breakdown of activities is not available at this stage, and as the
Contractor has not yet been appointed, no construction plant inventory is
available at the time of assessment. Therefore, an assumed plant inventory is
provided in Table 6.11. Assumptions have made regarding the type, number
and Sound Power Levels (SPLs) of construction plant, based on similar
projects and publicly available data. It has been assumed that only one of
each type of plant will be on-site during any day or night period. Re-
assessment of noise levels may be required if the actual plant inventory and
SPL vary from the assumed list.

Table 6.11 Assumed Construction Equipment Sound Pressure Level Inventory

Construction Equipment SPL, dB(A)

Bulldozer 115
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 Construction Equipment SPL, dB(A)
Backhoe 96
Impact pile driver 101
Loaders 108
Vibratory roller 102
Fuel truck 104
Welding machine 101
Cranes 106
Dump truck 105
Grader 114
Fork lifts 112
Compressors 104
Generators 93
Source: The SPLs of the construction equipment have been taken from DEFRA Construction Noise database
for prediction of noise on construction and open sites, July 2006 and ERM’s internal database

Although construction equipment and materials will be delivered by road

from the nearby railway station/ temporary jetty, which will result in slight
increase in heavy traffic movement and thereby in traffic noise impacts to
receptors near the access road. To minimise these impacts, only those vehicles
meeting the standards stipulated in Schedule 5 of the Environmental
Conservation Rules, 1997 will be used.

Criteria

The noise impact assessment was conducted with reference to Bangladesh

Environmental Conservation Rules, 1997. Details of the standards are presented
in Table 2.10. Furthermore, for the assessment of ambient noise, the
sensitivity and magnitude criteria outlined in Table 6.12 and Table
6.13respectively have been used:

Table 6.12 Sensitivity Assessment Criteria for Ambient Noise Impacts

Sensitivity Contributing Criteria

Criteria
Ambient Human receptor Ecological Receptor
Noise
Low Industrial Use Locally designated sites; and/or
areas of specific ecological interest, not
subject to statutory protection (for example,
as defined by the project ecology team).
Medium Residential and Recreational Space Nationally designated sites.
High Educational/ Religious/ Medical Internationally designated sites.
Facilities

Table 6.13 Magnitude Assessment Criteria for Ambient Noise Impacts

Magnitude Negligible Small medium Large

Criteria
Noise • Predicted • Predicted • Predicted • Predicted
noise levels noise levels noise levels noise levels
are at or less are 3 to less are between 5 are more than
than 3 dB (A) than 5 dB (A) and 10 dB (A) 10 dB (A)

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Magnitude Negligible Small medium Large
Criteria
above the above the above the above the
relevant relevant relevant relevant
limits / limits / limits / limits /
thresholds*. thresholds*. thresholds*. thresholds*.
• Short term • Short term • Medium • Long term
exposure exposure (< 1 Term exposure (> 6
(Few hours in month) Exposure (1 months)
a day and not to 6 months)
continuous)
*Note: reference to Bangladesh Environmental Conservation Rules, 1997 presented in Table
2.10.

Receptors

Baseline noise monitoring was carried out at twenty locations, including eight
locations within or just outside the power generation complex. The results of
baseline monitoring indicated that ambient noise levels at all locations except
near highway connecting the access road and a location near to the project site
are within the limits of applicable standards. The nearest receptor is located at
220 m from the Project boundary at Panchosona Village, which will be
exposed to noise from construction activities. Apart from this the receptors
located close to the access road of Khas Bara Shimul and Punorbason villages
will also be affected due to the movement of vehicles.

As can be referred from Table 6.12 and above discussion, the receptors within
the Saidabad Power Generation Complex as well as the ecological receptors
were assessed to be of Low sensitivity, whereas the human settlements in the
surrounding areas (residential areas) were assessed to be of Medium
sensitivity.

Impact Significance

Methodology: The environmental noise prediction model SoundPLAN 7.2

was used for modelling noise emissions from the construction equipment. The
operation of construction equipment with 50% usage scenario was modelled
to cover the construction phase. As a conservative approach to the
assessment, atmospheric absorption during sound transmission was not
included in the assessment. In addition, to represent a worst-case scenario for
the assessment, all construction equipment was assumed to be operating
simultaneously. Attenuation due to the boundary wall of the power
generation complex that has already been constructed has been considered in
the modelling.

Predicted Noise Levels at Receptors: The predicted noise levels within the
Project AOI during day and night time are presented in Figure 6.3 and Figure
6.4, respectively. Predicted noise levels at 20 receptors (where baseline noise
levels were also monitored) have been presented in Table 6.14. It is evident
from the predicted results that in the worst case scenario, the nearest receptor

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– Khas Bara Shimul (220 m from the western boundary of the Project site) will
have a daytime noise level of 53.4 dB(A) during the construction phase.

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Figure 6.3 Predicted Construction Noise Levels during Daytime (Leq day)

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Figure 6.4 Predicted Construction Noise Levels during Night-time (Leq night)

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Table 6.14 Predicted Noise Levels at Noise Receptors during Construction Phase

Receptor Code Receptor Approximate Baseline Sound Pressure Predicted Sound Pressure Total Sound Pressure Applicable
Distance to Project Levels at Receptors, Leq Levels at Receptors, Leq Level (Baseline + Standard (dB(A))(2)
Site Boundary (m) (dBA)(1) (dBA) Predicted), Leq (dBA) (3) as per Landuse

and Direction from Leq d* Leq n* Leq d Leq n Leq d Leq n Leq d Leq n
Project Site
NQ1 Project Site
0 (-) 48.2 48.9 65.2 60.1 65.3 60.4 70 70
Boundary
NQ2 Khas Bara
220 (W) 48.9 42.5 49.6 44.5 52.3 46.6 55 45
Shimul
NQ3 Near Access
Road (MMS 665 (WNW) 47.0 42.4 54 50 54.8 50.7 55 45
Office)
NQ4 Access Road near
National 945 (WNW) 54.5 55.3 53.1 49.2 56.9 56.3 55 45
Highway
NQ5 Makimpur
3000 (SW) 52.8 42.6 32.9 28.2 52.8 42.8 55 45
village
NQ6 Punorbason
760 m (NW) 50.4 42.4 38.5 33.6 50.7 42.9 55 45
Village
NL1 Center of the
0 (-) 40.7 32.4 61.2 56.2 61.2 56.2 85 85
Project area
NL2 North-East
0 (-) 45.9 46.9 47.6 42.6 49.8 48.3 70 70
Corner
NL3 South side of the
0 (-) 40.2 24.8 58.9 53.9 59.0 53.9 70 70
Mosque
NL4 NWPGCL Jetty 140 m (E) 40.2 47.6 44.9 39.9 46.2 48.3 70 70
NL5 North-west
corner of the 0 (-) 47.7 44.5 48.3 44.1 51.0 47.3 70 70
boundary
NL6 Middle point of
the west side
30 m (W) 48.0 45.1 45.5 40.5 49.9 46.4 70 70
boundary
(outside)
NL7 South west
corner of the 0 (-) 39.5 40.6 65.2 60.2 65.2 60.2 70 70
boundary

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Receptor Code Receptor Approximate Baseline Sound Pressure Predicted Sound Pressure Total Sound Pressure Applicable
Distance to Project Levels at Receptors, Leq Levels at Receptors, Leq Level (Baseline + Standard (dB(A))(2)
Site Boundary (m) (dBA)(1) (dBA) Predicted), Leq (dBA) (3) as per Landuse

and Direction from Leq d* Leq n* Leq d Leq n Leq d Leq n Leq d Leq n
Project Site
NL8 In front of the
0 (-) 46.8 47.5 56.8 51.7 57.2 53.1 70 70
GTCL’s quarter
NL9 Khas Bara
220 m (W) 55.6 45.2 49.5 44.5 56.6 47.9 55 45
Shimul village
NL10 Khas Bara
220 m (W) 47.3 43.5 46.3 41.3 49.8 45.5 55 45
Shimul village
NL11 Chak Boira
680 m (S) 46.5 40.7 34.5 29.5 46.8 41.0 55 45
Village
NL12 Chak Boira
840 m (SW) 46.4 40.8 34.2 29.3 46.7 41.1 55 45
Village
NL13 Bara Shimul
490 m (N) 44.6 42.6 49.5 45.3 50.7 47.2 55 45
village
NL14 Panchosona
560 m (W) 50.8 44.2 40.1 35.2 51.2 44.7 55 45
village
(1) Ambient noise levels as monitored during the baseline survey
(2) Environmental Conservation Rules, 1997 (Schedule 4) amended September 7, 2006

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It is evident from Table 6.14 that ambient noise levels due to construction
activities will be well within the applicable standard during day time at 18
receptors and night time at 14 receptors, out of total 20 receptors considered in
the study. However, noise levels will be slightly higher from applicable
standard (with < 3 dBA increase from the applicable standard) at 2 locations
during daytime, which are located close to the national highway and the
project site). The higher levels at these locations primarily due to the
background noise levels recorded during the baseline study and not a result of
project induced noise. The noise impact from construction activity during day
time is expected to be negligible to minor. Furthermore, noise levels at night
time will be slightly higher than the applicable standard (with < 5 dBA
increase from the applicable standard) at 6 locations. Due to this the noise
impact from construction activity during night time is expected to be minor to
moderate.

Noise from Construction Activities and transportation of man/ material

Impact
(Daytime)
Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Within 500 m of Project site and 100 m along the access road

Limited to construction Phase and noise generating construction

Frequency
activities
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Receptor Sensitivity Low Medium High
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible to minor.

Noise from Construction Activities and transportation of man/ material (Night

Impact
time)
Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Within 500 m of Project site and 100 m along the access road

Limited to construction Phase and noise generating construction

Frequency
activities
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Receptor Sensitivity Low Medium High
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered minor to moderate.

Mitigation Measures

The following mitigation measures will be implemented to minimise potential

noise impacts during the construction phase in all periods:
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 • Normal working hours of the contractor will be between 06:00 and 21:00
hours from Monday to Sunday. If work needs to be undertaken outside
these hours, it should be limited to activities that do not exceed the noise
criteria at nearby noise sensitive receptors;
• Only well-maintained equipment will be operated on-site;
• Regular maintenance of equipment such as lubricating moving parts,
tightening loose parts and replacing worn out components should be
conducted;
• Machinery and construction plant that may be in intermittent use (e.g.
trucks) shall be shut down or throttled down during non-work periods;
• Low noise equipment shall be used as far as practicable;
• The number of equipment operating simultaneously shall be reduced as
far as practicable;
• Equipment known to emit noise strongly in one direction should be
orientated so that the noise is directed away from nearby NSRs as far as
practicable;
• Noisy plant (such as breakers and rollers) shall be located as far away from
receptors as practicable.

Residual Impacts

Criterion Rating pre Rating post Comment

mitigation mitigation
Change in Ambient Noise Levels during daytime
Residual Impact Negligible to Negligible With implementation of the
Minor precautionary and the mitigation
measures mentioned for
prevention/reduction in noise
generation at source impacts would be
negligible.
Change in Ambient Noise Levels during night time
Residual Impact Minor to Negligible to With implementation of the
Moderate Minor precautionary and the mitigation
measures mentioned for minimizing
the noisy activities at night time and
limiting the construction activities
upto suggested time span, the residual
impacts would be negligible to Minor.

6.4.5 Terrestrial Flora & Fauna

Potential sources of impacts of construction phase to terrestrial flora and fauna

at the project site and project AOI includes:

• Clearance of vegetation at the project site;

• Clearance of vegetation within the ROW for the Intake and outfall water
pipeline and intake structure;
• Clearance of vegetation at the temporary jetty location for unloading the
heavy equipment and clearance of vegetation in the transportation routes
to the project site; and
• Excavation for gas and water pipeline laying
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Criteria

The assessment of the potential impacts to the flora and fauna has considered
the Sch. I-III of Bangladesh Wildlife Prevention Order, 1973 and IUCN
category for conservation status of flora and fauna to determine their rare,
endangered and threatened status. Furthermore, for the assessment of
impacts, the significance of effects on habitats and on species have been
assessed by using the sensitivity and magnitude criteria, as outlined in Table
6.15 and Table 6.16, respectively.

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Table 6.15 Significance of Effects on Habitats

Baseline Habitat Sensitivity/ Value Magnitude of Effect on Baseline Habitats

Negligible Small Medium Large
Effect is within Affects only a small Affects part of the Affects the entire habitat,
the normal range area of habitat, such habitat, but does not or a significant
of natural that there is no loss of threaten the long- proportion of it, and the
variation viability / function of term viability / long-term viability /
the habitat function of the function of the habitat is
habitat. threatened.
Negligible Habitats with negligible interest for biodiversity. Not significant Not significant Not significant Not significant
Low Habitats with no, or only a local designation / recognition, Not significant Not significant Minor Moderate
habitats of significance for species listed as of Least Concern
(LC) on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, habitats which
are common and widespread within the region, or with low
conservation interest based on expert opinion.
Medium Habitats within nationally designated or recognised areas, Not significant Minor Moderate Major
habitats of significant importance to globally Vulnerable (VU)
Near Threatened (NT), or Data Deficient (DD) species,
habitats of significant importance for nationally restricted
range species, habitats supporting nationally significant
concentrations of migratory species and / or congregatory
species, and low value habitats used by species of medium
value.
High Habitats within internationally designated or recognised Not significant Moderate Major Critical
areas; habitats of significant importance to globally Critically
Endangered (CR) or Endangered (EN) species, habitats of
significant importance to endemic and/or globally restricted-
range species, habitats supporting globally significant
concentrations of migratory species and / or congregatory
species, highly threatened and/or unique ecosystems, areas
associated with key evolutionary species, and low or medium
value habitats used by high value species.

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Table 6.16 Significance of Effects on Species

Baseline Species Sensitivity/ Value Magnitude of Effect on Baseline Habitats

Negligible Small Medium Large
Effect is within Effect does not Effect causes a substantial Affects entire population, or a
the normal range cause a substantial change in abundance and / or significant part of it causing a
of variation for change in the reduction in distribution of a substantial decline in abundance and
the population of population of the population over one, or more / or change in and recovery of the
the species. species, or other generations, but does not population (or another dependent on
species dependent threaten the long term it) is not possible either at all, or
on it. viability / function of that within several generations due to
population, or any population natural recruitment (reproduction,
dependent on it. immigration from unaffected areas).
Negligible Species with no specific value or importance Not significant Not significant Not significant Not significant
attached to them.
Low Species and sub-species of LC on the IUCN Not significant Not significant Minor Moderate
Red List, or not meeting criteria for medium
or high value.
Medium Species on IUCN Red List as VU, NT, or DD, Not significant Minor Moderate Major
species protected under national legislation,
nationally restricted range species, nationally
important numbers of migratory, or
congregatory species, species not meeting
criteria for high value, and species vital to
the survival of a medium value species.
High Species on IUCN Red List as CR, or EN. Not significant Moderate Major Critical
Species having a globally restricted range
(i.e. plants endemic to a site, or found
globally at fewer than 10 sites, fauna having
a distribution range (or globally breeding
range for bird species) less than 50,000 km2),
internationally important numbers of
migratory, or congregatory species, key
evolutionary species, and species vital to the
survival of a high value species.

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Receptors

The receptors of various impacts identified are discussed in subsequent

sections;

Impact Significance

Clearance of vegetation at project site

The project site is devoid of any large trees, but a variety of grasses, herbs and
shrubs occurring within the site. The shrubs, herbs, weeds & and grasses (as
listed in the Annex L) germinate during monsoon when water is available and
form the ground cover. By the end of January they start drying up due to
water scarcity and are usually burnt at site for vegetation clearance as shown
in Figure 6.5. These plant species will be cleared for site preparation and
levelling before the start of construction. No plant species occurring within the
project site were identified as having conservation significance.

Various avifaunal species such as Black Drongo, Long tailed Shrike, Black
Kite, Spotted Dove, Common Myna and Red Wattled Lapwing frequently
visit the project site and are dependent on the insects dwelling in this
vegetation. However none of these are threatened species though protected by
Sch-III of the Bangladesh Wildlife Prevention Order, 1973. Removal of
vegetation and site clearance will lead to movement of these open grassland
avifauna to nearby similar habitats which is easily available within project
AOI. Based on the criteria defined in Table 6.15 the impact significance has
been considered as Negligible.

Impact Clearance of vegetation at the Project Site

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Limited to project site

Frequency Limited to Construction Phase, site preparation and clearing

Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Species)
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Habitat)
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered Negligible for species and habitats.

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Figure 6.5 Overview of the Project Site Area

Vegetation within Right of Way (RoW) of Water Pipeline & Water Intake Structure
The water intake pipeline passes through the BBA plantation area. Cutting of
trees and shrubs within the RoW will not be required, as the required RoW of
2m width is available between the plantation patch along the south fence of
the BBA land and the internal BBA road connected to the West Guide Bund as
shown in Figure 6.7. About 2.57 acres of land is required for RoW for the water
intake. No trees were identified falling within the water intake pipeline RoW.
The pipeline route passes within the fenced area of the BBA and sufficient
space is available for pipeline lying without disturbing the surrounding
vegetation. The pump house is also planned within the fenced area and does
not require any tree cutting, as sufficient open area is available at the end of
West Guide Bund.

No Turtle/terrapin nesting and egg laying sites were reported near the
southern forest plantation (or water pipeline RoW). The area is also frequently
visited by the fisherman and people living in the char lands as it provides easy
access to the highway (N405) for commuting. Human activity inside these
plantation areas includes the collection of non-timber forest produce such as
leaf and twigs from the areas by the women of nearby settlements (Figure 6.6).
This activity is quite common in winter months when the deciduous forest

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 floor is covered with leaves. These leaves are collected from the forest floor on
a regular basis and dried for use as kitchen fuel. This activity results in
disturbance of the mammalian habitat residing in this plantation. It also leads
to disturbance of the natural forest function of composting which adds to the
nutrient value of soil. The RoW for water pipeline and pump house areas are
depicted in Figure 6.8. Based on the criteria defined in Table 6.15, the impact
significance within the RoW of water pipeline and water intake structure has
been assessed as negligible.

Clearance of vegetation at the Right of way of Water Pipeline Route & Water
Impact
Intake Structure
Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Limited to water pipeline RoW and Water Intake Structure

Limited to Construction Phase laying of pipelines, clearance at Intake

Frequency
Structure and Pump house site
Likelihood Possible
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Species)
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Habitat)
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered Negligible for species and habitats.

Figure 6.6 Human Activity inside the BBA Plantation Area

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Figure 6.7 Map showing the water pipeline route

Source: Developed based on reconnaissance survey on Google Earth Pro (Imagery Date: 15 April 2014)

Figure 6.8 Vegetation in the Water Pipeline Right of Way (RoW)

Open Area of Pump House Location End Point of West Guide Bund

West Guide Bund (Water Pipeline will be BBA Internal Road and Southern Fence (2 m
above ground upto end of WGB) wide RoW will be used from Fence for
underground water pipeline)

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BBA Internal Road and Southern Fence Culvert, BBA Internal Road and Southern
Fence

BBA Internal Road and Southern Fence Culvert, BBA Internal Road and Southern
Fence

Clearance of Vegetation at the Jetty Location & Transportation Route

The vegetation at the temporary jetty location does not bear any major tree
vegetation. The location has been previously used for unloading of heavy
equipment for the existing power plant. However, the transportation route
passes through the Jamuna Ecopark and the plantation area to the south of
Bangabandhu Multipurpose Bridge (Figure 6.9). The vegetation clearance may
be envisaged in the transportation route due to the movement of heavy lifts
from this area. During discussion with the BBA official it was identified that
the existing road were used for the transportation of heavy equipment for the
existing plant and in the process 12-15 trees were cut. As a part of the
compensatory afforestation 80-100 trees were planted in the BBA area. The
desired width of the trailer for transportation of offloaded equipment and
machinery is 5.1 m. The road width at the transportation route varies from 4.2
m to 7.0 m. Based on the recent survey in May-June 2015 (refer to Figure 6.10),
a total of 45 individuals of newly raised (4-5 years old) ornamental trees such
as Ficus benjamina- 41 individuals, Bahunia varigata-2 individuals, Aphanamixis
polystachya-2 individuals with girth size 10 cm to 40 cm were identified to be
removed/replanted from the road inside Ecopark near Jetty area and along
the fence area of Jamuna Eco Park. Along with these tree species certain shrub
species which were planted along the fence also need to be removed. The
majority of these ornamental shrubs are Thuja standishii. None of the species
falling within the transportation route were identified as species of
conservational significance as per IUCN Red Data List (2015. Ver 2).

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 The area marked for trees and shrubs removals are presented in Figure 6.11.
Based on the matrix below the impact significance has been considered as
Negligible.

Impact Clearance of vegetation at the Jetty Location and Transportation Route

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Limited to temporary jetty and transportation route

Frequency Limited to Construction Phase laying of pipelines, clearance at jetty site

Likelihood Possible
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Species)
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Habitats)
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered Negligible for Species & Habitats

Figure 6.9 Map showing the Temporary Jetty Location and Transportation Route

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 Source: Developed based on reconnaissance survey on Google Earth Pro (Imagery Date: 15 April 2014)

Figure 6.10 Trees and shrub removal along the Temporary Jetty transportation route

Source: ERM Survey May-June 2015

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Figure 6.11 Tree and Shrub clearance area in Heavy Lift Transportation Route

Source: Google Earth Pro (Imagery Date: January 8, 2015) and site reconnaissance survey (May and June 2015)

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The areas of temporary jetty, transportation route through Eco Park, water
intake structures and pipeline routes does not bear any species of flora and
fauna of conservational significance. Hence the sensitivity is low.

Excavation for Fuel Pipelines Laying

HSD supply pipeline facility will be on sharing basis with the existing power
plant under common arrangements. The HSD supply pipeline is within the
RoW of National Highway (Dhaka-Rajshahi) up to GTCL Valve Station and
after that follows the gas pipeline RoW. Hence, additional impact on the
vegetation clearance is not envisaged.

The natural gas pipeline will be laid within the RoW designated for the gas
pipeline of existing power plant. Excavation for pipeline laying will not
involve removal of vegetation, as there is no vegetation in the current RoW.
Based on the matrix below the impact significance has been considered as
negligible.

Impact Excavation for laying fuel pipelines

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Limited to RoW of Fuel Pipeline route

Frequency Limited to Construction Phase during pipeline laying

Likelihood Possible
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Habitats)
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Species)
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance Significance of impact is considered negligible for Habitats and
Species.

Mitigation Measures for Terrestrial Flora and Fauna

Mitigation measures to minimize impacts on the terrestrial ecology due to

construction activities will be as follows:
• Pre-construction surveys will be conducted by qualified ecologist hired by
project developer to identify the floral and faunal species of conservational
significance. The location of CR/EN species (if chance found) will be
marked in advance and the area will be avoided;
• If tree removal cannot be avoided, adequate compensatory afforestation
including conservation of EN species in consultation with Forest
Department shall be undertaken;

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 • Efforts to be taken to replant the species nearby where no disturbance due
to project activity is envisaged;
• Vegetation clearing will be kept to the minimum extent practicable for the
project site, temporary jetty, transportation route through Jamuna eco
park, water and gas pipeline;
• Construction schedule to be managed such that the foundation work is not
done during monsoon season;
• Strict instruction shall be given to the construction workers not to cut trees
from the nearby areas for their kitchen fuel and timber use;
• Use of LPG/ Kerosene for cooking need to be provided/ encouraged in
order to reduce the impacts on vegetation from the vicinity of the Project
site;
• Construction workers will be given conservation and awareness training
to promote sustainable resource use; and
• Improved management of eco-park needs to be supported by the project to
reduce impacts during the construction phase of the project.

6.4.6 Aquatic Flora and Fauna

Only 100 m3/day of water is required for the construction phase, which shall
be sourced from Jamuna River. The water requirement for the construction
phase is too small for impact on the aquatic fauna and riverine flora minimum
flow quantity in the river in last fourteen years has been 2036.82 m3/sec as
observed at Bahdurabad Transit Station as per data collected from BWDB) and
about 745 m3/s at the right channel near West Guide Bund.

Criteria

The assessment of the potential impacts to the flora and fauna has considered
the Sch. I-III of Bangladesh Wildlife Prevention Order, 1973 and IUCN
category for conservation status of flora and fauna to determine their rare,
endangered and threatened status. Furthermore, for the assessment of
impacts, the significance of effects on habitats and on species have been
assessed by using the sensitivity and magnitude criteria, as outlined in Table
6.15 and Table 6.16, respectively.

Receptor

A total of 21 species of flora, one species of mammal, 7 species of birds, 3

species of reptiles of aquatic and riverine nature were recorded from the
Jamuna River. Impact of the activities envisaged will be confined to the intake
point on the land side. List of riverine and aquatic species enjoying protection
by national law and international conventions are listed in Table 6.17.

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Table 6.17 List of Aquatic and Riverine Fauna under Conservation Status

Common Name Scientific Name Bangladesh Wildlife IUCN Dist./Dire.

Prevention Category From Project
Order,1973 Site
Mammals
Indian Grey Mongoose Herpestes edwardsi Sch.-III LC 2.6 km/NE
Aquatic & Riverine Birds
Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis Sch-III LC Project Site
Red Wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus Sch-III LC 2.6 km/NE
Reptiles
Ganges Soft Shell* Nilssonia gangetica Sch III VU 2.25 km/NE
River Terrapin* Batagur baska CR 3.64 km/NE
Striped Roof Turtle* Kachuga dhongoka EN 2.16 km/W
South Asian River Platistina gangeticus Sch.III EN All along the
Dolphin Jamuna river
Note: LC: Least Concern; VU: Vulnerable; CR: Critically Endangered; EN: Endangered
* Further consultation with IUCN Bangladesh and a recent study conducted by IUCN (EIA of the River
Management Improvement Programme (Bangladesh Water Board, Ministry of Water Resources, May
2015) revealed that major turtle habitats lie north of the area of influence of this project (i.e. near
Shreepur, which is about 30 km north), therefore despite a report by fishermen, it is unlikely that these
species are found here. Fishermen reports tend to be through memory and therefore reports of the species
may have been due to sightings further north. Species presence in this area is very unlikely.

Submerged aquatic flora and fauna including phytoplankton enumerated

from the 4 duplicate samples includes different species of Diatoms (5 species),
cyanobacteria (3 species), green algae (8 species) and protozoa (1 species).

The zooplankton enumerated from the 4 duplicate samples included species

of rotifers (4 species), crustaceans (2 species), copepods (2 species) and
ostracods and cladoceras (a single species each).

Twenty species of fish were reported by primary survey and secondary

information from the Jamuna River. None of the species listed are protected
by law. Based on a study conducted in 1995-96 the South Asian Dolphins
(Platanista gangetica -IUCN EN) were studied in Jamuna River at the rate of
0.13 sightings per kilometre and 1.5 sightings per hour. The current survey
(May-June 2015) spotted 3 individuals in Jamuna River near Temporary Jetty
area. Consultation with the fishermen confirmed their presence in the Jamuna
River all through the year.

Sensitivity

The areas of water intake structures and pipeline routes may disturb the
movement path of the South Asian River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica IUCN
EN) however, considering the wide river sufficient space is available for their
movement; hence the sensitivity from the same will be low.

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Impact Significance

Leakage and Discharges from River Transportation

Jamuna River is the main water body in the project AOI and is also a main
source of transportation of heavy equipment from their source to the
temporary jetty to be constructed for the Project. Transportation will be
undertaken with the help of barges/trawlers. There is a likelihood of leakage
of fuels and other contaminants from barges/trawlers to Jamuna River. Three
species of aquatic reptiles reported from the Jamuna River fall under the
Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable category of IUCN Red List.
Though the current survey and consultation has indicated that the reported
habitat of these species is away from the water intake and temporary jetty
location (refer Figure 4.38); however, since the spillage may affect their habitat
and egg laying sites hence, due care should be exercised to avoid any leakages
and ballast water discharge near the temporary jetty area. Based on the matrix
below the impact has been considered as moderate.

Impact Leakages/ spillage from Transportation Vessels

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Limited to Equipment unloading site

Limited to Construction Phase for unloading of heavy lifts at

Frequency
Temporary Jetty
Likelihood Possible
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Habitats)
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Species)
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered moderate for Species & Habitats.

Mitigation Measures
Mitigation measures to minimize impacts to the aquatic ecology due to
construction activities will be as follows:

• Herpetofaunal experts will be appointed to understand the usage of the

proposed temporary jetty area by turtle and terrapin of conservational
significance prior to start of construction activities for identification of egg
laying sites of aquatic reptiles at the equipment loading sites for
avoidance.
• Conservation training will be given and a ban on capture of species or its
eggs with any contractor/subcontractor/construction worker working on

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 water pipeline, jetty area including logistics contractor not complying
being immediately removed from the project;
• Proper maintenance for avoidance of any leakage of fuels and other
contaminants from barges/trawlers to Jamuna River;
• During transportation of equipment’s the vessel speed should be regulated
and observer for the Dolphin movement should be appointed to guide the
vessel to the temporary jetty area. Ballast discharge to be regulated near
the AOI; and
• Trawlers/barges with valid requisite licenses and emergency handling
capacity or tie-ups shall only be engaged.

Habitat Disturbance due to construction of Temporary Jetty and Dredging

The requirement for a temporary jetty is primarily for receiving the heavy
equipment (GT, ST, HRSG, Transformer, etc.), which could not be able to
transport by road/ rail. The requirement of the temporary jetty will be for a
period of about 6 to 9 months, depending upon the receipt of shipment and
will be required after 15 months from receipt of the limited notice to proceed
(LNTP) from the BPDB. The temporary jetty will be constructed at the same
location, which was earlier used by the NWPGCL at the time of Sirajganj 1
project construction. The temporary jetty will be constructed by using layers
of sand and sand bags and these will be arranged so as to provide compaction
and strength. Small compaction units will be used throughout the erection
process to ensure that the ground is solid and suitable for the off-loading of
the heavy lifts. Heavy lifts will be jacked up on the barges and a modular
trailer placed under it. The modular trailer shall then lift the cargo from barge
and transport it to the site location approximately 4 km from the offloading
site.

Dredging may be required near the temporary jetty in order to provide

sufficient draft for the incoming barges carrying heavy lifts. However, the
magnitude of dredging will depend on the bathymetry of the channel
connecting with the main river and the water level at the time of heavy lifts
transportation. However, it has been observed during the survey of the
temporary jetty location that dredging on the River Jamuna is being carried
out by the Bangladesh Water Development Board in order to remove silt from
the main channel as well as for river bank erosion control. Currently, BWDB is
carrying out dredging activity on the north or the Jamuna Bridge and a
channel on the north-west to the temporary jetty location has been closed in
order to provide additional protection to Sirajganj town as well as to the west
guide bund (refer Figure 6.12). Further dredging is also being carried out on
the north-eastern and eastern part of the temporary jetty by BWDB (refer to
Figure 6.12 and Figure 6.13).

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Figure 6.12 Locations of Closures and Dredging Alignments in the Jamuna River

Figure 6.13 Dredging activities in the Area

Dredging activities in middle of river Dredging of sand for China Bund

Dredging near China Bund

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Bund making in upstream of Jamuna River Sand collection from Char lands

Considering the on-going dredging activities near to the temporary jetty

location as well as construction of closures in the upstream of the temporary
jetty, the impact of limited dredging during the transportation of heavy lifts is
not significant.

Sensitivity
The dredging will be involved for movement of vessel from Jamuna river to
temporary jetty location. There could be presence of IUCN CR/EN species in
these areas however, pre-construction surveys will be undertaken to identify
the habitat (nesting areas) if any near to the temporary jetty area.

Receptors
The possible receptors are mentioned in Table 6.17 River Terrapin (Batagur
baska) IUCN 2015.2 CR, Striped Roof Turtle (Kachuga dhongoka) IUCN 2015.2
EN and South Asian River Dolphin (Platistina gangeticus) IUCN 2015.2 EN are
species likely to be affected 1.

Impact Construction of Temporary Jetty and Dredging

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Temporary jetty area and about 200 m of channel connecting with the
Impact Scale
main river.
Limited to transportation of heavy lifts during construction stage (6 to
Frequency
9 month usage)
Likelihood Possible
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Habitats)
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Species)

1Though turtles and terrapins were only reported during some fishermen consultations, d these were not confirmed
during the consultation with IUCN as well as in the recent report of IUCN. This impact assessment is entirely
preacautionary.

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 Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered moderate for Species & Habitats.

Mitigation measures

The mitigation measure for the species likely to be affected is discussed in Box
5.2.

Box 6.2 Mitigation measure for species of conservational significance

Mammals: South Asian river dolphin (Jamuna Dolphin) Platanista gangetica

Impact Significance : Moderate
Mitigation Measures

Monitoring of Species: The species occurs in the Jamuna River during the post monsoon season
when the water level in the river rises based on information provided by fishermen. Movement
of vessels in the Jamuna River to temporary jetty area will require vessel patrols or deck
monitoring for detecting movement of South Asian River Dolphin. If such movement is
observed, the vessel should be stopped until the species moves out of the path of the vessel.
Vessel patrols and deck monitoring should organize or enforced/ supervised by the site
security.

6.4.7 Critical Habitat Assessment

In order to obtain an understanding of habitats and their species composition

occurring in AOI, to assess possible triggers of critical habitat as defined in
IFC’s Performance Standard (PS) 6 on Biodiversity Conservation and
Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources (IFC, 2012a) and the
associated guidance note (IFC, 2012b), the baseline data on habitats and
species described was assessed as described in the following sections.

Species listed in Table 6.18 are considered for possible triggers of critical
habitats.

Table 6.18 Possible Species triggers for Critical Habitat

Species IUCN 2015. V 2. Classification

Birds
White-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) CR
Reptiles
River Terrapin (Batagur baska) CR
Striped Roof Turtle (Kachuga dhongo) EN
Mammals
South Asian river Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) EN
Plants
Garjan (Dipterocarpus turbinatus) CR
Small-leaved Mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni) EN

Habitat Analysis

The AOI bears 38% of agricultural land (agricultural lands, homestead

plantations and fallow lands), 28% of waterbodies including the Jamuna
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 River, 19% of waste land (including grasslands, riverine habitats and char
lands 1), 9% of miscellaneous areas, 3% of plantation (including the Jamuna
Eco park and surrounding plantation areas) and 3% of built up area (including
the Saidabad Complex).

Classification of Habitats

The IFC Performance Standard 6 classifies habitats into three major categories;

• Natural Habitats: Natural habitats are areas composed of viable

assemblages of plant and/or animal species of largely native origin,
and/or where human activity has not essentially modified an area’s
primary ecological functions and species composition.
• Modified Habitats: Modified habitats are areas that may contain a
large proportion of plant and/or animal species of non-native origin,
and/or where human activity has substantially modified an area’s
primary ecological functions and species composition. Modified
habitats may include areas managed for agriculture, forest plantations,
reclaimed coastal zones, and reclaimed wetlands. Definition of the
modified habitat also includes significant biodiversity value, as
determined by the risks and impacts identification process required in
Performance Standard 1. The client should minimize impacts on such
biodiversity and implement mitigation measures as appropriate.
• Critical Habitats: IFC PS 6 identifies critical habitats as areas with high
biodiversity value, including (i.) habitat of significant importance to
Critically Endangered and/or Endangered species; (ii.) habitat of
significant importance to endemic and/or restricted-range species;
(iii.) habitat supporting globally significant concentrations of
migratory species and/or congregatory species; (iv.) highly threatened
and/or unique ecosystems; and/or (v.) areas associated with key
evolutionary processes.

Table 6.19 Habitat Identification as per IFC 2012 PS 6

Land Use Class. Attributes Habitat Type Rationale

(IFC PS6, 2012)
Forest plantation Major plant species planted are MODIFIED Most trees
Terminalia arjuna, Dalbergia sisso, within the
Eucalyptus citiodora, Albizia lebbeck. plantation,
Planting includes fruit trees, medicinal established in
plants, timber yielding trees, 1998-1999, are
ornamental trees and revenue trees. introduced.
The plantation also includes 2 species These include
of trees, Dipterocarpus turbinatus and the threatened

1Char lands are created by the constantly shifting coastline in Bangladesh. In many
case these lands are settled with communities that live of the surrounding natural
resources.

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Land Use Class. Attributes Habitat Type Rationale
(IFC PS6, 2012)
Hopea odorata which are CR and VU species. There is
respectively (IUCN v2015.2) no reason to
expect that this
plantation has
the attributes of
a natural forest.
Homestead Twenty six (26) species of fruit and MODIFIED All trees planted
Plantation vegetable bearing trees were recorded are for domestic
in the homestead plantations. These use and no parts
included Cocos nucifera, Eucalyptus of the
citriodora, Mangifera indica, Psidium homestead
guajava, Ricinus cummunis, Lichi plantations have
chinensis, Ziziphus mauritiana, Carica succeeded into
papaya, Lannea coramandelica, Moringa natural forest.
oleifera, Citrus aurantifolia, Sweitenia The EN species,
mahagoni, Musa sapientum, Musa Sweitenia
paradisiac, Atrocarpus heterophyllus, mahagoni is
Ficus hispida and Syzygium cumunii. introduced.
Sweitenia mahagoni is EN as per IUCN
(2015 v 2).
Fallow Land Fallow lands were dominated by herbs MODIFIED Succession is
species of Xanthium indicum, relatively
Alternanthera sesilis, Lipia ciliate, Cyperus minimal and
rotundus, Persicaria praetermissa, Croton therefore no
caudatus and Desmodium triflorum. components of
Shrub species of Anisomeles indica, Cassia fallow lands can
tora and Crotalaria pallida be considered
natural habitat.
Riverine Habitat 20 genera were recorded in the riverine MODIFIED As most species
(includes char habitats. These included Linderina recorded were
lands). ciliate, Cyperus rotundus, Saccharum natural grasses
spontaneum, Alternanthera sesilis, Lippia the habitat could
alba, Cynodon dactylon, Fimbristylis sp., be considered
Amania sp., Ludwigia decurrens, Grangia natural.
sp., Rananculus sp., Rumax sp., However there
Hydrocotyl asiatica, Centella asiatica and are several
Dentella sp communities
settled on
riverine habitats
causing
degradation and
perhaps
modification of
habitats. Because
of these impacts
the habitat is
considered
modified.
Grasslands A total of 29 species belonging to 25 NATURAL As most species
genera of 13 families were recorded recorded were
from grasslands of the AOI. Seven (07) natural grasses
species of grasses were identified. and herbs the
Among them Sparobollus diander, habitat is
Saccharum pontaneum and Imperata considered
cylinderica were found most commonly natural.
occurring. Herbs were represented by
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Land Use Class. Attributes Habitat Type Rationale
(IFC PS6, 2012)
19 species dominated by Euphorbia
hirta, Solanum xanthocarpum,
Desmodium trifolium and Triumfetta
rhomboidea
Jamuna River Includes entire natural area NATURAL The river is
encompassing the water of the river confined within
natural banks
and habitats,
with no man
made alteration
such as concrete
banks etc.
Furthermore
there are no
manmade canals
leading from the
river thereby
altering its
habitat.

Note: We considered the Shannon Weaver’s diversity index (H’) during classification of natural and
modified habitat. However due to diversity varying as a function of species introduced (and land use) and
complexities due to the successional stages the habitats were in, interpretation of these indices were not
useful. Diversity indices were therefore ultimately not used for the classification.

Based on the definitions given above and the rationale provided in Table 6.19
habitats such as built up areas, all types agricultural lands which include
homestead plantations and fallow lands riverine habitats that include char
lands the Jamuna Eco Park plantation (a forest plantation) and homestead
plantation areas can be considered as modified habitats within the AOI, while
the Jamuna River, due its relatively unaltered state, qualifies as natural
habitat.

Screening of Potential Critical Habitat

IFC PS 6 identifies critical habitats as areas with high biodiversity value,

including
(i.) Habitat of significant importance to Critically Endangered and/or
Endangered(1) species;
(ii.) Habitat of significant importance to endemic and/or restricted-
range species;
(iii.) Habitat supporting globally significant concentrations of migratory
species and/or congregatory species;
(iv.) Highly threatened and/or unique ecosystems; and/or

(1) As listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The
determination of critical habitat based on other listings is as follows: (i) If the species is listed nationally / regionally as as
critically endangered or endangered, in countries that have adhered to IUCN guidance, the critical habitat determination
will be made on a project by project basis in consultation with competent professionals; and (ii) in instances where
nationally or regionally listed species’ categorizations do not correspond well to those of the IUCN (e.g., some countries
more generally list species as “protected” or “restricted”), an assessment will be conducted to determine the rationale and
purpose of the listing. In this case, the critical habitat determination will be based on such an assessment.

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 (v.) Areas associated with key evolutionary processes.

The criteria for critical habitats as defined in PS6 Guidance Notes (GN6) (IFC
2012b) is shown in Table 6.20.

Table 6.20 Critical Habitat Criteria

Criteria Tier 1(1) Tier 2(1)

Criteria 1: a) Habitat required to sustain ≥ 10 a) Habitat that supports the regular
Critically percent of the global population occurrence of a single individual of
Endangered(C of an IUCN Red-listed CR or EN an IUCN Red-listed CR species
R)/Endangere species where there are known, and/or habitat containing
d (EN) Species regular occurrences of the regionally-important
species and where that habitat concentrations of an IUCN Red-
could be considered a discrete listed EN species where that
management unit for that habitat could be considered a
species. discrete management unit for that
b) Habitat with known, regular species.
occurrences of CR or EN species b) Habitat of significant importance to
where that habitat is one of 10 or CR or EN species that are wide-
fewer discrete management sites ranging and/or whose population
globally for that species. distribution is not well understood
and where the loss of such a
habitat could potentially impact
the long-term survivability of the
species.
c) As appropriate, habitat containing
nationally/regionally-important
concentrations of an EN, CR or
equivalent national/regional
listing.
Criterion 2: a) An endemic species is defined as a) Habitat known to sustain ≥ 1
Endemic and one that has ≥ 95 percent of its percent but < 95 percent of the
Restricted- global range inside the country global population of an endemic or
range Species or region of analysis. restricted-range species where that
habitat could be considered a
discrete management unit for that
species, where adequate data are
available and/or based on expert
judgment.
Criterion 3: a) Habitat known to sustain, on a a) Habitat known to sustain, on a
Migratory and cyclical or otherwise regular cyclical or otherwise regular basis,
Congregatory basis, ≥ 95 percent of the global ≥ 1 percent but < 95 percent of the
Species population of a migratory or global population of a migratory or
congregatory species at any congregatory species at any point
point of the species’ life-cycle of the species’ life-cycle and where
where that habitat could be that habitat could be considered a
considered a discrete discrete management unit for that
management unit for that species, where adequate data are
species. available and/or based on expert
judgment.
b) For birds, habitat that meets
BirdLife International’s Criterion
A4 for congregations and/or
Ramsar Criteria 5 or 6 for
Identifying Wetlands of
International Importance.
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Criteria Tier 1(1) Tier 2(1)
c) For species with large but clumped
distributions, a provisional
threshold is set at ≥5 percent of the
global population for both
terrestrial and marine species.
d) Source sites that contribute ≥ 1
percent of the global population of
recruits.
Criterion 4: No Tiered system is prescribed
Highly
Threatened a)that are at risk of significantly decreasing in area or quality;
and/or b)with a small spatial extent; and/or
Unique c)containing unique assemblages of species including assemblages or
Ecosystems concentrations of biome-restricted species.
Highly threatened or unique ecosystems are defined by a combination of
factors which may include long term trend, rarity, ecological condition, and
threat
Criterion 5: The criteria is defined by
Key a) Isolated areas (e.g., islands, mountaintops, lakes) are associated with
Evolutionary populations that are phylogenetically distinct.
Processes b) Areas of high endemism often contain flora and/or fauna with unique
evolutionary histories (note overlap with Criterion 2, endemic and
restricted-range species).
c) Landscapes with high spatial heterogeneity are a driving force in
speciation as species are naturally selected on their ability to adapt and
diversify.
d) Environmental gradients, also known as ecotones, produce transitional
habitat which has been associated with the process of speciation and high
species and genetic diversity.
e) Edaphic interfaces are specific juxtapositions of soil types (e.g., serpentine
outcrops, limestone and gypsum deposits), which have led to the
formation of unique plant communities characterized by both rarity and
endemism.
f) Connectivity between habitats (e.g., biological corridors) ensures species
migration and gene flow, which is especially important in fragmented
habitats and for the conservation of metapopulations. This also includes
biological corridors across altitudinal and climatic gradients and from
“crest to coast.”
g) Sites of demonstrated importance to climate change adaptation for either
species or ecosystems are also included within this criterion.
Note (1) No tier system is in place for Criteria 4 and Criteria 5.

The IFC PS-6 also suggests that, “In areas of critical habitat, the client will not
implement any project activities unless all of the following are demonstrated:
• No other viable alternatives within the region exist for development of the
project on modified or natural habitats that are critical;
• The project does not lead to measurable adverse impacts on those
biodiversity values for which the critical habitat was designated, and on
the ecological processes supporting those biodiversity values;
• The project does not lead to a net reduction in the global and/or
national/regional population of any Critically Endangered or Endangered
species over a reasonable period of time; and

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• A robust, appropriately designed, and long-term biodiversity monitoring
and evaluation program is integrated into the client’s management
program.”

Table 6.21 provides the species that were recorded in the area either through
direct observations or through consultations with local communities. The
screening for potential critical habitat species has been carried out against
Criteria 1 to 3 which are

1. Habitat of significant importance to Critically Endangered (CR) and/or

Endangered(EN ) species;
2. Habitat of significant importance to endemic and/or restricted-range
species;
3. Habitat supporting globally significant concentrations of migratory species
and/or congregatory species

On 3 despite a small portion of on IBA overlapping with the project area, the
IBA does not support globally significant concentrations of migratory and/or
congregatory species and neither the habitat, nor the species within, is
considered potential critical habitat triggers except for the white-rumped
vulture which is included in the critical habitat screening.

With respect to Criteria 4 and 5

4. Highly threatened and/or unique ecosystems

5. Areas associated with key evolutionary processes

The baseline assessment has not identified any highly threatened and/or
unique ecosystems. Natural habitats within the Jamuna River are neither
unique nor threatened as they are common in the biogeographical region.

Even though the highly dynamic char lands could be considered as catalysts
for evolutionary processes, there is no scientific documentation of these
processes. Furthermore char lands are common along the Jamuna River so if
such evolutionary processes do occur they are not unique to the project AOI.
Furthermore char lands are also not impacted by the project activities.

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Table 6.21 Project Area Critical Habitat Screening Assessment – Criteria 1 and 2 Critically Endangered or Endangered Species and Endemic
and/or Restricted-range species

Species Name Common Rationale Information

Restricted Range
Name

Criteria 1 CR or

Critical Habitat

Critical Habitat
Congregatory
Migratory /
EN Species

Endemic /
Criteria 2

Criteria 3

Tier 1

Tier 2
S i
Birds
Gyps CR √ Criteria 1Tier 2e The White-rumped Vulture was
bengalensis once widely distributed in
(White rumped Bangladesh but is now considered
vulture) as rare and thinly distributed with
a population of less than 1,000
individuals. During the last decade,
it has been scientifically proven
beyond doubt that the use of
Diclofenac (A non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory drug) in animals
especially in cattle has led to
massive mortality and a sharp
decline in the vulture population.
The mechanism which causes the
death is renal failure, a known side
effect of Diclofenac. The species
features on the list of bird species
found in the IBA and overlapping
marginally with AOI.
Mammals
Platanista South Asian EN - - - √ Criteria 1Tier 2e • The species is present in
gangetica river Dolphin • The presence of species was Ganges, Brahmaputra (Jamuna
(Jamuna confirmed by sightings of 3 in Bangladesh), Meghna,
Dolphin) individuals in the Jamuna River Karnaphuli and Sangu river
within AOI. system in India, Bangladesh
• Local fisherman confirm its presence and Nepal. A total of world
frequently in post monsoon season; population of 4000-5000 is
• It is under threat from the accidental estimated. A study in 1998 (1)

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Species Name Common Rationale Information

Restricted Range
Name

Criteria 1 CR or

Critical Habitat

Critical Habitat
Congregatory
Migratory /
EN Species

Endemic /
Criteria 2

Criteria 3

Tier 1

Tier 2
S i
catch in the Sirajganj Area estimated 38-58 (1.16%) of
individuals of species in
Jamuna river of Bangladesh in
(190 km) stretch.
Ref: (1)Smith, B.D., Aminul Haque,
A.K.M., Hossain, M.S., and Khan,
A. 1998. River dolphins in
Bangladesh: conservation and the
effects of water development.
Environmental Management 22,
323–335.
Reptiles
Batagur baska River CR - - - √ Criteria1 Tier 2e The species is considered as
Terrapin The species is reported from Jamuna River Critically Endangered in
during consultation of villagers during Bangladesh and India because the
fisherman survey. The species was not subpopulations are all very small
physically seen during both the surveys. and declining. There are no recent
According to IUCN (EIA of the River data and it is therefore presumed to
Management Improvement Programme be Extinct in Myanmar, Vietnam
(Bangladesh Water Board, Ministry of and Singapore.
Water Resources, May 2015) major turtle
habitats lie north of the area of influence
of this project (i.e. near Shreepur, which is
about 30 km north), therefore it is unlikely
that despite a report by fishermen the
species is found here. Fishermen reports
tend to be through memory and therefore
report s of the species may have been due
to sightings further north. Species
presence in this area is very unlikely.
Kachuga dhongo Striped Roof EN - - - √ Criteria1 Tier 2e The species is considered as
Turtle The species is reported from Jamuna River Critically Endangered in
during consultation of villagers during Bangladesh
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Species Name Common Rationale Information

Restricted Range
Name

Criteria 1 CR or

Critical Habitat

Critical Habitat
Congregatory
Migratory /
EN Species

Endemic /
Criteria 2

Criteria 3

Tier 1

Tier 2
S i
fisherman survey.. The species was not
physically seen during both the surveys.
According to IUCN (Ref. EIA of the River
Management Improvement Programme
(Bangladesh Water Board, Ministry of
Water Resources, May 2015) Major turtle
habitats lie north of the area of influence
of this project (i.e. near Shreepur, which is
about 30 km north), therefore it is unlikely
that despite a report by fishermen the
species is found here. Fishermen reports
tend to be through memory and therefore
report s of the species may have been due
to sightings further north. Species
presence in this area is very unlikely.
Flora
Dipterocarpus Garjan, CR - - - - The species has been reported in primary Dipterocarpus turbinatus is
•
turbinatus survey. Its presence has been confirmed generally found in the tropical
from Jamuna Eco Park Forest plantation semi evergreen, tropical wet
area. These species are introduced into evergreen, and tropical moist
plantation hence the criteria as per PS6 is deciduous forests of
not relevant Bangladesh;
• In Bangladesh the species is
scattered in the tropical wet
evergreen forests and tropical
semi-evergreen forests of
Chittagong, Chittagong Hill
Tracts, Cox’s Bazar, and Sylhet.
Swietenia Small-leaved EN - - - - The species has been reported from Swietenia mahagoni is exotic to
mahagoni Mahogany Homestead plantation of Khas Barashimul Bangladesh. The species is present
and Jagtala villages. These species are in plantation areas in Bangladesh.
introduced into plantation hence the
criteria as per PS6 is not relevant
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 Assessment of Impacts of Project Activities on Habitats and Species within the AoI

As part of the Critical Habitat Assessment and in order for appropriate mitigation to be applied, a high level impact assessment
has been completed whereby the impacts of the proposed project activities were assessed against habitats and species identified
in the AOI.

The assessment has been completed using ERM standard impact assessment criteria as outlined in Table 6.22 and Table 6.23
Focus has been placed on species identified through the critical habitat assessment as potential trigger species.

Table 6.22 Habitat-Impact Assessment Criteria

Habitat Sensitivity/ Value Magnitude of Effect on Baseline Habitats

Negligible Small Medium Large
Effect is within Affects only a small Affects part of the Affects the entire habitat,
the normal range area of habitat, such habitat, but does not or a significant
of natural that there is no loss of threaten the long- proportion of it, and the
variation viability / function of term viability / long-term viability /
the habitat function of the function of the habitat is
habitat. threatened.
Negligible Habitats with negligible interest for biodiversity. Not significant Not significant Not significant Not significant
Low Habitats with no, or only a local designation / recognition,
habitats of significance for species listed as of Least Concern
(LC) on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, habitats Not significant Not significant Minor Moderate
which are common and widespread within the region, or
with low conservation interest based on expert opinion.
Medium Habitats within nationally designated or recognised areas,
habitats of significant importance to globally Vulnerable
(VU) Near Threatened (NT), or Data Deficient (DD) species,
habitats of significant importance for nationally restricted
Not significant Minor Moderate Major
range species, habitats supporting nationally significant
concentrations of migratory species and / or congregatory
species, and low value habitats used by species of medium
value.

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 Habitat Sensitivity/ Value Magnitude of Effect on Baseline Habitats
Negligible Small Medium Large
High Habitats within internationally designated or recognised
areas; habitats of significant importance to globally Critically
Endangered (CR) or Endangered (EN) species, habitats of
significant importance to endemic and/or globally
restricted-range species, habitats supporting globally
Not significant Moderate Major Critical
significant concentrations of migratory species and / or
congregatory species, highly threatened and/or unique
ecosystems, areas associated with key evolutionary species,
and low or medium value habitats used by high value
species.

Table 6.23 Species-Impact Assessment Criteria

Baseline Species Sensitivity/ Value Magnitude of Effect on Baseline Habitats

Negligible Small Medium Large
Effect is within Effect does not cause Effect causes a Affects entire population,
the normal a substantial change substantial change in or a significant part of it
range of in the population of abundance and / or causing a substantial
variation for the the species, or other reduction in decline in abundance and /
population of the species dependent on distribution of a or change in and recovery
species. it. population over one, of the population (or
or more generations, another dependent on it)
but does not threaten is not possible either at all,
the long term or within several
viability / function of generations due to natural
that population, or recruitment
any population (reproduction,
dependent on it. immigration from
unaffected areas).
Negligible Species with no specific value or importance attached to Not
Not significant Not significant Not significant
them. significant
Low Species and sub-species of LC on the IUCN Red List, or not Not
Not significant Minor Moderate
meeting criteria for medium or high value. significant
Medium Species on IUCN Red List as VU, NT, or DD, species
Not
protected under national legislation, nationally restricted Minor Moderate Major
significant
range species, nationally important numbers of migratory,

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 Baseline Species Sensitivity/ Value Magnitude of Effect on Baseline Habitats
Negligible Small Medium Large
or congregatory species, species not meeting criteria for
high value, and species vital to the survival of a medium
value species.
High Species on IUCN Red List as CR, or EN. Species having a
globally restricted range (i.e. plants endemic to a site, or
found globally at fewer than 10 sites, fauna having a
distribution range (or globally breeding range for bird Not
Moderate Major Critical
species) less than 50,000 km2), internationally important significant
numbers of migratory, or congregatory species, key
evolutionary species, and species vital to the survival of a
high value species.

A description of the specific habitat values within the project site and surrounding areas within AOI which are of relevance to
each species of conservational significance is provided in Table 6.24. Here agricultural lands and built up areas are not included
in the assessment as they are negligible interest for biodiversity conservation as determined by the baseline assessment. Char
lands and other riverine habitats lie outside the AOI and are therefore not included in the impact assessment. Due to the
presence of threatened species the Jamuna Ecopark, the homestead plantations and the Jamuna River are ultimately considered
for the assessment.

Table 6.24 Habitat Impact Assessment

Habitat Description Associated Species Impact Description Sensitivity Magnitude of Effect Significance
Jamuna River (Natural South Asian river dolphin 1. Movement of vessel in Presence of endangered a. Water
Waterbody) (Jamuna Dolphin) Platanista Jamuna River for offloading species was observed and contamination
gangetica IUCN-EN the machineries and reported in Jamuna River from accidental
equipment’s to Temporary within AOI-HIGH hydrocarbon
Jetty Site in Construction spillage and leaks
Phase can cause is likely to be low
hydrocarbon spills and due to large
MODERATE
leaks, contaminating natural volume of water
habitats in the Jamuna river. flowing in the
river. Effect is also
likely to be
temporary-

SMALL
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 Habitat Description Associated Species Impact Description Sensitivity Magnitude of Effect Significance

Jamuna Eco Park (Forest Dipterocarpus turbinatus Transportation of Presence of Dipterocarpus Roadside vegetation
Plantation) IUCN-CR and Hopea odorata machineries and turbinatus IUCN-CR and removal is envisaged
IUCN-VU equipment’s from Hopea odorata IUCN-VU- for road widening in
Temporary Jetty Site to HIGH some places for
Project site may involve transportation vehicle.
clearance of road side However none of the
vegetation IUCN threatened NEGLIGIBLE
species will be
impacted and all
removal will target
ornamental/plantation
tree and shrub species-
NEGLIGIBLE
Homestead Plantation Swietenia mahagoni IUCN EN The project does not have The species observed in AOI
any activity in the areas are situated far from the
NEGLIGIBLE
where homestead plantation project activity area-HIGH
is occurring.

Table 6.25 Species - Impact Assessment

Species Impact Description Sensitivity Magnitude of Significance

Effect
Fauna species
White rumped Vulture (Gyps The species has been reported from the IBA overlapping the HIGH: The species is SMALL MODERATE
bengalensis) AOI. There is a chance of the species flying over the AOI or critically endangered
nesting within the AOI on any tall trees found in the area. in the IUCN red list
There are no impacts envisaged by flying over the project site and Schedule III of
but possible, though very unlikely impacts from felling of Bangladesh Wildlife
nesting trees within the project site. The threat of poisoning Prevention Order,
by diclofenac is very unlikely due to the absence or very low 1973.
presence of live-stock in the site area especially when the
project is operational

Ganges Soft Shell Turtle Nilssonia The species has been reported from char lands in the middle MEDIUM: The species NEGLIGIBLE NEGLIGIBLE
gangetica of the river but could travel to other sections of the river. The is listed as Vulnerable
project activity does not extend up to char lands and is in IUCN Red list and
Distribution Map: confined to west bank of the Jamuna River. The char lands Sch. III of Bangladesh
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Species Impact Description Sensitivity Magnitude of Significance
Effect
are known to be potential nesting sites of these turtle species. Wildlife Prevention
According to IUCN (Ref. EIA of the River Management Order, 1973. Locally it
Improvement Programme Bangladesh Water Board, Ministry is considered as
of Water Resources, May 2015) Major turtle habitats lie north Endangered in
of the area of influence of this project (i.e. near Shreepur, Bangladesh and
which is about 30 km north), therefore it is unlikely that Vulnerable in India, its
despite a report by fishermen, the species is found here. main range state.
Fishermen reports tend to be through memory and therefore Traded in East Asian
report s of the species may have been due to sightings further markets at volumes of
Ref.: Asian Turtle Trade Working north. Species presence in this area is very unlikely. 30–40 tons per week.
Group 2000. Nilssonia gangetica. The It is listed on CITES
IUCN Red List of Threatened Appendix I.
Species. Version 2015.1
River Terrapin Batagur baska The species has been reported from char lands in the middle HIGH : It is considered NEGLIGIBLE NEGLIGIBLE
of the river but could travel to other sections of the river. The as Critically
project activity does not extend upto char lands and are Endangered in
confined to west bank of the Jamuna River. According to Bangladesh and India
IUCN (Ref. EIA of the River Management Improvement because the
Programme Bangladesh Water Board, Ministry of Water subpopulations are all
Resources, May 2015) Major turtle habitat lienorth of the area very small and
of influence of this project (i.e. near Shreepur, which is about declining. and Sch. III
30 km north), therefore it is unlikely that despite a report by of Bangladesh Wildlife
fishermen, the species is found here. Fisherman reports tend Prevention Order, 1973
to be through memory and therefore report s of the species
may have been due to sightings further north. Species
Ref.: Asian Turtle Trade Working
presence in this area is very unlikely.
Group 2000. Batagur baska. The IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species.
Version 2015.1.
Striped Roof Turtle Baagur dhongoka The project activity outside the project site including water HIGH: It is NEGLIGIBLE NEGLEGIBLE
intake structures and pipelines and temporary jetty area do uncommon in
not has any nesting sites for these turtle species. According Bangladesh and listed
to IUCN (Ref. EIA of the River Management Improvement as Endangered as per
Programme Bangladesh Water Board, Ministry of Water IUCN Red List.
Resources, May 2015) Major turtle habitats lie north of the
area of influence of this project, therefore it is unlikely that
despite a report by fishermen, the species is found here.
Fishermen reports tend to be through memory and therefore

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Species Impact Description Sensitivity Magnitude of Significance
Effect
report s of the species may have been due to sightings further
north. Species presence in this area is very unlikely.

Ref.: Asian Turtle Trade Working

Group 2000. Batagur dhongoka. The
IUCN Red List of Threatened
Species. Version 2015.1.
South Asian river dolphin (Jamuna The project activities such as water intake structures does not HIGH: It is listed as SMALL MODERATE
Dolphin) Platanista gangetica impact the species , However, there is a likelihood of impact Endangered as per
due to the vessel movement to temporary jetty area for IUCN red list for
transportation of material and dredging activities, through Threatened Species.
their propellers causing injury or death. International trade is
prohibited by the
listing of the South
Asian river dolphin on
Appendix I of the
Convention on
International Trade in
Endangered Species
(CITES). The species is
Ref.: Smith, B.D. & Braulik, G.T. listed on Appendix I
2012. Platanista gangetica. The IUCN and Appendix II of the
Red List of Threatened Species. Convention on the
Version 2015.1. Conservation of
Migratory Species of
Wild Animals (CMS).
Floral Species
Dipterocarpus turbinatus The project activity such as water intake system and HIGH: The NEGLIGIBLE NOT
temporary jetty do not impact the species. The species was conservation status is SIGNIFICANT
Ref: Ashton, P. 1998. Dipterocarpus observed inside the plantation area (at least 50 m from the based on rate of habitat
turbinatus. The IUCN Red List of road) and is not affected by removal of plantation trees due to loss. It is listed as

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Species Impact Description Sensitivity Magnitude of Significance
Effect
Threatened Species. Version 2015.2. strengthening of the Eco Park Road from Temporary Jetty to Critically Endangered
<www.iucnredlist.org>. Project site. as per IUCN.
Downloaded on 05 July 2015.
Hopea odorata The project activity such as water intake system and MEDIUM: The NEGLIGIBLE NOT
temporary jetty do not impact. The species was observed conservation status is SIGNIFICANT
Ref: Ashton, P. 1998. Hopea odorata. inside the plantation area (at least 50 m from the road) and is Vulnerable based on
The IUCN Red List of Threatened not affected due to removal of plantation due to rate of habitat loss. It is
Species. Version 2015.2. strengthening of the Eco Park Road from Temporary Jetty to listed as Vulnerable as
<www.iucnredlist.org>. Project site. per IUCN.
Downloaded on 05 July 2015.
Swietenia mahagoni The project activity such as water intake system and HIGH: The NEGLIGIBLE NOT
temporary jetty do not impact. The species was observed conservation status is SIGNIFICANT
Ref: Americas Regional Workshop inside the plantation area (at least 50 m from the road) and is based on rate of habitat
(Conservation & Sustainable not affected due to removal of plantation due to loss. It is listed as
Management of Trees, Costa Rica, strengthening of the Eco Park Road from Temporary Jetty to Endangered as per
November 1996) 1998. Swietenia Project site IUCN. Small quantities
mahagoni. The IUCN Red List of of timber from
Threatened Species. Version 2015.2. plantations are
<www.iucnredlist.org>. occasionally available
Downloaded on 05 July 2015. on the international
market. The species is
listed in Appendix II of
CITES

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Preliminary CH Assessment

Criteria 1: One mammal (South Asian river dolphin (Jamuna Dolphin)

Platanista gangetica EN, one bird, White-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis), two
reptiles River Terrapin Batagur baska CR and Batagur dhongoka EN and two
floral species species Dipterocarpus turbinatus CR and Swietenia mahagoni EN
were screened for potential critical habitat triggering against Criteria 1 and 2.
It was assessed that criteria 3, 4 and 5 were not relevant for the screening
process.

Conclusion

In this assessment we conclude that the three threatened plant species

Dipterocarpus turbinatu, Hopea odorata and Swietenia mahagoni, are not impacted
by the project activities and therefore do not result in triggering of critical
habitats.

The White-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) has been considered a possible

candidate for critical habitats. However due to the very low likelihood of
nesting trees within the AOI and the chance of poisoning by cattle
contaminated by dicloefenac, the impacts are considered small though
requiring some mitigation. Therefore given the highly threatened status of the
species, the impact significance is considered moderate.

The two turtles and terrapin species have not been observed directly during
the survey but have been reported by fishermen through identification from
field guides. They have also indicated the location of nesting sites. According
to IUCN (Ref. EIA of the River Management Improvement Programme
Bangladesh Water Board, Ministry of Water Resources, May 2015) Major turtle
habitats lie north of the area of influence of this project (i.e. near Shreepur,
which is about 30 km north), therefore it is unlikely that despite a report by
fishermen the species is found here. Fishermen reports tend to be through
memory and therefore report s of the species may have been due to sightings
further north. Species presence in this area is very unlikely.

There are no nesting sites within the area of influence and therefore impacts to
possible congregations/aggregations of these species (e.g. as a consequence of
migration) are unlikely.

The natural habitats within the Jamuna river are therefore assessed as either
being of high or medium significance with the magnitude of impacts to the
habitats considered small due to their limited spatial extent and inability to
affect habitat function or viability. The threats to the species are considered
small as the impacts are unlikely to cause a change in the species population
or populations of other species dependent on them. Critical habitats are
therefore not triggered for either the Striped Roof Turtle or the River terrapin
or their habitats.

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 The South Asian river dolphin (Jamuna Dolphin) Platanista gangetica has been
recorded during the survey and from consultations with villagers. The species
falls within Criteria 1, Tier 2e due to the presence in the Jamuna River being of
considerable national significance and its threatened conservation status in
Bangladesh (Table 6.18).

The impacts from project activities identified are

i. Accidental injury or death by propellers from boats plying the river

for transportation of material for jetty construction and later use or
dredging.

As discussed above the natural habitats within the Jamuna River are assessed
as being of high significance due to the presence of this endangered species
with the magnitude of impacts to the habitat considered small, due to their
limited spatial extent and inability to affect habitat function or viability. The
threats to the species are also considered small as the impacts are unlikely to
cause a change in the species population or populations of other species
dependent on it. Critical habitats are therefore not triggered for the South
Asian river dolphin or its habitats.

Mitigation

Mitigation measures for habit are suggested in Table 6.26 and for species are
suggested in Table 6.27. The mitigation methods recommended attempt to
reduce impacts of project activities. They do not necessarily reduce impacts
already of activities existing within the AOI prior to commencement of the
project e.g. impacts from river vessels used for fishing or other river based
activities and unconnected with the project activities or background sources of
pollution within the river.

Table 6.26 Habitats -Mitigation Measures

Significance Mitigation Mitigation (Description) Mitigation Area

Ranking Hierarchy
Jamuna
River
Moderate Minimisation All vessels plying the river are to be properly All across the
maintained with oil seals etc. regularly Jamuna river to
checked for oil leaks etc. All containers used the temporary
for hydrocarbons storage (vessels and jetty Jetty site and
area) should be sealed tightly and secured to their return.
prevent accidental spillage or leaks into the
river. Vessels plying the river and on shore
facilities should be routinely inspected by the
site security to ensure compliance to these
principles.
Any turtle or terrapin habitat identified
during pre-construction surveys should be
protected or if impacts cannot be avoided,
restored to near natural conditions.

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 Significance Mitigation Mitigation (Description) Mitigation Area
Ranking Hierarchy
Jamuna Eco
Park Minimisation Species of conservational significance Transportation
Minor introduced into the Jamuna Eco Park are routes within
usually planted in the center of the plantation Jamuna Eco Park
area. A survey of transportation route within
the Jamuna Eco Park concludes that no such
species are likely to be impacted. However,
prior to the vegetation clearance for widening
of the route, identification of all tree species to
be removed by a qualified ecologist should
occur as a precaution. Efforts should be made
to replant the species within the Eco Park
area.
There is a likelihood of introduction of
invasive species due to movement of Vehicles
in the Jamuna Eco Park. All vehicles tyres
should be properly washed before entering
Jamuna Eco Park.

Table 6.27 Species -Mitigation Measures

Species Significance Mitigation (Description)

Ranking
Birds:
White- Minor Identification of any trees where vultures nest on in the AOI and
rumped protection of these trees with a surrounding buffer area.
vulture
Gyps Exclusion of cattle from project area by site security to reduce
bengalensis risks of carcasses contaminated by diclofenac being consumed by
vultures.
Mammals: Moderate Monitoring of Species: The species occurs in the Jamuna River
South Asian during the post monsoon season when the water level in the river
river dolphin rises based on information provided by fishermen. Movement of
(Jamuna vessels in the Jamuna river to temporary jetty area will require
Dolphin) vessel patrols or deck monitoring for detecting movement of
Platanista South Asian River Dolphin. If such movement is observed, the
gangetica vessel should be stopped until the species moves out of the path
of the vessel. Vessel patrols and deck monitoring should be
organized or enforced/ supervised by the site security.
We also suggest that the company partners within an NGO with
river dolphin conservation experience. The NGO can provide
assistance for

i. State of art training to site security for vessel patrol and

monitoring (e.g. detecting signs of dolphin presence through
early warning indicators).
ii. Emergency response and medical care for any dolphins
which are injured, using specialized veterinary experience.

Residual Impacts

Residual impacts have been provided in this section taking into account
mitigation activities that will be carried out and avoidance/minimisation
measures. Table 6.28 outlines the residual impacts on species. The main
impacts relate to residual impacts caused by habitat loss for CR and EN listed
species.
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Table 6.28 Species Residual Impacts

Species Pre- Description of value lost Residual

mitigation Impact
Impact
Assessment
Birds: White- Minor Given the very low population of the species Negligible:
rumped vulture in Bangladesh any mortality could impact the Actions
(Gyps bengalensis) status within the country and should be suggested
actively avoided against the
unlikely
impacts are
adequate to
avoid
mortality
Mammals: South Moderate The population in Jamuna river is assumed to Minor-
Asian river dolphin be 38-58 individuals any mortality through Mitigation
(Jamuna Dolphin) accidents with river vessels could reduce the suggested
Platanista gangetica species numbers nationally, despite this along with
impact being considered small. From the concerted,
viewpoint of public opinion these threats NGO
should be actively minimized. assistance ,
is likely to
reduce
mortality to
near zero
levels ,

Table 6.28 outlines the residual impacts on species. The main impacts relate to
residual impacts caused by habitat loss for CR and EN listed species, in
particular. If impacts have been identified on critical habitats, the mitigation
outcomes as outlined in IFC PS6 require a net gain in biodiversity values.
However in this case, consequent to mitigation action, we perceive no or very
minimal impacts on critical habitats. We surmise that with these actions,
focussing on minimizing impacts, a no net loss balance will be maintained
effectively with the AOI of the project. Mitigation action to achieve a net gain,
such as designing and implementing biodiversity offsets 1 will not be required
in this context.

6.4.8 Road network

During the construction phase of the Project additional soil materials along
with construction material such as gravel, sand, steel and cement as well as
plant equipment, construction equipment and machinery will be transported
to the site. Further, excavation of earth and disposal of unsuitable soil from the
project site will also be required. Sand and gravel for concrete will be
transported from Jamuna Delta, which will be procured from licenced
contractors. An increase in local traffic is expected as a result of the vehicles
carrying construction material, machinery and equipment.

1 Business and Biodiversity Offsets Programme (BBOP). 2012. Standard on Biodiversity Offsets. BBOP, Washington, D.C.

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From the baseline surveys it is clear that access road connecting the Project site
from the National Highway is about 6 m in RoW built on 1.5 m raised
embankment. Though it was built for the sole purpose of providing
connectivity to the Power Generation Complex, the villagers of Punorbason,
Boro Simul and Panchosona also use this road. The majority of the vehicles on
this road are non-motorized followed by motorcycles. The road is not a busy
road. Due to the use of the approach road by the local villagers, the receptor
sensitivity is considered as medium. A maximum of 12% of average daily
traffic flow is recorded during the peak hour. When the construction for
Sirajganj 4 power plant will start, there is likelihood that at the same time,
Sirajganj 2 project will also be in the construction phase and due to increased
no. of heavy vehicles on this road, the overall impact on the road network (i.e.
access road) has been considered as small.

Based on the above, the impact is assessed as of minor significance.

Impact Traffic Impact on Road network (Construction Phase)

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Access Road

Limited to Construction Phase and primarily material and personnel

Frequency
transport
Likelihood Possible
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered minor.

Mitigation Measures

The following mitigation measures will be put in place to reduce impacts to

road networks in vicinity of the Project site to As Low as Reasonably
Practicable:

• Avoiding peak hours for heavy vehicles movement where possible;

• During transportation of heavy equipment from the temporary jetty inside
the ecopark to the main road a speed limit of 10 km/hr needs to be
maintained by all heavy vehicles;
• Regular maintenance of vehicles to avoid break downs leading to
congestions;
• Training and awareness amongst driver’s to encourage systematic
parking, following traffic rules, preventing unnecessary stoppages and
overtaking.

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 Residual Impacts

Criterion Rating pre Rating post Comment

mitigation mitigation
Traffic impact on road network
Residual Impact Minor Negligible With implementation of the
precautionary and the mitigation
measures impact on road network
would be negligible.

6.4.9 Community Health and Safety

Possible sources of impacts to community health and safety during the

construction phase are:

• Changes in environmental quality due to construction activities;

• Increased prevalence of disease arising from the influx of construction
workers; and
• Heavy traffic movement.

Criteria

The community health and safety impact assessment has been carried out
with reference to the relevant national and international criteria and
legislation, as outlined in Section 2. The sensitivity and magnitude criteria for
community health and safety have been outlined in the Table 6.29 and Table
6.30 respectively.

Table 6.29 Sensitivity Assessment Criteria for Community Health and Safety

Sensitivity Criteria Contributing Criteria

Community Health and Safety risk due to
changes in environmental quality due to
construction activities, increased prevalence of
disease arising from the influx of construction
workers
Heavy traffic movement
Low The local community is not located in AOI and
thus would not be exposed to health and safety
risks from the project
Medium The local community is located in close
proximity to the project site or its associated
facilities, including labour camp or access
roads used
High The local community is located in immediate
vicinity of the project site and associated
facilities and will have regular interaction with
project activities, traffic movement and
migrant labour for the project

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Table 6.30 Criteria for Impact Magnitude for Assessment of Impact to Community
Health and Safety

Magnitude Negligible Small Medium Large

Criteria
• Changes in • Qualitative: • Qualitative: • Qualitative: • Qualitative:
environment no perceptible clearly major change
al quality perceptible change from evident and in
due to or readily baseline measurable comparison
construction measurable conditions changes from to baseline
activities change from but likely to the baseline conditions
• increased baseline easily revert conditions and may not
prevalence of conditions back to pre- which would revert back
disease • Scale: project take time to to earlier
arising from Localized conditions revert back stage even
the influx of area as without to pre-project with
construction particular mitigation stage with mitigation
workers activity areas • Scale: mitigation • Scale:
• Heavy • Time- Short impacts • Scale: impacts
Traffic Duration restricted to impacts beyond AoI,
Movement (few days) or project site, restricted to at regional or
one time as activity areas activity areas international
temporary and their and level
immediate immediate • Time:
vicinity vicinity. Permanent
• Time: only • Time: long Change
during the term, spread
particular across
activities or several
project phase phases of the
project
lifecycle

Receptors

Project site workers, settlements in close proximity to the Project site (within
500 m) and along the access road (with 100 m) are potential receptors of health
impacts from construction related activities.

Impact Significance and Mitigation Measures

Health Impact associated with Environmental Conditions

Changes in the environmental quality of air, surface water, groundwater and
soil quality may occur as a result of construction activities. High noise levels
are also expected from the operation of heavy machinery.

An increase in dust and noise during the construction period has the potential
to lead to health impacts associated with eye irritation and general
disturbance to daily activities. The dust and noise impacts during the
construction phase are assessed and discussed in Section 6.4.3 and Section
6.4.4.

Waste will be generated during the construction including excavated material,

construction waste, hazardous waste, sewage sludge and general refuse. The
impacts from waste are presented in detail in Section 6.4.1and Section 6.4.2.
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The discharge of domestic waste effluent from sanitary facilities for
construction workers may have the potential to cause contamination of
surface water and groundwater in this area. A detailed assessment of this is
presented in Section 6.4.2.

The impacts to the workers on site and involved in transportation activities

have been covered under Labour Welfare.

There is no community in the immediate vicinity of the project site, however

the site identified for the labour camp is located in close proximity of
Punorbason village, as discussed in Section 6.4.10. The potential health
impacts due to a change in the environmental conditions are expected to be of
a temporary nature, restricted to the project site and their immediate vicinity.
Keeping this in mind, the health and safety impact associated with changes in
environmental quality is considered to have moderate significance when
assessed against the receptors location and the various mitigation measures in
place.

Impact Community health from changes in environmental conditions

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Limited to Project site and access road vicinity

Limited to Construction Phase and primarily covering dust, noise ,

Frequency
waste generating activities and transportation
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered moderate

Mitigation Measures
The following mitigation measures will be put in place to reduce impacts on
community receptors:

• Barriers will be provided to prevent ingress of persons into the

construction site and also to protect public exposure to hazards associated
with construction activities;
• Avoiding formation of stagnant water pools in and around the site;
• Implementation of a vector control programme in labour camps and
surrounding areas; and
• Educating area residents and workers on risks, prevention, and available
treatment for vector-borne diseases.

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Increased prevalence of Disease

A total of up to 1,500 workers, during peak construction, will be employed in

the construction phase. This influx of workers to the community may cause
impacts to public health, especially an increase in prevalence of diseases.

Baseline surveys revealed that the most common diseases in the Project AOI
are Arsenicosis, Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, and Diarrhoea. The greatest
incidence is of food and water borne diseases, arising from contamination by
faecal elements, pests and vectors and due to lack of sanitation facilities.
Furthermore, the construction and industrial installation work will produce
certain amount of debris. Potential for this waste being dumped improperly
and coming into contact with any community resource or surrounding is
possible. All such waste, if left on site, would have potential for breeding of
vectors and pests in turn causing vector borne diseases. The proximity of the
camp location with the nearby settlements (i.e. Punorbason and Khas Bara
Shimul) also increases the risk in case of improper management of sanitary
and other wastes.

There is also the possibility of increase in sexually transmitted diseases such as

HIV/AIDS as a result of the expected influx of workers into the area.

Measures such as proper collection, storage and disposal of wastes,

construction of septic tanks to prevent contamination of water resources from
sanitary effluents generated from labour camps will be implemented.

The community health and safety impacts from an increased prevalence of

diseases are likely to be restricted to the local community in the immediate
vicinity of the labour camp and within the construction phase of the project.
Furthermore, the impacts should be such that can be mitigated with proper
mitigation measures. Keeping this in mind, the impact to public health and
safety is evaluated to be of moderate significance.

Impact Increased Prevalence of Diseases

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Settlement’s around the Project site, Labour camps

Frequency Limited to Construction Phase primarily duration of labour stay

Likelihood Possible
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered moderate.

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Mitigation Measures
The following mitigation measures will be put in place to further reduce
prevalence of diseases:

• Screening, surveillance and treatment of workers, through the provision of

medical facilities and, where required, immunization programmes;
• Undertaking health awareness and education initiatives among workers;
• Prevention of larval and adult mosquito propagation through sanitary
improvements and elimination of breeding habitats close to human
settlements in the close vicinity of Project site;
• Implementation of a vector control programme;
• Avoiding formation of stagnant water pools; and
• Educating project personnel and area residents on risks, prevention, and
available treatment for vector-borne diseases.

Heavy Traffic Movement

An increase in local traffic is expected as a result of the construction activities
which may create public safety issues for local residents, especially along the
access road.

From the baseline surveys it is clear that access road connecting the Project site
from the National Highway is about 6 m in RoW built on 1.5 m raised
embankment. Though it was built for the sole purpose of providing
connectivity to the Power Generation Complex, the villagers of Punorbason,
Boro Simul and Panchosona also use this road. The majority of the vehicles on
this road are non-motorized followed by motorcycles. The road is not a busy
road. A maximum of 12% of average daily traffic flow is recorded during the
peak hour.

Potential impacts include blocking access, congestion and traffic accidents

along the access road. The probability of pedestrian traffic accidents is low
given that the road is not a busy road; built on a raised embankment of 1.5 m
and does not provide direct access to the villages. Furthermore, the impacts
from traffic movement are expected to be restricted to the local community in
the immediate vicinity and should be manageable with adequate mitigation
measures, such as implementation of speed controls (20 km/hr). Thus, the
potential impact to communities from heavy vehicular movement is assessed
of moderate significance during the construction phase.

Impact Traffic Safety (Construction Phase)

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Access Road

Frequency Limited to Construction Phase primarily material transport

Likelihood Possible

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 Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered moderate

Mitigation Measures
The following mitigation measures will be put in place to reduce impacts to
community to As Low as Reasonably Practicable:

• Road safety initiatives will be implemented to minimise risks to other

users, including:
o Emphasizing safety aspects among drivers, particularly with regard to
the speed limit of 20 km/hr that will be enforced;
o Ensuring that only licensed drivers are employed by the Project;
o Avoiding peak hours for heavy vehicles movement where possible;
o Regular maintenance of vehicles and use of manufacturer approved
parts to minimize potentially serious accidents caused by equipment
malfunction or premature failure;
o Collaboration with local communities and responsible authorities to
improve signage ( e.g. pedestrian crossings, speed limits etc.), visibility
and awareness of traffic and pedestrian safety; and
o Coordination with emergency responders to ensure that appropriate
first aid is provided in the event of accidents.

Residual Impacts

Criterion Rating pre Rating post Comment

mitigation mitigation
Community health impacts associated with environmental conditions
Residual Impact Moderate Minor With implementation of the
precautionary and the mitigation
measures mentioned for
prevention/reduction of impact
magnitude, impacts would be minor.
Increased Prevalence of Diseases
Residual Impact With implementation of the
precautionary and the mitigation
measures mentioned for
prevention/reduction of impact
magnitude, impacts would be minor.
Traffic safety due to heavy traffic movement
Residual Impact With implementation of the
precautionary and the mitigation
measures mentioned for
prevention/reduction of impact
magnitude, impacts would be minor.

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6.4.10 Social Impacts

Criteria

For the assessment of the social impacts, the sensitivity and magnitude criteria
outlined

Table 6.31 Sensitivity Assessment Criteria for Social Impacts

Sensitivity Criteria Contributing Criteria

Employment generation,
Benefit to Local Enterprises
Impact on Fishing Households
Labour Influx and Construction workers
accommodation
Low The local community is not located in AOI and thus
would not be impacted by the presence of the
project
Medium The local community is located in the AoI but not in
close proximity to the project site or its associated
facilities, including labour camp, jetty or access
roads used
High The local community is located in close proximity of
the project site and associated facilities and will
have regular interaction with project activities,
traffic movement and migrant labour for the project

Table 6.32 Criteria for Impact Magnitude for Assessment of Social Impact

Magnitude Negligible Small Medium Large

Criteria
• Changes in • Qualitative: • Qualitative: • Qualitative: • Qualitative:
environmental no perceptible perceptible clearly major change
quality due to or readily change from evident and in comparison
construction measurable baseline measurable to baseline
activities change from conditions but changes from conditions
• increased baseline likely to easily the baseline and may not
prevalence of conditions revert back to conditions revert back to
disease arising • Scale: pre-project which would earlier stage
from the Localized area conditions take time to even with
influx of as particular without revert back to mitigation
construction activity areas mitigation pre-project • Scale: impacts
workers • Time- Short • Scale: impacts stage with beyond AoI,
• Heavy Traffic Duration (few restricted to mitigation at regional or
Movement days) or one project site, • Scale: impacts international
time as activity areas restricted to level
temporary and their activity areas • Time:
immediate and Permanent
vicinity immediate Change
• Time: only vicinity.
during the • Time: long
particular term, spread
activities or across several
project phase phases of the
project
lifecycle

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Receptors

Settlements in close proximity to the Project Site (within 500 m) and along the
access road and labour camp (within 100 m) and the villages using the
temporary jetty area for fishing are potential receptors of the impacts from the
project activities.

Impact Significance

Employment Generation
Employment generation will be a significant contribution of the project,
especially considering that the employment scenario in project area (refer to
Section 4.6.5). The project is expected to employ 1000 un-skilled and semi-
skilled labours during the construction phase. The civil works and installation
of power plant equipment will be done through experienced sub-contractors.
Hence, most of the employment will be provided through sub-contractors.

The construction phase activities will facilitate intermixing of local workforce

(mostly unskilled) with the migrant workforce (mostly skilled). Also, in
addition to that, on the job skill enhancement associated with technical
detailing and designing, health and safety, work based skills, etc. will also
enhance the skills of the local workforce. The transfer of knowledge will not
only be limited at the level of the workforce but also at the level of the
contractors and sub-contractors who would benefit from it. Considering the
potential for employment generation and skill enhancement, the significance
of the employment generation is summarized below.

Impact Employment Generation

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large

Benefit to Local Enterprises

Local enterprises, particularly those involved in the production and sale of
construction materials, are potential benefactors of the civil works involved in
the project. Brick-making provides employment to a large number of local un-
skilled labours. Similarly, stone crushers and local transporters of these
materials will also benefit from the project. The significance of the benefit to
local enterprises is summarized below:

Impact Benefit to Local Enterprises

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
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Impact on Fishing Households
Khas Chtragachha located to the north of the power generation complex and
adjacent to the temporary jetty has approximately 35 households out of total
110 households whose primary occupation is fishing. Apart from this Paschim
Mohanpur and Purba Radhunibari has a few fishing households. It was
observed that these households particularly in Khas Chtragachha own small
boats and use them for fishing in the Yamuna River. Apart from the around
Bangabandhu Bridge, there is no restriction of fishing in the Yamuna River.
Hence, they access both upstream and down-stream locations to carry out
fishing.

The dredging at the proposed temporary jetty and use of the jetty location for
part of the construction phase will impinge on the locations used by these
households to anchor their boats. The dredging will temporarily drive away
the fish in the immediate downstream locations. Increased navigation may
reduce the overall fish-catch for these households. However, only approx. 10%
of the households in the community are reported to be using the temporary
jetty area. These impacts are also going to be restricted to the duration in
which the jetty is used. Keeping this in mind, the impacts on fishermen
households due to the use of the jetty area are evaluated as Minor.

Impact on fishermen households using the temporary jetty location to anchor

Impact
their boats
Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Out of the 35 households practicing fishing in Khas Chtragachha 5-10
households use the temporary jetty location to anchor their boats. The
dredging activities near the temporary jetty to provide sufficient draft
Impact Scale for the barges/ vessels will also impact the fish catch near the jetty
location. However, the areas upstream of the jetty location to the
newly constructed closure will be available for both fishing and
anchoring of boats.
Frequency Restricted to Construction Phase only.
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered minor.

Labour Influx and Construction Workers Accommodation

Out of the total labour requirement of 1500 (during peak construction), it is
expected that about 25% would be sourced from other parts of Bangladesh.
The migrating labour population will primarily consists of more skilled labour
workforce while unskilled workforce would be mostly procured locally
through local contractors. The labour influx will be for short term and they
would return back to their home provinces at the end of construction period.
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There is a likelihood of overlapping in the construction schedule of Sirajganj 4
and Sirajganj 2 projects within the power generation complex and this will
lead to unavailability of land within the complex for construction workers
camp. Therefore, the labour camp will be located outside the power
generation complex. The area identified for the construction workers camp is
located between the main highway and Punorbason village fence line.
Available land area for this purpose is about 8.37 acres.

Total area earmarked was earlier about 15.6 acres, however, during the site
reconnaissance, it was noted that elevated land portion towards the national
highway has a ~6 m wide right of way for the Main Gas Pipeline of PGCL and
no activity is permitted on top of this corridor. Furthermore, the embankment
of the road also need to be avoided and hence only the area between the slope
of embankment and the fence line of Punorbason village has been considered
suitable for the construction camp, due to its proximity to the project site as
well as availability of land (BBA land).

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Figure 6.14 Construction Camp Area Identified- C3

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Keeping in mind the key features of C3, the following main risks were
identified with using this area for a labour camp:

• High interaction with the local community, with a potential of certain risks
associated with increase in conflict and social unrest, health related issues
including risk of sexually transmitted and communicable diseases.
• Strain on local resources and infrastructure, especially water, medical
facilities, electricity, food and provisions in the local markets. This may
also result in an increase in the overall price of essential commodities in
the area.
• The construction of the labour camp, will require the diversion of the small
tracks used by the community for reaching the highway and other villages
as well as the drainage of the waste water from the village into the block
identified, to avoid health risks from accumulated water to community
and workers.
• As the C3 area is low lying, specific measures will have to be put in place
to avoid collection and stagnation of water in and around the labour camp.
• The provision of sanitation facilities will also have to take into account the
proximity of the local community and ensure that the presence of the
labour camp does not result in increased risks in terms of hygiene and
sanitation for the community.
• Also, due to the presence of pipelines in the area identified, precautions
will have to be taken to mitigate the risks of fire and explosions and the
workers will have to be aware of the same.

The influx of labour also raises other challenges such as health related issues
(including sexually transmitted and communicable diseases), unhygienic
conditions in constructed labour camps, strain on local food produce available
in the local markets etc. Considering the fact that proper accommodation
facilities are provided as part of the project design and also the fact that the
total migrant labour will account for about 25% of the total workforce of about
1,500 (which is an insignificant number as compared to the existing
population within the AOI), the severity of the impacts raised above is
expected to be Moderate.

Impact Labour Influx during Construction Phase

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Out of 1500 expected workforce during peak construction stage, 25%
Impact Scale
are expected to be sourced from outside of Sirajganj District
Restricted to Construction Phase only. The labour camps are going to
Frequency
be de-constructed during the operation phase of the project
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered moderate.

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Meeting Community expectations
The construction phase of the project is expected to create both employment
opportunities as well as indirect opportunities for service and contract
providers. There would be an increase in expectation from the local
community with respect of these generated opportunities and an expected
level of preference to them above foreign parties from Sembcorp and EPC
contractor. These expectations have to be managed by Sembcorp and EPC
contractor strategically in order to prevent any negative sentiment rising
within the community about the project or any sense of disassociation from it.
At the present status quo, neither the level of this expectation on behalf of the
community could be identified quantitatively, nor could it be identified that
how much of participation Sembcorp/EPC contractor wants to engage in, the
impact has been kept as neutral. However, Sembcorp has planned to engage
with the community during the entire project execution and operation phase.

Commitments already communicated with the community include:

• Engaging closely with local NGOs to understand the key collective
requirements of the surrounding community and identify one or more of
the highlighted concerns which SNWPCL will support to resolve.
• Some of the collective requirements could be access to (i) clean drinking
water (ii) medical consultation (iii) education, etc.
• Enhance employment opportunities by maximizing utilization of the local
population, as far as possible.
• Communication of a clear plan of action to improve the welfare of the
neighboring community, before commencing construction works on site.

Mitigation Measures

The following mitigation measures are proposed to avoid impact due to

labour influx:
• Preventing stress on local infrastructure by providing labour related
infrastructure such as camps, sanitation facility, drinking water facility,
etc. in accordance with local regulations;
• Consulting with the local community prior to finalization of location of
labour camp to get their consent
• Preparation of a detailed plan, in keeping with lender requirements, for
the construction of the labour camp and the mitigation measures to be put
in place
• Ensure proper administrative channel to manage labour related statutory
compliance, such as payment of wages, provident fund, insurance etc. as
well as labour issues arising during the construction phase activities;
• Manage illegal labour practices such as child labour, bounded labour or
forced labour through internal vigilance mechanisms and surveillance;
and
• Awareness shall be generated amongst migrant labourers in maintaining
congenial relations with local labourers as well as community.
• Consultations with the fishing households should be done before dredging
and other site improvement activities are carried out at the Jetty location.
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 Alternative anchorage areas should be identified and safe anchorage of
their boats to be facilitated.
• The reduction in fish catch for these fishing households should be
compensated through cash payment during the period for which jetty is
used.

Residual Impacts

Criterion Rating pre Rating post Remark

mitigation mitigation
Impact on fishermen households using the temporary jetty location to anchor their boats
Residual Impact Minor Negligible Providing alternate anchorage, if
required will minimise the impacts
and the residual impacts will be
negligible in nature.
Labour Influx and Construction Workers Accommodation
Residual Impact Moderate Minor Proper management of construction
workers accommodation and
implementation of the mitigation
measures will minimise the impacts
and the residual impacts will be minor
in nature.

6.5 POTENTIAL POLLUTION SOURCES AND MITIGATION MEASURES

This section discusses the potential sources of pollution and in built/ pre-
planned measures taken up by Sembcorp. The impact assessment has been
done taking in to consideration the inbuilt/pre-planned scenario.

6.5.1 Air Emissions

The flue gas stack and by-pass stack will have sufficient height to ensure
compliance with emission standards as specified in the Emission Guidelines
for Combustion Engines in the World Bank EHS Guidelines for Thermal Power
Plants. It is proposed to provide 72.3 m and 45 m tall stacks above grade for
the main stack and by-pass stack respectively, to ensure adequate dispersion
of discharged combustion gases in the atmosphere.

The air emissions from the Plant will primarily be in the form of Oxides of
Nitrogen (NOx) and Carbon Monoxide (CO). Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) emission
in the flue gas is not anticipated as there is no sulphur in the natural gas.
Particulate matter emissions are also not anticipated due to use of natural
gas. 1 However, in case of use of HSD as fuel for power generation in the
combustion turbine, SO2 and particulate matter will also be generated. The
Plant will demonstrate air emission criteria at 100% capacity as guaranteed to
BPDB, which are presented in Table 6.33.

(2) 1It is noted however that particulate emissions (<1 µm diameter) in the form of unburnt hydrocarbons and
Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) such as benzene and formaldehyde, may be released if poor air/fuel mixing
and the incomplete combustion of the fuel source occurs.

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Table 6.33 Air Emission Criteria for Flue Gas Stacks

Pollutant Unit At 100% Capacity

Natural Gas HSD
NOx ppmv ≤ 25 ≤ 74
CO ppmv ≤ 100 ≤ 100
SO2 mg/Nm3 N/A <150
PM mg/Nm3 N/A ≤50
Source: Sembcorp
Notes:
• ppmv is defined as parts per million by volume at 15% oxygen dry at 32°C, 85% relative
humidity and 1.013 bar pressure.
• The proposed guaranteed value for NOx emission level is based on site conditions of 32°C
ambient temperature and 85% humidity.
• Values given are related to 3% excess oxygen in dry exhaust gas, where Nm3 = 1m3 at
1.01325 bar pressure, dry at 0°C.
• HSD will have maximum sulphur content of 0.25%.

To ensure compliance with air emission criteria for flue gas discharge and a
safe working environment, the following measures will be implemented
during operations:

• Continuous emission monitoring (CEM) equipment for the measurement

of air emission levels in the exhaust stack of HRSG. The stack will be
provided with safe access to the sampling points for CEM;
• Sampling points for the CEM equipment will be provided on the stack;
• The gas vent stack will have sufficient height to ensure that the
concentration of gas at ground level is significantly less than the explosive
limit 1 and that the odour of gas cannot be detected; and
• The vent from the lubricating oil tank will be fitted with coalescer.

6.5.2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions

The combustion of natural gas/ HSD produces GHG emissions. The amount
of GHGs emitted by a power plant is a measure of its contribution to global
warming and can be estimated based on fuel consumption. Based on the
natural gas requirement for the Project, it is anticipated that the annual GHG
emissions from the Plant will be of the order of 1.404 x 106 tonnes of CO2e
considering use of natural gas as primary fuel.

6.5.3 Noise Emissions

The Project will comply with the noise emission criteria as per the standards
stipulated in the reference framework, i.e. Schedule 4 of Environmental
Conservation Rules (ECR), 1997 of Bangladesh as well as Noise Level
Guidelines as prescribed in the General EHS Guidelines of World Bank. The
noise emission criteria for the Project have been presented in Table 2.10.

(1) 1The natural gas is mainly consisting of methane, which is having lower explosive limit (LEL) of 5% by volume
of air, whereas upper explosive limit (UEL) of 15% by volume of air.

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 To ensure compliance with the noise emission criteria and compliance with
the stipulated standards/ guidelines in the reference framework, the
following measures will be implemented during operations:

• The Combustion Turbine will have noise attenuation, which will consist
of air intake silencers and acoustic insulation;
• To reduce the noise level for the fuel gas skid, sound absorbing walls will
be provided;
• Noise levels within the Steam Turbine building will be less than 85 dB(A);
• The Central Control Room will have sufficient sound insulation to ensure
noise levels below 55 dB(A);
• Noise levels in any area in which an operator may be continuously
exposed will be less than 85 dB(A) for 8-hour normalized exposure level
limit 1;
• Further, the noise limits at office areas and control rooms will be 45-50
dB(A);
• All above ground piping outside buildings will be acoustically insulated
as necessary to reduce the noise emanating from the piping;
• The specified noise criteria will be met under all normal operating
conditions including Start-up, Shutdown and other normal operating
conditions. An exceedance of the Noise limitations will only be allowed
during emergency operating conditions (limited to 100 decibels) where
physical damage to the Plant or physical harm to an individual may result,
this will include the lifting of safety relief valves. Local community
residing within 500 m from the project boundary should be informed
about any such emergency condition as part of the offsite emergency plan;
• Warning signs will be provided at all entrances to rooms/areas where the
noise level may exceed 75 dB(A); and
• Construction work during the night-time on weekdays will be carried out
only after taking approval of the local authority.

6.5.4 Water Pollution

The cooling water and all other effluents will be disposed on land close to the
southern boundary of the Saidabad Power Generation Complex (refer to Box
6.4 for location of the discharge point), which is about 300 m away from the
adjoining channel, according to GOB Environment Conservation Rule (1997)
Schedule 9 and Schedule 10. The temperature of the effluent discharged will
not exceed 40°C in winter and 45°C in summer. Maximum allowable cooling
water temperature rise will not be more than 3°C. Review of geo-technical
data collected for Sirajganj 2 Project2 also reveals that (a) The soil is mostly
silty sand and fine sand in all the bore logs with some small layers of silty and
clayey sand in a couple bore logs, which indicates that the soil profile is

(2) 1 As per the World Bank/ IFC General EHS Guidelines: Occupational Health and Safety

2Geotechnical Ivestigation Report of Sirajganj 225 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant (2nd Unit) – Detailed Design (April
2015), prepared by Fujian Electric Power Survey & Design Institute, Fuzhou

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porous in nature and is good for water percolation; (b) Soil permeability
coefficient is in the range of 10 to 15 m/day, which is as per soil permeability
classes represent “very rapid” soil permeability class (i.e. > 6 m/day); (c)
Shallow ground water depth is about 8 m from the Saidabad Power
Generation Complex and will be about 4 to 5 m from the water discharge
locations during dry season.

Water intake for the project will be approximately 600 m3/hr and water outfall
will be about 74.4 m3/hr. The cooling water discharge will be continuously
monitored for pH and temperature.

Sources of liquid effluent generation in the Plant will be as follows:

• Oily effluents from:
o Steam turbine building;
o Combustion turbine building;
o Transformer yard of CTG and STG;
o Compressor and CCW pump house;
o Emergency DG set area;
o HSD Storage Tank Farm;
• HRSG blow down;
• Sampling rack waste;
• CTG auxiliary;
• CTG washing;
• HRSG washing;
• Filters (service water filtration plant) back wash; and
• CW side stream filter backwash.

The liquid effluents will be collected and treated/ recycled as per the
following design philosophy:

• Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant reject, RO chemical cleaning waste, mixed bed
(MB) regeneration waste after neutralisation will be led to CW mixing
chamber;
• Filter/ ultra-filtration (UF) backwash water will be led to CW mixing
chamber;
• Oily wastewater from fuel oil area, power house area, transformer yard
will be collected and treated in oil water separator and then disposed to
CW mixing chamber; and
• Boiler blow down after quenching will be led to the CW mixing chamber.

All the wastewater generated at various areas of the Project will be segregated
at the source of generation according to their type. Similar wastewater types
will be collected at one point before treatment and then treated to meet the
requirements for disposal or reuse.

Plant drains (storm water drains) from the power house area, transformer area
and fuel oil handling storage area will be collected in different sumps and led
to a common oily waste sump. This will include all oil filled motors and
pumps. These oily effluents will be further treated in an oil water separator
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 for removal of oil traces. The clear water will be led to CW mixing chamber
and the dirty oil will be disposed of in drums separately. Boiler blow down
will be collected in a common blow down sump and released to the Jamuna
River. The RO module and MB cleaning waste will be led to CW mixing
chamber after neutralisation.

The ion exchange units of the water treatment plant will be regenerated with
sulphuric acid and caustic soda. The effluent from regeneration will be mixed,
neutralised and diluted before discharge.

Treated effluent generated from sewage treatment plant (~ 3 m3/hr) will be

used within the site for greenbelt development. No untreated sewage will be
directly discharged into Jamuna River/Channel or disposed of on land
through the project life cycle.

Plant wastewater and all effluents (Table 6.34) will be treated to comply with
the effluent discharge limit criteria according to GOB Environment
Conservation Rule (1997) Schedule 10 (Standards for Waste from Industrial
Units or Project Waste) and the applicable World Bank Group environmental
requirements (whichever is more stringent). The effluent discharge criteria
adopted by the Project are presented in Table 2.8.

Table 6.34 Wastewater Generation from the Plant

S. No. Source of Generation Quantity (m3/hr)

1. Cooling Tower Blow Down 67.0
2. Boiler Blow down 4.1
3. DM Neutralisation Pit Discharge 2.0
4. Effluent Treatment Plant 1.3
5. Sewage Treatment Plant 3
Total 77.4
Source: Sembcorp

The sewage will be treated in a sewage treatment plant, and treated effluent
(complying with the effluent discharge limit criteria according to the GOB
Environment Conservation Rules (1997) Schedule 9 (Standards for Sewage
Discharge) will be discharged on land (refer to Table 2.9). Treated sewage
effluent will be used for gardening purposes within the plant premises.

Instrumentation will be used to monitor the Plant’s compliance with discharge

limitations. In the event that the effluent discharge is detected above the
effluent discharge limit criteria, isolation valves will be automatically closed to
prevent accidental discharge of untreated effluent.

6.5.5 Solid and Hazardous Waste Generation

During the operation phase of the Project, the main sources of wastes
generation with the quantity, storage and disposal options are presented in
Table 6.35.

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Table 6.35 Solid and Hazardous Wastes during Operation Phase

S. Waste Type Source Quantity Collection & Disposal Method

No. Storage
1. Chemical Waste Regeneration waste 500 ETP After treatment
discharge to m /year
3 discharge on land
wastewater
2. Chemical GT Compressor 300 Concrete Pit Offsite treatment
Cleaning l/year (approved and
authorised by DoE)
3. Waste Oil Oily water from power 2 Oil separator To be sold to
house, workshop area m3/year in ETP. licensed contractor
Oil stored for treatment and
either in recycling for
separator or permitted use or
steel barrels disposal
4. Oil-dust Lube oil system 600 Stored in steel Offsite disposal
contaminated kg/year containers on- facility (approved
cloth/cotton site and authorised by
rags DoE)
5. Solid waste Dewatered sludge from 300 Dried sludge To be disposed
WTP/ETP (primarily kg/year to be stored at through a DoE
composed of silts and site approved
inorganic salts contractor for land
precipitated in filling.
WTP/ETP)
6 Office and Food Waste paper, kitchen 5,000 Waste paper Recyclable waste to
waste wastes, household kg/year box, waste be sold to local
waste bins vendors.
Other wastes to be
disposed through
waste disposal
contractor.

7 Air filters Gas Turbine 300 Bags Dispose to an

kg/year authorized
recycling company
or disposal
contractor
8 Solid Waste Dewatered STP sludge 200 Dried sludge To be used as
kg/year to be stored at manure
site
Note: All the hazardous waste to be stored at site in paved and covered area with provision of
containment for any accidental spillage

6.6 ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS - OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PHASE

The assessment of operational phase impacts includes those arising both from
routine operations and maintenance of the power plant, including the gas and
HSD supply systems. An activity-impact interaction matrix for the operation
phase of the Project is presented in Table 6.4.

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6.6.1 Soil and Sediment Quality

Contamination of soil and sediment from wastes

The potential sources of waste generation during operation of the Power plant
are from the following:

• Office and Canteens;

• WTP, ETP and STP;
• Gas Turbines;
• Laboratories;
• GT Compressors;
• Lube oil systems;
• DG sets; and
• Power house and workshop area.

Criteria
Presently the rules of solid waste management and hazardous waste
management are under preparation in Bangladesh. Once they are drafted the
Project will be governed by these rules. As Bangladesh is a signatory to the
Basel Convention on Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste, 1989 (assessed
by the GOB in 1993) and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic
Pollutants, 2001 (assessed by GOB in 2007), these will also apply to the Project.

Receptors
Land around the Project site is mostly fallow or agricultural. A Channel is
located about 200 m in east direction and about 400 m in south direction of the
project site. Improper storage, handling and disposal of solid and hazardous
waste may lead to contamination of the land and water bodies nearby. In
addition, waste can generate odour and cause health hazards to employees
and communities nearby. Referring to sensitivity criteria described in Table
6.5, the receptor soil and sediment has been assessed low.

Impact Significance

The impact assessment of the wastes generated from the sources identified
above is summarized below:

Generation of Non-Hazardous Solid Waste

The type and approximate volume of non-hazardous solid waste anticipated
from operational activities will be as follows:
• Office and kitchen, 5,000 kg/year;
• Dewatered STP sludge from the WTP, ETP and STP sludge, 50 - 70
kg/year; and
• Air filters from the gas turbines, 300 kg/year.

The unplanned storage and disposal of these wastes may have a direct impact
on land and water resources. The solid and non-hazardous wastes generated
from the various areas during operations will be collected and segregated at

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the point of generation and stored in proper designated areas and disposed of
through waste disposal contractors or authorized recyclers.

Generation of Hazardous Waste

The type and approximate volume of hazardous waste anticipated from
operational activities will be as follows:
• Chemical waste generated, 500 m3/year;
• Chemical Cleaning waste from the CT compressor, 300 l/year;
• Waste/used oil from the power house and workshop, 2 m3/year;
• Dewatered sludge from the WTP and ETP, 200 - 230 kg/year; and
• Oil/dust contaminated cloths and rags from the lube oil system and spill
kit waste, 600 kg/year.

These hazardous wastes, if haphazardly stored, may be incompatible in nature

and can result in ignition, generation of toxic fumes etc. In addition, improper
handling, storage and disposal can cause spillage or leachate generation,
which in turn can contaminate the land and ground water.

It is planned that hazardous wastes generated from the proposed Project will
be collected and stored in designated roofed-areas and/or barrels with
concrete flooring and secondary containment and disposed of/ sold through
contractors or treated prior to discharge.

Given the planned embedded controls, i.e. segregation measures, collection

and disposal by licensed waste collectors, dedicated storage areas with
secondary containment, the impacts magnitude during operation as a result of
solid and hazardous waste generation is assessed as small.

Impact Contamination of Soil and Sediment from Wastes

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Limited to Project Site Surroundings and nearby communities

Frequency Not Applicable

Likelihood Likely
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

Mitigation Measures

In addition to the proper collection, storage and disposal options the following
steps will be taken further to manage hazardous wastes:

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 • Wastes will be stored in a manner that will prevent contact between
incompatible wastes i.e. post compatibility checks,
• Proper labelling of hazardous wastes;
• Special care will be taken in the storage areas to prevent any spillage of
hazardous wastes and restrict access (except for trained staff) to such
areas;
• Periodic audits will be carried out for such areas and containers; also on
the segregation and collection systems and the findings will be
documented and appropriate action taken against irregularities;
• A spill response plan and emergency plan will be prepared to address
accidental spillages or release of hazardous wastes; and
• A proper manifest record will be maintained of waste travelling/ removed
from the site; and
• Disposal of hazardous waste by engaging DOE approved waste
management agencies.

6.6.2 Water Resources

Sources of Impact

The potential sources of impact to surface and ground water resources during
the operational phase include:

• The discharge of effluent and sewage from the operational plant that may
have an impact on land or the quality of surface water; and
• The abstraction of ground water for drinking purposes for the employees
of the power plant.

Criteria

For the assessment of water resources, the sensitivity and magnitude criteria
outlined in Table 5.7 and Table 5.8 have been used respectively. The assessment
of potential impacts to surface water has considered Schedule 3 (a), 9 and
Schedule 10 of ECR, 1997 (refer to Table 2.8 and Table 2.9). For groundwater,
Schedule 3 (b) of ECR, 1997, standards for drinking water has been considered.

Receptors

Surface water: A Channel is located about 200 m in east direction and about
400 m in south direction of the project site (refer to Box 6.3), which is dried
most of the time and gets water only during the monsoon season. The main
Jamuna River flows on the eastern side about 1.2 km from the Project site and
will be the source of water for the Project. The source of water would be the
Jamuna River. Based on the sensitivity criteria Table 6.7, surface water
resource is assessed as Medium.

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Box 6.3 View of Adjoining Channel from Saidabad Power Generation Complex
Boundary during non-monsoon season

Source: ERM (June 2015)

Groundwater: Ground water samples analysis indicate high levels of iron

with other parameters being within standard permissible limits for drinking
water specified by Bangladesh ECR, 1997 Schedule 3 (B). Arsenic
concentration is also reported in ground water tube well in the Project AOI
though the samples analysed were within limits. Groundwater is used by local
residents in the area for drinking. Based on the sensitivity criteria Table 6.7,
ground water resource is assessed as Medium.

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Impact Significance

Surface water abstraction

About 600 m3/hr of water will be abstracted for the Jamuna River for the
proposed plant. This may result in:

• Reduced availability of water to downstream users;

• Affect the sustainability of the Project due to non a-availability of water in
lean season;
• Result in changes in to the morphology of the adjacent Channel; and
• Cause ecological effects.

A study carried out by the Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) in Feb 2013 1
concluded that the total amount of water required for the power plant is
insignificant when compared to the lowest discharge during lean flow period.
Based on the last 15 years data of water flow in the River Jamuna as recorded
by BWDB, minimum flow of the River was measured as 7,332,552 m3/hr on 5th
March 2013. Whereas the proposed water requirement of the Sirajganj 4
project is about 600 m3/hr. This amount is only 0.008% of the lean season flow
of the Jamuna River in Sirajganj and hence, the amount of intake is negligible
in the context of River Jamuna. Furthermore, the study conducted by IWM
also revealed that the minimum discharge of the channel near West Guide
Bund (WGB) is about 745 m3/s and the maximum char extent between the
channel and WGB is around 910 m at intake location and 1040 m after 250 m
downstream. Considering the lean season flow of the channel near intake
location, the water intake is of the order of 0.02%. Considering the lean season
water availability in the River Jamuna as well as the channel near WGB, it is
evident that the amount of water intake is negligible in the context of water
availability in the River/ Channel. The amount of intake is also incapable of
changing the morphology of the right channel.

The EIA study Report of NWPGCL’s Sirajganj 2 (proposed 225 MW CCPP)

prepared by Engineer’s Associates Limited, May 2014 states that its existing
plant uses 600 m3/hr from ground water and the proposed Sirajganj 2 project
would use a similar quantity of 600 m3/hr from ground water. At present,
source of water for Sirajganj 3 project is not known and it has been assumed
that the project will also use ground water with similar quantity of 600 m3/hr.
So there would not be any impact on surface water due to abstraction from
these NWPGCL’s plants on the river Jamuna.

Therefore based on the impact magnitude criteria described in Table 6.8 and
referring to above discussion, the impact of water abstraction on river Jamuna
for the proposed plant would be negligible.

1 The study was carried out by IWM on behalf of LANCO Power International Pte Ltd for the proposed project.

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Impact Impact from Surface Water Abstraction
Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Downstream of Jamuna River and Project area

Frequency Throughout Operation Phase

Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

Water Pollution from Wastewater Discharge

Approximately 74.4 m3/hr of effluent will be discharged from the plant to the
southern boundary of the plant on land in the upstream of adjacent Channel
after treatment. The sources of liquid effluent generation in the Plant include:

• Oily effluents from Steam turbine building, Combustion turbine building,

Transformer yard of CTG and STG, Compressor and CCW pump house,
Emergency DG set area, HSD Storage Tank Farm;
• HRSG blow down;
• Sampling rack waste;
• CTG auxiliary CTBD;
• CTG washing;
• HRSG washing;
• Filters (service water filtration plant) back wash; and
• CW side stream filter backwash.

Theses discharges may have a direct impact on the water quality which in
turn would have ecological implications.

As discussed in Section 6.5.4 and in the water balance (Figure 3.11) all the
wastewater generated at various areas of the Project will be segregated at the
source of generation according to their type. Similar wastewater types will be
collected at one point before treatment and then treated to meet the
requirements for disposal or reuse as per the GOB Environment Conservation
Rule (1997) Schedule 10 (Standards for Waste from Industrial Units or Project
Waste) and the applicable World Bank Group environmental requirements
(which ever more stringent).

In order to assess the impact of existing discharges from Sirajganj 1 power

plant, monitoring of discharges at the outfall location and at mixing zone
(where the discharge water mixes with temporarily stagnant water, which
seeps into the ground or gets evaporated during the non-monsoon season) on
the eastern boundary were being monitored in June 2015. The results of on-
site water quality testing are presented in Table 6.36.

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Table 6.36 On-site Water Quality Test Results of S1 Discharge

Date Time Location Temperature pH TDS

02 June 2015 12:30 PM S1 Discharge 34.8°C 8.73 490 mg/L
Point
12:40 PM At Mixing 34.2°C 8.70 490 mg/L
Zone
02 June 2015 6:30 PM S1 Discharge 32.0°C 8.87 470 mg/L
Point
6:40 PM At Mixing 30.9°C 8.83 480 mg/L
Zone
03 June 2015 9:45 AM S1 Discharge 32.9°C 8.77 470 mg/L
Point
9:57 AM At mixing 32.8°C 8.73 480 mg/L
zone
10:05 AM 50 m 31.8°C 8.75 440 mg/L
downstream
Source: ERM

The above table clearly indicates that the discharges from S1 plant for TDS are
below 500 mg/L, as against limit of 2,100 mg/L defined for discharge of
effluent on inland surface water and on land for irrigation in the “Schedule 10 -
Standard for Waste from Industrial Units or Projects Waste” of the ECR, 1997. It
was also been observed that the maximum discharge temperature was
recorded as 34.8°C and at mixing zone, the temperature of the water reduces
to about 34.2°C. pH was also observed well within the limit of 6 – 9. During
the monsoon period (1-2 months), the discharge location gets connected with
the adjacent channel, which provides sufficient dilution to the discharge
water.

Review of geo-technical data collected for Sirajganj 2 Project also reveals that
(a) The soil is mostly silty sand and fine sand in all the bore logs with some
small layers of silty and clayey sand in a couple bore logs, which indicates that
the soil profile is porous in nature and is good for water percolation; (b) Soil
permeability coefficient is in the range of 10 to 15 m/day, which is as per soil
permeability classes represent “very rapid” soil permeability class (i.e. > 6
m/day); (c) Shallow ground water depth is about 8 m from the Saidabad
Power Generation Complex and will be about 4 to 5 m from the water
discharge locations during dry season. There was no infiltration test
conducted as part of the geo-tech investigation, however, the these points do
indicate that soil properties are favorable for water percolation on the soil
during dry season.

In addition, instrumentation will be used to monitor the Plant’s compliance

with discharge limits. In the event that effluent discharge is detected above
the effluent discharge limit criteria, isolation valves will automatically close
and stop the discharge. The overall impact to the surface water quality with
the treatment prior to disposal on land and based on the results of the
Sirajganj 1 project and magnitude criteria described in Table 6.8 is assessed as
negligible.

Impact Wastewater Discharge

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Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
On land in the upstream of adjoin Channel during non-monsoon
Impact Scale
season and in the channel during monsoon season (about 2 months).
Frequency Not Applicable
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

Secondary Impacts on Aquatic Flora and Fauna due to Discharge of Cooling Water
Water is mainly required for cooling purposes in the project which will be
sourced from Jamuna River and discharged after primary treatment. The
discharged effluent characteristic shall be in accordance to GOB Environment
Conservation Rule (1997) Schedule 10 (Standards for Waste from Industrial
Units or Project Waste). The project has a raw water requirement of the order
of about 600 m3/hr, whereas the outfall is expected to be 74.4 m3/hr. The
cooling tower blow down and other treated effluent generated from boiler
blow down, effluent treatment plant and DM plant will be discharged on land
in the southern boundary of the project site during non-monsoon period and
on channel containing water in the monsoon period (refer to Box 6.4 for
location of discharge point). This discharge will be having about <3°C of
intake water temperature at the outlet of condenser. Dispersants and
algaecides will have to be added in the cooling water to prevent fouling of the
heat exchangers and piping. It is proposed to used non-toxic and heavy metal
base free dispersants and algaecides in the project.

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Box 6.4 Discharge Locations of S1 and S4

Discharge location of Sirajganj 1 Project

Proposed location of Treated Wastewater Discharge of Sirajganj 4 Project

Since, the project will not have any direct discharge into the Jamuna River or
Channel during non-monsoon season and during monsoon season the water
will be available in abundance in the Channel to provide sufficient dilution
and hence, the impact of the discharge on aquatic flora and fauna is
considered as negligible.

Impact Discharge of Cooling water due to operation of Power Plant

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced

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Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Outfall point in the southern boundary of the Project

Frequency Operation Phase

Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

Mitigation Measures
The following mitigation measures are suggested to minimize the impact on
river water quality;

• Monitoring of temperature at the discharge point at a frequency of every

15 days;
• Discharge system shutdown in event that discharge temperature of
effluent exceeds standard;
• Efforts to be made to increase the cycle of concentration to reduce the
volume of blow down and consequently the volume of make-up water
required by the cooling tower.
• Storm water drainage and waste water of similar nature from different
units will be treated in accordance to GOB Environment Conservation Rule
(1997) Schedule 10 (Standards for Waste from Industrial Units or Project Waste).
• In the unlikely event water percolation does not occur as expected,
SNWPCL could rely on temporary solutions such as to engage a sub-
contractor to use the portable pumps & hoses to evacuate this water to the
river or dry canal, thereby allowing a larger surface area for the water to
percolate.
• SNWPCL will monitor the wastewater discharge and if water stagnation if
observed to persist continuously over an extended period of [12-18]
months, then SNWPCL will evaluate permanent solutions to resolve the
issue. However if the water stagnation is observed to occur for only part of
the year, then the temporary solution should suffice.

Impact due to Groundwater Abstraction

Groundwater abstraction at the Plant will be undertaken for drinking water
purposes only. The quantity of groundwater abstraction will be 4-5 m3/day.

A license for groundwater abstraction well installation will be sought from the
Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla Parishad prior to installation. The quantity of
groundwater abstracted and associated draw down will be monitored.
Arsenic concentration is also reported in ground water tube well in the Project
AOI though the samples analysed were within limits. It has been proposed in
the project to have water treatment facility for potable water, which will also
have the provision for arsenic removal.

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With the operational control measures in place, the small number of
operational staff at the site and the nearness to the Jamuna River, the
magnitude of impact to groundwater depletion in the area as a result of
abstraction is considered to be low. Any impact would be short term,
reversible and localised in nature. Based on Magnitude criteria described in
Table 5.8, the overall significance is therefore assessed as negligible.

Impact Impact from Ground Water Abstraction

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Project site and vicinity

Frequency Throughout operations phase for potable purpose

Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor Sensitivity Low Medium High
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

Groundwater contamination
There is a risk of impacts to groundwater quality from the storage and
handling of hazardous materials in the Project AOI. The hazardous materials
to be stored at the site will include acids, ammonia, diesel fuel, maintenance
oils and lubricants, hydrazine hydrate etc. for the water treatment plant,
process plant operation, and the laboratory. The maximum volume stored
will be 2 tonnes each of hydrochloric acid, caustic lye. The hazardous
materials will be stored in a dedicated room at the water treatment plant area.
HSD to be used as secondary fuel for power generation will be stored in two
tanks with capacity equivalent to 15 days operation at 80% output on HSD.
Diesel for emergency DG sets will be stored in above ground oil tanks located
in the vicinity of the Black Start DGs and Emergency DG set. The storage
arrangements will include secondary containment measures and spill kits for
spillage control. Given the control measures which will be implemented
during operations, and adequate training of operational staff in spill response
measures, the impact to groundwater from the plant operations is assessed as
minor.

Impact Groundwater contamination

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Project Footprint Area

Likelihood Unlikely
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large

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 Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered minor.

Mitigation Measures
Other mitigation measures which will be adopted to reduce impacts on water
quality to As Low as Reasonably Practicable are as follows:

• For minimising use of antifouling and corrosion inhibiting chemicals

appropriate depth of water intake will be maintained and use of screens
will be ensured;
• Minimum required quantities of chlorinated biocides or alternatively
intermittent shot dosing of chlorine will be practised rather than
continuous low level feed;
• Waste storage areas will be equipped with secondary containment and
spill control measures (similar to the hazardous material storage areas) to
limit impact to ground;
• Liquid wastes such as waste oil, etc. will be collected and stored for
recycling in cemented areas; and
• All drainage/tanks, etc. will be positioned on concrete hard standing to
prevent any seepage into ground.

6.6.3 Air Quality

Operation of Sirajganj-4 Project

Sources of Impact
The Project includes dual fuel fired combined cycle power plant (CCPP),
consisting of 1 GT, 1 HRSG and 1 ST. As indicated in the Project Schedule, the
simple cycle plant will be ready for operation by 24th month from the start of
construction, whereas the combined cycle plant will be operational by 30th
month from the start of construction.

The GT will be equipped with a set of dampers which will allow the turbine to
operate in simple-cycle or combined-cycle mode. The bypass damper will
control the flow through the bypass or simple-cycle stack, and the isolation
damper will control flow through the HRSG. During start-up operations as
well as during simple cycle operation, the isolation damper will be closed;
preventing flue gas flow through the HRSG, and the bypass damper will be
open, allowing flue gas to exit through the bypass stack. Once the turbine has
completed start-up procedures the isolation damper will be opened and the
bypass damper will be closed redirecting flue gas flow through the HRSG. The
hot flue gas will heat boiler feed water to produce steam, which will be used
to drive a steam turbine to produce more electricity in combined cycle
operation. In the combined cycle operations, the flue gas will be allowed to
exit through the main stack.

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 Taking the above operational conditions into consideration, two scenarios
each for natural gas and HSD as fuel, were modelled as part of the impact
assessment on air quality due to the Project (Table 6.37).

Table 6.37 Modelling Scenarios for Air Quality Impact Assessment

Fuel Scenario Description

Natural Gas 1 Plant running in simple cycle (During initial 6-months of Plant
(Primary Fuel) Operation and during start-up)
2 Plant running in combined cycle (During normal operations after
commission of combined cycle system)
HSD 1 Plant running in simple cycle (During initial 6-months of Plant
(Secondary Operation and during start-up)
Fuel)* 2 Plant running in combined cycle (During normal operations after
commission of combined cycle system)
* In case of HSD, plant load factor (PLF) will be not more than 50%, as the fuel supply infrastructure is
limited to supplying HSD for 50% PLF. However, in order to consider worst case scenario, the plant
availability has been considered as 78% time of the year as 100%, 6% time of the year as 70% and 6%
time of the year as 40% in line with the RFP requirement.

The operation of the plant with natural gas as fuel in simple/ combined cycle
will generate flue gas emissions containing NOx and CO. Emissions of SO2 are
likely to be negligible, as natural gas typically has a very low sulphur level (as
per the natural gas specifications for the Project). Particulate emissions are
likely to be negligible; as natural gas is a gaseous fuel (there is no
supplementary fuel to be used in the GT). It is noted however that particulate
emissions (<1 µm diameter) in the form of un-burnt hydrocarbons and
Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) such as benzene and formaldehyde, may
be released if poor air/fuel mixing and the incomplete combustion of the fuel
source occurs. However, operation of the plant with HSD as fuel in simple/
combined cycle will generate flue gas emissions containing NOx, SO2, PM and
CO.

Summary of Emission Sources and Emission Rates

The emission source during the operation of the Plant will be either the bypass
stack (simple cycle operation) or main stack (combined cycle operation).
Emissions from each stack based on the simple/ combined cycle operation
along with stack parameters depending upon the fuel are presented in Table
6.38 and Table 6.39, respectively.

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Table 6.38 Emission Parameters for the Power Plant with Natural Gas as Fuel

Stack UTM Co-ordinates* (m) Emission Concentration Emission Rate

Stack Height (m)* 1

Temperature (°C)
Volumetric Flow
NOx CO NOx CO

Stack Internal

Velocity (m/s)
Diameter (m)
Flue Gas Exit

Rate (Nm3/s)
Easting Northing

Flue Gas

mg/Nm3

mg/Nm3
ppm

ppm

(g/s)

(g/s)
Bypass Stack (Stack 1) 2 778276 2699681 45 5 40 570 255 25 51 100 125 13 32
Main Stack (Stack 2) 778278 2699632 72.3 6 25 110 504 25 51 100 125 26 63
* UTM Zone - 45
Note: During the plant operation, only one of the two stacks will be functional based on the simple/ combined cycle operation.
Stack parameters are as provided by Sembcorp.

Table 6.39 Emission Parameters for the Power Plant with HSD as Fuel

Stack Internal Diameter Emission Concentration Emission Rate

Flue Gas Temperature

Flue Gas Exit Velocity

Volumetric Flow Rate

Stack Height (m)

NOx SO2 PM10 CO NOx SO2 PM10 PM2.5* CO

(Nm3/s)
(m/s)

(°C)
(m)

Stack

mg/Nm3

mg/Nm3
kg/hr
ppm

ppm

(g/s)

(g/s)

(g/s)

(g/s)

(g/s)
Bypass Stack (Stack 1) 45 5 40 570 255 74 152 237.44 50 100 39 66 12.8 11.52 113
Main Stack (Stack 2) 72.3 6 25 110 504 74 152 237.44 50 100 77 66 25.2 22.68 108
Note: During the plant operation, only one of the two stacks will be functional based on the simple/ combined cycle operation.
Stack parameters are as provided by Sembcorp.
* PM2.5 fraction of particulate matter varies from 80 – 90% and it has been considered as 90% of total PM

1 Stack height has been calculated based on average SO2 emission rate of 237.44 kg/hr in case of use of HSD as fuel.

2 The bypass stack shall only be used continuously during the 6 months of simple cycle operations upon COD of combined cycle operations. After which, the plant will be running in combined cycle

mode continuously. During planned maintenance of the ST, the plant will not be running as typically the GT will also be on planned maintenance.

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 Criteria

For the assessment of air quality, the sensitivity and magnitude criteria
outlined in Table 6.9 and Table 6.40, respectively have been used. The
standards considered for assessment of potential impacts to air quality, are
Schedule 11 ECR, 1997 of the GOB (Table 2.7),

Table 6.40 Criteria for Impact Magnitude for Assessment of Impact to Air Quality
(Operation Phase)

Magnitude Negligible Small Medium Large

Criteria
Air Quality • Project • Project • Project • Project
change in contribution < contribution > contribution > contribution >
undegraded 25% of AQS 25% of AQS 25% of AQS 50% of AQS
airshed (Baseline but < 50% of but < 50% of but < 100% of
< applicable air AQS; and AQS; and AQS; and
quality standard Predicted Predicted Predicted
(AQS)) environmenta environmenta environmenta
l l l
concentration concentration concentration
< 100% of >100% of >100% of
AQS AQS; or AQS; or
• Project • Project
contribution > contribution
50% of AQS > 100% of
but < 100% of
AQS
AQS; and
Predicted
environmenta
l
concentration
<100% of
AQS;
Air Quality • Project • Project • Project • Project
change in contribution contribution > contribution > contribution >
degraded airshed < 10% of 10% of AQS 15% of AQS 25% of AQS
(Baseline > AQS) and < 15% of and < 25% of
AQS
AQS AQS

Receptors

From the landuse analysis and field study, it is clear that most of the land
surrounding the Project site is agricultural/fallow land on the north and west
sides and plantations done by the BBA on their land on the north eastern side.
On the immediate east exists vacant land for two proposed 225 MW dual fuel
based combined cycle power plant (Sirajganj 2 and Sirajganj 3) and existing
225 MW NWPGCL power plant (Sirajganj 1) followed by a Channel, char
lands and Jamuna River. The immediate south of the Project site has barren
land followed by a dried channel and char/waste lands. A few (3-4) scattered
huts are located on the west side about 200-220 m from the Project site
boundary and few settlements are located along the access road. The main
village settlements (Panchosona and Khas Bara Shimul) start at about 400 m
away from the Project site boundary on the west and north-west side. It has
further been noted that the area on the western and southern part of the
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Saidabad Power Generation Complex is currently being acquired for
development of an export processing zone (EPZ) by the Government of
Bangladesh. However, details of type of industries planned were not available
at the time of this assessment.

As can be referred from Table 6.9 and above discussion, the human receptors
were assessed to be of Medium sensitivity, whereas ecological receptors were
considered as of Low sensitivity.

Prediction of Impacts
Impacts due to the operation of the plant were assessed by modelling
projected emission rates (Table 6.38 and Table 6.39) using the AMS/EPA
Regulatory Model (AERMOD). AERMOD is a modelling system consisting of
three separate modules: AERMET, AERMAP and AERMOD. AERMET is a
meteorological pre-processor and uses hourly surface observations, cloud
cover, and upper air parameters from twice-daily vertical sampling of the
atmosphere to create two output files consisting of surface and vertical profile
data, respectively. The terrain pre-processor AERMAP uses DEM maps as
well as user generated receptor grids. AERMAP’s output file consists of the x,
y locations of each receptor, mean sea level (MSL) elevation and hill profile
parameters. The hill profile parameter is used in determining plume flow
around elevated terrain.

Model Options: The AERMOD model was run with the following regulatory
default options in this assessment:
• Stack-tip downwash;
• Elevated terrain effects;
• Use of calms processing routine;
• Use of missing data processing routine; and
• No exponential decay

The area surrounding the Project site has one operational 150 MW SCGT of
NWPGCL and scattered rural settlements in the surroundings. Based on this,
the Project site and its surroundings have been considered as rural area, and
therefore, the rural dispersion coefficient was used in the Model.

Meteorological Data: The input meteorological data for the AERMOD was
generated using the MM5 model, which was downscaled to fine grid data
suitable for modelling. The data used in the study was site specific and was
collected over one year period (2012). In all there were 8760 hours of
meteorological data used in the model. This quantity of data allows an
adequate assessment of hourly, 8-hourly, daily and annual average pollutant
concentrations around the Project site.

Terrain Data: Terrain data for the AERMAP model were taken from the 90 m
SRTM database, while land cover data was sourced from satellite imagery of
the Project site and its surroundings.

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 Receptors: The receptor grid or network, defined the locations of predicted
ground level concentrations (GLCs) used to assess compliance with the
relevant standards or guidelines. The following comprehensive fine and
coarse receptor network was used for this analysis:
• 50 m spaced receptors from the project boundary up to 2.5 km; and
• CartEIAn receptors located within the study area, where baseline
monitoring was carried out during the study period.

This network used CartEIAn (X, Y) receptors with UTM coordinates. Base
elevation of all the receptors were found using terrain elevations interpolated
from SRTM (~90 m) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data. The discrete
CartEIAn receptor locations are shown in Figure 6.15 and details have been
presented in Table 6.41:

Figure 6.15 Receptor Network and Emission Sources

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Table 6.41 Monitoring Locations with respect to the Project

S. Name of UTM Co-ordinates* (m) Distance from Direction

No. monitoring Easting Northing Elevation Project from Project
location Boundary (km) Area
1 Project Site 778201 2699830 16 Inside -
(AQ1)
2 Near Access 777785 2700710 17 0.95 N
Road (AQ2)
3 Punorbason 776896 2699843 15 0.75 NW
Village (AQ3)
4 Radhunibari 776041 2697441 15 3.00 SW
Village (AQ4)
* UTM Zone - 45

Modelling Results
Predicted maximum ground level concentrations within the Project AOI with
natural gas and HSD as fuel are presented in Table 6.42. While conducting the
air dispersion modelling with HSD as fuel, it has been considered that the
plant will run as peaking power plant with peak load factor of 50% only.

It is evident from Table 6.42 that the maximum ground level concentration
(maximum baseline concentration + predicted maximum concentration) in the
Project AOI with natural gas as fuel will be well within the applicable
standards for air quality in both the scenarios. Furthermore, using the
determination of magnitude criteria (Table 6.40), it is evident that the project
contribution for all the pollutants considered in the modelling study is < 25%
of the applicable air quality standard. Therefore, the impact magnitude due to
the operation of Sirajganj 4 project is assessed to be negligible.

On this basis, the potential air quality impacts due to the operation of the
Plant by using natural gas as fuel are predicted to be negligible.

Impact Ambient Air Quality (by use of natural gas as fuel for power generation)
Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Maximum impact zone within 2 km from project boundary in the
Impact Scale
downwind direction
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

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Table 6.42 Predicted Concentrations at Receptors due to Operation of Sirajganj 4 Project - Scenario 1 and 2 with Gas and HSD as Fuel

Max. Background Concentration Total Concentration (Predicted + Background)

Predicted Concentration (µg/m3) Banglades
Pollut (µg/m3)* (µg/m3)
Scenario Average h Standard
ant
(µg/m3)
Max AQ1 AQ2 AQ3 AQ4 Max AQ1 AQ2 AQ3 AQ4 Max AQ1 AQ2 AQ3 AQ4

NOx 1-hourly 3.82 1.64 2.68 2.3 2.64 - - - - - - - - - - -

24-hourly 0.99 0.35 0.95 0.35 0.38 20.9 20.9 20.8 13.3 20.6 21.89 21.25 21.75 13.65 20.98 -
Sirajganj
4 (SCGT)
Annual 0.19 0.1 0.16 0.07 0.06 - - - - - - - - - - 100
with Gas
as Fuel CO 1-hourly 9.41 4.03 6.61 5.66 6.5 - - - - - - - - - - 40000

8-hourly 5.99 2.2 5.57 2.32 2.64 2300 2300 2300 1150 1150 2305.99 2302.2 2305.57 1152.32 1152.64 10000

NOx 1-hourly 14.45 8.5 9.67 11.5 9.03 - - - - - - - - - - -

24-hourly 3.58 1.58 3.53 1.72 1.06 20.9 20.9 20.8 13.3 20.6 24.48 22.48 24.33 15.02 21.66 -
Sirajganj
4 (CCGT)
Annual 0.81 0.37 0.69 0.29 0.18 - - - - - - - - - - 100
with Gas
as Fuel CO 1-hourly 35 20.6 23.42 27.86 21.89 - - - - - - - - - - 40000

8-hourly 21.91 10.37 19.66 11.27 7.31 2300 2300 2300 1150 1150 2321.91 2310.37 2319.66 1161.27 1157.31 10000

NOx 1-hourly 11.46 4.91 8.05 6.9 7.92 - - - - - - - - - - -

24-hourly 2.98 1.04 2.86 1.04 1.13 20.9 20.9 20.8 13.3 20.6 23.88 21.94 23.66 14.34 21.73 -

Annual 0.56 0.29 0.47 0.21 0.17 - - - - - - - - - - 100

SO2 24-hourly 3.01 1.05 2.9 1.06 1.41 7.2 5.7 7.2 2.9 3.6 10.21 6.75 10.1 3.96 5.01 365

Sirajganj Annual 0.57 0.29 0.48 0.22 0.17 - - - - - - - - - - 80

4 (SCGT)
with PM2.5 24-hourly 0.88 0.31 0.84 0.31 0.33 24.8 22.7 24.8 19.1 22.6 25.68 23.01 25.64 19.41 22.93 65
HSD as
Fuel Annual 0.17 0.09 0.14 0.06 0.05 - - - - - - - - - - 15

PM10 24-hourly 0.98 0.34 0.94 0.34 0.37 145.8 145.8 142.8 118.7 113.5 146.78 146.14 143.74 119.04 113.87 150

Annual 0.18 0.1 0.16 0.07 0.06 - - - - - - - - - - 50

CO 1-hourly 33.21 14.22 23.34 19.98 22.95 - - - - - - - - - - 40000

8-hourly 21.15 7.78 19.69 8.19 9.32 2300 2300 2300 1150 1150 2321.15 2307.78 2319.69 1158.19 1159.32 10000

Sirajganj NOx 1-hourly 42.78 25.18 28.63 34.05 26.76 - - - - - - - - - - ---

4 (CCGT)
with 24-hourly 10.6 4.68 10.46 5.08 3.13 20.9 20.9 20.8 13.3 20.6 31.5 25.58 31.26 18.38 23.73 ---

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 Max. Background Concentration Total Concentration (Predicted + Background) Banglades
Predicted Concentration (µg/m3)
Pollut (µg/m3)* (µg/m3)
Scenario Average h Standard
ant
(µg/m3)
Max AQ1 AQ2 AQ3 AQ4 Max AQ1 AQ2 AQ3 AQ4 Max AQ1 AQ2 AQ3 AQ4
HSD as
Annual 2.39 1.1 2.05 0.87 0.52 - - - - - - - - - - 100
Fuel
SO2 24-hourly 9.08 4.01 8.97 4.36 2.68 7.2 5.7 7.2 2.9 3.6 16.28 9.71 16.17 7.26 6.28 365

Annual 2.05 0.94 1.75 0.74 0.45 - - - - - - - - - - 80

PM10 24-hourly 3.47 1.53 3.42 1.66 1.02 145.8 145.8 142.8 118.7 113.5 149.27 147.33 146.22 120.36 114.52 150

Annual 0.78 0.36 0.67 0.28 0.17 - - - - - - - - - - 50

PM2.5 24-hourly 3.12 1.38 3.08 1.5 0.92 24.8 22.7 24.8 19.1 22.6 27.92 24.08 27.88 20.6 23.52 65

Annual 0.71 0.32 0.6 0.26 0.15 - - - - - - - - - - 15

CO 1-hourly 60.01 35.31 40.15 47.76 37.53 - - - - - - - - - - ---

8-hourly 37.57 17.77 33.7 19.32 12.53 2300 2300 2300 1150 1150 2337.57 2317.77 2333.7 1169.32 1162.53 10000

* Refer to Table 4.16

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While using HSD as fuel, the maximum ground level concentrations
(maximum baseline concentration + predicted maximum concentration) of
PM10, PM2.5, NOx, SO2 and CO will be within the applicable standard and
overall project contribution will be < 25% of the applicable standard.
Therefore, using the determination of magnitude criteria (Table 6.40), the
impact magnitude due to the operation of Sirajganj 4 project is assessed to be
negligible. It shall be noted that the Project will be using natural gas as
primary fuel and HSD will only be used in case of non-availability of natural
gas from GTCL. Furthermore, in the event of a gas supply failure, the facility
will not automatically switch to HSD as the decision rests with BPDB whether
to operate the Plant on HSD or to pay capacity charges for the period of gas
outage.

On this basis, the potential air quality impacts due to the operation of the
Plant by using HSD as fuel are predicted to be negligible.

Impact Ambient Air Quality (by use of HSD as fuel for power generation)
Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Maximum impact zone within 2 km from project boundary in the
Impact Scale
downwind direction
Likelihood Possible
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

The concentration isopleths of NOx, SO2, PM10, PM2.5 and CO for different
averaging periods without baseline concentrations for Simple Cycle
operations have been presented in Annex N1 and for Combined Cycle
operations have been presented in Annex N2

Mitigation Measures
To ensure compliance with the air emission criteria for flue gas stacks, the
following measures will be implemented during operations:
• The use of continuous emission monitoring (CEM) equipment for the
measurement of air emission levels in the exhaust stack of HRSG. CEM
will be undertaken for NOx, SO2, CO and O2;
• PM2.5 and VOCs will be monitored periodically, to ensure that these
emissions are not occurring as a result of the incomplete burning of the
natural gas fuel and use of HSD as fuel.
• The stack will be provided with safe access to sampling points for CEM.
• HSD shall be used only during shortage of natural gas supply.

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6.6.4 Green House Gas Emissions

The Kyoto Protocol – United Nations Framework Convention on Climate

Change nominates the following GHGs:
• Carbon dioxide (CO2);
• Methane (CH4);
• Nitrous Oxide (N2O);
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs); and
• Perfluorocarbons (PFCs).

Inventories of GHG emissions can be calculated using published emission

factors. Different gases have different greenhouse warming effects (referred to
as warming potentials) and emission factors take into account the global
warming potentials of the gases created during combustion.

Typically, greenhouse gas emissions are reported in units of carbon dioxide

equivalent (CO2e). Gases are converted to CO2e by multiplying by the gas'
global warming potential (GWP). The GWP of gases are as follows 1:
• GWP for CO2 = 1
• GWP for CH4 = 21
• GWP for N2O = 310

When the global warming potentials are applied to the estimated emissions
then the resulting estimate is referred in terms of CO2-equivalent (CO2e)
emissions.

Operation of Sirajganj 4 Project

GHG Estimation and Impact

The combustion of natural gas produces GHGs. The amount of GHGs emitted
by a power plant is a measure of its contribution to global warming and can
be estimated based on fuel consumption. In order to estimate GHG emissions,
the IFC recommended Carbon Emission Estimation Tool (CEET model –
Version February 2014) 2 has been used as set out below.

Table 6.43 Estimated GHG Emissions from the Plant

SN Particular Value Unit

A* Net Heat Rate (Natural Gas in Combined Cycle) 7,278 KJ/KWH
B* Gross Generation Capacity (Combined Cycle) 427,180 KW
C Operating Days 330 days
D Daily Operating Hours 24 Hours/day
E Total Annual Output (= B x C x D) 3,383,265,600 KWH

(1) 1 Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (1995), Second Assessment Report

http://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/Topics_Ext_Content/IFC_External_Corporate_Site/CB_Home/Measuring+Repo
rting/

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SN Particular Value Unit
F Annual Fuel Consumption (= E x A) 2.46234 x KJ
1013
24,623.407 TJ
G* GHG Emission Rates
CO2 56.1 tCO2/TJ
CH4 0.001 tCO2/TJ
N2O 0.003 tCO2/TJ
H Annual GHG Emission in Combined Cycle 1,404,790 tCO2e/year
* Based on natural gas specification provided by Sembcorp (refer to Table 3.1 for details).
** Based on GHG emission factors provided in CEET

As per the latest report (26 December 2012) of GHG emission submitted by
Bangladesh to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) 1, electricity generation sector contribution to GHG emission in
year 2005 was 1.192 x 107 tons CO2e and projection of aggregate GHG
emissions using LEAP modelling program indicates that the annual GHG
emissions from this sector in year 2020 and 2030 will be 2.752 x 107 tons CO2e
and 5.9168 x 107 tons CO2e, respectively. Taking this into consideration, GHG
emission contribution of the proposed Project in the year 2020 will be 5.1% of
the electricity generation sector in Bangladesh. Considering this fact, the GHG
emission impact will be moderate.

Impact GHG emissions from operation of Sirajganj 4 project

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional National
Impact Scale Impact zone will be regional/ national

Frequency Operation Phase

Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered moderate.

Mitigation Measures
The following mitigation measures will minimise GHG emissions to ALARP
levels:
• Consituous monitoring and recording of CO2 emission from the stacks
through CEMS.
• Ensure that all equipment and machinery is maintained in accordance
with manufacturer’s specifications;
• Higher efficiency steam turbine blade design; and
• Improved efficiency of auxiliary drives.

1 http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/bgdnc2.pdf

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6.6.5 Noise

Operation of Sirajganj-4 Project

Sources of Impact
For gas/oil-fired power plants, the major noise sources during base load
operation are the air-cooled condenser (ACC) or cooling tower, steam turbine
generator (STG), combustion inlet filter house, and the exhaust stack or heat
recovery steam generator (HRSG). During start-up or other transient
conditions in combined cycle configurations, the high-pressure steam piping
and condenser is a major noise producer, with steam bypassing the STG. The
combustion turbine and generator (CTG) are typically housed in acoustical
enclosures, thereby dropping their respective noise source ranking. Other
balance-of-plant (BOP) equipment also generates noise. The cumulative effects
of fuel gas compressors, air compressor skids, boiler feed water pumps, lube
oil coolers, and other equipment may affect far-field noise levels.

Noise and vibration from the Project will be mitigated through engineering
control and wherever possible high noise equipment will be enclosed in noise-
proofed buildings that effectively contain the noise. The engineering noise
control measures with respect to key project components are specified below:

Combustion Turbine: High noise levels originate in the air inlet and flue gas
exhaust. Strong pure tonal components are associated with the inlet while the
exhaust results in high levels of low frequency noise. Specially designed
silencers are provided to control such noise emissions to acceptable levels.

HRSG: Venting of steam will occur during HRSG start up and blowdowns.
This is routinely controlled by suitable silencers. Boiler safety valves are tested
on an annual basis. Outside of such testing, operation of safety valves will
occur for very short periods under fault conditions. They will be fitted with
silencers but will be audible outside the plant. Owing to their safety function it
is not possible to totally abate noise from such high temperature/high volume
sources.

Steam Turbine: The steam turbine, together with a range of auxiliary plant,
much of which contains rotating or reciprocating machines, is a source of
noise. This is attenuated by acoustic lagging and enclosure and by the acoustic
design of the turbine house.

Gas Release: When it is required to purge the gas pipelines and gas
compressor, gas will be vented to the atmosphere. This will last for a short
period and may result in slightly increased noise levels.

Transformers: Fans on generator and other large transformers are provided

for cooling purposes. The transformers themselves may emit noise at
multiples of the power line frequency (50 Hz) but are treated to minimise
noise emission and will be inaudible at the site boundary.

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 Substation and Transmission Lines: Transmission lines can also generate a
small amount of sound energy (a crackling or humming sound) as a result of
corona 1. It becomes more noticeable at higher voltages (345 kV and higher). As
the existing transmission line is of 230 kV, no corona is heard in vicinity of the
transmission line.

Criteria
It is planned that the Project will meet the noise emission criteria specified in
the GOB ECR, 1997, as presented in Table 2.10. Furthermore, for the
assessment of ambient noise, the sensitivity and magnitude criteria outlined in
Table 6.12 and Table 6.13, respectively have been used:

Table 6.44 Noise Emission Criteria

Location Noise Level Limit (dB(A)

Daytime (0600 – 2100 hrs) Night-time (2100 – 0600 hrs)
Equipment (1m from source) 85 85
Plant Boundary 70 70
Nearest Residential Area 55 45

Receptors
The nearest noise receptor is located 200-220 m from the Project boundary in
the western side, whereas other settlements are located about 400 m away
from the Project boundary. As can be referred from Table 6.12 and above
discussion, the receptors within the Saidabad Power Generation Complex as
well as the ecological receptors were assessed to be of Low sensitivity,
whereas the human settlements in the surrounding areas (residential areas)
were assessed to be of Medium sensitivity.

Prediction of Impacts
Methodology: The environmental noise prediction model SoundPLAN 7.2
was used for modelling noise emissions from the use of power plant
equipment and vehicular movement in the access road. It has been assumed
that all the plant equipment will adhere to the equipment noise emission
criteria of 85 dB(A) noise level at a distance of 1 m from the source. Operation
of equipment with 100% usage scenario was modelled to cover the operation
phase of the Project. Major plant components with higher noise generation
considered in this study include GTG, STG, HRSG, Auxiliary Boiler, Cooling
Tower, CW Pump House, Emergency DG, Water Treatment Facility, Pump
House, RMS, and Gas Booster and Conditioning Station. As a conservative
approach to the assessment, atmospheric absorption during sound
transmission was not included in the assessment. In addition, to represent a
worst-case scenario for the assessment, all equipment was assumed to be

1Corona is the partial electrical breakdown of the insulating properties of air around the conductors of a transmission line.
In a small volume near the surface of the conductors, energy and heat are dissipated. Part of this energy is in the form of
small local pressure changes that result in audible noise.

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operating simultaneously. Attenuation due to already constructed boundary
wall of the Power Generation Complex has been considered in the modelling.

Predicted Noise Levels at Receptors: The predicted noise levels within the
Project AOI during day time are presented in Figure 6.16. Predicted noise
levels at twenty receptors (where baseline noise levels were also monitored,
which include eight receptors within or just outside the boundary of the
Saidabad complex) have been presented in Table 6.45. It is evident from the
predicted results that in the worst case scenario, the nearest receptor (220 m
from the western boundary of the Project site) will have a daytime noise level
of 55.8 dB(A) during the operation phase.

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Figure 6.16 Predicted Operation Phase Noise Levels of Sirajganj 4 Project during Daytime (Leq day)

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Table 6.45 Predicted Noise Levels at Noise Receptors during Operation Phase of Sirajganj 4 Project

Receptor Receptor Approximate Baseline Sound Predicted Sound Total Sound Applicable
Code Distance to Pressure Levels at Pressure Levels at Pressure Level Standard
Project Site Receptors, Leq Receptors, Leq (Baseline + (dB(A))(2) (3) as
Boundary (m) (dBA)(1) (dBA)(4) Predicted), Leq per Landuse
and Direction (dBA)
from Project Site Leq d* Leq n* Leq d Leq n Leq d Leq n Day Night

NQ1 Project Site

0 (-) 48.2 48.9 60.8 60.9 70 70
Boundary 60.6 60.6
NQ2 Khas Bara
220 (W) 48.9 42.5 49.7 45.3 55 45
Shimul 42.1 42.1
NQ3 Near Access
Road (MMS 665 (WNW) 47.0 42.4 47.2 42.9 55 45
Office) 32.8 32.8
NQ4 Access Road
near National 945 (WNW) 54.5 55.3 54.6 55.4 55 45
Highway 39.4 39.4
NQ5 Makimpur
3000 (SW) 52.8 42.6 52.8 42.8 55 45
village 28.3 28.3
NQ6 Punorbason
760 m (NW) 50.4 42.4 50.5 42.8 55 45
Village 32.3 32.3
NL1 Center of the
0 (-) 73.5 73.5 85 85
Project area 40.7 32.4 73.5 73.5
NL2 North-East
0 (-) 52.3 52.6 70 70
Corner 45.9 46.9 51.2 51.2
NL3 South side of
0 (-) 51.5 51.2 70 70
the Mosque 40.2 24.8 51.2 51.2
NL4 NWPGCL Jetty 140 m (E) 40.2 47.6 39.8 39.8 43.0 48.3 70 70
NL5 North-west
corner of the 0 (-) 51.1 49.9 70 70
boundary 47.7 44.5 48.4 48.4
NL6 Middle point
of the west
30 m (W) 56.2 55.9 70 70
side boundary
(outside) 48.0 45.1 55.5 55.5
NL7 South west
corner of the 0 (-) 59.2 59.3 70 70
boundary 39.5 40.6 59.2 59.2
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Receptor Receptor Approximate Baseline Sound Predicted Sound Total Sound Applicable
Code Distance to Pressure Levels at Pressure Levels at Pressure Level Standard
Project Site Receptors, Leq Receptors, Leq (Baseline + (dB(A))(2) (3) as
Boundary (m) (dBA)(1) (dBA)(4) Predicted), Leq per Landuse
and Direction (dBA)
from Project Site Leq d* Leq n* Leq d Leq n Leq d Leq n Day Night

NL8 In front of the

GTCL’s 0 (-) 50.9 51.2 70 70
quarter 46.8 47.5 48.8 48.8
NL9 Khas Bara
220 m (W) 55.8 46.9 55 45
Shimul village 55.6 45.2 42 42
NL10 Khas Bara
220 m (W) 53.3 52.6 55 45
Shimul village 47.3 43.5 52 52
NL11 Chak Boira
680 m (S) 46.8 41.7 55 45
Village 46.5 40.7 35 35
NL12 Chak Boira
840 m (SW) 46.5 41.1 55 45
Village 46.4 40.8 29.5 29.5
NL13 Bara Shimul
490 m (N) 46.0 44.6 55 45
village 44.6 42.6 40.3 40.3
NL14 Panchosona
560 m (W) 51.4 46.6 55 45
village 50.8 44.2 42.8 42.8
(1) Ambient noise levels as monitored during the baseline survey
(2) Environmental Conservation Rules, 1997 (Schedule 4) amended September 7, 2006
(4) All operations have been considered as continuous and hence there is no change in the day and night time prediction results.

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It is evident from Table 6.45 that ambient noise levels due to operation of
Sirajganj 4 project will be well within the applicable standard during day time
at 19 receptors and night time at 15 receptors, out of total 20 receptors
considered in the study. However, ambient noise level will be slightly higher
from applicable standard (with < 3 dBA increase from the applicable
standard) at 1 location (NL9) during daytime, which is primarily due to higher
background noise level recorded during the baseline study at that location
and the predicted noise level at that location is much lesser. Therefore, the
noise impact from S4 operations during day time is expected to be negligible.
Furthermore, noise levels at night time will be slightly higher than the
applicable standard (with < 3 dBA increase from the applicable standard) at 5
locations. Due to this the noise impact from operational activity during night
time is expected to be minor.

Impact Noise from Operation of Plant (Daytime)

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Maximum impact zone within 100 m from project boundary

Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large

Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

Impact Noise from Operation of Plant (Night time)

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Maximum impact zone within 100 m from project boundary

Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large

Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered minor.

Mitigation Measures
To mitigate operational noise impacts the detailed design specifications will
have the following measures in place:

• Selection of equipment with lower sound power levels (< 85 dB);

• Installation of mufflers on engine exhausts and compressor components;
• Installation of acoustic enclosures for equipment (e.g. gas turbine,
compressor) casing radiating noise;

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 • Buildings will be designed with improved acoustic performance and
sound insulation will be provided;
• Installation of acoustic barriers without gaps and with a continuous
minimum surface density in order to minimize the transmission of sound
through the barriers;
• Barriers will be located as close to the source ,as far as practicable, to be
effective;
• Installation of vibration isolation for mechanical equipment; and
• A noise analysis of all major plant components will be carried out during
commissioning of the plant to ensure compliance with the specification
and guaranteed performance as well as ambient noise levels at the
receptors located in the surroundings.

Residual Impacts

Criterion Rating pre Rating post Comment

mitigation mitigation
Change in Ambient Noise Levels during night time
Residual Impact Minor Negligible to With implementation of the mitigation
Minor measures mentioned for minimizing
the noise generation at source and
providing barriers wherever feasible,
the night time noise residual impacts
would be negligible to minor.

6.6.6 Electric and Magnetic Field (EMF)

Sources of Impact

An electric field is said to exist in a region of space if an electrical charge, at

rest in that space, experiences a force of electrical origin (i.e., electric fields
cause free charges to move). The electric field will be created by a the sub-
station and 230 kV high-voltage transmission line which extends from the
energised conductors to other conducting objects such as the ground, towers,
vegetation, buildings, etc.

Magnetic fields can be characterized by the force they exert on a moving

charge or on an electrical current. As with the electric field, the magnetic field
is a vector quantity characterized by both magnitude and direction. Electrical
currents generate magnetic fields. In the case of sub-station and transmission
lines the 60-Hz electric current flowing in the conductors generates a time
varying, 60-Hz magnetic field in the vicinity of these sources.

Prediction of Impact

Short-term effects from transmission-line electric fields are associated with

perception of induced currents and voltages or perception of the field.
Induced current or spark discharge shocks can be experienced under certain
conditions when a person contacts objects in an electric field. Such effects
occur in the fields associated with transmission lines that have voltages of 230-
kV or higher. These effects could occur infrequently under the existing 230 kV
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 transmission line. It is understood that potential impacts of electric fields are
being mitigated through grounding policies and adherence to the regulatory
requirements.

Magnetic fields associated with transmission and distribution systems can

induce voltage and current in long conducting objects that are parallel to the
transmission line. As with electric-field induction, these induced voltages and
currents are a potential source of shocks. A fence, irrigation pipe, pipeline,
electrical distribution line, or telephone line forms a conducting loop when it
is grounded at both ends. The earth forms the other portion of the loop. The
magnetic field from a transmission line can induce a current to flow in such a
loop if it is oriented parallel to the line. If only one end of the fence is
grounded, then an induced voltage appears across the open end of the loop.
The possibility for a shock exists if a person closes the loop at the open end by
contacting both the ground and the conductor. The magnitude of this
potential shock depends on the following factors: the magnitude of the field;
the length of the object (the longer the object, the larger the induced voltage);
the orientation of the object with respect to the transmission line (parallel as
opposed to perpendicular, where no induction would occur); and the amount
of electrical resistance in the loop (high resistance limits the current flow).
Knowledge of the phenomenon, grounding practices, and the availability of
mitigation measures mean that magnetic-induction effects from the existing
230-kV transmission line would be minimal.

Mitigation

Occupational health and safety EMF standards in EHS guidelines on thermal

power and electric transmission lines is suggested to be adhered to and
referred for following the best practices.

ICNIRP Exposure limits for occupational exposure to EMF

Frequency Electric field Magnetic Field

50 Hz 10,000 500

60 Hz 8300 415

Source: ICNIRP (1998): “Guidelines for limiting exposure to time-varying electric, magnetic,
and electromagnetic fields (up to 300 GHz).

6.6.7 Terrestrial & Aquatic Habitat

Likely impact on the flora and fauna during operation phase of the project will
be mostly from the following activities;

• Noise generation due to operation of the power plant

• Disposal of cooling water discharge on land during non-monsoon season
and on adjoining channel during monsoon season.

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 Criteria

The assessment of the potential impacts to the flora and fauna has considered
the Sch. I-III of Bangladesh Wildlife Prevention Order, 1973 and IUCN
category for conservation status of flora and fauna to determine their rare,
endangered and threatened status.

Receptors

Terrestrial Flora and Fauna: The impact will be mainly on the terrestrial flora
and fauna within the project site and its surrounding.

Aquatic Flora and Fauna: The water requirement for operational phase will be
met from Jamuna River. The cooling water discharge will be on land in the
upstream of adjoining Channel during monsoon season, which may affect
aquatic flora and fauna including phyto and zooplanktons and fish.

Impact Significance on Terrestrial Flora and Fauna

Impact due to air emissions from operations of Power Plant

Impact on ecology of AOI due to air emissions is not envisaged as reference
from air emission Section 5.6.3 the impact is negligible when the power plant
will be running on natural gas and minor when running on HSD.

Impact due to incremental noise levels due to operation of Power Plant

The AOI harbours species such as Spotted Dove, Red Wattled Lapwing, Black
Kite, Black Drongo, Rock Pigeon, Long –tailed Shrike and Common Myna.
Some of these species are listed as Sch-III of the Bangladesh Wildlife
Prevention Order, 1973. Impacts of elevated sound levels on the avifauna are
summarized in Table 6.46. Noise levels due to operation of power plant will
be in the range of 85 dB (A) at a distance of 1 m from the source however it
may be further attenuated to 70 dB (A) at plant boundary and further to 50 dB
(A) at the nearest habitation.

Table 6.46 Avian Auditory Response to various Sound Power Levels (SPL) 1

Sound Power Level dB (A) Avian Response

110-140 Damage to Auditory organs

93-110 Behavioural and/or physiological effects of high nature

75-93 Behavioural and/or physiological effects of medium nature

75-45 Behavioural and/or physiological effects of lower nature

45-Below Ambient level No Damage

Incremental noise may have significant impact on the avifauna around the
project site and force them to avoid the power plant area and migrate to other
part of the project AOI. Increase noise levels may also affect the birds and

1 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/env/bio/files/caltrans_birds_10-7-2007b.pdf

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mammals in the Eco park plantation areas, but predicted noise impact in this
area is low due to distance from the Project site and the noise levels at the
boundary of the project will be complying with the 70 dB(A) noise criteria and
therefore, the noise impact magnitude is considered to be small. Impact rating
matrix for impact of noise on terrestrial fauna and avifauna is given as
negligible.

Impact Incremental Noise Levels due to operation of Power Plant

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Limited to project site and immediate surroundings

Frequency Operation Phase

Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Habitats)
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Species)
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible for Species & Habitats.

Mitigation measures
The following mitigation measures are suggested to minimize the impacts;
• Noise levels must be attenuated to the extent possible by proper
lubrication of machinery and equipment and installation of noise
barriers/acoustic enclosures at source/s of higher noise (i.e. > 85 dB);
• Habitat improvement in form of dense plantation with native species
along the water pipeline ROW and adjoining degraded Eco park land will
be undertaken. This shall improve the habitat conditions for the avifauna
and mammalian fauna in the project AOI; and
• Minimizing the secondary sources of noise generation such as vehicle
noise and other operation and maintenance.

Impact Assessment of Aquatic Flora and Fauna

Impact due to discharge of cooling water in the Jamuna River

Water is mainly required for cooling purposes in the project which will be
sourced from Jamuna River and discharged after primary treatment. The
discharged effluent characteristic shall be in accordance to GOB Environment
Conservation Rule (1997) Schedule 10 (Standards for Waste from Industrial
Units or Project Waste). The project has a raw water requirement of the order
of 600 m3/hr, whereas the outfall is expected to be 74.4 m3/hr. The cooling
tower blow down and other treated effluent generated from boiler blow
down, effluent treatment plant and DM plant will be discharged on channel
outside the southern boundary of the project site for location of discharge
point). This discharge will be having about <3°C of intake water temperature
at the outlet of condenser. Dispersants and algaecides will have to be added in
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the cooling water to prevent fouling of the heat exchangers and piping. It is
proposed to used non-toxic and heavy metal base free dispersants and
algaecides in the project.

Elevated temperature typically decreases the level of dissolved oxygen (DO)

in water. The decrease in levels of DO can harm aquatic animals such as fish,
amphibians and planktons. Temperature increase may also increase the
metabolic rate of aquatic animals, as enzyme activity, resulting in these
organisms consuming more food in a shorter time. An increased metabolic
rate may result in food source shortages, causing a sharp decrease in a
population. Changes in the environment may also result in a migration of
organisms to another, more suitable environment and to in-migration of fishes
that normally only live in warmer waters elsewhere.

Increased temperature may lead to the replacement of species with warm

water species.([1]) The indirect detrimental impact on the fishes and other life
forms due to elevated temperature levels is decrease level of dissolved oxygen
in the aquatic ecosystem. Impact of elevated temperature due to discharge
cooling water is also reported to be lethal to the larval stages. ([2])

The discharge of cooling water will be into the adjoining channel with the
boundary, so the cooling water discharge would seep into the ground without
much impact on the aquatic ecosystem. During the monsoon, the water
quantity and flow is enhanced and this would lead to quick dilutions reducing
the impact on aquatic ecosystem.

Since, the project is not having any direct discharge into the Jamuna River or
the adjoining Jamuna Channel and magnitude criteria described in the impact
magnitude is considered to be negligible.

Discharge of Cooling water on land upstream of adjoining channel due to

Impact
operation of Power Plant
Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Outfall point in the southern boundary of the Project

Frequency Operation Phase

Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Habitats)
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity (Species)
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

([1]) www.eolss.net/Sample-Chapters/C06/E6-13-04-07.pdf
([2]) http://drs.nio.org/drs/bitstream/2264/3339/2/Indian_J_Environ_Prot_11_525.pdf

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 Mitigation Measures

Following mitigation measures are suggested to minimize the impact on

aquatic flora and fauna:

• Monitoring of temperature at the discharge point at a frequency of 15

days;
• Discharge system shutdown in event of effluent temperature exceeding >
3°C than intake water;
• Efforts to be made to increase the cycle of concentration to reduce the
volume of blow down and consequently the volume of make-up water
required by the cooling tower.
• Storm water drainage and waste water of similar nature from different
units will be treated in accordance to GOB Environment Conservation Rule
(1997) Schedule 10 (Standards for Waste from Industrial Units or Project Waste).
Treated waste water will be discharged along with cooling water to
Jamuna River.
• Undertake a post operational assessment study through independent 3rd
party agency/experts with an objective to assess the impact of cooling
water discharge on Jamuna River ecological resources and social aspects.
Such study will be conducted preferably after 12 months of commissioning
the Project and the study recommendations will be implemented to further
fine tune the mitigation strategy.

6.6.8 Social Impacts

The operation phase impacts are associated with the operation and
maintenance of the power plant. Hence, they may occur frequently for a fairly
long time. The possible range of impacts is discussed in sub-sections below.

Employment Generation and In-Migration of Skilled workforce

The workforce requirement in operation phase requires approximately 20 to

25 un-skilled workers and approximately 49 skilled, technical, professional
and executive staff. The nature of employment also changes from temporary
contract workers to long-term workers or permanent staff members. This
includes technical or executive staff that can be sourced from different parts of
the country or can even be expats. Some of them would be residing nearby the
plant location or in Sirajganj. Although the employment generated during this
phase would be small in number, it will still account for a positive impact on
the local employment scenario. Further, this development is going to attract
more industries in the proposed industrial park and economic zones due to
reliable power availability which will increase the demand for employment in
and around Sirajganj.

Impact Employment Generation and in migration of skilled workforce

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced

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Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local National International
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large

Demand for lodging, housing and civic services

The in-migration of long term or permanent staff will induce demand for
permanent housing and other civic services for them. The project will provide
on-site lodging facility to the temporary visitors in a guest house. However,
other staff would be resident in the adjoining Sirajganj town. This will create
an increase in demand on housing and supply of other civic services.
Considering the limited number of staff in operation stage, the projects
contribution to the cumulative impact of demand for lodging, housing and
civic services is not substantial. Therefore, the impact significance for this is
expected to be as low.

Impact Demand for lodging, housing and civic services

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local National International
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large

Increments in cost of living

The presence of a salaried working class population will bring in greater cash
income in project area. Hence, the spending capability of this population will
be higher than the local population which depends on agriculture or
household based small scale industries. The spending capacity, in turn will
increase local consumption thereby increasing demand for a range of
commodities in daily life. This often results in price rises for these regularly
consumed items. Hence, the cost of living in the project area may experience
an incremental rise. Such rise in cost of living may have a detrimental effect on
vulnerable households in project area. As this is an induced project impact,
and the contribution to the cumulative effect of industrialisation in the project
area is limited, the impact significance is assigned as low.

Impact Increments in cost of living

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local National International
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large

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Opportunity for local transporters

The project operation will require a number of transportation services

including regular requirement for commuting short term visitors and
industrial provisioning of a range of materials. Hence, this would create
business opportunity for local transporters. The significance of such an impact
is however will be low.

Impact Opportunity for Local Transporters

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local National International
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large

Competing demand on natural gas fuel supply

The consumption of natural gas has been increasing on several fronts

including domestic use and transport vehicles. Hence, availability of natural
gas for power generation will compete with these demands. The regular and
reliable supply of natural gas therefore may not be possible all the time. This
would diminish the production efficiency. In an extreme scenario, the bulk use
of gas supply by power companies may cause resentment by the general
public, although this would likely be offset by the perceived local benefits of
the project. Due to their numbers, they have potential to influence the policy
decisions. However, Sembcorp has a gas-supply agreement to ensure
adequate and regular gas supply. Keeping this in mind the significance of its
impact is assigned as low.

Competing demand on natural gas Diminishing production efficiency for

Impact
deficiency in fuel supply
Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local National International
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

Demand for power amongst locals in AOI

The electricity produced from the power plants are supplied to the
distribution grid and GoB decides on the areas to which the power generated
is to be supplied. So, though the power plant will be at Sirajganj, the local
community in Project AOI may or may not benefit from the power generated.

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 Influx of Skilled Workforce

The man power requirement in the operation phase is estimated as 49 skilled

and 20 un-skilled workers. The un-skilled workers will be employed from the
project locality. However, the skills work-force will be employed from
different places in Bangladesh. Some of these families will be accommodated
in the staff residences and others will be staying in rented accommodation in
Sirajganj. The in-migrant population will constitute a negligible proportion of
the total population in the project locality. The in-migrant population is
expected to have higher income and would contribute to the local
consumption. Thereby one expects this would provide opportunity for local
population to provide services and goods and reap economic benefits.

Impact In-migration of skilled workforce

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
There would be only 49 skilled staff in operation stage, who would be
recruited from different parts of the country. They comprise an
Impact Extent
insignificant proportion of the project area population.
Local National International
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

6.7 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS DUE TO OPERATION OF SIRAJGANJ 1, 2, 3 AND 4 PROJECTS

6.7.1 Water Resources

Cumulative Impacts on Water Resources

Criteria

For the assessment of water resources, the sensitivity and magnitude criteria
outlined in Table 5.7 and Table 5.8 have been used respectively. The
assessment of potential impacts to surface water has considered Schedule 3 (a),
9 and Schedule 10 of ECR, 1997 (refer to Table 2.8 and Table 2.9). For
groundwater, Schedule 3 (b) of ECR, 1997, standards for drinking water has
been considered.

Receptors

Surface water: A channel flows adjacent to the eastern and southern

boundary of the Project site, which is dried most of the time and gets water
only during the monsoon season. The main Jamuna River flows on the eastern
side about 1.2 km from the Project site and will be the source of water for the
Project. The source of water would be the Jamuna River for Sirajganj 4,
whereas other power plants will be dependent on ground water. Based on the
sensitivity criteria Table 6.7, surface water resource is assessed as Medium.
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Groundwater: Ground water samples analysis indicate high levels of iron
with other parameters being within standard permissible limits for drinking
water specified by Bangladesh ECR, 1997 Schedule 3 (B). Arsenic
concentration is also reported in ground water tube well in the Project AOI
though the samples analysed were within limits. Groundwater is used by local
residents in the area for drinking as well as for irrigation purposes. Based on
the sensitivity criteria Table 6.7, ground water resource is assessed as
Medium.

Impact Significance

Cumulative Impact due to Groundwater Abstraction

The EIA study report of NWPGCL’s Sirajganj 2 (proposed 225 MW CCPP)
prepared by Engineer’s Associates Limited, May 2014 states that its existing
plant (Sirajganj 1) uses 600 m3/hr from ground water and that its proposed
plant (Sirajganj 2) would be also using similar quantity of 600 m3/hr from
ground water. Groundwater modelling in this EIA study was undertaken to
assess the suitability of the aquifer system of Sirajganj and surrounding areas
to provide a continuous supply of 1200 m3/hour of water for cooling purposes
of both their power plants. The EIA study concluded that the natural aquifer
condition in the Project area would be suitable for supplying 30000 m3/day of
water continuously without any permanent lowering of groundwater table or
environmental degradation. Jamuna River invariably fully recharges the
aquifer in the wet season of each year preventing any adverse effect on the
natural condition of the project area. Since, there is another project Sirajganj 3
(225 MW) proposed within the Saidabad Power Generation Complex and due
to similar capacity as that of Sirajganj 1 and 2 project, it has been assumed that
the water requirement for this project will also be of the order of 600 m3/hr.
Source of this water demand is currently unknown (i.e. ground water or
surface water from River Jamuna) and it has been assumed that the project
will follow same source as that of Sirajganj 1 and 2 projects, i.e. ground water
abstraction from project site. This will lead to daily water abstraction from
ground water within the power generation complex of the order of 43,500 m3.

The above clearly indicates that overall ground water abstraction from the
Saidabad Power Generation Complex after commissioning of all the four
projects will be higher than safe water supply potential of the aquifer of the
order to 30,000 m3/day. This will create some stress on the ground water
aquifer and quality due to higher abstraction in comparison of recharge.
However, it was further been observed that the Sirajganj 1 project is currently
discharging the cooling tower blowdown and other effluent after treatment on
land in the eastern boundary of the complex (which is about 200 m away from
the adjoining channel) and the other 3 projects will also be doing the discharge
in the similar manner, which will lead to a total discharge of the order of 6,700
m3/day, which do not flow towards the adjoining channel during non-
monsoon season and will help in recharging the ground water aquifer. Further
it was also mentioned in the ground water modelling study that, recent
studies indicate that the rainfall in Bangladesh and surrounding areas is
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increasing due to climate change (UK Met Office 2011) which would
contribute to enhanced recharge to the aquifer in the projected period.
Therefore, the overall cumulative impact of ground water abstraction is
assessed as moderate.

Impact Cumulative Impact from Ground Water Abstraction

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Project Site and surrounding area.

Frequency Continuous during operation phase

Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor Sensitivity Low Medium High
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered moderate.

Water Pollution from Wastewater Discharge

Since the water requirement of all the four power plants is same (i.e. about 600
m3/hr) and hence it has been assumed that the discharge from all the plants
will be same as that of S4 project (i.e. about 75 m3/hr). Based on this
assumption, the total treated wastewater discharge from the complex will be
about 300 m3/hr, which will be discharged from the respective plant to the
eastern/ southern boundary of the complex in the upstream of adjacent
Channel (which is about 200 – 400 m away from the discharge points during
non-flooding season) after treatment.

Considering the on-site monitoring results of the discharge from Sirajganj 1

project (refer Table 6.36), it is assumed that the treated wastewater from all the
plants will also follow similar discharge quality (temperature, TDS, pH and
other parameters) and as the discharge points will be different and will have a
minimum distance of about 100 – 150 m between the two discharge points, the
cumulative impact of wastewater discharge on land will not affect the quality
of surface/ ground water or the condition of soil in that area.

Furthermore, review of geo-technical data collected for Sirajganj 2 Project 1 also

reveals that: (a) The soil is mostly silty sand and fine sand in all the bore logs
with some small layers of silty and clayey sand in a couple bore logs, which
indicates that the soil profile is porous in nature and is good for water
percolation; (b) Soil permeability coefficient is in the range of 10 to 15 m/day,
which is as per soil permeability classes represent “very rapid” soil
permeability class (i.e. > 6 m/day); (c) Shallow ground water depth is about 8
m from the Saidabad Power Generation Complex and will be about 4 to 5 m

1Geotechnical Ivestigation Report of Sirajganj 225 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant (2nd Unit) – Detailed Design (April
2015), prepared by Fujian Electric Power Survey & Design Institute, Fuzhou

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from the water discharge locations during dry season. (d) Treated wastewater
discharge from all the four plants operation will be of the order of about 300
m3/hr, whereas the groundwater withdrawal by S1 and S2 from deeper
aquifer will be of the order of 1,200 m3/hr. It is unknown currently, whether
the shallow and deeper aquifers are connected or not. However, in case of
their inter-connection, the shallow water aquifer will help in recharging of the
deeper aquifer. There was no infiltration test conducted as part of the geo-tech
investigation, however, these points do indicate that soil properties are
favorable for water percolation on the soil during dry season.

In addition, instrumentation will be used to monitor the Plants’ compliance

with discharge limits. In the event that effluent discharge is detected above
the effluent discharge limit criteria, isolation valves will automatically close
and stop the discharge. The overall impact to the surface water quality with
the treatment prior to disposal on land and based on the results of the
Sirajganj 1 project is assessed as negligible.

Impact Wastewater Discharge

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Channel downstream of treated wastewater discharge points

Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large

Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

Mitigation Measures
Other mitigation measures which will be adopted to reduce impacts on water
quality to As Low as Reasonably Practicable are as follows:

• Considering the ground water abstraction in large quantity by NWPGCL’s

3 projects within the complex, it is suggested to provide piezometers for
monthly monitoring of ground water level and quality within the
complex;
• For minimising use of antifouling and corrosion inhibiting chemicals
appropriate depth of water intake will be maintained and use of screens
will be ensured;
• Minimum required quantities of chlorinated biocides or alternatively
intermittent shot dosing of chlorine will be practised rather than
continuous low level feed;
• Waste storage areas will be equipped with secondary containment and
spill control measures (similar to the hazardous material storage areas) to
limit impact to ground;
• Oil water separators will be provided to intercept any accidental discharge
of oil and grease on the storm water channels;
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 • Liquid wastes such as waste oil, etc. will be collected and stored for
recycling in cemented areas; and
• All drainage/tanks, etc. will be positioned on concrete hard standing to
prevent any seepage into ground.
• In the unlikely event water percolation does not occur as expected,
SNWPCL could rely on temporary solutions such as to engage a sub-
contractor to use the portable pumps & hoses to evacuate this water to the
river or dry canal, thereby allowing a larger surface area for the water to
percolate.
• SNWPCL will monitor the wastewater discharge and if water stagnation if
observed to persist continuously over an extended period of [12-18]
months, then SNWPCL will evaluate permanent solutions to resolve the
issue. However if the water stagnation is observed to occur for only part of
the year, then the temporary solution should suffice.

6.7.2 Air Quality

Cumulative Impacts on Air Quality – Operation of Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and 4 Projects

Sources of Impact
The four projects within Saidabad Power Generation Complex include dual
fuel fired combined cycle power plant (CCPP), consisting of 1 GT, 1 HRSG
and 1 ST, each. Emission parameters in combined cycle mode from the four
projects are presented in Table 6.47.

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Table 6.47 Summary of Emissions for the Power Plants for Separate stacks within Saidabad Power Generation Complex

Fuel Stack UTM Co-ordinates* (m) Emission Concentration Emission Rate

Volumetric Flow Rate (Nm3/s)

Stack Internal Diameter (m)

Flue Gas Exit Velocity (m/s)

NOx SO2 PM10 CO NOx SO2 PM10 PM2.5** CO

Flue Gas Temperature (°C)

Easting Northing

mg/Nm3 or (kg/hr)
Stack Height (m)

mg/Nm3

mg/Nm3
kg/hr
ppm

(g/s)

(g/s)

(g/s)

(g/s)

(g/s)
NG Main Stack (S1) 778582 2699659 60 6 25 110 504 40 82 - - 125 41 - - 63
Main Stack (S2) 778475 2699657 60 6 25 110 504 40 82 - - 125 41 - - 63
Main Stack (S3) 778424 2699655 60 6 25 110 504 40 82 - - 125 41 - - 63
Main Stack (S4) 778278 2699632 72.3 6 25 110 504 25 51 - - 125 26 - - 63
HSD Main Stack (S1) 778582 2699659 60 6 25 110 504 74 152 125 50 205 77 34.8 25.2 22.7 57
Main Stack (S2) 778475 2699657 60 6 25 110 504 74 152 125 50 205 77 34.8 25.2 22.7 57
Main Stack (S3) 778424 2699655 60 6 25 110 504 74 152 125 50 205 77 34.8 25.2 22.7 57
Main Stack (S4) 778278 2699632 72.3 6 25 110 504 74 152 237.4 50 390 77 66.0 25.2 22.7 108
* UTM Zone – 45
** * PM2.5 fraction of particulate matter varies from 80 – 90% and it has been considered as 90% of total PM
Note: During the plant operation, only one of the two stacks will be functional based on the simple/ combined cycle operation.
Stack parameters are as provided by Sembcorp and based on assumptions for S1, S2 and S3, based on limited information available with respect to stack design and emission
parameters from NWPGCL. It has been assumed that due to similar capacity of S1, S2 and S3 and the plants will be operated by NWPGCL, the emissions will be same as that of
S1, available from the EIA Report.

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Criteria

For the assessment of air quality, the sensitivity and magnitude criteria
outlined in Table 6.9 and Table 6.40, respectively have been used. The
standards considered for assessment of potential impacts to air quality, are
Schedule 11 ECR, 1997 of the GOB (Table 2.7),

Receptors

From the landuse analysis and field study, it is clear that most of the land
surrounding the Project site is agricultural/fallow land on the north and west
sides and plantations done by the BBA on their land on the north eastern side.
On the immediate east exists vacant land for two proposed 225 MW dual fuel
based combined cycle power plant (Sirajganj 2 and Sirajganj 3) and existing
225 MW NWPGCL power plant (Sirajganj 1) followed by a Channel, char
lands and Jamuna River. The immediate south of the Project site has barren
land followed by a dried channel and char/waste lands. A few (3-4) scattered
huts are located on the west side about 200-220 m from the Project site
boundary and few settlements are located along the access road. The main
village settlements (Panchosona and Khas Bara Shimul) start at about 400 m
away from the Project site boundary on the west and north-west side. It has
further been noted that the area on the western and southern part of the
Saidabad Power Generation Complex is currently being acquired for
development of an export processing zone (EPZ) by the Government of
Bangladesh. However, details of type of industries planned were not available
at the time of this assessment.

As can be referred from Table 6.9 and above discussion, the human receptors
were assessed to be of Medium sensitivity, whereas ecological receptors were
considered as of Low sensitivity.

Prediction of Impacts
Impact on ambient air quality due to the Sirajganj 1 project (gas/HSD),
proposed gas based Sirajganj 2 project (gas/HSD), Sirajganj 3 (gas/HSD) and
Sirajganj 4 project (gas/HSD) were also evaluated by using air dispersion
modelling. Predicted maximum criteria pollutant concentrations due to the
Project in the Project AOI with natural gas and HSD as fuel have been
presented in Table 6.48. Additionally, predicted concentrations at the receptor
locations (refer Table 6.41) combined cycle operations of these projects with
natural gas and HSD as fuel have been presented in Table 6.48. The
concentration isopleths of NOx, SO2, PM2.5 and CO for different averaging
periods without baseline concentrations have been presented in Annex N3.

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Table 6.48 Predicted Concentrations at Receptors due to Operation of Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and 4 Projects - Scenario 1 and 2 with Gas and HSD
as Fuel

Max. Background Concentration Total Concentration (Predicted + Bangladesh

Predicted Concentration (µg/m3)
(µg/m3)* Background) (µg/m3) Standard
Scenario Pollutant Average

Max AQ1 AQ2 AQ3 AQ4 Max AQ1 AQ2 AQ3 AQ4 Max AQ1 AQ2 AQ3 AQ4 (µg/m3)
1-
NOx 86.22 38.55 47.77 74.55 47.62 - - - - - - - - - - -
hourly
Sirajganj 24-
21.02 9.63 17.21 9.34 5.89 20.9 20.9 20.8 13.3 20.6 41.92 30.53 38.01 22.64 26.49 -
1, 2, 3 hourly
and 4
Annual 4.94 3.07 4.08 1.58 1.00 - - - - - - - - - - 100
(CCGT)
with Gas 1-
CO 145.12 66.77 81.31 124.74 81.18 - - - - - - - - - - 40000
as Fuel hourly
8-
86.15 45.43 69.57 42.99 28.51 2300 2300 2300 1150 1150 2386.15 2345.43 2369.57 1192.99 1178.51 10000
hourly
1-
NOx 177.36 81.60 99.37 152.46 99.22 - - - - - - - - - - ---
hourly
24-
42.01 19.59 36.14 19.40 12.20 20.9 20.9 20.8 13.3 20.6 62.91 40.49 56.94 32.7 32.8 ---
hourly
Annual 10.04 6.17 8.40 3.28 2.07 - - - - - - - - - - 100

24-
SO2 22.18 10.75 20.57 10.83 6.78 7.2 5.7 7.2 2.9 3.6 29.38 16.45 27.77 13.73 10.38 365
hourly
Sirajganj
1, 2, 3 Annual 5.46 3.23 4.63 1.83 1.15 - - - - - - - - - - 80
and 4
24-
(CCGT) PM2.5 12.39 5.78 10.65 5.72 3.60 24.8 22.7 24.8 19.1 22.6 37.19 28.48 35.45 24.82 26.2 65
hourly
with
HSD as Annual 2.96 1.82 2.48 0.97 0.61 - - - - - - - - - - 15
Fuel
24-
PM10 13.75 6.41 11.83 6.35 3.99 145.8 145.8 142.8 118.7 113.5 159.55 152.21 154.63 125.05 117.49 150
hourly
Annual 3.29 2.02 2.75 1.07 0.68 - - - - - - - - - - 50

1-
CO 159.32 77.08 91.04 135.41 91.17 - - - - - - - - - - ---
hourly
8-
90.89 49.32 78.86 48.02 31.71 2300 2300 2300 1150 1150 2390.89 2349.32 2378.86 1198.02 1181.71 10000
hourly
* Refer to Table 4.16

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It is evident from Table 6.48 that the maximum ground level concentration
(maximum baseline concentration + predicted maximum concentration) in the
project AOI with natural gas as fuel will be well within the applicable air
quality standard. Furthermore, project contribution for all the pollutants
considered in the study are < 25% of the applicable air quality standard and
therefore, using the determination of magnitude criteria (Table 6.40), impact
magnitude due to operation of S1, S2, S3 and S4 projects with natural gas as
fuel is assessed to be negligible.

Ambient Air Quality (Cumulative impact due to Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2,

Impact
Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4 projects) with natural gas as fuel
Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Maximum impact zone within 2 km from project boundary in the
Impact Scale
downwind direction
Likelihood Possible
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

While using HSD as fuel, the maximum ground level concentrations

(maximum baseline concentration + predicted maximum concentration) of
PM2.5, NOx, SO2 and CO will be within the applicable standard and overall
project contribution of all the four projects will be < 25% of the applicable
standard. Therefore, using the determination of magnitude criteria (Table
6.40), the impact magnitude due to the operation of Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and 4
projects is assessed to be negligible. It shall be noted that the all four projects
will be using natural gas as primary fuel and HSD will only be used in case of
non-availability of natural gas from GTCL. Furthermore, in the event of a gas
supply failure, the facilities will not automatically switch to HSD as the
decision rests with BPDB whether to operate the Plants on HSD or to pay
capacity charges for the period of gas outage.

On this basis, the potential air quality impacts due to the operation of the
Plant by using HSD as fuel are predicted to be negligible.

Ambient Air Quality (Cumulative impact due to Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2,

Impact
Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4 projects) with HSD as fuel
Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Maximum impact zone within 2 km from project boundary in the
Impact Scale
downwind direction

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 Likelihood Possible
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

Mitigation Measures
Refer to mitigation measures for Sirajganj 4 Project (Section 6.6.3).

6.7.3 Green House Gases Emissions

Cumulative Impacts due to Operation of Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and 4 Projects

GHG Estimation and Impact

In order to estimate overall GHG emissions generation from Sirajganj 1, 2, 3
and 4 projects operation, the IFC recommended Carbon Emission Estimation
Tool (CEET model – Version February 2014) 1 has been used as set out below.

Table 6.49 Estimated GHG Emissions from the Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and 4 Project

SN Particular Unit Sirajganj 1 Sirajganj 2 Sirajganj 3 Sirajganj 4

Net Heat Rate
A* (Natural Gas in KJ/KWH 7,278 7,278 7,278 7,278
Combined Cycle)
Gross Generation
Capacity
B* KW 225,000 225,000 225,000 427,180
(Combined
Cycle)
C Operating Days days 330 330 330 330
Daily Operating
D Hours/day 24 24 24 24
Hours
Total Annual
E Output (= B x C KWH 1782000000 1782000000 1782000000 3383265600
x D)
Annual Fuel
F Consumption (= KJ 1.29694E+13 1.2969E+13 1.2969E+13 2.46234E+13
E x A)
TJ 12969.396 12969.396 12969.396 24623.40704
GHG Emission
G**
Rates
CO2 tCO2/TJ 56.1 56.1 56.1 56.1
CH4 tCO2/TJ 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001
N2O tCO2/TJ 0.003 0.003 0.003 0.003
Annual GHG
H Emission in tCO2e/year 739,917 739,917 739,917 1,404,790
Combined Cycle
Gross GHG
I Emission from tCO2e/year 3,624,541
Sirajganj 1, 2

http://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/Topics_Ext_Content/IFC_External_Corporate_Site/CB_Home/Measuring+Repo
rting/

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 and 4 Plants
operation in
Combined Cycle
Mode
* Based on natural gas specification provided by Sembcorp (refer to Table 3.1 for details) and Gross
Generation Capacity of Sirajganj 1, 2 and 3 Power Plants.
** Based on GHG emission factors provided in CEET

As per the latest report (26 December 2012) of GHG emission submitted by
Bangladesh to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) 1, electricity generation sector contribution to GHG emission in
year 2005 was 1.192 x 107 tons CO2e and projection of aggregate GHG
emissions using LEAP modelling program indicates that the annual GHG
emissions from this sector in year 2020 and 2030 will be 2.752 x 107 tons CO2e
and 5.9168 x 107 tons CO2e, respectively. Taking this into consideration, GHG
emission contribution of the Saidabad Power Generation Complex (with total
power generation capacity of about 1,100 MW) in the year 2020 will be 13.17%
of the electricity generation sector in Bangladesh. Considering this fact, the
GHG emission impact will be moderate.

Impact GHG emissions due to Operation of Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and 4 Projects

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional National
Impact Scale Impact zone will be regional/ national

Frequency Operation Phase

Likelihood likely
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered moderate.

Mitigation Measures
The following mitigation measures will minimise GHG emissions to ALARP
levels:
• Ensure that all equipment and machinery is maintained in accordance
with manufacturer’s specifications;
• Higher efficiency steam turbine blade design; and
• Improved efficiency of auxiliary drives.
• Actual annual GHG emissions from all the plants within the complex shall
be compiled and reported by the project owners of Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and 4.

1 http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/bgdnc2.pdf

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6.7.4 Noise

Cumulative Noise Impacts

Impact on ambient noise levels due to the operation of Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2,

Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4 projects were also evaluated by using noise
prediction model.

Criteria
It is planned that the Project will meet the noise emission criteria specified in
the GOB ECR, 1997 and the WB/IFC EHS Guidelines, as presented in Table
2.10. Furthermore, for the assessment of ambient noise, the sensitivity and
magnitude criteria outlined in Table 6.12 and Table 6.13, respectively have
been used:

Receptors
The nearest noise receptor is located 200-220 m from the Project boundary in
the western side, whereas other settlements are located about 400 m away
from the Project boundary. As can be referred from Table 6.12 and above
discussion, the receptors within the Saidabad Power Generation Complex as
well as the ecological receptors were assessed to be of Low sensitivity,
whereas the human settlements in the surrounding areas (residential areas)
were assessed to be of Medium sensitivity.

Methodology: The environmental noise prediction model SoundPLAN 7.2

was used for modelling noise emissions from the use of power plant
equipment and vehicular movement in the access road. It has been assumed
that all the plant equipment of Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2, Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj
4 will adhere the equipment noise emission criteria of 85 dB(A) noise levels at
a distance of 1 m from the source. Major plant components with higher noise
generation considered in this study include GTG, STG, HRSG, Auxiliary
Boiler, Cooling Tower, CW Pump House, Emergency DG, Water Treatment
Facility, Pump House, RMS, and Gas Booster and Conditioning Station of all
the three projects. Operation of equipment with 100% usage scenario was
modelled to cover the operation phase of the projects. As a conservative
approach to the assessment, atmospheric absorption during sound
transmission was not included in the assessment. In addition, to represent a
worst-case scenario for the assessment, all equipment were assumed to be
operating simultaneously. Attenuation due to already constructed boundary
wall of the Power Generation Complex has been considered in the modelling.

Predicted Noise Levels at Receptors: The predicted noise levels within the
Project AOI during day time are presented in Table 6.50. Predicted noise levels
at twenty receptors (where baseline noise levels were also monitored, which
include eight receptors within or just outside the boundary of the Saidabad
complex) have been presented in Figure 6.17. It is evident from the predicted
results that in the worst case scenario, the nearest receptor (220 m from the
western boundary of the Project site) will have a daytime noise level of 55.1
dB(A) during the operation phase.

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Figure 6.17 Predicted Operation Phase Noise Levels of Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2 and Sirajganj 4 Projects during Daytime (Leq day)

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Table 6.50 Predicted Noise Levels at Noise Receptors during Operation Phase of Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2, Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4
Projects

Receptor Code Receptor Approximate Baseline Sound Pressure Predicted Sound Pressure Total Sound Pressure Applicable
Distance to Project Levels at Receptors, Leq Levels at Receptors, Leq Level (Baseline + Standard (dB(A))(2)
Site Boundary (m) (dBA)(1) (dBA)(4) Predicted), Leq (dBA) (3) as per Landuse

and Direction from Leq d* Leq n* Leq d Leq n Leq d Leq n Day Night
Project Site
NQ1 Project Site
0 (-) 48.2 48.9 62.2 62.2 70 70
Boundary 62.0 62.0
NQ2 Khas Bara
220 (W) 48.9 42.5 51.1 48.4 55 45
Shimul 47.1 47.1
NQ3 Near Access
Road (MMS 665 (WNW) 47.0 42.4 47.8 44.3 55 45
Office) 39.9 39.9
NQ4 Access Road near
National 945 (WNW) 54.5 55.3 55.2 55.9 55 45
Highway 47.0 47.0
NQ5 Makimpur
3000 (SW) 52.8 42.6 52.8 42.7 55 45
village 24.7 24.7
NQ6 Punorbason
760 m (NW) 50.4 42.4 50.6 43.6 55 45
Village 37.3 37.3
NL1 Center of the
0 (-) 73.5 73.5 85 85
Project area 40.7 32.4 73.5 73.5
NL2 North-East
0 (-) 52.9 53.1 70 70
Corner 45.9 46.9 51.9 51.9
NL3 South side of the
0 (-) 55.1 55.0 70 70
Mosque 40.2 24.8 55.0 55.0
NL4 NWPGCL Jetty 140 m (E) 40.2 47.6 48.1 48.1 48.8 50.9 70 70
NL5 North-west
corner of the 0 (-) 52.6 51.8 70 70
boundary 47.7 44.5 50.9 50.9
NL6 Middle point of
the west side
30 m (W) 57.6 57.4 70 70
boundary
(outside) 48.0 45.1 57.1 57.1
NL7 South west
corner of the 0 (-) 60.0 60.0 70 70
boundary 39.5 40.6 60.0 60.0

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Receptor Code Receptor Approximate Baseline Sound Pressure Predicted Sound Pressure Total Sound Pressure Applicable
Distance to Project Levels at Receptors, Leq Levels at Receptors, Leq Level (Baseline + Standard (dB(A))(2)
Site Boundary (m) (dBA)(1) (dBA)(4) Predicted), Leq (dBA) (3) as per Landuse

and Direction from Leq d* Leq n* Leq d Leq n Leq d Leq n Day Night
Project Site
NL8 In front of the
0 (-) 56.6 56.7 70 70
GTCL’s quarter 46.8 47.5 56.1 56.1
NL9 Khas Bara
220 m (W) 56.2 49.2 55 45
Shimul village 55.6 45.2 47.0 47.0
NL10 Khas Bara
220 m (W) 55.8 55.4 55 45
Shimul village 47.3 43.5 55.1 55.1
NL11 Chak Boira
680 m (S) 47.8 44.4 55 45
Village 46.5 40.7 42.0 42.0
NL12 Chak Boira
840 m (SW) 46.8 42.0 55 45
Village 46.4 40.8 35.7 35.7
NL13 Bara Shimul
490 m (N) 49.2 48.6 55 45
village 44.6 42.6 47.3 47.3
NL14 Panchosona
560 m (W) 52.6 49.5 55 45
village 50.8 44.2 48.0 48.0
(1) Ambient noise levels as monitored during the baseline survey
(2) Environmental Conservation Rules, 1997 (Schedule 4) amended September 7, 2006
(3) (4) All operations have been considered as continuous and hence there is no change in the day and night time prediction results.

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It is evident from Table 6.50 that ambient noise levels due to operation of all
four projects within the Saidabad Power Generation Complex will be well
within the applicable standard during day time at 17 receptors and night time
at 14 receptors, out of total 20 receptors considered in the study. However,
ambient noise level will be slightly higher from applicable standard (with < 3
dBA increase from the applicable standard) at 3 locations (NQ4, NL9, and
NL10) during daytime. Therefore, the cumulative noise impact during
operation of all 4 projects during day time is expected to be minor.
Furthermore, noise levels at night time will be slightly higher than the
applicable standard (with < 5 dBA increase from the applicable standard) at 4
locations and higher than the applicable standard (with < 10 dBA increase
from the applicable standard) at 2 locations, out of which one locations is close
to the project boundary, whereas the other location is close to the national
highway with higher background noise levels. Due to this the noise impact
from operation activity during night time is expected to be minor to
moderate.

Noise from Operation of Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2, Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4

Impact
Plants (Day time)
Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Maximum impact zone within 250 m from the power generation
Impact Scale
complex boundary
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered minor.

Noise from Operation of Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2, Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4

Impact
Plants (Night time)
Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Maximum impact zone within 600 m from the power generation
Impact Scale
complex boundary
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered minor to moderate.

Mitigation Measures

• Installation of vibration isolation for mechanical noise control;

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 • The current assessment of cumulative noise impact due to Sirajganj 1, 2, 3
and 4 plants operation is based on mathematical modelling. Once all the
four plants are operational, periodic ambient noise monitoring is
suggested as part of the EMP to monitor the noise levels. This will be done
to ensure compliance with the specification and guaranteed performance
at noise generating sources as well as ambient noise levels at the receptors
located in the surroundings.
• Review of noise guarantees and supporting data of all equipment
suppliers with interim noise reports from EPC contractor/s in order to
demonstrate compliance with the applicable noise emission criteria at
source/s. In case of exceedence from the specified noise limits, adequate
corrective actions as may be required shall be implemented by the specific
project.

Criterion Rating pre Rating post Comment

mitigation mitigation
Change in Ambient Noise Levels during day time
Residual Impact Minor Negligible With implementation of the mitigation
measures mentioned for minimizing
the noise generation at source and
providing barriers wherever feasible,
the night time noise residual impacts
would be negligible.
Change in Ambient Noise Levels during night time
Residual Impact Minor to Negligible to With implementation of the mitigation
Moderate Minor measures mentioned for minimizing
the noise generation at source and
providing barriers wherever feasible,
the night time noise residual impacts
would be negligible to minor.

6.7.5 Labour Influx

Cumulative Impacts from Labour Influx

In addition to the labour requirements of the project, the labour requirements

of Sirajganj 2 and the potential impacts from the same were analysed as part of
the impact assessment. The labour requirement of Sirajganj 2 is estimated at
1500 labourers in the peak construction phase, of which 25-30% is expected to
be comprised of migrant workers. The migrant workers will be comprised of
the skilled workforce, while the semi-skilled and unskilled workforce will be
sourced locally to the extent possible.

Due to the non-availability of land within the complex, the labour camp for
the Sirajganj 2’s construction phase (approx. 25-30 months) will be located
outside the power generation complex. Since the Sirajganj 2 project’s
construction phase, is likely to be around the same time as the Sirajganj 4’s
construction phase, a total of 700-900 migrant workers may be present in the
area. This is likely to result in an increase in the interaction of the local
community with migrant workers, with an increased risk of sexually
transmitted and communicable diseases, conflict and social unrest. Also, due
to the presence of a large workforce, there may be a strain on local resources
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 and infrastructure, especially water, medical facilities, electricity, food and
provisions in the local markets. This may also result in an increase in the
overall price of essential commodities in the area,

However, keeping in mind the existing population of the AOI and that the
migrant population is unlikely to comprise more than 30% of the workforce
requirement, the severity of the impacts identified in expected to be moderate.

Cumulative Impact from Labour Influx due to Sirajganj 2 and Sirajganj 4 projects
Impact
construction
Impact Negative Positive Neutral
Nature
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact
Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Duration
Impact Extent Local Regional International
A total of 700-900 workers are expected to be sourced from outside Sirajganj
Impact Scale District. The labour camps will be temporary and will be de constructed during
the operation’s phase of the project
Frequency Construction phase.
Impact
Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Magnitude
Resource/
Receptor Low Medium High
Sensitivity

Impact Negligible Minor Moderate Major

Significance Significance of impact is considered moderate

Mitigation Measures

The mitigation measures proposed to avoid significant impact due to the

labour influx are as discussed in Section 6.4.10.

6.8 RESIDUAL IMPACTS

The table below present the outcomes of the comprehensive assessment of

identified impacts as a result of various phase of the project and present
significance of residual impacts before mitigation (with embedded controls)
and with suggested mitigation measures.

Table 6.51 Impact Assessment Outcome and Significance of Residual Impacts

Project Activities/ Impacts Nature of Significance of Residual

Impact Impacts
Before With
Mitigation Mitigation
Construction Phase (Sirajganj 4 Project)
Soil compaction Negative Negligible Negligible
Soil erosion Negative Negligible Negligible
Soil and sediment contamination from spills and leaks Negative Minor Negligible

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Project Activities/ Impacts Nature of Significance of Residual
Impact Impacts
Before With
Mitigation Mitigation
Soil contamination from waste handling Negative Negligible Negligible
Wastewater discharge Negative Negligible Negligible
Ground water contamination Negative Minor Negligible
Air quality degradation due to dust generation Negative Moderate Minor
Air quality degradation due to exhaust emissions Negative Minor Negligible
Noise from Construction Activities and transportation Negative Negligible Negligible
of man/ material (Day-time) to Minor
Noise from Construction Activities and transportation Negative Minor to Negligible
of man/ material (Night-time) Moderate to Minor
Clearance of vegetation at the Project Site Negative Negligible Negligible
Clearance of vegetation at the Right of way of Water Negative Negligible Negligible
Pipeline Route & Water Intake Structure
Clearance of vegetation at the Jetty Location and Negative Negligible Negligible
Transportation Route
Excavation for laying fuel pipelines Negative Negligible Negligible
Spillage from transportation vessels Negative Moderate Minor
Habitat Disturbance due to construction of Temporary Negative Moderate Minor
Jetty and Dredging
Impact on endangered species (based on critical habitat Negative Minor to Negligible
assessment) Moderate to Minor
Traffic impact on road network Negative Minor Negligible
Community health from changes in environmental Negative Moderate Minor
conditions
Increased Prevalence of Diseases Negative Moderate Minor
Traffic safety due to heavy traffic movement Negative Moderate Minor
Employment generation Positive
Benefit to local enterprises Positive
Impact on fishermen households using the temporary Negative Minor Negligible
jetty location to anchor their boats
Labour influx and construction workers Negative Moderate Minor
accommodation
Community expectations Neutral
Operation Phase (Sirajganj 4 Project)
Contamination of soil and sediment from wastes Negative Negligible Negligible
Surface water abstraction Negative Negligible Negligible
Water pollution from wastewater discharge Negative Negligible Negligible
Discharge of Cooling water due to operation of Power Negative Negligible Negligible
Plant
Ground water abstraction Negative Negligible Negligible
Ground water contamination Negative Minor Negligible
Ambient Air Quality (by use of natural gas as fuel for Negative Negligible Negligible
power generation)
Ambient Air Quality (by use of HSD as fuel for power Negative Negligible Negligible
generation)
GHG Emission due to Sirajganj 4 project Negative Moderate Moderate
Noise from Operation of Plant and vehicular movement Negative Negligible Negligible
in Access Road (Day-time)
Noise from Operation of Plant and vehicular movement Negative Minor Negligible
in Access Road (Night-time) to Minor
Electric and magnetic field Negative Minor Negligible
Natural hazards risk (Earthquake, Cyclone and Wind, Negative Minor to Negligible
Climate Change) Moderate to minor
Impact on terrestrial flora and fauna due to incremental Negative Negligible Negligible
air emissions

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Project Activities/ Impacts Nature of Significance of Residual
Impact Impacts
Before With
Mitigation Mitigation
Impact on fauna due to incremental noise levels Negative Negligible Negligible
Discharge of cooling water to Jamuna River due to Negative Negligible Negligible
operation on aquatic flora and fauna
Risks due to hazardous materials handling and storage Negative Minor Negligible
Community health and safety due to project induced Negative Negligible Negligible
traffic
Risks of industrial accidents and fatalities to workers Negative Minor Negligible
Health associated risks from air emissions and waste Negative Negligible Negligible
water release
Employment generation and in-migration of skilled Positive
workforce
Demand for lodging, housing and civic services Positive
Increments in cost of living Neutral Negligible Negligible
Opportunity for local transporters Positive
Competing demand on natural gas Negative Negligible Negligible
Demand for power amongst locals in AOI Neutral
In-migration of skilled workforce Neutral Negligible Negligible
Cumulative Impacts due to Operation of Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and 4 Projects)
Cumulative Impact due to Groundwater Abstraction Negative Moderate Minor
Water Pollution from Wastewater Discharge Negative Negligible Negligible
Ambient Air Quality (Cumulative impact due to Negative Negligible Negligible
Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2, Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4
projects) with natural gas as fuel
Ambient Air Quality (Cumulative impact due to Negative Negligible Negligible
Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2, Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4
projects) with HSD as fuel
GHG emissions due to Operation of Sirajganj 1, 2, 3 and Negative Moderate Moderate
4 Projects
Noise from Operation of Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2, Negative Minor Negligible
Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4 Plants (Day time)
Noise from Operation of Sirajganj 1, Sirajganj 2, Negative Minor to Negligible
Sirajganj 3 and Sirajganj 4 Plants (Night time) Moderate to Minor
Cumulative Impact from Labour Influx due to Sirajganj Negative Moderate Minor
2 and Sirajganj 4 projects simultaneous construction

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7 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Environment and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for the Project has
been developed with an aim to avoid, reduce, mitigate, or compensate for
adverse environmental and social impacts/risks and to propose enhancement
measures. This includes:
• mitigation of potentially adverse impacts;
• monitoring of impacts and mitigation measures during different Project
phases of implementation and operation;
• integration of the ESMP with Project planning, design, construction and
operation;
• institutional capacity building and training; and
• compliance to statutory requirements;

It is to be noted that environmental, social and governance (ESG)

considerations are embedded in the Project Sponsor’s (Sembcorp), business
decisions and processes. The ESMP for the project will also align with the
Sustainability and HSE Policies of Sembcorp, which are presented in Box 7.1
and Box 7.2, respectively. The project will also follow these policies and will
plan specific action to align with them.

Box 7.1 Sustainability Policy of Sembcorp

Sembcorp, as a member of the international business community, recognises that our business
activities have varying direct and indirect impacts on the societies in which we operate. We
commit to manage these in a responsible manner, believing that sound and appropriate
performance in this area is linked to business success.
For Sembcorp, being a responsible corporate citizen is reflected in the following principles:

Standards of Business Conduct

We ensure that our business is conducted according to rigorous ethical, professional and legal
standards, through maintaining robust corporate governance and an Employee Code of
Conduct for staff.

Health, Safety and the Environment

Management of our health, safety and environmental responsibilities is our first priority. We
are committed to continuously improving our HSE performance and managing health, safety
and environmental risks associated with our activities, products and services. We integrate
health, safety and environmental considerations into all aspects of our business operations and
processes with the aim of preventing accidents, injuries, occupational illnesses and pollution
and conserving natural resources.

Employees
We aim to be a fair and caring employer offering our staff equitable opportunities to develop
and grow.

Community
We act as a responsible corporate citizen through support for community care initiatives,
community partnerships and philanthropic and charitable causes, in particular causes
supporting children and youth, education and the environment.

Sembcorp's operations throughout the world are committed to these principles. The stage and
level of implementation varies according to each operation and maturity of business.
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 Source: http://www.sembcorp.com/en/esg-sustainability.aspx

Box 7.2 Health, Safety and Environment Policy of Sembcorp

Sembcorp manages health, safety and environment responsibilities as our first priority. We are
committed to continuously improving our HSE performance and managing HSE risks
associated with our activities, products and services. We are committed to continuously
improving our HSE performance and managing HSE risks associated with our activities,
products and services.

Sembcorp has established and will maintain a HSE management system, and integrate HSE
considerations into all aspects of our business operations by implementing the following policy
which aims to prevent accidents, injuries, occupational illnesses and pollution as well as
conserve natural resources:
• Stress to all employees and contractors their responsibility and accountability for safe
performance and set appropriate objectives and targets to continually improve HSE
performance
• Educate employees to be aware of and understand the safety risks and health hazards
associated with their job and the potential impact on the environment
• Make available this policy to all interested parties upon request
• Build, design, operate and maintain facilities and conduct operations in a manner that
safeguards people, property and the environment, and minimises waste
• Comply with all HSE laws and regulations and other HSE requirements applicable to
Sembcorp's activities, products and services
• Offer assistance to and influence suppliers, contractors and other interested parties to
improve their HSE performance where necessary
• Review and evaluate operations to measure progress and ensure compliance with this
policy via periodic system audits and management reviews
• Prepare for, and respond quickly to, accidents or other emergency situations to mitigate
adverse impact on people, property and the environment
Source: http://www.sembcorp.com/en/esg-health-safety-and-environment.aspx

7.1 MITIGATION MEASURES

Key environmental and social impacts have been identified and reported in
Chapter 5 along with mitigation measures. A summary of mitigation
measures identified for the construction 1 and operation phases of the Project is
presented in Table 7.1. This also identifies lead responsibility for
implementing the mitigation measures and sources of funds for such
implementation. Many of the mitigation measures suggested during the
construction phase of the Project are associated with good construction and
housekeeping practices and are also included within the “Specification Manual
for Construction Contractor” prepared by SNWPCL for the EPC Contractor.
Most of the mitigation measures for the operation phase (such as those for air
emissions and noise generation) of the Project are already incorporated into
the Project design specifications.

(1) 1 Social impacts associated with the planning phase of the Project have also been covered under the construction

phase.

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 The construction phase of the Project is anticipated to last approximately 30 to
36 months, whereas the operation phase of the Project is 22 years, as per the
Power Purchase Agreement (to be signed between SNWPCL and the BPDB).
However, the design life of the Project is 30 years and SNWPCL will be
responsible for ensuring that the mitigation measures in the ESMP are
implemented throughout the life span of the Project. A commitment register
came out from the EIA study has been presented in Annex U.

7.2 ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

The environmental monitoring programme has been devised with the

following objectives:
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed mitigation measures and the
protection of the ambient environment as per prescribed/ applicable
standards for the Project;
• To identify the need for improvements in the management plans;
• To verify compliance with statutory and community obligations; and
• To allow comparison against baseline conditions and assess the changes in
environmental quality in the Project AOI.

7.2.1 Performance Indicators and Monitoring Schedule

Physical, biological and social environmental management components of

particular significance have been identified as performance indicators. A
comprehensive monitoring plan for each performance indicator has been
prepared for all phases of the Project and is presented in Table 7.2. This
includes parameters to be measured, methods to be used, sampling locations,
frequency of measurements, detection limits, cost and responsibilities for
implementation and supervision.

7.2.2 Reporting Mechanism for Environmental and Social Monitoring Program

A robust reporting system will provide the Project with the necessary
feedback mechanisms to ensure quality and timely implementation of the
works. The reporting system will ensure regular flow of information from the
Project site to the Project headquarters and, as necessary, to regulatory
authorities and funding agencies. The reporting system will provide a
mechanism to ensure that the measures proposed in the Project’s ESMP are
implemented.

Before the civil works start, the HSE Division of SNWPCL will finalise the
format for reporting on the status and progress of environmental monitoring.
The format will be designed to meet all the compliance conditions associated
with the environmental clearance from the Department of Environment and
the Government of Bangladesh. The contractor will be required to submit the
duly filled up reporting form on a monthly basis to the Project Developer (i.e.,
SNWPCL). A further report, detailing the results of pollution monitoring for

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air, noise, soil, and water will be submitted quarterly as envisaged in the
monitoring plan. A health and safety incident/accident report will be
prepared and submitted in the event of an incident or accident. Independent
verification of the effectiveness of the mitigation measures by the EPC
contractor during the construction phase can be done by SNWPCL HSE team
with a periodic third party audit.

During the operation phase of the Project, the Operations Manager and HSE
Personnel will monitor the effectiveness of the EMP implementation. The
Project Administration and Human Resources (HR) Manager will have
additional responsibility of monitoring the implementation of social
components of the ESMP. He/ she will also responsible for implementation of
corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to be conducted by SNWPCL.
Both Operations Manager and HR Manager will further report to the Plant
Manager, who will be overall in-charge of the Plant operations and
management.

The quarterly reports of the management measures will form an integral part
of the Quarterly Progress Reports that can be submitted to the lenders.
Additional compliance reports to the Regional Office and Head Office of the
DOE required as a part of environmental clearance process shall also be
prepared and submitted based on the necessary monitoring and reporting
formats.

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Table 7.1 Environmental and Social Management Plan of the Project
S. No. Affected Aspect Project Activity /affected area Potential Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Responsibility Responsibility Reporting Approximate cost and
for Mitigation for supervision Requirements Mitigation Cost Source
Implementation of mitigation
implementation
A Environmental Issues Associated with Site Preparation and Construction
1.1 Soil Quality Site clearing and preparation, Soil erosion and • Demarcation of routes for movement of heavy Appointed EPC On site Project Route plans and top soil • EPC Contractor
Laying of gas pipeline, use of compaction vehicles especially near the temporary jetty; Contractor Management management inventory Cost
heavy loaders from the • Stripping and placing soils when dry, and not team of Project submitted to HSE and
temporary jetty site when wet; and developer Project Management
• Restricting the height of topsoil stockpiles to team
minimize erosion and compaction.
• Building small bunds in areas with slope to
prevent soil erosion.
1.2 Soil and sediment • Fuelling and operation of Soil and sediment • Fuel tanks and chemical storage areas to be sited Appointed EPC HSE Division of Plans submitted to HSE • EPC Contractor
Quality heavy machinery and contamination through on sealed areas and provided with locks to Contractor Project developer division for approval Cost
transport vehicles, spills and leaks prevent unauthorized entry; and on site and monthly reports to
Unloading and loading • Preparation of guidelines and procedures for Project SNWPCL
activities near the immediate clean-up actions following any Management
temporary jetty spillages of oil, fuel or chemicals; team
• Storage and handling of • Development of a site specific Emergency
chemicals Response Plan for soil clean-up and
decontamination;
• Implementation of a training program to
familiarise staff with emergency procedures and
practices related to contamination events;
• Storage areas for oil, fuel and chemicals to be
surrounded by bunds or other containment
devices to prevent any spilled oil, fuel or
chemicals from contaminating soils, sediment,
water or groundwater;
• Use of spill or drip trays to contain spills and
leaks, and use of spill control kits to clean small
spills and leaks; and
• Installation of oil/water separators to treat surface
run-off from bunded areas prior to discharge to
the storm water system.
1.4 Soil Quality Storage, handling and disposal Soil contamination • Design processes to prevent/minimise quantities Appointed EPC HSE Division of Monthly report to • EPC Contractor
of construction waste of wastes generated and hazards associated with Contractor Project developer SNWPCL Cost
the waste generated; and on site
• Training labourers for waste disposal in Project
designated areas and use of sanitation facilities; Management
• Provide dedicated storage areas for construction team
materials to minimise the potential for damage or
contamination of the materials;
• Implement a construction materials inventory
management system to minimise over-supply of
the construction materials, which may lead to
disposal of the surplus materials at the end of the
construction period;
• Segregate hazardous and non-hazardous waste
and provide appropriate containers for the waste
types generated (e.g. enclosed bins for putrescible
materials to avoid attracting pests and vermin and
to minimise odour nuisance);
• Store wastes in closed containers away from direct
sunlight, wind and rain;
• Provide enough space to allow for inspection
between waste containers so as to identify any
leaks or spills;
• Ensure storage areas have impermeable floor and
containment, of capacity to accommodate 110% of
the volume of the largest waste container;

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 S. No. Affected Aspect Project Activity /affected area Potential Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Responsibility Responsibility Reporting Approximate cost and
for Mitigation for supervision Requirements Mitigation Cost Source
Implementation of mitigation
implementation
• Storage of inert concrete waste in a laydown area
near the concrete batching plant and reuse of
these wastes under floors or roads; and
• Dispose of hazardous waste including bitumen by
licensed contractors.
2.1 Water Resources • Wastewater Discharge from Wastewater • Vehicle servicing areas and wash bays located Appointed EPC On site Project Monthly report to • EPC Contractor
washing of equipment and contamination within roofed and cemented areas. The drainage Contractor Management SNWPCL Cost
machinery in these covered areas connected to oil/water team and
• Sanitary facilities separator and channelized properly to the designated HSE
2.2 Surface Water Quality • Leaks and spills of oil, Groundwater land/inland waters ; team
lubricants, fuel contamination • Oil leakage or spillage contained and cleaned up
• Improper handling of immediately. Waste oil to be collected and stored
sewage or chemical for recycling or disposal;
• Oil and grease separator shall be used for
wastewater generated from cleaning activities;
• Any surplus wastewater from the concrete
batching to be treated to comply with discharge
standards before it is discharged;
• Adequate sanitary facilities, i.e. toilets and
showers, provided for the construction
workforce;
• Workers trained in the use of designated
areas/bins for waste disposal and encouraged to
use toilets.
• Septic tanks provided to treat sanitary
wastewater; and all sewage and liquid effluent
treated to meet the standards specified in
Schedules 9 and 10 of the ECR, 1997 respectively
and IFC EHS Guidelines prior to discharge to
land/inland waters.
Air Quality • Site preparation and Dust generation • Implementation of a regular and rigorous Appointed EPC On site Project Monthly report to • EPC Contractor
levelling; watering and sprinkling regime for dust Contractor Management SNWPCL Cost
• Excavation of soil to create suppression during the dry season; team and
building and equipment • As far as possible, locate the concrete batching designated HSE
foundations; plant away from sensitive receptors and team
• Pile driving for the additional net fencing on section of boundary
equipment foundation; wall facing the residential receptors to reduce
• Concrete works dust transport.;
• Transportation related • Maintain the maximum possible distance between
activities stockpiles and receptors;
• Cover and/or water spray all stockpiles of dusty
materials such as excavated spoils, loose
construction material piles to avoid fugitive dust;
• During construction, the access road will be
regularly maintained to keep it clean, free from
mud and slurry.
• Material transport will be totally enclosed with
impervious sheeting and wheel washing will be
carried out at site.
• No waste will be burnt on or around the Project
site.
4.2 Air Quality • Operation of heavy Exhaust Emissions • A speed limit of 20 km/hr will be enforced on the Appointed EPC On site Project Monthly report to • EPC Contractor
machinery and transport construction site/access road; Contractor Management SNWPCL Cost
vehicles • Regularly maintain all diesel-powered equipment team and
• Operation of DG sets and reduce idling time to avoid emissions of NOx, designated HSE
PM10 and SO2; team
• Where available use low sulphur diesel (LSD) in
HGVs and diesel powered equipment;
• Implement best practice procedures to control
vehicle / equipment air emissions (such as
turning off equipment when not in use); and

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 S. No. Affected Aspect Project Activity /affected area Potential Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Responsibility Responsibility Reporting Approximate cost and
for Mitigation for supervision Requirements Mitigation Cost Source
Implementation of mitigation
implementation
• Vehicle / equipment exhausts observed to be
emitting significant black smoke from their
exhausts will be serviced/ replaced.
Noise • Heavy machinery Increase in ambient • Normal working hours of the contractor will be Appointed EPC On site Project Monthly report to • EPC Contractor
operations for construction noise levels between 06:00 and 21:00 hours from Monday to Contractor Management SNWPCL Cost
works Sunday. If work needs to be undertaken outside team and
• Transportation related these hours, it should be limited to activities that designated HSE
activities do not lead to exceedance of the noise criteria at team
nearby NSRs;
• Only well-maintained equipment should be
operated on-site;
• Regular maintenance of equipment including
lubricating moving parts, tightening loose parts
and replacing worn out components should be
conducted;
• Machines and construction plant items (e.g.
trucks) that may be in intermittent use should be
shut down or throttled down between work
periods;
• Low noise equipment should be used as far as
practicable;
• The number of equipment operating
simultaneously should be reduced as far as
practicable;
• Equipment known to emit noise strongly in one
direction should be orientated so that the noise is
directed away from nearby NSRs as far as
practicable;
• Noisy plant (such as breakers and rollers) shall be
located as far away from receptors as practicable.
Terrestrial Flora and • Site preparation and related • Clearance of • Pre-construction surveys shall be conducted by Project On site Project Monthly report to • Project Developer
Fauna activities Vegetation at Project qualified ecologist hired by project developer to Management Management SNWPCL and EPC Contractor
• Excavation for Fuel site, RoW of Water identify the floral and faunal species of along with hired Team including Cost
Pipelines pipeline and intake conservational significance. The location of specialists and specialist as
structure, Jetty CR/EN species (if chance found) shall be marked Appointed EPC required
location and in advance and the area will be avoided; Contractor
transportation route • If tree removal cannot be avoided, adequate
compensatory afforestation including
conservation of EN species in consultation with
Forest Department shall be undertaken;
• Efforts to be taken to replant the species nearby
where no disturbance due to project activity is
envisaged;
• Vegetation clearing will be kept to the minimum
extent practicable for the project site, temporary
jetty, transportation route through Jamuna eco
park, water and gas pipeline;
• Construction schedule to be managed such that
the foundation work is not done during monsoon
season;
• Strict instruction shall be given to the construction
workers not to cut trees from the nearby areas for
their kitchen fuel and timber use;
• Use of LPG/ Kerosene for cooking need to be
provided/ encouraged in order to reduce the
impacts on vegetation from the vicinity of the
Project site;
• Construction workers shall be given conservation
and awareness training to promote sustainable
resource use; and
• Improved management of eco-park needs to be
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 S. No. Affected Aspect Project Activity /affected area Potential Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Responsibility Responsibility Reporting Approximate cost and
for Mitigation for supervision Requirements Mitigation Cost Source
Implementation of mitigation
implementation
supported by the project to reduce impacts during
the construction phase of the project.
• There is a likelihood of introduction of invasive
species due to movement of Vehicles in the
Jamuna Eco Park. All vehicles tyres should be
properly washed before entering Jamuna Eco
Park.
6.2 Terrestrial Flora and Construction and transportation • Impact on species of • Identification of any trees where vultures nest on • Project On site Project Survey report and • Project Developer
Fauna related activities conservational in the AOI and protection of these trees with a Management Management monthly report to Cost and EPC
significance surrounding buffer area. along with Team and SNWPCL Contractor Cost
• Exclusion of cattle from project area by site hired Designated HSE
security to reduce risks of carcasses contaminated team on site
specialists
by diclofenac being consumed by vultures. including
and
specialist as
Appointed required
EPC
Contractor
6.3 Aquatic Flora and Fauna • Construction of temporary Impact on habitat of • Conservation training shall be given and a ban on Project On site Project Survey report and • Project Developer
jetty and dredging aquatic and riverine hunting, capture of species by any Management Management monthly report to Cost and EPC
• Transportation of fauna due to accidental contractor/subcontractor/construction worker along with hired Team and SNWPCL Contractor Cost
equipment spillage working on water pipeline, jetty area including specialists and Designated HSE
• Leakages and Discharges Appointed EPC team on site
logistics contractor not complying being
from River Transportation Contractor including
immediately removed from the project;
specialist as
• Proper maintenance for avoidance of any leakage required
of fuels and other contaminants from
barges/trawlers to Jamuna River;
• During transportation of equipment’s the vessel
speed should be regulated and observer for the
Dolphin movement should be appointed to guide
the vessel to the temporary jetty area. Ballast
discharge to be regulated near the AOI; and
• Trawlers/barges with valid requisite licenses and
emergency handling capacity or tie-ups shall only
be engaged.
• All vessels plying the river are to be properly
maintained with oil seals etc. regularly checked
for oil leaks etc. All containers used for
hydrocarbons storage (vessels and jetty area)
should be sealed tightly and secured to prevent
accidental spillage or leaks into the river. Vessels
plying the river and on shore facilities should be
routinely inspected by the site security to ensure
compliance to these principles.
•
6.4 Aquatic Flora and Fauna • General construction and • Impact on species of Mammals: South Asian river dolphin (Jamuna EPC Contractor On site Project Monthly report to • Project Developer
transportation of material conservation Dolphin) Management SNWPCL Cost and EPC
significance • Movement of vessels in the Jamuna River to Team and Contractor Cost
temporary jetty area shall require vessel patrols or Designated HSE
deck monitoring for detecting movement of South team on site
Asian River Dolphin. If such movement is
observed, the vessel should be stopped until the
species moves out of the path of the vessel. Vessel
patrols and deck monitoring should organize or
enforced/ supervised by the site security.
Transportation • Transportation of Disturbance to existing • Avoiding peak hours for heavy vehicles SNWPCL, On site Project Monthly report to • EPC Contractor
construction material, and road users through movement where possible; Appointed EPC Management SNWPCL Cost
personnel increase in road traffic • During transportation of heavy equipment from Contractor team and
designated HSE
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 S. No. Affected Aspect Project Activity /affected area Potential Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Responsibility Responsibility Reporting Approximate cost and
for Mitigation for supervision Requirements Mitigation Cost Source
Implementation of mitigation
implementation
the temporary jetty inside the ecopark to the main team
road a speed limit of 10 km/hr needs to be
maintained by all heavy vehicles;
• Regular maintenance of vehicles to avoid break
downs leading to congestions;
• Training and awareness amongst driver’s to
encourage systematic parking, following traffic
rules, preventing unnecessary stoppages and
overtaking.
Community Health and • General construction Health Impacts due to • Barriers will be provided to prevent ingress of Appointed EPC On site Project Monthly Report to • EPC Contractor
Safety activities Changes in persons into the construction site and also to Contractor along Management SNWPCL Cost
• Influx of construction environmental protect public exposure to hazards associated with Project Team and
workers conditions with construction activities; Management Designated HSE
Increased prevalence of • Screening, surveillance and treatment of workers, team on site
disease through the provision of medical facilities and,
where required, immunization programmes;
• Undertaking health awareness and education
initiatives among workers;
• Implementation of a vector control programme in
labour camps and surrounding areas; and
• Avoiding formation of stagnant water pools in
and around the site;
• Prevention of larval and adult mosquito
propagation through sanitary improvements and
elimination of breeding habitats close to human
settlements in the close vicinity of Project site;
• Educating area residents and workers on risks,
prevention, and available treatment for vector-
borne diseases.
8.2 Community Health and Heavy traffic movement Traffic safety • Emphasizing safety aspects among drivers, Appointed EPC On site Project Monthly Report to • EPC Contractor
Safety particularly with regard to the speed limit of 20 Contractor Management SNWPCL Cost
km/hr that will be enforced; Team and
• Ensuring that only licensed drivers are employed Designated HSE
by the Project; team on site
• Avoiding peak hours for heavy vehicles
movement where possible;
• Regular maintenance of vehicles and use of
manufacturer approved parts to minimize
potentially serious accidents caused by
equipment malfunction or premature failure;
• Collaboration with local communities and
responsible authorities to improve signage ( e.g.
pedestrian crossings, speed limits etc.), visibility
and awareness of traffic and pedestrian safety;
and
• Coordination with emergency responders to
ensure that appropriate first aid is provided in the
event of accidents.
B Social Issues Associated with the Construction Phase
9.1 Social Scenario Construction related activities • Influx of • Preventing stress on local infrastructure by Project Designated CSR Need Based Assessment • Project Developer
Construction providing labour related infrastructure such as Management and team on site and Report and Cost and
Workers camps, sanitation facility, drinking water facility, EPC Contractor GRC Monthly reports to top • EPC Contractor
• Stress on Local etc. in accordance with local regulations as well as management, SNWPCL Cost
infrastructure IFC handbook for labour accommodation;
• Consulting with the local community prior to
finalization of location of labour camp to get their
consent
• Preparation of a detailed plan, in keeping with
lender requirements, for the construction of the
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 S. No. Affected Aspect Project Activity /affected area Potential Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Responsibility Responsibility Reporting Approximate cost and
for Mitigation for supervision Requirements Mitigation Cost Source
Implementation of mitigation
implementation
labour camp and the mitigation measures to be
put in place
• Ensure proper administrative channel to manage
labour related statutory compliance, such as
payment of wages, provident fund, insurance etc.
as well as labour issues arising during the
construction phase activities;
• Manage illegal labour practices such as child
labour, bounded labour or forced labour through
internal vigilance mechanisms and surveillance;
and
• Awareness shall be generated amongst migrant
labourers in maintaining congenial relations with
local labourers as well as community.
9.2 Social Scenario Construction of temporary Jetty • Partial loss of • Consultations with the fishing households should Project Designated CSR Monthly reports to top • Project Developer
livelihood of fishing be done before dredging and other site Management and team on site and management, SNWPCL Cost and
households due to improvement activities are carried out at the Jetty EPC Contractor GRC • EPC Contractor
reduction in fish location. Alternative anchorage areas should be Cost
catch. identified and safe anchorage of their boats to be
facilitated.
• The reduction in fish catch for these fishing
households should be compensated through cash
payment during the period for which jetty is
used.
9.3 Community Construction activities • Community • Engaging closely with local NGOs to understand Project Designated CSR Monthly reports to top • Project Developer
Expectations the key collective requirements of the Management team on site and management, SNWPCL Cost and
surrounding community and identify one or more along with CSR , GRC • EPC Contractor
of the highlighted concerns which SNWPCL will NGOs and EPC Cost
Contractor
support to resolve.
• Some of the collective requirements could be
access to (i) clean drinking water (ii) medical
consultation (iii) education, etc.
• Enhance employment opportunities by
maximizing utilization of the local population, as
far as possible.
• Communication of a clear plan of action to
improve the welfare of the neighbouring
community, before commencing construction
works on site.
C Environmental Issues Associated with the Operation Phase
1.1 Soil and Sediment Waste generated from • Contamination of • Wastes shall be stored in a manner that will Project Designated Team Monthly internal reports • Plant O&M Cost
Quality • Office and Canteens; soil and sediment prevent contact between incompatible wastes i.e. Developer/Plant comprising of to top management and
• WTP, ETP and STP; from wastes post compatibility checks, Management/Pla representation reporting to regulatory
• Gas Turbines; • Proper labelling of hazardous wastes; nt HSE Team from relevant authorities/lenders as
• Laboratories; departments as required.
• Special care shall be taken in the storage areas to
HSE, Operations,
• GT Compressors; prevent any spillage of hazardous wastes and Administration
• Lube oil systems; restrict access (except for trained staff) to such and HR.
• DG sets; and areas;
• Power house and • Periodic audits shall be carried out for such areas
Workshop area. and containers; also on the segregation and
collection systems and the findings will be
documented and appropriate action taken against
irregularities;
• A spill response plan and emergency plan shall be
prepared to address accidental spillages or release

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 S. No. Affected Aspect Project Activity /affected area Potential Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Responsibility Responsibility Reporting Approximate cost and
for Mitigation for supervision Requirements Mitigation Cost Source
Implementation of mitigation
implementation
of hazardous wastes; and
• A proper manifest record shall be maintained of
waste travelling/ removed from the site; and
• Disposal of hazardous waste by engaging DOE
approved waste management agencies.
2.1 Water Resources Wastewater discharge • Impact on aquatic • Monitoring of temperature at the discharge point Project Design HSE department Records maintained and • Included in Project
flora and fauna at a frequency of every 15 days; Team to and Operations. Monthly internal reports Capital and Plant
• Contamination of • Discharge system shutdown in event that implement design to top management and O&M Cost as
soil and sediment discharge temperature of effluent exceeds phase mitigation Study by 3rd Party reporting to regulatory mentioned above
measures. agency /experts. authorities/lenders as
standard;
required.
• Storm water drainage and waste water of similar
nature from different units will be treated in Operations and
accordance to GOB Environment Conservation Plant HSE Team
Rule (1997) Schedule 10 (Standards for Waste to implement
O&M Phase
from Industrial Units or Project Waste) and the
Mitigation
applicable World Bank Group environmental
Measures
requirements and World Bank/IFC guidelines.
2.2 Water Resources Surface water abstraction • Impact on surface • Efforts to be made to increase the cycle of Operations team Designated Team Records maintained and • Included in Project
water availability concentration to reduce the volume of blow down comprising of Monthly internal reports Capital and Plant
and consequently the volume of make-up water representation to top management O&M Cost as
required by the cooling tower. from HSE and mentioned above
Operations
2.3 Water Resources Storage and handling of Fuel, • Impact on soil and • For minimising use of antifouling and corrosion Operations and Designated Team Records maintained and • Included in Project
Oil and chemicals ground water inhibiting chemicals appropriate depth of water Plant HSE Team comprising of Monthly internal reports Capital and Plant
environment intake will be maintained and use of screens will representation to top management O&M Cost as
• Storm water runoff be ensured; from HSE and mentioned above
Operations
carrying • Minimum required quantities of chlorinated
contaminants to biocides or alternatively intermittent shot dosing
nearby low lying of chlorine will be practised rather than
areas and adjoining continuous low level feed;
Channel • Waste storage areas will be equipped with
secondary containment and spill control measures
(similar to the hazardous material storage areas)
to limit impact to ground;
• Liquid wastes such as waste oil, etc. will be
collected and stored for recycling in cemented
areas; and
• All drainage/tanks, etc. will be positioned on
concrete hard standing to prevent any seepage
into ground.
• In the unlikely event water percolation does not
occur as expected, SNWPCL could rely on
temporary solutions such as to engage a sub-
contractor to use the portable pumps & hoses to
evacuate this water to the river or dry canal,
thereby allowing a larger surface area for the
water to percolate.
• SNWPCL will monitor the wastewater discharge
and if water stagnation if observed to persist
continuously over an extended period of [12-18]
months, then SNWPCL will evaluate permanent
solutions to resolve the issue. However if the
water stagnation is observed to occur for only
part of the year, then the temporary solution
should suffice.
4.1 Air Quality Stack emissions • Impact on ambient • The use of continuous emission monitoring Plant HSE Team Designated Team Relevant Records Included in Project
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 S. No. Affected Aspect Project Activity /affected area Potential Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Responsibility Responsibility Reporting Approximate cost and
for Mitigation for supervision Requirements Mitigation Cost Source
Implementation of mitigation
implementation
air quality (CEM) equipment for the measurement of air and Operations comprising of maintained. Monthly Capital and Plant O&M
emission levels in the exhaust stack of HRSG. representation internal reports to top and External 10 m BDT
CEM will be undertaken for NOx, SO2, CO and from HSE and management and reports
O2; Operations to regulatory
authorities/lenders as
• PM2.5 and VOCs will be monitored periodically,
required.
to ensure that these emissions are not occurring as
a result of the incomplete burning of the natural
gas fuel and use of HSD as fuel.
• The stack shall be provided with safe access to
sampling points for CEM.
• HSD shall be used only during shortage of natural
gas supply.
4.2 Air quality Stack emissions • GHG emissions • Ensure that all equipment and machinery is Plant HSE Team Designated Team Relevant Records Plant O&M Cost as
maintained in accordance with manufacturer’s and Operations comprising of maintained. Monthly above
specifications; representation internal reports to top
• Higher efficiency steam turbine blade design; and from HSE and management.
Operations
• Improved efficiency of auxiliary drives.
5.1 Noise Plant operations • Increased noise • Selection of equipment with lower sound power Plant HSE Team Designated Team Relevant Records Included in Project
levels levels (< 85 dB); and Operations comprising of maintained. Monthly Capital and Plant O&M
• Installation of mufflers on engine exhausts and representation internal reports to top
compressor components; from HSE, management and reports
Operations and to regulatory
• Installation of acoustic enclosures for equipment
GRC authorities/lenders as
(e.g. gas turbine, compressor) casing radiating required.
noise;
• Buildings will be designed with improved
acoustic performance and sound insulation will
be provided;
• Installation of acoustic barriers without gaps and
with a continuous minimum surface density in
order to minimize the transmission of sound
through the barriers;
• Barriers will be located as close to the source ,as
far as practicable, to be effective;
• Installation of vibration isolation for mechanical
equipment; and
• A noise analysis of all major plant components
will be carried out during commissioning of the
plant to ensure compliance with the specification
and guaranteed performance as well as ambient
noise levels at the receptors located in the
surroundings.
6.1 EMF Magnetic fields associated with • Potential source of • Occupational health and safety EMF standards in Plant Operations Designated Team Relevant Records Plant O&M Cost
transmission and distribution Shocks EHS guidelines on thermal power and electric comprising of maintained. Monthly
systems transmission lines shall be adhered to representation internal reports to top
from HSE, management.
Operations
7.1 Climate Risk Plant operations due to flood • Loss of lives and • Work closely with local authorities and NWPGCL Plant HSE Team Designated Team Relevant Records Project O&M Cost and
risk property on these issues a combined response is likely to be and Emergency comprising of maintained and included emergency contingency
• Damage to critical more cost-effective. Management representation as part of Emergency fund
equipment, plants Team with local from response.
authorities and HSE ,Operations,
and buildings
NWPGCL Emergency
leading to safety
Management
incidents
8.1 Terrestrial Habitat Plant Operations • Incremental noise • Noise levels must be attenuated to the extent Plant HSE Team Designated Team Relevant Records Plant O&M Cost
possible by proper lubrication of machineries and and Operations comprising of maintained and internal
equipment and installation of noise along with representation report to senior
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 S. No. Affected Aspect Project Activity /affected area Potential Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Responsibility Responsibility Reporting Approximate cost and
for Mitigation for supervision Requirements Mitigation Cost Source
Implementation of mitigation
implementation
barriers/acoustic enclosures at appropriate Specialist as from HSE management.
locations; required /Operations
• Habitat improvement in form of dense plantation
with native species along the water pipeline ROW
and adjoining degraded Eco park land will be
undertaken. This shall improve the habitat
conditions for the avifauna and mammalian fauna
in the project AOI; and
• Minimizing the secondary sources of noise
generation such as vehicle noise and other
operation and maintenance.
8.2 Aquatic Ecology Plant operations • Discharge of cooling • Monthly monitoring of temperature at the Plant HSE Team Designated Team Relevant Records Plant O&M Cost
water discharge point; and Operations comprising of maintained and monthly
• Discharge system shutdown in the event that representation internal report to senior
effluent temperature exceeds 3°C; from HSE management and report
/Operations to regulatory authorities
• Maintain the cooling water chemistry at
as required.
approximately 5 cycles of concentration (COC) to
reduce the volume of blow down and
consequently the volume of make-up water
required by the cooling tower.
• Storm water drainage and waste water of similar
nature from different units will be treated in
accordance to GOB Environment Conservation
Rule (1997) Schedule 10 (Standards for Waste
from Industrial Units or Project Waste) and the
applicable World Bank Group environmental
requirements and World Bank/IFC guidelines.
Treated wastewater will be discharged along with
cooling water on land.
8.3 Aquatic Ecology Plant operations • Discharge of cooling • Monitoring of temperature at the discharge point Plant HSE Team Designated Team • Relevant Records Plant O&M Cost
water on land in the at a frequency of 15 days; and Operations comprising of maintained and
upstream of Jamuna • Discharge system shutdown in event of effluent Team representation internal report to
Channel temperature exceeding > 3°C than intake water; Study with help from HSE senior management.
from Specialists /Operations • Study report
• Discharge of treated • Efforts to be made to increase the cycle of
effluent concentration to reduce the volume of blow down
and consequently the volume of make-up water
required by the cooling tower.
• Storm water drainage and waste water of similar
nature from different units will be treated in
accordance to GOB Environment Conservation
Rule (1997) Schedule 10 (Standards for Waste
from Industrial Units or Project Waste) and the
applicable World Bank Group environmental
requirements and World Bank/IFC guidelines.
Treated waste water will be discharged along
with cooling water to Jamuna River.
• Undertake a post operational assessment study
through independent 3rd party agency/experts
with an objective to assess the impact of cooling
water discharge on Jamuna River ecological
resources and social aspects. Such study will be
conducted preferably after 12 months of
commissioning the Project and the study
recommendations will be implemented to further
fine tune the mitigation strategy.

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 S. No. Affected Aspect Project Activity /affected area Potential Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Responsibility Responsibility Reporting Approximate cost and
for Mitigation for supervision Requirements Mitigation Cost Source
Implementation of mitigation
implementation
9.1 Community Health and Plant operations • Health associated • Same as given in 2.2, 2.2 and 2.3 and 4.1 and 4.2 Plant HSE Team Designated Team Relevant Records Plant O&M Cost
Safety risks from air (Operation Phase) and comprising of maintained and monthly
emissions and Administration representation internal report to senior
wastewater release from HSE management.
/logistics team
and GRC
9.2 Occupational Health and Plant operations • Risks of accidents • On job training for the workers shall be carried Plant HSE Team Designated Team Relevant Records Plant O&M Cost
Safety and fatalities to out; and HR and comprising of maintained and monthly
workers • Work permit system shall be followed; Administration representation internal report to senior
• PPE shall be provided and use of PPEs shall be from HSE management.
/HR/Administra
enforced;
tion
• SOPs need to be developed for operation and
maintenance of the Plant;
D Cumulative Impacts
1.1 Water Resources Ground water Abstraction and • Reduction in • Considering the ground water abstraction in large Operations Team Designated Team • Relevant Records Plant O&M Cost
waste water discharge of all ground water quantity by NWPGCL’s 3 projects within the and Plant HSE comprising of maintained and
plants availability complex, it is suggested to provide piezometers Team representation internal report to
• Contamination of for monthly monitoring of ground water level from HSE senior management.
/Operations
water resources and quality within the complex;
• For minimising use of antifouling and corrosion
inhibiting chemicals appropriate depth of water
intake will be maintained and use of screens shall
be ensured;
• Minimum required quantities of chlorinated
biocides or alternatively intermittent shot dosing
of chlorine shall be practised rather than
continuous low level feed;
• Waste storage areas will be equipped with
secondary containment and spill control measures
(similar to the hazardous material storage areas)
to limit impact to ground;
• Oil water separators shall be provided to intercept
any accidental discharge of oil and grease on the
storm water channels;
• Liquid wastes such as waste oil, etc. shall be
collected and stored for recycling in cemented
areas; and
• All drainage/tanks, etc. shall be positioned on
concrete hard standing to prevent any seepage
into ground.
2.1 Air Quality Operations of all plants • Impact on Air • Refer Section 41. and 4.2 (Operation Phase)
Quality
2.2 Air Quality Operations of all plants • Greenhouse gas • Ensure that all equipment and machinery is Operations Team Designated Team • Relevant Records Plant O&M Cost
emissions maintained in accordance with manufacturer’s and Plant HSE comprising of maintained and
specifications; Team with help representation internal report to
• Higher efficiency steam turbine blade design; and from other from HSE senior management.
operational plants /Operations with
• Improved efficiency of auxiliary drives.
help from other
• Actual annual GHG emissions from all the plants operational plants
within the complex shall be compiled and
reported by the project owners of Sirajganj 1, 2, 3
and 4.

3.1 Noise Operations of all plants • Increased noise • Installation of vibration isolation for mechanical Operations Team Designated Team Relevant Records Plant O&M Cost
levels noise control; and Plant HSE comprising of maintained. Monthly
• Once all the four plants are operational, periodic Team representation internal reports to top
ambient noise monitoring is to monitor the noise from HSE, management and reports

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 S. No. Affected Aspect Project Activity /affected area Potential Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Responsibility Responsibility Reporting Approximate cost and
for Mitigation for supervision Requirements Mitigation Cost Source
Implementation of mitigation
implementation
levels to ensure compliance with the specification Operations and to regulatory
and guaranteed performance at noise generating GRC authorities/lenders as
sources as well as ambient noise levels at the required.
receptors located in the surroundings.
• Review of noise guarantees and supporting data
of all equipment suppliers with interim noise
reports from EPC contractor/s in order to
demonstrate compliance with the applicable noise
emission criteria at source/s. In case of
exceedence from the specified noise limits,
adequate corrective actions as may be required
shall be implemented by the specific project.
4.1 Social Scenario Construction activities of other • Worker influx • Same as in 9.1(Construction Phase)
plants simultaneously

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Table 7.2 Environmental and Social Monitoring Programme (Construction and Operation Phase)

Project Stage/ Potential Impact Parameters to be Location Measurements Frequency Responsibility Cost
Affected Monitored
Component
Site Preparation and Construction Phase
General Inspection of General Project activity Visual inspection Daily HSE Team of EPC EPC Contractor
mitigation compliance with areas 1 and of all active work Contractor Cost
compliance mitigation construction areas
measures workers camp [1 x HSSE
presented in the Manager &
ESMP and as 2 x HSSE
specified in EPC Supervisor]
Contractor Manual
Soil Contamination of pH, salinity, NH4+, Construction site or Standard In the event of any 3rd Party BDT 100,000/
soil total P, heavy laydown area or analytical methods leakage or spillage Environmental monitoring
metals, oil & spill area of hazardous Consultant (EPC
grease substances, oil, or Contractor
toxic chemicals Cost)
Water Contamination of Turbidity, pH, DO, Near Temporary Standard Monthly 3rd Party BDT 660,000/
surface water Total dissolved Jetty and near analytical methods Environmental annum (EPC
solids, oil & grease, water intake and Consultant Contractor
total coliform, outfall structures Cost)
heavy metals
Ground water Drinking water Groundwater wells Standard Once every 3rd Party BDT 1,632,000/
quality quality parameters to be used for analytical methods fortnight Environmental annum (EPC
as per Schedule 3 drinking water Consultant Contractor
of ECR 1997 supply during this Cost)
phase
Ambient Air Dust generation SPM and PM10 Identified ASRs 24-hour Once every 3rd Party BDT 1,200,000/
Quality within 500 m from fortnight Environmental annum (EPC
the construction Consultant Contractor
site (4 locations) Cost)

(2) 1 Activity areas are defined as Project site, access road and gas/fuel/ water pipeline RoW.

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Project Stage/ Potential Impact Parameters to be Location Measurements Frequency Responsibility Cost
Affected Monitored
Component
Vehicle exhaust PM2.5, NO2, SO2, Identified ASRs 24-hourly Monthly 3rd Party BDT 900,000/
CO within 100 m from monitoring of Environmental annum (EPC
the activity areas (2 PM2.5 and SO2 Consultant Contractor
locations) and 1-hourly Cost)
monitoring of
NO2 and CO
Noise Increase in Noise levels in Identified NSRs 24-hour Monthly 3rd Party BDT 156,000/
ambient noise Leq, Leq day, Leq within 500 m from Environmental annum (EPC
levels night and hourly the activity area/s Consultant/ In- Contractor
Leq (8 locations) house monitoring Cost)
Occupational Accidents or Near-misses, Project activity As defined in As defined in H&S HSE Team of EPC EPC Contractor
Health and incidents due to incidents, areas and construction phase Plan Contractor Cost
Safety construction occupational construction Health & Safety
activities, workers’ diseases, workers camp Plan to be [1 x HSSE
health dangerous prepared by EPC Manager &
occurrences contractor 2 x HSSE
Supervisor]
Community Community Accidents, Access Road Incidents, Based on HSE and/or EPC Contractor
Health and disturbance and incidents and connecting site accidents and occurrence Community Cost
Safety potential safety complaints community Liaison Officer of
hazard due to complaints EPC Contractor [1 x HSSE
road traffic Manager;
2 x HSSE
Supervisor;
1 x Liaison
Officer]
Public concerns Complaints from Neighbouring As per the Continuous SNWPCL Grievance
community communities grievance redress Management
around the Project mechanism Budget of
activity areas SNWPCL

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Project Stage/ Potential Impact Parameters to be Location Measurements Frequency Responsibility Cost
Affected Monitored
Component
Terrestrial Impact on species Tree cutting Near temporary Identification and One time prior to SNWPCL with As per the
Ecology of conservational jetty ,transportation Enumeration by start of work help of experts compensation
importance route, RoW of ecologist demanded by
water pipeline and the Forest
intake structure Department
(EPC
Contractor
Cost)
Impact on habitat Habitats and Near temporary Visual Inspection Continuous SNWPCL EPC Contractor
of avifauna and Disturbance to jetty ,transportation Cost
avifauna route, RoW of
water pipeline and
intake structure
Aquatic Ecology Impact on habitat Habitats and Near temporary Identification by Prior to start of SNWPCL BDT 300,000/
of aquatic and Disturbance to jetty ,transportation experts and visual work and (EPC
riverine fauna due aquatic fauna route, RoW of inspections Continuous visual Contractor
to spillage water pipeline and inspection Cost)
intake structure
Impact on Reptiles Habitats and temporary Visual monitoring Continuous SNWPCL EPC Contractor
due to trawlers Disturbance to jetty ,transportation during unloading Cost
and barges aquatic fauna route operations at
temporary jetty
area and
transporation
route
Operation Phase
General Inspection of General Project activity Visual inspection Daily Plant HSE Team Included in
mitigation compliance with areas of all active work operation and
compliance mitigation areas maintenance
measures (O&M) cost
presented in the
ESMP and
operational
manual

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Project Stage/ Potential Impact Parameters to be Location Measurements Frequency Responsibility Cost
Affected Monitored
Component
Soil Soil and Sediment pH, salinity, NH4+, In waste storage Standard In case of 3rd Party BDT 200,000/
Contamination total P, heavy area, and sediment analytical methods Accidental spillage Environmental monitoring
metals, oil & of Jamuna River or Consultant (O&M Cost)
grease as applicable
Water Ground water Drinking water Borewell water to Standard Monthly Inhouse laboratory O&M Cost
quality quality parameters be used for analytical methods
as per Schedule 3 domestic purposes Quarterly 3rd Party BDT 50,000/
of ECR 1997 Environmental annum
Consultant/
Wastewater Temperature, Outlet of discharge Standard methods Daily Inhouse laboratory O&M Cost
chlorine, pH, channel
BOD5, COD, oil & Quarterly 3rd Party BDT 80,000/
grease, heavy Environmental annum
metals, total faecal Consultant/
coliform
Surface water Temperature, 3 stations (at 0 m, Potable water Daily Inhouse laboratory O&M Cost
quality conductivity, pH, 100 m and 200 m quality analyser
DO, TDS from the point of Quarterly 3rd Party BDT 60,000/
discharge of Environmental annum
effluent) Consultant/
Cooling water Temperature Intake pipeline Thermistor Continuous Inhouse laboratory Installation
inlet and discharge included in
pipeline outlet EPC Cost
Monitoring and
maintenance in
O&M cost
Air Emissions Stack emissions NOx, CO, PM2.5 Main stack and by- CEM Continuous SNWPCL Installation
and O2 pass stack included in
EPC Cost
Monitoring and
maintenance in
O&M cost
Emission CEM validation for Main stack and by- Standard methods Annual 3rd Party BDT 100,000/
concentrations NOx, CO and pass stack Environmental annum (O&M
PM2.5 Consultant Cost)

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Project Stage/ Potential Impact Parameters to be Location Measurements Frequency Responsibility Cost
Affected Monitored
Component
Ambient air NOx, CO, PM10, 4 locations within 2 Standard methods Half yearly 3rd Party BDT 400,000/
quality PM2.5, SO2 km from the Project Environmental annum
boundary (Project Consultant
boundary, Khas
Barashimul,
Panchosona and
Punorbason
Village)
Noise Noise generation Sound Pressure 1 m from the noise Noise monitor Monthly In-house O&M Cost
by Plant Level generating laboratory
equipment equipment (For all
the noise sources Half yearly 3rd Party BDT 50,000/
greater than 70 Environmental annum
dB(A) noise level) Consultant
Ambient noise Ambient noise At Project Noise monitor Half yearly 3rd Party BDT 40,000/
levels boundary and at with data logger Environmental annum
nearest noise (24-hour Consultant
sensitive receptors observations with
in all direction hourly noise
from the Plant levels)
EMF EMF EMF standards Transmission line Annual SNWPCL O&M Cost
GHG Emissions Climate change GHG production Plant control room Natural gas Annual SNWPCL No cost
consumption
Terrestrial Disturbance to Nesting, bird In and around the Nesting, bird Half yearly for SNWPCL by BDT 200,000/
Ecology avifauna from count Project site count first two years of engaging annum (O & M
noise operations Terrestrial Ecology Cost)
Expert/ Agency
Aquatic Ecology Impact on Fishes Fish count, Upstream , Abundance of Once post 1 year SNWPCL by BDT 200,000 (O
and riverine flora phytoplankton’s, downstream of aquatic flora and of commissioning engaging Aquatic & M Cost)
and fauna zooplanktons Jamuna river fauna of the plant Ecology Expert/
numbers through experts Agency
Aquatic ecology Visible fish kills Water intake and Visual inspection Monthly Plant HSE Team O&M Cost
outlet and and consultation
downstream of with fishermen
Jamuna River

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Project Stage/ Potential Impact Parameters to be Location Measurements Frequency Responsibility Cost
Affected Monitored
Component
Aquatic Ecology Phytoplankton, Jamuna River Abundance and Half yearly SNWPCL by BDT 200,000/
zooplankton and species engaging Aquatic annum O&M
benthos composition Ecology Expert/ Cost
Agency
Community Community Accidents, Access Road Incidents, Based on HSE and/or O&M Cost
Health and disturbance and incidents and accidents and occurrence Community
Safety potential safety complaints community Liaison Officer of
hazard due to complaints SNWPCL
road traffic
Discharge of Accidents, Adjoining Channel Incidents, Based on HSE and/or O&M Cost
effluent and incidents and accidents and occurrence Community
cooling water complaints community Liaison Officer of
complaints SNWPCL
Public concerns Complaints from Neighbouring As per the Continuous Community O&M Cost
community communities grievance redress Liaison Officer of
around the Project mechanism SNWPCL and
activity areas Station Manager
CSR Activities Community Activities/ Vulnerable Groups No. of Periodic and need Admin/ HR CSR Budget
Development Programmes and around the Project beneficiaries and based Manager and
No. of beneficiaries activity areas outcome of the Station Manager
activities

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7.3 INSTITUTIONAL SETTING AND IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS

The ESMP (mitigation plan) will be included in the construction contract and
the contractor will be responsible for implementation of the measures
associated with design and construction. The Project Developer’s staff,
specifically the HSE Officer and Site Engineer, will monitor the
implementation of these mitigation measures by the contractors at the site.
These two officers will be responsible for the field level monitoring of the
Project.

The roles and responsibilities of the Project Developer (SNWPCL) and EPC
Contractor for implementation and monitoring have been outlined in Table
7.3. The flow diagram depicting the institutional arrangement for
implementation of the ESMP is presented in Figure 7.1.

Table 7.3 Roles and Responsibilities of Project Developer and EPC Contractor

Project Developer (SNWPCL) EPC Contractor

Obtaining statutory clearances required Obtaining permits required during the
during pre-construction stage of the construction stage
Project
Overall project co-ordination and Joint verification with Project Developer
management through EPC and supported and Third Party Environmental
by the third party environmental Consultant for review of ESMP
consultant/s implementation
Interaction and reporting to the respective Interaction with Project Developer and
department of GOB appointed supervision consultant, if any
Interaction and reporting to lenders Filling of reporting formats as per the
reporting schedule and submission to
Project Developer
Effective implementation of ESMP and Environmental monitoring through Third
monitoring of ESMP implementation Party Environmental Laboratory
Carryout verification/ supervision Preparation of various plans for effective
exercises during the construction phase of implementation of ESMP as detailed out
the Project for implementation of ESMP in the “Specification Manual” by the
Project Developer
Keeping records of all permits obtained by Identification of site for labour camp,
EPC Contractor batch mix plant, laydown areas
Overall supervision of ESMP Management of labour camp and to
implementation provide drinking water, sanitation
Approval of plans prepared by EPC facility
Contractor
Addressing grievances of local community
and information dissemination
Environmental monitoring through
laboratory

While the contractor or a particular party is responsible for physical

implementation of the mitigating measures, the whole implementation
process requires supervision, checking, documentation and verification so that
problems are identified and properly addressed before they get out of hand.
In order to ensure proper execution of the EMP, implementation reviews will
be conducted by the project engineer such as the weekly construction
meetings, construction log book, monthly and other construction reports etc.
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Records of these minutes of the weekly meeting, monthly reports and special
reports on implementation of the mitigating measures will also be maintained
and available for review by the Project management. It is suggested to identify
documents and records that require templates and accordingly suitable
templates shall be developed, which shall include but not limited to policies,
procedures and work instructions, meeting minutes, monitoring results,
training attendance records, emergency contract lists, action plans etc. Further,
all these templates shall be communicated to all potential users. All these
records will be archived at the Project office and will be maintained by the
HSE officer. All documents and records shall be archived with a unique
identifier so that they can be distinguished from any other material and can be
easily retrieved. SNWPCL will document the process for creating, allocating
and approving unique identifiers and will communicate this to relevant staff.

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Figure 7.1 Organization Chart for Environmental and Social Management and Reporting Responsibilities during Construction and
Operation Phase of the Project

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7.4 TRAINING

7.4.1 Construction Phase

Prior to commencement of major civil works at site, a suitably qualified in-

house/ external expert will be appointed by the EPC contractor in
consultation with SNWPCL to develop and deliver a training program on
implementation of the EMP, environmental monitoring and reporting in line
with the applicable reference framework for the Project. The training will
include the following topics:

• Environment, Health and Safety Policy of the EPC contractor;

• Environment and fundamentals of environmental pollution in relation to
the Project;
• HSE management plans prepared by the EPC Contractor;
• Do’s and Don’ts for the construction workers;
• Safety procedures and guidelines;
• Internal reporting and response system;
• Hazardous chemicals and waste handling;

In addition, specific training will be provided to the team involved in

environmental monitoring and reporting, which will include:

• Applicable environmental guidelines and standards;

• Sampling site selection guidelines in line with environmental monitoring
plan;
• Sample collection, storage, transportation and analysis procedures;
• Solid and hazardous waste management;
• Quality assurance and quality control;
• Environmental monitoring report preparation

The training will help in capacity building and implementation of the EMP
during the construction phase of the Project. It will also help in ensuring
internal and external monitoring and verification of the environmental
performance of the Project. The reporting and verification during the
construction phase will be semi-annual and the reports will be submitted to
the DOE and the Lenders.

7.4.2 Operation Phase

Prior to the commencement of the Plant operation, a suitably qualified in-

house/ external environmental expert will be engaged by SNWPCL to
develop and deliver a training program on operation phase environmental
monitoring and reporting. The topics will be mostly same as that during the
construction phase. However, it will also include following modules, which
are specific to the operation phase:

• Continuous emission monitoring;

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 • Wastewater and thermal discharge monitoring;
• Aquatic ecology monitoring;
• Hazardous chemicals and waste management;
• Occupational health and safety programs;

The training will help in capacity building and implementation of the EMP
during the operation phase of the Project. It will also help in ensuring internal
and external monitoring and verification of the environmental performance of
the Project. The reporting and verification during the operation phase will be
annual and the reports will be submitted to the DOE and the Lenders.

7.5 PLANS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION PHASE OF THE PROJECT

7.5.1 Construction Phase

Prior to the beginning of major land works, the EPC contractor in cooperation
with Project Developer will develop the following plans:

Health and Safety Plan

The EPC Contractor will prepare and implement a Health and Safety Plan
prior to commencing work. This plan will include method statements for
work activities, plant utilisation, construction sequence and safety
arrangements. The HSE requirements agreed with the EPC contractor are
attached as Annex R. Measures will be implemented to reduce the likelihood
and consequence of the following hazards:
• falling from height;
• falling into water;
• entanglement with machinery;
• tripping over permanent obstacles or temporary obstructions;
• slipping on greasy or oily walkways;
• falling objects;
• asphyxiation;
• explosion;
• contact with dangerous substances;
• electric shock;
• variable weather conditions;
• lifting excessive weights; and
• traffic operations.

Construction Environmental Management Plan

The EPC Contractor will prepare and implement a Construction

Environmental Management Plan prior to commencing work to manage the
construction related environmental aspects as waste management, sanitation
aspects, water conservation etc.

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Traffic Management Plan

The EPC Contractor will prepare and implement traffic Management Plan
prior to commencing work to manage the construction traffic. This will be
required towards prevention of local traffic disruptions, avoid peak hours
rush and prevent accidents. Movement of all heavy equipment and vehicles
from Jetty to project site needs to be coordinated with the logistics team of
project developer. Considering the laydown area on the other side of highway
and heavy traffic movement on the national highway (Dhaka – Bogra
Highway), specific traffic management planning will be carried out by the
EPC contractor and this will include traffic stewards near the highway for
smooth traffic movement.

Emergency Response Plan

Emergencies can be categorised into three broad levels on the basis of

seriousness and response requirements, namely:

a) Level 1: This is an emergency or an accident, which:

• can be effectively and safely managed, and contained within the
site, location or installation by the available resources; and
• has no impact outside the site, location or installation.
b) Level 2: This is an emergency or an accident, which:
• cannot be effectively and safely managed or contained at the
location or installation by available resource and additional
support is alerted or required;
• is having or has the potential to have an effect beyond the site,
location or installation and where external support of mutual aid
partner may be involved; and
• is likely to be danger to life, the environment or to industrial assets
or reputation.
c) Level 3: This is an emergency or an incident with off-site impact which
could be catastrophic and is likely to affect the population, property and
environment inside and outside the installation, and management and
control is done by district administration. Although the Level-III
emergency falls under the purview of District Authority but till they step
in, it should be responsibility of the unit to manage the emergency.

Level 1 and Level 2 shall normally be grouped as on-site emergency and Level
3 as off-site emergency. In order to address any level of emergency situation,
the EPC contractor must develop emergency response plan (ERP) during the
construction stage of the project.

The ERP should ensure:

• Emergency Response Team (ERT) of the EPC contractor as initial
responder in case of any on-site and/or off-site emergency situation
caused due to the project related activities;

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 • Provide mutual aid in case of any emergency situation arising due to other
construction/ operations within the Saidabad Power Generation Complex
as well as any off-site facility;
• The local fire, police and district administration, emergency medical
services, the public health authorities, collectively referred to as the
External Emergency Response Team (EERT).

The EPC contractor will provide and sustain the required technical, human
and financial resources for quick response during the construction phase of
the project. Roles and responsibilities in case of any emergency incident
response are presented in Table 7.4.

Table 7.4 Roles and Responsibilities in Emergency Incident Response

S. No. Entity Responsibility

1. Emergency • Immediate response to the emergency situation
Response Team • Prepare the emergency site to facilitate the response action, e.g.
(ERT) vacating, clearing, restricting, etc.
• Communicate/ alert the EERT
• When necessary and requested by the EERT, lends support/
provides assistance during the EERT’s response operations.
• Provide mutual aid in case of any emergency situation arises in
the surrounding plant/s or construction site.
2. EPC Contractor • Provide and sustain the people, equipment, tools and funds
Resources necessary to ensure Subproject’s quick response to emergency
situations.
• Maintain good communication lines with the EERT to ensure
prompt help response and adequate protection, by keeping
them informed of Subproject progress.
3. External • Provide support to the ERT based on communication received
Emergency from ERT for Level 1 and Level 2 type emergencies.
Response Team • Immediate action in case of Level 3 type emergency situation/
(EERT) accident.
• Co-ordination with different agencies.

The ERT will be led by the senior EPC Contractor Engineer (designated ERT-
Lead) on-site with a suitably trained site supervisor or junior engineer as
deputy. Trained first-aiders and security personnel will be the core members
of the ERT. The EPC contractor will ensure that ERT members are physically,
technically and psychologically fit for their emergency response roles and
responsibilities.

Prior to the mobilization of civil works, the EPC contractor, through its
Construction Manager, ERT-Lead, will meet with the ultimate response
institutions to discuss the overall construction process, including, but not
limited to:
• Project site, laydown areas, construction workers camp areas, temporary
areas to be used for transportation of heavy lifts, etc., located within the
project site and outside;
• construction time frame and phasing;
• any special construction techniques and equipment that will be used;

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• any hazardous materials that will be brought to and stored in the
construction premise and details on their applications and
handling/management system;
• the Contractor’s Emergency Management Plan; and
• names and contact details of the ERT members

The objective of this meeting is to provide the ultimate response institutions

the context for:
• their comments on the adequacy of the respective Emergency
Management Plans;
• their own assessment of what types, likely magnitude and likely incidence
rate of potential hazards are anticipated; and
• the arrangements for coordination and collaboration with district
administration and external agencies working on emergency response and
disaster management.

To ensure effective emergency response, prior to mobilization of civil works,

the EPC Contractor will:
• set up the ERT;
• set up all support equipment and facilities in working condition;
• made arrangements with the EERT;
• conducted proper training of ERT members, and encouraged and trained
volunteers from the work force;
• conducted orientation to all construction workers on the emergency
response procedures and facilities, particularly evacuation procedures,
evacuation routes, evacuation assembly points, and self-first response,
among others; and
• conducted drills for different possible situations.

To sustain effective emergency response throughout the Project

implementation an adequate budget shall be provided to sustain the
capabilities and efficiency of the emergency response mechanism, the
emergency response equipment, tools, facilities and supplies. Drills and
reminders will take place regularly, the former at least every two months and
the latter at least every month.

Alert Procedures:
Means of communicating, reporting and alerting an emergency situation may
be any combination of the following:
• audible alarm (siren, bell or gong);
• visual alarm (blinking/rotating red light or orange safety flag);
• telephone (landline);
• mobile phone;
• two-way radio; and
• public address system/loud speakers.

Some rules relative to communicating/alerting will be:

i. Whoever detects an emergency situation first shall immediately :

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 • call the attention of other people in the emergency site,
• sound the nearest alarm, and/or
• report/communicate the emergency situation to the ERT.
ii. Only the ERT-Lead and, if ERT-Lead is not available, the Deputy ERT-
Lead are authorized to communicate with the EERT. Exceptional cases
to this rule may be necessary and should be defined in the Emergency
Management Plans.
iii. When communicating/alerting an emergency to the EERT, it is
important to provide them with at least:
• the type of emergency situation;
• correct location of the emergency;
• estimated magnitude of the situation;
• time it happened;
• in case of a spill, which hazardous substance spilled; and
• in case of fire and explosion, what caused it.

Such details would allow the EERT to prepare for the appropriate response
actions. For an effective reporting/alerting of an emergency situation:

i. The names and contact details of the relevant persons and institutions
should be readily available in, or near to, all forms of communication
equipment, and strategically posted (at legible size) in all Subproject
sites and vehicles:
• Most relevant construction/operations staffs namely, the ERTL,
Deputy ERTL, first-aiders, supervising engineers, foremen
• EERT institutions/organisations
• Concerned Union authority/ies.
ii. Project site and activity areas outside (such as laydown area,
construction workers camp, temporary jetty, water intake structure
area, etc.) should have good access to any combination of audible and
visual alarms, landline phones, mobile phones and two-way radio
communication at all times.
iii. Contractor’s construction vehicles should also be equipped with the
appropriate communication facilities.

Emergency Response Situations

The following tables suggest general procedures that will be refined in the
final EMP during detailed design, and described in more detail in the
Emergency Management Plans of the EPC Contractor.

Table 7.5 Evacuation Procedures

S. No. Procedure Remarks

1. Move out as quickly as possible as a All workers/staff, sub-contractors, site
group, but avoid panic. visitors to move out, guided by the ERT.
2. Evacuate through the directed The safe evacuation shall have been
evacuation route. determined fast by the ERT-Lead/Deputy
ERT-Lead and immediately communicated
to ERT members.

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 S. No. Procedure Remarks
3. Keep moving until everyone is safely A restricted area must be established outside
away from the emergency site and its the emergency site, all to stay beyond the
influence area. restricted area.
4. Once outside, conduct head counts. Foremen to do head counts of their sub-
groups; ERT-Lead/Deputy ERT-Lead of the
ERT.
5. Report missing persons to EERT ERT-Lead/Deputy ERT-Lead to
immediately. communicate with the EERT.
6. Assist the injured in evacuation and ERT to manage injured persons to ensure
hand them over to the ERT first-aiders or proper handling.
EERT medical group
7. If injury warrants special care, DO NOT ERT-Lead/Deputy ERT-Lead communicates
MOVE them, unless necessary and with EERT to get instructions/directions in
instructed/directed by the EERT. handling the injured.

Table 7.6 Response Procedure during Medical Emergency

S. No. Procedure Remarks

1. Administer First Aid regardless of Fundamentals when giving First Aid:
severity immediately. • Safety first of both the rescuer and the
victim.
• Do not move an injured person unless:
• victim is exposed to more danger when
left where they are, e.g., during fire,
chemical spill
• it would be impossible for EERT to aid
victims in their locations, e.g., under a
collapsed structure
• instructed or directed by the EERT.
First AID to be conducted only by a person
who has been properly trained in giving First
Aid.
2. Call the EERT emergency medical ERT-Lead/Deputy ERT-Lead or authorized
services and/or nearest hospital. on-site emergency communicator
3. Facilitate leading the EERT to the ERTL/Deputy ERTL to instruct:
emergency site. • an ERT member on- site to meet EERT in
access road/strategic location. He/she
shall hold orange safety flag to get their
attention and lead them to site.
• Other ERT members to clear access road
for smooth passage of the EERT.
4. If applicable, vacate site and influence Follow evacuation procedure.
area at once, restrict site, suspend work
until further notice.

Table 7.7 Response Procedure in Case of Fire

S. No. Procedure Remarks

1. Alert a fire situation Whoever detects the fire shall immediately:
• call the attention of other people in the
site,
• sound the nearest alarm, and/or
• Foreman or any ERT member among the
construction sub-group contacts the fire
department (in this case it should be
agreed on that it is alright for any ERT
member in the sub-group to alert the fire

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 S. No. Procedure Remarks
department)
• report/ communicate the emergency
situation to the ERTL/Deputy ERTL.
2. Stop all activities/operations and All (non-ERT) workers/staff sub-contractors,
evacuate. site visitors and concerned public to move
out to safe grounds following the evacuation
procedure.
3. Activate ERT to contain fire/control fire Guided by the training they undertook, ERT
from spreading. members assigned to mitigate the fire shall
assess their own safety situation first before
attempting to control fire spread.
4. Call the nearest fire and police stations When alerting the EERT, ERTL will give the
and, if applicable, emergency medical location, cause of fire, estimated fire alarm
services. rating, any injuries.
5. Facilitate leading the EERT to the ERT-Lead/Deputy ERT-Lead to instruct:
emergency site. • an ERT member to meet the EERT in the
access road or strategic location and lead
them to the site. He/she shall hold the
orange safety flag to get their attention
and lead them to the site.
• some ERT members to stop traffic in,
and clear, the access road to facilitate
passage of the EERT.
6. ERT to vacate the site as soon as their Follow appropriate evacuation procedure.
safety is assessed as in danger.

Some of the guidance framework management plans for (a) pollution prevention, (b)
waste management, (c) traffic management, (d) emergency response, and (e)
stakeholder engagement, applicable for the site preparation and construction activities
have been presented in Annex V. These management plans are prepared to provide
guidance to the EPC Contractor and the Project Company (SNWPCL) on expected
content and requirement from the detailed management plans and associated
procedures/ checklists.

7.5.2 Operation Phase

During the operation phase of the Project, the Project Developer will develop
the following plan/ management systems for effective operation of the Plant:

HSE and Social Management System

The Project Developer will develop and implement an HSE and Social
Management System (HSE&SMS) to international guidelines for the entire
Plant premises and its impact zones (project area of influence as defined under
IFC PS) within two (2) years of commissioning the Plant.

Waste Management Plan

For effective segregation, handling, storage and disposal of solid and

hazardous wastes generated from the Plant operations, a waste management
plan will be developed by SNWPCL.

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Spill Response and Emergency Plan

The Project Developer will prepare a spill response and emergency plan to
address accidental spillages or release of hazardous wastes.

Emergency Response and Disaster Management Plan

Based on the outcome of the consequence analysis as well as detailed

quantitative risk assessment of the Project after finalisation of project design,
an emergency response and disaster management plan will be developed by
SNWPCL. This will define protocols to be followed in the event of
emergencies or disasters in order to limit the impact on the employees and the
local community. The plan will address both on-site and off-site emergency
situations due to the operation of the project. The plan will disclose potential
disasters and potential risks from the plant to the local community as well as
the plan of action on emergency protocol in the event of any such eventuality.
This will also include awareness programs for the Plant personnel, local
community and local administration.

The emergency response action tree, which can be used during the operation
phase of the project, has been presented in Figure 7.2.

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Figure 7.2 Emergency Response Action Tree - Operation Phase

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7.6 BUDGET

The EPC Contractor and SNWPCL will allocate separate budget for
environmental and social management plan implementation, training,
environmental monitoring, analysis and reporting, verification monitoring
and capacity building. It should be noted that costs for many in-built
mitigation measures, such as, acoustic enclosures for noise control, water and
wastewater treatment, CEM, etc., are already included in the EPC contract cost
estimate and/or operating cost estimates. In addition, separate budget will be
allocated for CSR activities, which will be conducted by the Project Developer
for community development. The budget estimate for the 3rd party monitoring
and/or verification has been included in Table 7.2.

7.7 GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM

The implementation of an infrastructural project is a complex time and labour

intensive process involving multitude of lifecycle phases and processes. Over
the duration of the project, it encounters numerous instances of conflicts,
allegation and dissatisfaction within the working and associated human
capital and their interactions. Some of these issues could be related to
compensation payment, improper estimation of affected assets, failure to fulfil
commitments, poor management of construction activities, accidents due to
inappropriate planning of vehicle movement, and cultural conflicts between
migrant workers and local communities etc. amongst others. Most of the
conflicts and allegations may not appear to be of serious nature but if not
managed appropriately from the beginning may snowball into a bigger issue.

In order to manage these risks, an internal mechanism is required to be in

place where the aggrieved party/s can lodge their complaints and get it
amicably settled prior to approaching the formal mode of solution available to
them i.e. access to legal system through courts. In order to provide a formal
forum to the aggrieved parties to deal with issues arising out of project, it is
proposed that a joint grievance redress mechanism be instituted for both
environmental and social related issues.

The proposed Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) will be developed for the
Project in order to settle as many disputes as possible through consultations,
negotiation and mutual settlement. Such a mechanism is important as it is
expected that most cases, if not all, would be resolved amicably; and the
process, as a whole, will promote dispute settlement through mediation to
reduce litigation. However, the options of legal recourse will not be restricted
in any way by the project proponent.

7.7.1 Objectives of Grievance Redress Mechanism

The basic objective of the GRM shall be to provide an accessible mechanism to

the affected people, community or any stakeholder(s) having stake in the
project to raise their issues and grievances as well as concerns. The Grievance
Redress Cell (GRC) shall be an officially recognized “non-judicial” body that
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 will seek to resolve non-judicial disputes arising out of various matters related
to the implementation of the ESMP, as well as other aspects of the project, as
may deemed fit to be raised before the GRC.

The fundamental objective of GRM is to resolve any social (including labour,

contractor, community amongst others) and environmental related grievances
locally in consultation with the aggrieved party to facilitate smooth
implementation of project related work activities. The other important
objective is to democratize the development process at the local level and to
establish accountability towards the stakeholders.

7.7.2 Composition of GRC

Keeping into context that the project is mostly void of any significant impact,
it is suggested to have only one single level of grievance redress mechanism or
agency for the project. This agency shall be called as the Grievance Redress
Cell (GRC).

The GRC will be driven internally by the Project Company (SNWPCL) and
shall have the following representation to ensure fair and timely solution to
the grievances:

• Site personnel serving as the EHS/Community relations officer shall also

serve as the Grievance Officer. SNWPCL’s EHS Officer can take this role
and responsibility;
• Senior Representative on behalf of SNWPCL and part of the site level
project management team. In most cases, this individual shall be of an
authority not lower than the “Site Manager”. However in cases where the
site manager is not available, this role may be deputed to his immediate
deputy or any individual with that level of authority;
• Any other concerned person with decision making authority in relevance
to the grievance or aggrieved party. For e.g. Senior contractor personnel as
a part of the GRC in case of a contractor labour dispute or issue;
• There would be an external member nominated by the local District
Administration to be part of the GRC. The nominated member may be an
elected member from the Union Parishad or a senior administrative officer
of the district.

A grieved party shall register their grievances with the GRC. The GRC shall be
empowered to take a decision which is to be considered final and binding on
SNWPCL. However, the decision of the GRC is not binding on the aggrieved
person and he or she may take the grievance to the administrative setup in
case any grievance channel is available at that level or take a legal course, in
case not satisfied with the outcome of GRC decision.

7.7.3 functional premises of GRC for Grievance Redress

The GRC meetings will be held in SNWPCL’s site office and the same will be
widely publicised in project area for the knowledge of general public. The key
responsibilities of GRC are as follows:
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 • Review, consider and resolve grievances related to social and
environmental aspects received by SNWPCL Field Office having the GRC;
• Entertain grievances of indirectly affected persons and/or persons affected
during project implementation;
• Resolve grievances within a period of two weeks at the GRC level and
communication of the resolution to the aggrieved party;
• The GRC shall not engage in any review of the legal standing of an
“awardee” nor shall deal with any matters pending in the court of law;
• Arrive at decisions through consensus, failing which resolution will be
based on majority vote. Any decision made by the GRC must be within the
purview of Environmental Management Plan, Corporate EHS and Social
Policies or any such documents of relevance of that matter;
• In case the grievance relates to environmental monitoring results or
engineering matters, the GRC will validate the information available to it,
as provided by SNWPCL’s Project management team/ environmental
monitoring team. However, GRC will not be in a position to question the
validity of the data provided to it. The GRC team shall meet at least twice
a month for review of grievances registered and the resolution vetted out
to the concerned parties. The frequency of meeting may increase or
decrease depending on the number grievances received.
• If needed, may undertake field visits to verify and review the issues,
dispute or other relevant matters.

7.7.4 Disclosure of the Grievance Redress Mechanism

Some of the important points regarding disclosure of the grievance redress

mechanism are:
• The grievance redress process shall be disclosed and the procedures
mentioned therein shall be properly disseminated to the identified
stakeholders.
• SNWPCL shall integrate it as a part of the training programme especially
those conducted for self-employees and those of the contractors. For the
rest of the stakeholders including the community, it can be displayed at
important places such as town centres, at site gates and on the website.
• The disclosure and the display shall clearly mention the name and
designation of the grievance redress officials, office location and their
respective contact numbers.

GRM procedures and operational rules will be publicized widely through

community meetings and pamphlets in the local language (Bangla) so that
people are aware of their rights and obligations, and procedure of grievance
redress.

7.7.5 Grievance Reporting Procedure under GRM

An aggrieved person, a group of persons or a community will be able to file

grievances without any fear and intimidation. The grievances can be
submitted in either in writing or may be submitted orally/ telephonically to
the GRC; the whole purpose is to make the GRM easily accessible to the
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 affected population. Once the complaint is received, acknowledgement of the
same will be made to the complainant, and tentative date of hearing may be
communicated to him/her in advance. The complainant may be represented
by him/her or appointed agent for hearing of grievance. The decision made
by GRC will be communicated to the concerned person/group/community in
writing. If dissatisfied, with the decision of the GRC, the person/ group/
community may register the grievance at the administrative level in case there
are necessary channels for the same.

7.7.6 Grievance Redress Process of GRC

The grievance redress procedure will include the stepwise procedure, to deal
with any grievance that comes for redress before the GRC. A schematic
representation of the grievance redress procedure to be followed by SNWPCL
is being shown below in Figure 7.3.

Figure 7.3 Grievance Redress Process for the Project

Grievances primarily related to any serious event such as accidents involving

the community, labour related major disputes such as non-payment of wages
or work related injuries or fatalities, major intrusion of project on any
community resource, and other issues for which the aggrieved party in his or
her free will wants to register a grievance or complaint.

The process followed will follow the following steps:

• On receipt of complaint the GRC shall give an acknowledgement to the

complainant with date, time and venue of hearing of his/her grievance.
• The GRC shall prepare a brief note on the grievance for discussion on
scheduled date. On the given date, the GRC shall hear the complainant
and give its decision. A written copy of decision shall be provided to the
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 complainant. If the complainant is satisfied with the decision, an
acknowledgement of same shall be obtained from him on the decision
copy and the case shall be closed.
• While every effort shall be made to resolve the complaint amicably, if the
complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of GRC’s decision, he or she
can opt for any grievance redress forum available at the administrative
level or any other arbitration mechanism with mutual agreement. If these
alternative mechanisms of resolution of conflict fails, then the aggrieved
person may take legal recourse However, every effort shall be made to
resolve the case amicably without resorting to legal course of action. While
the process continues, a proper documentation of the records shall be
maintained by SNWPCL, pertaining to each of the grievance in a proper
grievance register or record.

7.7.7 Monitoring and Evaluation

Like the other project components, GRM shall be monitored to ensure that the
stakeholders are having no or limited issues with the project and in case there
are concerns, they are being adequately addressed as per the mandate. In
order to keep track on the effectiveness of GRM, it is the responsibility of
SNWPCL’s Environment and Social team to compile and maintain database
on grievances for periodic review. The mechanism shall be based on two
components, internal monitoring and reporting and external monitoring and
reporting which shall run simultaneously. Mostly this shall be aligned with
simultaneous process monitoring rather than doing it separately all the time.

7.7.8 Budgeting

SNWPCL’s administration shall ensure adequate budgeting and resource

allocation for implementing the grievance redress mechanism.

7.7.9 Contact Details for the Grievances

The project is currently in the process of finalising the key contracts including
those for engineering procurement and construction with the selected
contractor. The Project Company (SNWPCL) will be formed in due course
after the receipt of LOI and any grievances related to the project, upto
commencement of construction, can be directly addressed to the Commercial
Head, of SNWPCL. After the commencement of construction, SNWPCL will
duly form a Grievance Redress Cell (GRC). The possibility of including an
external member nominated by the local District Administration to be part of
the GRC will also be explored. The nominated member may be an elected
member from the Union Parishad or a senior administrative officer of the
district. In the interim period, any grievances may be addressed to:

Nazmul Ahsan
C/o House no.: 1, Road: 9C
Nikunja-1, Airport Road,
Dhaka-1229, Bangladesh

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 Email: Nazmul.ahsan@sembcorp.com
Mobile: +880 1819226635

Box 7.3 Sample Grievance Form

Reference No. Date

Full Name
Address

Phone no.

Date, time & venue of GRC meeting

Description of Incident or Grievance (What happened? Where did it happen? Who
did it happen t o? What is the result of the problem?)

Date if Incident or grievance (provide details such as

One time incident/grievance (date _______________)
Happened more than once (how many times? _____)
On- going (currently experiencing problem) ______ _____)

What would you like to see happen to resolve the problem?

Signature of person filling

Signature of complainant /thump impression of the form
complainant ( SCU Representative )

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8 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS AND PARTICIPATION

8.1 INTRODUCTION

Participation is a process, through which stakeholders influence and share

control over development initiatives and the decisions and the resources
which affect them. The effectiveness of the environment and social
management plan is directly related to the degree of continuing involvement
of stakeholders in the Project development process. Participation of
stakeholders in the Project is also a primary requirement in developing an
appropriate ESMP that addresses Project’s requirement and is suited to the
needs of the stakeholders. Stakeholder’s involvement also vastly increases the
probability of successful implementation of the management plan. In order to
make the consultation and disclosure process effective and fruitful,
comprehensive planning is required to assure that the impacted community,
local government, NGOs, host population and Project staff interacts regularly
and purposefully, throughout all stages of the Project and contribute toward a
common goal.

8.2 APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY FOR CONSULTATION

The approach undertaken for information sharing and consultation involved

the following key processes.

• Mapping and identification of key stakeholders such as primary (directly

influenced by the Project) and secondary (indirectly influenced by the
Project) stakeholders;
• Undertaking expert consultations, interviews and focussed group
discussions (FGD) with the respective stakeholders;
• Assessing the influence and impact of the Project on these stakeholder
groups;
• Summarizing key findings and observations from the consultations; and
• Preparing a future stakeholder engagement strategy for a more detailed
assessments at a more detailed level taking into account the various
Project lifecycle phases and their implications on the stakeholder .

8.3 STAKEHOLDER ASSESSMENT

A stakeholder is defined as “a person, group, or organization that has direct or

indirect stake in a Project/organization because it can affect or be affected by
the Project or its Proponent’s actions, objectives, and policies”. Stakeholders
vary in terms of degree of interest, influence and control they have over the
Project or the proponent. In the present study, all the stakeholders have been
primarily categorized into two categories that have been identified as:

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• Primary Stakeholders: include people, groups, institutions that either have
a direct influence on the Project or are directly impacted (positively or
adversely) by the Project and its activities; and
• Secondary stakeholders: are those that have a bearing on the Project and
its activities by the virtue of their being closely linked or associated with
the primary stakeholders and due to the influence they have on the
primary stakeholder groups.

Apart from categorization, stakeholders have also been classified in

accordance with the level of influence they have over the Project as well as
their priority to the Project proponent in terms of importance.

The influence and priority have both been primarily rates as:

• High Influence/Priority: Which implies a high degree of influence of the

stakeholder on the Project in terms of participation and decision making or
a high priority for the Project proponent to engage that stakeholder
• Medium Influence/Priority: Which implies a moderate level of influence
and participation of the stakeholder in the Project as well as a priority level
for the Project proponent to engage the stakeholder who are neither highly
critical nor are insignificant in terms of influence.
• Low Influence/Priority: Which implies a low degree of influence of the
stakeholder on the Project in terms of participation and decision making or
a low priority for the Project proponent to engage that stakeholder

Based on the above attributes, Table 8.1 delineates the stakeholders identified
for the Project and their analysis.

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Table 8.1 Stakeholder Mapping for the Project

Stakeholders Category of Brief Profile Overall Basis of Influence Rating

Stakeholder Influence
on the
Project
Project Management
Sembcorp Utilities Pte Ltd Primary • SNWPCL is a 100% subsidiary of Highest • Are the primary Project proponents
(SNWPCL) Sembcorp Industries Limited, which • Responsible for establishment and
is a leading energy, water and operation of this Project
marine group operating across six • Primary financial beneficiaries
continents worldwide. • Responsible for all the Project related risks
• SNWPCL is the primary Project and impact liabilities
proponent owning a controlling
stake of 71% in the Project
North West Power Primary • NWPGCL is an enterprise of BPDB. High • Influence in day to day activities of the
Generation Company This company was created in order Project including managing construction
Limited (NWPGCL) to meet the prevailing demand of activities, engaging sub-contractors,
electricity and to solve the low- procuring material etc. may be limited
voltage problem the in the North-
and mostly be carried out by SNWPCL
West region of the country.
• Participation will increase during
• NWPGCL is the co-sponsor of the
Project with a stake of 29%. operation phase as BPDB is the primary
authority for overseeing continual
functioning of the power assets in
Bangladesh
Project Financiers to Primary • High • Engagement is limited at the corporate
include the International management level
Finance Corporation, the • Key participants in the decision making
CDC Group plc and process which may have direct or indirect
Clifford Capital implications for the Project
• Compliance to funding agencies
safeguard and other policies such as
governance, transparency and accounting
standard
External Stakeholders
Bangladesh Power Primary • The BPDB is responsible for major High • The land lease agreement (LLA) and power
Development Board portion of generation and purchase agreement will be executed
distribution of electricity mainly in between SNWPCL and BPDB.

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Stakeholders Category of Brief Profile Overall Basis of Influence Rating
Stakeholder Influence
on the
Project
urban areas except Dhaka and West • In the event of gas supply failure to the
Zone of the country. project, BPDB need to instruct SNWPCL to
• The Board is under the Power switch to HSD.
Division of the Ministry of power,
Energy and Mineral Resources,
Government of Bangladesh.
Pashchimanchal Gas Primary • Wholly owned subsidiary of state High • The gas supply agreement will be executed
Company Limited (PGCL) controlled Petrobangla between SNWPCL and PGCL.
• The main objective of this company is • Will provide gas supply for the Project
to distribute natural gas as a fuel • Will assist SNWPCL only in obtaining of
through its Gas Distribution Pipeline
necessary governmental licenses and
to Household, Commercial,
permits
Industrial, and Power Plant etc. of
Rajshahi Division. • The responsibility of design, construction,
commissioning and transfer of the gas
pipeline from the plant to PGCL’s
connection point is that of SNWPCL.
• However, due to an existing pipeline route,
the pipeline for the gas supply would be
channelled through the existing route.
Only Right of Way in parallel to existing
line of NWPGCL will be required
Bangladesh Petroleum Primary • Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation High • The fuel supply agreement will be
Corporation (BPC) (BPC) is a government-owned executed between SNWPCL and BPC.
monopoly in Bangladesh dealing in • Under the supply agreement, HSD will
importation of crude oil and refined have a content of 10,280 Kcal/kg, HSD
oil, lubricant, refining of crude oil, price is determined by the GOB and will
and distribution and marketing of be a pass-through cost for SNWPCL.
fuel oils, lubricants and other • The responsibility for the construction,
petroleum products in the country. installation and maintenance of the receipt
• BPC imports up to 29 million barrels and storage facilities would be that of
of petroleum products a year, SNWPCL while BPC would be
including 9 million barrels of crude responsible for installation of the facilities
oil, to meet the country's demand, to transport fuel to the receiving point.
mainly from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia,
India and United Arab Emirates.
Power Grid Corporation of Secondary • Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Low • Transmission line corridor has already been
Bangladesh (PGCB) Ltd. or PGCB has the primary established for the existing 225MW

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Stakeholders Category of Brief Profile Overall Basis of Influence Rating
Stakeholder Influence
on the
Project
objective of managing, operating and NWPGCL power plant. The same corridor
expanding the national power grid of is to be used for the upcoming power
Bangladesh plant...
• Provides connectivity and power • Engagement level during operation phase
evacuation support for power for obtaining requisite permits and
Projects in order to connect them to clearances
the national power grid
• Is the central authority on providing
permits and clearances for power
evacuation and supply
Community
Local Community Primary • The local community primarily Low • No major restrictions around the Project
comprises of the peripheral villages site especially with respect to access to
to the site boundary which are grazing land, cultivation on Char land or
Barashimul Panchasona and Khas uptake of water from the Jamuna River
Barashimul • Project will bring development to the area
• It also includes specific community • Increase in employment opportunities and
groups in close interaction with preference for local employment, where
Project site and related activities possible
anywhere within the 5km Area of
Influence
Fishing Households • The fishing households at Khas High • Some of the households who use the
Chtragachha, Purba Radhunipur, temporary jetty location to anchor their
Jagtala, Belutia and Paschim boats during the dry season, when water
Mohanpur. levels recede, will face inconvenience and
have to use other locations.
• The dredging and increase navigation
around the jetty location may reduce their
fish catch. As reported during the
consultations undertaken, past dredging
activities were responsible for the declining
fish catch in the area.
• The fishing community, especially those
with access to motor boats, fish in the main
channel as well. The dredging activities and
the use of the Jetty may result in temporary

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Stakeholders Category of Brief Profile Overall Basis of Influence Rating
Stakeholder Influence
on the
Project
hardship on them.
Regulatory/Administrative
Authorities & Agencies
Department of Primary • The Department of Environment is High • Government Regulatory agency to provide
Environment (DoE) the primary government regulatory Environmental Clearance (EC) to the
Ministry of Environment authority for Environmental Project based on evaluation and approval of
and Forest, Bangladesh protection in Bangladesh. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
• The closest office is located in Bogra study
District • Responsible for monitoring the Project’s
Environmental compliance throughout the
Project lifecycle
Forest Department, Primary • The forest department under the Medium • Permission for construction of temporary
Ministry of Environment Ministry of Environment and Forest jetty close to the ecological park
and Forest, Bangladesh is responsible for management of (maintained by Forest Department) located
forests and ecological assets of about 4 km from the Project site.
national or international importance
within Bangladesh
District Commissioners Primary • The District commissioners office is Low • The participation of the district
Office (DCO), Sirajganj the most senior administrative commissioners office is restricted to
authority within the district permitting and clearances
• Is the primary agency for overseeing the
Project’s compliances to local
administrative rules and regulations
Local Government Secondary • Local Government Engineering Low • Is responsible for maintenance of the
Engineering Department Department (LGED) is one of the approach road to the Project site over the
(LGED), Sirajganj largest public sector organizations in lifecycle of the Project
Bangladesh entrusted with planning
and implementation of local level
infrastructure development
programs.
Directorate of Labour, Primary • Primary nodal agency for creating Medium • All labour related permits and licences have
Ministry of Labour and employment opportunities, to be procured by both SNWPCL as the
Employment implementation for labour laws, fix principal employer as well as the
minimum wages of labour, and contractors and sub-contractors working in
ensuring addressal of labour related the Project

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Stakeholders Category of Brief Profile Overall Basis of Influence Rating
Stakeholder Influence
on the
Project
grievances though labour courts • Responsible for undertaking periodic
audits and compliance check at the site in
order to ensure proper implementation of
the local labour regulations
Dept. of Social Welfare Secondary • Local governmental agency Low • No major influence on Project related
(DSW) responsible for implementation of activities
governmental social welfare schemes • However participation level and influence
and activities in Sirajganj District. may increase in case community welfare
activities proposed by the Project
proponent are implemented in
coordination with this agency
Dept. of Public Health and Secondary • Primary department responsible for Low • No major influence on Project related
Engineering managing the overall healthcare activities
facilities in the district • Key agency responsible for managing
• Local community healthcare centres healthcare facilities around the Project area
and hospitals functioning under this • Controlling out-break of any major disease
department are responsible for and monitoring the disease pattern
providing medication and healthcare
facilities to the community
Other Regulatory & Primary • Bangladesh Railways for obtaining Medium • Agencies required for obtaining permits
Permitting Authorities railways related clearances for and licenses for establishment and
transportation of HSD operation of the Project
• Bangladesh Water Development • Primary involvement during pre-
Board (BWDB) for transportation of construction and operation phases
material and resources through the
Jamuna River
Contractor & Sub-
Contractors
Contractors (local and Primary • Contractors include OEM (Original Medium • Construction phase will require almost 1500
foreign) Equipment Manufacturers), part people (for both civil and mechanical
suppliers, mechanical installers and work), during peak construction stage,
maintenance service providers who including both local and migrant workers
would be engaged during the Project over a span of almost 2 and a half years
lifecycle • Engagement levels would be mostly during
construction, and decommissioning phases

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Stakeholders Category of Brief Profile Overall Basis of Influence Rating
Stakeholder Influence
on the
Project
Migrant Workers and Primary • Labourers and workers arriving from Medium • Responsible for undertaking mostly skill
Labourers outside of Sirajganj for participating based work during construction phase
in construction activities • Engagement level during both civil and
mechanical phases of work
Local Workers and Primary • Labourers and workers recruited • Responsible for undertaking mostly un-skill
Labourers from the Area of Influence mostly based work during construction phase and
during the construction phase of the housekeeping related work during
Project operation phase of the Project
• Engagement level primarily in civil
construction part of the work
Political Administration
Upazilla (sub District Secondary • Elected representative of people at Medium • Key linkage between the community and
Level) Political sub-district level for a fixed tenure the Project proponent
Administration • Plays important role in providing public
Union leaders & local • Elected representative at union level opinion and sentiment on the Project
representatives i.e. village level for a fixed tenure • Empowered to provide consent and
authorization for establishment of Project
on behalf of the community
Other Institutional
Stakeholders Groups
Local NGOs and Secondary • Microfinance agencies, social welfare Low • No major involvement in the Project as per
Community & Social groups and charitable organizations today
Welfare Groups (CSWG) working in the area • Possible inclusion during future stages of
the Project with respect to Project related
community welfare activities

Media Secondary Medium • Public watchdog on the Project related

activities
• No major influence on the Project as of
today

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8.4 INFORMATION DISCLOSURE AND CONSULTATION

A combination of mixed methods of information disclosure and consultation

processes was adopted at this stage of EIA preparation. The method selected for
consultation was designed keeping in mind the profile of the stakeholders, type of
information desired and level of engagement required. In each consultation session
the consultant introduced themselves, introduced the Project and the purpose of
engagement with the respective stakeholder. The primary methods followed in the
consultation process are:

• Individual level consultation/discussion;

• Focus group discussion; and
• Community meetings.

A number of consultation exercises were conducted during preparation of this EIA.

The stakeholders consulted include the community in the direct vicinity of the
Project area, local elected representative such as the district commissioner of
Sirajganj and the Union Chairman of Saidabad Union, and other external
stakeholders such as relevant government departments and NGOs. The details of
consultations held and the key points of discussion and the issues raised or
discussed and suggestions provided by the respective stakeholders are presented in
Table 8.2 of this chapter and the photographs of consultation session are given in
Annex O. Every consultation meeting has been recorded and the minutes from
every meeting have been compiled in the respective stakeholder consultation sheets.
These sheets have been provided as part of this report in Annex P.

In addition to the focussed group discussions and meetings with key stakeholders,
two public consultation meeting were held on 21st March 2015 and on 18th April
2015at the Hall Room of Manab Mukti Sangstha (MMS) Head Office located at Khas
Boro Shimul, Bangbandhu Bridge West sub, Saidabad Union, Sirajganj, which is
located about 0.5 km away from the Project site. Local people including senior
citizen and women, elected representatives of Saidabad Union, NGOs working in
the Sirajganj District, District Administration and relevant departments of the
Government were informed about the meeting agenda, date and venue 1 to 2 weeks
in advance for both the meetings. Furthermore, notices were also put up for the
public consultation meeting at prominent places in the surrounding of the project
area about 2 weeks in advance (refer Annex Q).

The first meeting was presided by the Honourable Deputy Commissioner of the
Sirajganj District Mr. Billal Hosen, whereas the second public consultation meeting
was presided by the Honourable Additional Deputy Commissioner (General
Administration) of Sirajganj District. The second meeting was attended by the
safeguard team of the ADB as it was initially planned to ADB funding. These public

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consultation meetings were convened to discuss the project features of Sirajganj 4
project, findings of the EIA study as well as to get an opinion of the key
stakeholders (including government officials, elected representatives, NGOs, village
people including women). The details of public consultation meeting and the key
points of discussion including the issues raised and suggestions provided by the
respective stakeholders are presented in Table 8.3 and Table 8.4. Photographs of
public consultation meeting, along with attendance sheet and information
disclosure presentation are provided as part of this report in Annex Q.

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Table 8.2 Consultations held for the Project

Date Stakeholder Details Key points of Discussions/Issues Raised Response/Suggestions made

Government Officials and Regulatory Authorities
26/12/2012 Department of Social • Role and Responsibility of the Social • The department is implementing various government
Welfare, Sirajganj Sadar welfare department in Sirajganj sponsored schemes
• Social Welfare schemes and programs that • Any NGO or welfare organization working in the area
are being undertaken and implemented by are required to obtain permit or clearance from the
the department in Sirajganj Sadar and Social welfare department
Saidabad Union • The department runs Women specific microcredit
• Primary areas of social concern in Sirajganj scheme and monthly pension scheme for other
and Saidabad vulnerable groups such as old aged, divorced women
• How is the Project beneficial in that area • The primary area of concern in Sirajganj is destruction
and will it any way have any negative caused by flooding which leads to loss of life and
impact as such on the locals property.
• What is the local public perception about • Education, healthcare, social fads like child marriage
the Project are also some of the other issues in the area.
• Participation level of the international and • International humanitarian groups such as UNICEF,
domestic NGO’s and welfare organizations WFP are also actively involved in this region.
26/12/2012 Bangladesh Water • Flood scenario in Sirajganj • Sirajganj is a heavily flood prone area due to the
Development Board • Protection /control measures being massive flow of the Jamuna River.
(BWDB), Sirajganj adopted • Sirajganj has Brahmaputra Right embankment (BRE)
• Role of BWDB in monitoring of Jamuna for its protection and during the construction of the
River near Hardpoint Bangabandhu Bridge, a River Bank Protection Project
(RBPP) was initiated under which the 2.5 km length of
Sirajganj Hardpoint was built for protection of the
town and bridge. The construction for the same was
carried out by Hyundai, Korea from 1195-1999.
• Embankment (BRE) got broken in 2007 so water
entered the Sirajganj town and also in 2009-11 slope
failure took place at the embankment. About 74 crores
were spent for repairing the same and every year GoB
invests huge amounts for protection of the
embankments. BWDB takes actions as placement of
geotextile bags for flood protection.
• BWDB monitors the flow of the Jamuna River at
Sirajganj Hardpoint and also does daily monitoring of
the Hardpoint embankment. BWDB carries out
bathymetric survey monitoring and coordinates with
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Date Stakeholder Details Key points of Discussions/Issues Raised Response/Suggestions made
(Institute of Water modelling) IWM to keep track on
the river flow.
• BWDB also monitors the various dredging activities
being carried on the Jamuna River at Sirajganj.
27/12/2012 Department of Fisheries, • Role and responsibility of the local • The fisheries department is headed by the Director
Sirajganj District fisheries departments and how is the General at the central government level, under which
department structured there are directors at divisional and district levels. It is
• Where are the primary fishing further segregated into District Officers, Sub-Officers
point/ports/breeding areas located in and and Field Assistants;
around in Sirajganj • Fishing in Sirajganj Sadar is at a very small scale and
• Details of Fishing production in Sirajganj involves only 1590 fishing households in Sirajganj
Sadar Sadar Upazilla;
• Details on the key species of fishes • Though the Saidabad and Punorbason Colony do not
observed in Jamuna River have any fishermen household, a few fishermen
• Understanding on the Fishermen households may be present in other villages in
community and their practices periphery zone. Fishing is prohibited under the
bridge considering security reasons and adjoining
channel that connects to the Jamuna river;
• The fishing grounds in the other bank (east side –
opposite of Project site) of the river are more
productive, hence fishermen access them more often.
The fish population in Jamuna River in Saidabad
Union territory is sufficient to provide livelihood to
local fishermen families.
• The fishing department in Sirajganj Sadar is
understaffed and there is shortage of field level
workers;
• Some of the key the vulnerable fishes found within
the Jamuna river are Maha Sol, Jamuna Dolphin and
Olive Barb fish;
• There are no dedicated fishing villages within
Saidabad Union or in Sirajganj Sadar;
• No commercial scale fishing is carried out in Sirajganj
Sadar. However, they are promoting small scale
fishery in ponds in and around Saidabad Union at
the household level;
• The fisherman use primitive fishing practices for
capturing fish. However, there has been an increase in
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Date Stakeholder Details Key points of Discussions/Issues Raised Response/Suggestions made
usage of illegal nets (including current net, bed net
and cast nets).
• The current activities carried out by the fishing
department includes field surveys, support to
fishermen with respect to training, awareness and
income generation activities;
27/12/2012 Department of • Introduction of the proposed Project • Project details were introduced to the DoE officials
Environment (DoE), Bogra • Information regarding any sensitive • No sensitive zones in the Project area only the BBA
zones/polluting industries in the Project eco-park for the protection of the Bridge. Few
Area polluting industries upstream of the Project site near
• Regulations applicable to the proposed Sirajganj town. Many polluting dye units downstream
Project/suggestions for the Project of the Project site near Bagabari.
• Information on Dredging permissions Upcoming power plant should be built in
• Information regarding upcoming consideration of future developments. 6 weeks AAQ
industrial parks or economic zones in monitoring should be carried out. Baseline data
Sirajganj collection for Flora and Fauna should be Primary.
Zero discharge technology or closed loop recycling to
be applied to the extent possible. Installation of flow
measuring device both at inlet and outlet of ETP.
Consultations with communities in the area.
• As per DoE, Dredging is red category and IEE is
required.
• No information on any industrial park or economic
zones coming up in Sirajganj.
27/12/2012 Forest Department, Pabna • Any forest stretches or patches within the • No designated forest land is present within Sirajganj
5km radius of the Project site • The forest department only manages an Eco-Park
• Major forest clusters within Sirajganj and within the AOI. The closest forests are located in
Pabna Madhupur, Gazipur and in Dineshpur.
• Any flora or fauna species found within
• Roadside plantation under the purview of the forest
the AOI
department
• Background on the Ecological Park
• No classified trees endangered or specific to Sirajganj
situated within the AOI
within the Eco Park
• In respect of fauna, monkeys, deer, peacocks, jackals
and rabbits are observed within the Eco Park
• The Project should comply with legal requirements or
guidelines for any construction related activities if
falling within the buffer zone of the Eco Park
27/12/2012 Bangabandhu Bridge • Introduction of the Proposed Project • BBA land near the bridge handed over to forest
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Date Stakeholder Details Key points of Discussions/Issues Raised Response/Suggestions made
Authority • Any regulations/permissions required department for plantations and maintenance. The
from BBA as their land is just next to asset belongs to BBA. Any work in the area as for
Project site and intake pipeline may come temporary jetty/intake pipeline needs permission
through the area from the BBA. Permissions required for any work
• Data about Traffic passing through the near guide banks for protection of the Bridge.
Bangabandhu Bridge
• Traffic statistics collected for Bangabandhu Bridge
• Whether Barges can pass under the
• Barges can pass if required below the bridge and no
Bangabandhu Bridge or any permission
required regarding the same permission is required
Elected Representatives
26/12/2012 Union Chairman, Saidabad • Understanding of the union spread within • The Project Site is completely located within the
5km of the Project Site Saidabad Union of Sirajganj Sub-District in Bara
• General questions on the socio-economic Shimul Panchosona Mouzas (Revenue Village).
structure of Saidabad including the type of • Loam and textile industries are the largest (70% of
industries around, the typed of occupation total revenue) contributor to Saidabad’s revenue;
and livelihood followed by community, • People are engaged in agricultural practices and
literacy and education system in Saidabad majority of the same cultivate three cropping seasons
• Impacts of flooding in the union and in a year. The major crops grown in the area are Rice,
subsequently on the local community Pulses (Masoor, Maash), Peanuts and Til;
• Any anticipated impacts on the locals from • There is no fishing village within the Union involved
the development of power plant in medium or large scale fishing.
• The current operating power plant was constructed in
2011 and was formally inaugurated approximately 2
years back. The government provided Khas land for
the development of the same;
• No major complaints from the locals with respect to
the existing power Project;
• The advent of the power plant has improved the
electricity provision in Sirajganj Sadar;
• A large section of the community has to be
rehabilitated during monsoon due to flooding. The
last major flood came in 2007;
Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO)
26/12/2012 Manab Mukti Sangstha • Understating on the NGO landscape in • MMS is the largest local NGO working in Sirajganj.
(MMS) –NGO Office, Sirajganj Sadar and initiatives in Saidabad Although the organization was started back in 1984,
Saidabad • Biggest social challenges and issues in the branch in Sirajganj was established back in 2002;
Saidabad. Understanding on the most • Primary work is in disaster management, women and
vulnerable sections of the society children development, poverty reduction,

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Date Stakeholder Details Key points of Discussions/Issues Raised Response/Suggestions made
• Key on-ground issues and Social microfinance, minimizing local conflict over resources
challenged by the agency amongst others.
• Type of programs run by the agency and • Work from the bottom most levels (Household) to the
its targeted audience organizational level for disaster preparedness and
resilience;
• Examples of Household level interventions include
homestead plinth area raising, fodder and fuel
preservation, equipping households with essential
commodities (dry ration, medicine, fuel oil etc.) for
managing flood and disaster risks;
• Common forms of disasters faced include river bank
erosion and flooding, cold waves, tornadoes;
• Some form of positive development has been seen
from the construction of the previous power plant
including proper embankment leading to control of
river and lesser river bank erosion, employment of
locals for labour work during the construction phase
of the Project,
• No complaints or community apprehensions have
come under notice with respect to the NWPGCL
power plant;
• Primary challenges faced by the local community are
natural disasters, unemployment, low income related
to traditional agricultural practices, communication,
electricity and road connectivity. Health associated
problems include mostly water related problems such
as Typhoid, Diarrhoea and Cholera being prevalent ;
• MMS has identified the most vulnerable factions of
the society as people with no regular income, no
economic asset, beggars, women headed households,
families with family heads with chronic sickness;
Local Community
28/12/2012 FGD with Local • Information on Khas Barashimul village • The char area is mostly used for, cultivation of rice, til,
Community (Khas • Common employment practices pulses and peanuts during the dry season
Barashimul) • Facilities within the village • It is also used for cattle grazing and collection of
• Common livelihoods and income levels firewood for 5 to 6 months in a year
• Dependency on the char area • Most of the villagers are farmers with additional
• Any implication on livelihood or social income from dairy sale as well as rearing of cattle for
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Date Stakeholder Details Key points of Discussions/Issues Raised Response/Suggestions made
capital of the area from the establishment meat
of the existing power plant complex • On average people earn between Tk 2000 to 5000 per
• Any grievance in respect to power plant month
operation • No fishing is carried out exclusively for livelihood by
any household. The village level infrastructure is poor
with no medication facilities, electricity supply,
kerosene lamps used for lighting
• A school and masjid are the public facilities available
within the village
• The village is not susceptible to frequent floods as it is
located at an elevated level
• The last major flood happened 14-15 years ago when
houses got destroyed
• Some of the villagers were displaced as a result of the
construction of the Bangabandhu Bridge. A number of
villagers also gave land for the construction of the
existing power plant.
• No major impact on the local social capital during the
construction phase of the Project as such
• Local labour work especially unskilled work was
provided during the construction phase at the rate of
Tk 200-250 per day.
28/12/2012 FGD with Local • Any grievances pertaining to the existing • The planning and construction of the power complex
Community (Barashimul power Project started back in 2005-06
Panchasona) • What sort of assistance was provided to the • The land prices of the area have increased up since the
community at the time of construction of establishment of the Project
the existing Project • Not much visual changes have been observed since
• Any major issue or problems unresolved the establishment of the Project
from the Project • Compensation was provided for the Project land but
• Impact on the local human and social no compensation was provided for the transmission
capital corridor
• Issues with respect to construction of structures or
buildings along the transmission line corridor
• The land on which the towers have been constructed
cannot be utilized productively
• No support provided by the Project towards local
development
Fishermen Community
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Date Stakeholder Details Key points of Discussions/Issues Raised Response/Suggestions made
01-06-2015 FGD with local fishermen • An understanding of the fishing activities • Fishing activities in the river are undertaken primarily
(Belutia) in the area by villages along the river, such as Belutia and Jagtala,
• The dependence on fishing as a livelihood in which a significant proportion of the households
• Any perceived major issue or problems due undertake fishing
to use of Jetty and vessel movement in the • Fishing activities are undertaken primarily during the
area monsoon and post monsoons seasons. The
households who have access to motor boats
undertake fishing in the main channel of the river,
while those households with row boats undertaking
fishing closer to the villages and near the jetty. The
most preferred fishing gear are gill nets
• The main fish species caught include Hilsha, Basa,
Papda, Shrimp, Giant prawn, Golcha and River
Pangas
• The respondents were of the opinion that the overall
fish population and catch has reduced over the years
due to the dredging activities which were undertaken
in the area in the past. These activities resulted in the
churning of the river bed and siltation
• The fishermen also acknowledged that every river in
the country was facing a problem of reduced fish
populations.
01-06-2015 FGD with local fishermen • An understanding of the dependence of the • Almost 95% of the households undertake fishing in
(Jagtala) local community on fishing the village
• The perception of the change in fish catch • The fishing activities in the village are restricted to
and population approx. 3 months in a year, around monsoon,
• The potential impacts of use of jetty by • The key fish species in the area are Hilsha, Basa,
vessels on the fishing activities of the Papda, Baluchata, Paturchala and Gangchala.
village • The average daily catch of the fishermen in the area
was reported to be 1 to 1.5 kg of fish.
• The representatives reported a severely declined
population of Baluchata and Paturchata, and a
declined population of the other species.
• One of the reasons attributed for the low populations
in the area was the sand mining activities in the area
and the movement of vessels close to the villages.
03-06-2015 Individual Consultation • To understand the household’s dependence • The household uses the temporary jetty area for the
with local fishermen on fishing for livelihood purpose of parking their boat, as it is close to their
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 Date Stakeholder Details Key points of Discussions/Issues Raised Response/Suggestions made
• The use of the jetty area by the household place of residence and is thus safe to park their
• The potential impacts of use of jetty by • They also undertake fishing in the jetty area using
vessels on the fishing activities traps and nets
• However, during the time that the jetty area was used
for vessel movement and dredging, the household
was unable to use the jetty for fishing or parking of
boats
• During this time, the household faced problems of
transporting their boat to the main channel for fishing
and fishing for small fish species found in the jetty
area
• According to the household the best time to use the
Jetty for vessel movement would be pre-monsoon,
when the local community is not using the area for
fishing purposes

Table 8.3 Public Consultation – 21st March 2015

Sl Name Address Comment/Question Response from Project Developer

01 Md. Saidul Islam Union Parishad Member, • The project is good for the surrounding people, as • The project is based on natural gas as
Raja Saidabad Union it will generate employment and other business primary fuel and will run on HSD for a
opportunities for the locals. small period of time in case of non-
• There are negative impacts on the environment, availability of natural gas.
due to the emissions from the existing plant, • Adequate mitigation measures have
which may result in crop damage, possibility of already been embedded in the project
skin diseases, and may also have health impacts. design in order to mitigate
• We welcome this project, however, the project environmental risks.
should adhere with the mitigation measures • Environmental monitoring carried out
mentioned during the presentation and all work as part of the study indicates that the
should be carried out as per the law. gaseous emissions (i.e. NOx) are much
• The workers that will be employed in the project lower than the applicable standards.
execution should be skilful and expert. • The emission and discharge standards
as prescribed by the World Bank/ IFC
and the Department of Environment,
Government of Bangladesh will be
fully complied with by the Project.
02 Md. Iqbal Akand Resident – Khas Bara • Local people should be employed or should get • Suggestions given will be incorporated
Simul, Saidabad Union work at the project. during the project execution.
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 Sl Name Address Comment/Question Response from Project Developer
• Means of transport and roadway of the project • As mentioned in the presentation,
area should be good. cooling towers will be used to cool the
• Water must be cool before discharging to the water before discharge.
environment. • The water system is a close circuit
• All the necessary help will be provided for the system and water will be reused in the
completion of the project cooling with a cycle of concentration
(COC) of about 5. This will help in
reducing the total water consumption
as against the once through system,
which requires lot of water.
03 Md. Masud Rana Union Parishad Member, • Unskilled people were employed at 225 MW • As per the current estimate about 1500
Saidabad Union power plant of NWPGCL. So the local people people will be engaged during peak
should have most priority for the employment construction phase and about 50 people
opportunity at the project. during the operation phase.
• SNWPCL will provide adequate
opportunity to local people for
employment during the construction
and operation phase of the project.
• Both unskilled and skilled people will
be engaged as per the project
requirement.
04 Md. Abdus Salam Resident – Khas Bara • Noise problem will be created which should be • Noise levels monitored around the
Sheikh Simul, Saidabad Union prevented. Saidabad Complex and surrounding
• Smoke that will emit from the project should not residential areas indicate that the noise
create problem to the environment and local levels are well within the prescribed
people. It should be prevented. standards of the World Bank and the
• Air pollution should be prevented. Department of Environment with the
existing NWPGCL Plant operations.
• We will ensure that the noise levels due
to the upcoming project will be within
the World Bank and DOE standards.
Adequate provisions have already been
made in the design. We will also
conduct periodic monitoring during
the construction and operation phase of
this project.
• The project is based on natural gas as
primary fuel and will run on HSD for a
small period of time in case of non-
availability of natural gas.
• The emission and discharge standards

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 Sl Name Address Comment/Question Response from Project Developer
as prescribed by the World Bank/ IFC
and the Department of Environment,
Government of Bangladesh will be
fully complied with by the Project.
05 Sardar Assistant Director, • What will be the NOx emission from the Project? • Natural Gas is a cleaner fuel and it does
Mohiuddin Fisheries Department, How the NOx emission will be controlled. not emit sulphur dioxide and
Sirajganj Sadar Upazilla • Whether the grey water generated from the project particulate matter. NOx emission will
will have any harmful elements. be controlled by providing dry low
• Whether the project has any plans to use grey NOx burners and the emissions will be
water generated from the processes. less than 25 ppm as against the DOE
• How the waste generated from the project will be standard of 40 ppm.
handled. Whether there will be any disposal • All the waste generated during the
around the site. construction and operation phase of the
• The water that will be released from the project project will be properly collected,
area should be used for agriculture. segregated and stored at the site
• Impact on fisheries due to hot water discharge, premises. All the waste will then be
which we have seen in Ghorashal project. collected by the DOE authorised
• Local peoples should be aware of the problems or vendors. The project will verify and
pollution created by the project in environment. select these vendors before finalising
the waste management contract.
• All the effluent generated from the
project will be treated within the
project premise. Treated water will be
reused in the project. Treated water
will meet the specified standards of the
World Bank and the DOE.
• The Ghorashal Project is based on once
through cooling system and does not
have any provision of cooling towers.
Whereas in this project, we will be
using cooling towers for cooling of hot
water and this will also reduce the
water requirement significantly for the
cooling purpose. As a result of this the
temperature difference between the
intake and outfall will be much less
than 3°C, as specified by the World
Bank/IFC. This can also be seen in the
current discharge of the existing
NWPGCL power plant. Therefore, this
will not have any impact on the
fisheries.
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 Sl Name Address Comment/Question Response from Project Developer
• Work will be carried out by the
Standard value given by DOE.
• The project developer (SNWPCL and
NWPGCL) will be open to discuss any
of the concerns of the local people
related to environmental and other
matters and will act on all the
grievances.
06 Md. Abdul Aziz Union Parishad Member, • Importance should be given to the local people on • The project developer agreed to the
Mondol Saidabad employment opportunity. suggestions made.
• Work should be done nicely according to the
promise given to the people. It should not be
delayed.
07 Engr. A. T. M. Chief Engineer, • During the execution of the existing NWPGCL -
Jahangir Kabir NWPGCL Plant, we have received lot of co-operation from
the local people and elected representatives.
• We are also expecting similar co-operation during
the implementation of this proposed project.
08 Mrs. Eti Rani Union Parishad Member, • We welcome this project in our area. • The project developer agreed to the
Ghosh Saidabad Union • The promises mentioned in the presentation must suggestions made. It was also
be fulfilled. confirmed that all the mitigation
measures will be taken care by the
project to avoid any significant impact
on the surroundings.
O9 Mr. Billal Hosen Deputy Commissioner, • This is a good project for providing electricity in • The project developer thanked the DC
Sirajganj the region as well as development of the area. and assured that the mitigation
• This project is not involving any land acquisition, measures which will come out as part
as all the land has already been acquired by the of the Environmental and Social Impact
BPDB/NWPGCL and developed for the power assessment will be fulfilled.
generation complex, which is otherwise a big
problem for the major development projects.
• Our population is increasing and with that the
demand of power/ electricity has also increasing
day by day. Due to this we need more power
generation facilities in our country.
• We have seen lot of promises for management of
environmental and social impacts in this
presentation. I expect that SNWPCL must fulfil
these promises during the project implementation
or development.

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Table 8.4 Public Consultation – 18th April 2015

Sl Name Address Comment/Question Answer and Policy of Counter-measure

01 Md. Saidul Islam Union Parishad • Previously many companies have • There will be a grievance/complain system for
Raja Member, Saidabad completed their project in the area, but all. So that local people can go to right
Union local people got zero shares from them. place/right person for grievance redressal. There
They employed 80-90% outside labour. is framework in place for grievance redressal if
Request for giving priority to local locals are not satisfied.
labour and skills. • Man power from local areas will be given
• If project equipment is available locally preference based on skill set.
then same should be purchased from • There will be fair and unbiased system of
the local people. recruitment.
• If possible and available equipment from local
area will be purchased. Local people need to be
more competitive in terms of rates.
02 Foyej Shorkar Director, LDP • As 400 MW power plant is proposed, • The existing plant will have a closed cycle. Very
would water be impacted. small quantity of water will be discharged into
• It says stacks height will be 60 m and all the Jamuna River. pH value of water will be
kind of prevention measure will be adjusted before discharge.
taken but is there any chance of air • 60 m Height Stack is being provided and it will
pollution? help in dispersion of the gases generated from
• There is an Eco park, will it be affected? the power plant.
Will the power plant create disturbance • As per Bangladesh National Standards the NOx
to the life of birds, plants? standard is 40 ppm and according to IFC
• What short of initiative SNWPCL will guidelines emission standard is 25 ppm. The
be taking along with NGO’s? project will be complying with both National and
IFC norms.
• Most of the activities related to the power plant
will be confined to the Saidabad power
generation complex. Only some transport related
activities for heavy machinery and jetty will take
place near to the ECO park and water front.
• There is already an existing access road. The
same path will be used to cause minimal
disturbance to both aquatic and terrestrial the
ecology. Sembcorp is working closely with
Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) for better
design and any activity near west guide bund
will be approved by Bangladesh Bridge
Authority. Also SembCorp will be monitoring
EPC for minimizing impacts on ecology.
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 Sl Name Address Comment/Question Answer and Policy of Counter-measure

• There will be defined budget allocated for CSR

initiatives and a need assessment study will be
carried out along with NGOs. After need
assessment study, best usage of the defined
budget will be carried out for CSR activities.
03 Md Iqbal Akondo Local People/ • Local people gave land. There is already • Electricity distribution is not managed by
Businessman a power plant. But no electricity Sembcorp. But Sembcorp will definitely inform
connection to local people. Government about this issue and also pursue
• On the south side of the plant there is with relevant departments for electrification of
more than one lakhs people living. nearby areas.
Would it be possible to get electricity • SembCorp will try to ensure local people get
connection? preference for employment in the project.
• Request for employment to local people
as peon, daily labour, security guard in
the project.
04 Abdul Ajij Mondol Union Parishad • Will the local people get priority to • SembCorp will only generate electricity and
Member, Saidabad electricity connection? distribution will be done by the government.
Union However SNWPCL will pursue with government
for electricity allocation to Sirajganj area.
05 Abdul Momen Union Parishad • Is there any plan to build • Sembcorp will work with local people and
Member, Saidabad a) health complex. NGO’s for need assessment of sectors for CSR
Union b) fire service station. related activities.
• any kind of measure taken for • Some of the sectors identified are health,
agricultural activities if it gets affected? education, drinking water and it will be
discussed.
• No separate fire station but the power plant will
have its own fire protection and extinguishing
mechanisms. It will be further ensured that the
surrounding community any fire related
problems
• Agriculture productivity will not be affected.
06 Eti Rani Dey Female Union • In the earlier power plant projects no • SembCorp will try best to give employment to
Parishad Member , women were employed. Will be there women and also give priority to women.
Saidabad Union any chance for women employment? SNWPCL aims for equality amongst genders.
07 Md Motahar Hossain Manager, MMS, NGO • CSR activities will be limited to • The CSR activities from Sembcorp will carry on
construction phase or will take place in till SembCorp is involved in the project.
operational phase as well.
08 Upanand Kumar Superindent Engineer As local people helped in the previous
Biswas Incharge, NWPGCL power plant, similar support is expected

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 Sl Name Address Comment/Question Answer and Policy of Counter-measure

this time also.

• The entire area will get developed due
to the proposed power plants in the
area in terms of employment,
infrastructure etc.
• NOx ,SOx, CO emissions will be
discharged into the air. Standards will
be followed and emission monitoring
system will be attached to track
compliance.
• Water will be used in a closed cycle
system. So river water will not be
damage in this process.
• About man power, maximum engineer
and technical person are required. So
priority to the person who is qualified.
Though employment to the local people
will be given preference
• For women it is not a friendly job
environment. But will try to give
employment to women in
administration, accounts,
housekeeping, office assistance etc.
• This power plant generates 230 voltage.
It is a high voltage current. It cannot be
delivered to houses directly. The
transmission and distribution
department of government is
responsible for the distribution of
electricity. Even though it is desired but
it is up to government for distribution.
09 Sardar Mohiuddin Assistant Director • How much water is needed for the • IWM has carried out preliminary studies for
Fisheries Department project actually? availability of water in the Jamuna river and the
location suitable for the water abstraction.
• Will grey water being recycled within • The study also shows that the water availability
the project? will be there all throughout the year and water
intake point will have depth of 5.4 m of water
even in the lean season. The demand for the
Project is only 482 m3/hr which is very less and
amounts to only 0.017% of the total available
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 Sl Name Address Comment/Question Answer and Policy of Counter-measure

river water
• Use of grey water as per Bangladesh
Environment Conservation Rules will be
followed in terms of water characteristics. No
water used within the plant will be discharged
outside without treatment.
10 Protap Chandro Additional Deputy • Bangladesh Government committed to
Biswas Commissioner support everyone. Nobody will be left
(Revenue) behind. Sembcorp will help in this
project. I hope all local people will
cooperate in this project.
• Land has been taken long back for the
project and land issues resolved. No
one has approached for land related
issues for this particular project.
• There may confusion regarding
compensations for the land purchased
for the upcoming EPZ in the area.
• If there are any issues land related
issues than the local administration can
be approached and it will be resolved.
11 Ichiro Aoki ADB Officer, Manila
12 Tonmoy Das Additional Deputy • It is already understood by the local • The project sponsor thanked the ADC and
Commissioner people about the type of problem that assured that the mitigation measures which will
(General may arise and how the project design is come out as part of the Environmental and Social
Administration) taking care of the impacts. It is an Impact assessment will be fulfilled.
extremely modern and eco-friendly
power plant.
• CSR activities will be carried out for the
local people and it is strongly
recommended to build a school in this
area for local children.
• If rain water is used for the project,
pressure on ground water will be less.
• The project is good for the development
of the Project area.

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The main findings and observations from the consultation have been
summarised here:

• Residual issues from the existing Power Plant: the consultation with the
local community in Barashimul Panchosona revealed that there was some
level of existing discontent within the local community with respect to the
existing NWPGCL power plant adjacent to the Project site with respect to
compensation, fragmentation of land due to the transmission corridor right
of way and a lack of CSR initiatives amongst others. The current Project
development has to be clearly presented to the community as a separate
development in order to avoid any confusion within the community, who
may associate the development with the existing plant and the residual
issues having a cascading effect on the same.

• Limited interactions between the Project facility and the local

community: based on the FGD with the community at Khas Barashimul
which is located within the periphery of the Project site, it was reported
that the Project construction phase did not have any major or significant
interaction with the local population or the resource capital within the
village. The only level of interaction was a positive impact in terms of
labour employment.

• Limited restrictions on access to any community resource around the

Project site: the local community reported that due to the establishment of
the NWPGCL Project, no restrictions as such were imposed in terms of
access to Char land, grazing land, the river or any similar community
resource. It was observed as well as conveyed that the land around the
unused jetty area and adjacent to the boundary wall of the Project site was
being used yearly for growing of pulses and rice.

• Escalation of local land prices: it was reported by the community that the
land prices around the Project area have increased significantly due to the
establishment of the existing NWPGCL plant. It is expected to rise further
with the advent of this Project as well as the construction of the Industrial
Park upstream and Economic zone.

• Disruption of boat movement and fishing activities due to temporary

Jetty: the local fishermen representatives were of the opinion that the use
of the Jetty area for vessel and material movement would result in a
negative impact on the local community. This negative impact is likely to
be resultant from a restriction on boat movement and use of nets,
restriction on fishing activities during certain time periods and a decline in
fish population and catch due to churning of river bed and siltation.
Resultant from this, the representatives were of the opinion that the use of
the Jetty by the project should be undertaken during the pre-monsoons
and outside of the spawning period of the important species.

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8.5 WAY FORWARD FOR CONTINUATION OF CONSULTATION

The effectiveness of the EIA is directly related to the degree of continuing

involvement of those affected directly or indirectly by the Project. During the
preparatory stage, consultations were held at local, sub district and district
level. Several additional rounds of consultations with stakeholders will be
planned during construction and operation phase of the Project. A public
consultation meeting with key stakeholders was completed in March 2015
during the EIA preparation stage. Another public consultation meeting was
held in April 2015 to disclose the findings of the EIA study. Continued
information disclosure and consultation process can either be done internally
by the Project proponent or through engaging some outside agency on behalf
of them. Should consultation be undertaken using internal resources by the
Project proponent, an assessment of internal capacity and expertise should be
undertaken. If the capacity is not available, the Project proponent should
engage an external agency and gradually build up internal capacity by
working alongside of that agency. This will help them in developing internal
capacity and maintaining continued consultation process through the Project
life cycle.

8.6 BENEFICAL IMPACTS

The generation and supply of electricity has a significant impact on the

national economy of any country. Presently, 68% of the total population has
access to electricity and per capita generation is 348 kWh, which is
significantly lower than other developing countries (Power Division 2015). 1

In the public sector a number of the generation units have become very old
and have been operating at much reduced capacities. As a result, their
reliability and productivity has been poor. For the last few years actual
electricity demand in the country has not been met due to a shortage of
available generation capacity. In addition, due to a shortage of gas supply,
some power plants are unable to reach their full generation capability.

The current supply-demand in Bangladesh also has a knock on effect on all

other key sectors including agriculture, industry, commercial and domestic
sectors. There is therefore no alternative to adding more power generating
units to the existing power system of Bangladesh, to help improve and meet
the energy demand for both domestic and industrial requirements.

The Project is also likely to have a positive effect on opportunities for

employment, both directly from the proposed power project and its
dependant sectors such as agriculture, industries and manufacturing that
require stable power supply in order to operate and be competitive.

1The neighbouring country India was having per-capita energy consumption in 2007-08 as 704.2 kWh (www.cea.nic.in),
which in January 2012 is reported as 776 kWh per annum (The Wall Street Journal, January 3, 2012).

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9 RISK ASSESSMENT

9.1 INTRODUCTION

This study entails risk assessment to personnel and environment from

consequences of accidental events. The scope of work for the risk assessment
includes the following:
• Hazard Identification
• Consequence Analysis
• Risk Reduction Measures and Recommendations

The risk assessment presented in the following sections is based on certain

scientific principles and professional judgement to certain facts with resultant
subjective interpretation. Professional judgement expressed herein is based on
the available data and information to work out basic risk assessment
requirements for project approvals. The detailed hazards and operability
study will identify specific hazards based on actual equipment (type and
specifications) installed onsite to further mitigate the risks involved.

9.2 NATURAL HAZARD RISK

9.2.1 Earthquake

The Project site falls in the Zone-II area as per the seismic zone map of
Bangladesh and at moderate risks from earthquakes (refer Figure 4.19). It has
been recommended that Civil and mechanical structures will comply the
seismic proof design (site seismic factor = 0.05g) as per the guidelines of
Bangladesh National Building Code 2010.

9.2.2 Cyclone and Wind Hazard

Cyclones in Bangladesh are presently classified according to their intensity

and the following nomenclature is in use:
• depression (winds upto 62 km/hr.);
• cyclonic storm (winds from 63 to 87 km/hr.);
• severe cyclonic storm (winds from 88 to 118 km/hr.); and
• very severe cyclonic storm of hurricane intensity (winds above 118
km/hr.).

As shown in Figure 4.20 the Project site does not fall under cyclone affected
area. There are reports of a Tornado in 1991, wind storm in 2001 and tropical
storm in 2002 1. All the structures will be designed taking into consideration
maximum wind speed of 200 km/hr in order to avoid any impact in case of
any cyclone and/or wind surge.

1 (www.adrc.asia/publications/databook/ORG/...20th/BGD8.xls, 2008)

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9.2.3 Climate Risk

Climate change could have a variety of impacts on operation of the Sirajganj 4

project, particularly with regards to increased flood risk. The high level
climate change risk assessment study has recommended that risks identified
as high (i.e. flooding of the facility causing business interruption and damage
to infrastructure as well as flooding of surrounding areas) be investigated in
further detail to fully understand the implications for operation of the plant in
the future. Given that these both relate to the increased risk of flooding in the
future, which will also apply to the Saidabad Power Generation Complex as a
whole and its surrounding communities, options to work closely with local
authorities and NWPGCL on this issue should be investigated as a combined
response is likely to be more cost-effective. A high level assessment of the
climate change risk on the project has been presented in Annex T.

9.3 HEALTH AND SAFETY – HAZARDOUS MATERIAL HANDLING AND STORAGE

This study entails Consequence Analysis in case of Loss of Containment of

hazardous materials from the respective storage facility and pipeline. The
layout plan of the Sirajganj 4 Project with proposed Sirajganj 2 and existing
Sirajganj 1 Plant.

9.3.1 Storages

All chemicals and compressed gases will be properly stored as per the
guidelines of Department of Explosives, Bangladesh. Proposed chemical
storage inventory at Sirajganj 1, and Sirajganj 4 Plants is presented in Table
9.1.

Table 9.1 Major Chemical Storages at Sirajganj 1 and Sirajganj 4 Plants

S. No. Chemical Name Maximum Storage Quantity

Sirajganj 4 Sirajganj 1
1. Hydrochloric Acid (30%) 30 m3 20 tonnes
2. Caustic Lye (48%) 60 tonnes 20 tonnes
3. Sulphuric Acid 40 m3 NA
4. Ammonia (25%) 500 l NA
8. Tri Sodium Phosphate 500 kg NA
9. Diesel 19000 m3 11000 m3
* No information available currently for hazardous chemical storages of Sirajganj 3 and 4 projects
Source: Sembcorp and NWPGCL

9.3.2 Study Methodology

Elements considered for Consequence Analysis

The elements of the study consist of the following steps:

• Data Collection and Review;
• Hazard Identification;
• Consequence Analysis;
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 • Conclusion.

Data Collection and Review

• Storage details;
• Design and operating conditions; and
• Inventory and material properties.

9.3.3 Hazard Identification

A hazard is an undesired event, which may cause harm to people or to the

environment or damage to property. The study is primarily concerned with
the identification and evaluation of accidental events associated with
proposed operations, which have potential to cause major incident and is
defined as:
 A fire, explosion, the release of a dangerous substance like diesel and
natural gas resulting from a work activity which could result in death or
serious personal injury to people within the site;
 Hazards associated include uncontrolled release (liquid and gas) and
subsequent fire due to accidental loss of containment.

A major hazard is defined as an event, which may have the potential to cause
one or more fatalities, to affect the integrity of the facility as a whole and also
to cause significant damage to the surrounding environment.

Hazards Due to Operations

Process / Production Events: The potential incidents resulting in loss of

containment of material or loss of containment of energy include leaks of
process materials, explosion in either a small container or a large container.

Accidental release of flammable or toxic vapours can result in severe

consequences. Delayed ignition of flammable vapours can result in blast
overpressures covering large areas. This may lead to extensive loss of life and
property. Toxic clouds may cover yet larger distances due to the lower
threshold values in relation to those in case of explosive clouds (the lower
explosive limits). In contrast, fires have localized consequences. Fires can be
put out or contained in most cases; there are few mitigating actions one can
take once a vapour cloud gets released. To formulate a structured approach to
identification of hazards understanding of contributory factors is essential.

Blast Overpressures: Blast Overpressures depend upon the reactivity class of

material and the amount of gas between two explosive limits. Light
hydrocarbons can give rise to a Vapour Cloud Explosion (VCE) due to high
vapour pressures and it may result in extensive damage to persons and
property.

Operating Parameters: Potential vapour release for the same material depends
significantly on the operating conditions. The operating pressure increases

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 during pumping operations, where the pressures are those developed by the
respective pumps. For example, the operating pressure of the storage tanks is
almost atmospheric and there are no chances of a Boiling Liquid Expanding
Vapour Explosion (BLEVE) in such tanks. Similarly, rate of evaporation from a
release from atmospheric storage shall be much lower than that from a
pressurized storage tank.

Inventory: Inventory Analysis is commonly used in understanding the

relative hazards and short listing of release scenarios. Larger inventory of a
system results in larger quantity of potential release. A practice commonly
used to generate an incident list is to consider potential leaks and major
releases from fractures of pipelines and tanks containing sizable inventories.
The potential vapour release (source strength) depends upon the quantity of
liquid released, the properties of the materials and the operating conditions
(pressure, temperature).

Loss of Containment: Plant inventory may be discharged to the environment

due to loss of containment. Various causes and modes for such an eventuality
have been considered. Certain features of material to be handled need to be
clearly understood to firstly list out all significant release cases and then to
short list release scenarios for a detailed examination.

Liquid releases may be either instantaneous/spontaneous or continuous.

Failure of a storage tank leading to an instantaneous outflow assumes the
sudden appearance of such a major crack that practically all of the contents
above the crack shall be released in a very short time. The more likely event is
the case of liquid release from a hole in a pipe connected to a tank. The flow
rate will depend on size of the hole as well as on the pressure, in the tank.

The vaporization of released liquid depends on the vapour pressure and the
atmospheric conditions.

9.3.4 Consequence Analysis

This includes assessment of the consequences resulting from accidental release

of flammable and toxic material by employing standard consequence analysis
tools and simulation software. The consequences of all releases are modelled
using empirical and integral models. Liquid releases will form a liquid pool.
Ignition of the pool will result in a pool fire, which will continue till the liquid
is completely burnt. Natural gas release can result in jet fire.

The consequences of each failure scenario have been modelled using PHAST
software. These includes models for calculating discharge rates, dispersion of
flammable/toxic gases, liquid spread and vaporisation, radiation effects from
fires ( jet fires, pool fires, flash fires etc.). The result of the consequence
analysis is a hazard footprint for each accident scenario which is used to
determine the level of harm to personnel and level of damage to equipment.

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 Consequences of Vapour Cloud Explosion and Flash Fire

A Vapour Cloud Explosion (VCE) begins with a release of large quantity of

flammable vaporising liquid or gas from a storage tank, transport vehicle or
pipeline producing overpressure wave. VCE may be formed by gas due to
partial confinement or an area of congestion. In the event of gas cloud ignition,
two situations may occur i.e. non explosive combustion (resulting into flash
fire) and explosive combustion (resulting into flash fire). The unconfined gas
cloud of methane normally leads to a flash fire. This is because of the low
specific gravity of methane; it disperses very fast and does not tend to form a
vapour cloud large enough to cause a Vapour Cloud Explosion.

A late ignition explosion can result in wave of peak overpressure. Following

is the criteria for overpressure:

Impact Criteria

Impact criteria were used to assess the damage potential of fires to people.
Fatality rates due to exposure to thermal radiation from a fire were
determined based on the TNO Purple Book (2005), as follows:
 43 
Pr = −36.38 + 2.56 ⋅ ln t R I 
 
where;

Pr = probit corresponding to the probability of death

I = heat radiation (W/m2)
t = exposure time (s)

An exposure time of 20 seconds was adopted in this study for continuous

release of hazardous material to the atmosphere in line with the
recommendation based on TNO Purple Book (2005).

The corresponding personnel fatality criteria used for fire (thermal radiation)
hazards including fireball are provided in Table 9.2.

Table 9.2 Personnel Fatality Criteria and the Corresponding Thermal Radiation Levels

Fatality Levels (%) Thermal Radiation (kW/m2)

90 28.3
50 19.5
3 11.2

Fatalities from flash fires were only considered to occur within the flammable
cloud footprint area. It was considered that persons within the path of a flash
fire are not likely to escape. Therefore, a fatality rate of 100% was assigned to
these individuals.

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 The fatality probabilities derived in this study were based on the assumption
that people are present outdoors 100% of the time. The results of the study are
therefore conservative.

Explosion Overpressure Impact

It is noted that a VCE involves explosion overpressure effects. Fatalities occur

as a result of this phenomenon. Persons within the vapour cloud are
considered fatally injured in an explosion due to the fire effects. For personnel
inside the building, the effect would be dominated by building collapse or
falling structures.

Based on OGP Vulnerability of Humans, the fatality probability for people

outdoors due to blast overpressure adopted in this study is provided in Table
9.3.

Table 9.3 Fatality Probability for People Outdoors due to Blast Overpressure

Blast Overpressure (mbar) Fatality Probability, People Outdoors

≥ 350 0.15
< 350 0

Table 9.4 Damage Criteria for Pressure Wave

S.N Peak Overpressure (bar) Type of Damage

1 0.01 Windows smashed
2 0.03 Damage by flying fragments of glass
3 0.10 10% of houses seriously damaged
4 0.30 90% of houses seriously damaged
Reference: World Bank Technical Paper No. 55- Technica Ltd. for assessing hazards- A manual

Consequences of Fire/Heat Wave

The effect of thermal radiation on people is mainly a function of intensity of

radiation and exposure time. The effect is expressed in term of the probability
of death and different degrees of burn. The damage caused due to incident
power radiation is given in Table 9.5.

Table 9.5 Damage Caused Due to Incident Power Radiation at Various Distances due
to Steady State Fire

Incident Power Damage Caused

Radiation Kw/m2
37.5 Sufficient to cause damage to process equipment. 100% lethality in 60
seconds, 1% lethality in 10 seconds.
25.0 Minimum Energy to ignite wood at infinitely long exposures without a
flame. 100% lethality in 60 seconds. Significant injury in 10sec.
12.5 Minimum Energy to ignite wood with flame, melting of plastic tubing etc.
1% lethality in 60 seconds. 1st degree burns in 10 seconds.
4.5 Sufficient to cause pain to personnel if unable to take cover within 20
seconds; 1st degree burns
1.6 Causes discomfort to long exposure

Event Classification and Modes of Failure

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 Hazards that can lead to accidents in operations are discussed in this section.
Important hazardous events are classified in Table 9.6.

Table 9.6 Event Classification

Type of Event Description

BLEVE Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion; may happen due to
catastrophic failure of refrigerated or pressurized gases or liquids stored
above their boiling points, followed by early ignition of the same,
typically leading to a fire ball
Deflagration Is the same as detonation but with reaction occurring at less than sonic
velocity and initiation of the reaction at lower energy levels
Detonation A propagating chemical reaction of a substance in which the reaction
front advances in the unreacted substance at or greater than sonic
velocity
Explosion A release of large amount of energy that forms a blast wave
Fire Fire
Fireball The burning of a flammable gas cloud on being immediately ignited at
the edge before forming a flammable/explosive mixture.
Flash Fire A flammable gas release gets ignited at the farthest edge resulting in
flash-back fire
Spill Release ‘Loss of containment’. Release of fluid or gas to the surroundings from
unit’s own equipment / tanks causing (potential) pollution and / or risk
of explosion and / or fire
Structural Damage Breakage or fatigue failures (mostly failures caused by weather but not
necessarily) of structural support and direct structural failures
Vapour Cloud Explosion resulting from vapour clouds formed from flashing liquids or
Explosion non-flashing liquids and gases

Risks to Environment

This is defined as the frequency per year of spills of a certain size. The
following sizes have been considered:
 < 100 tonnes;
 100 to 500 tonnes;
 500 to 1000 tonnes; and
 1000 to 2000 tonnes.

Toxic, flammable and explosive substances released from sources of storage as

a result of failures or catastrophes can cause losses in the surrounding area in
the form of:

 Toxic gas dispersion, resulting in toxic levels in ambient air,

 Fires, fireballs, and flash back fires, resulting in a heat wave (radiation), or
 Explosions (Vapour Cloud Explosions) resulting in blast waves
(overpressure).

9.3.5 Emergency Situations Involving Loss of Containment

Maximum Credible Loss Scenarios (MCLS)

For the proposed facility, the following containment loss scenarios may be
envisaged:

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  Loss of Natural Gas due to hole of various sizes in the pipeline
transporting natural gas to the process area.
 Loss of Natural Gas due to rupture of the pipeline transporting natural gas
to the process area.
 Loss of Diesel due to hole of various sizes in the pipeline transporting
diesel to the process area
 Loss of Diesel due to rupture of pipeline transporting diesel to the process
area
 Loss of diesel due to catastrophic rupture of Diesel storage tank – a low
probability event.
 Loss of Diesel due to leak of various sizes in the Diesel Storage Tank.

Overall hazards identified due to proposed operations are given in Table 9.7.

Table 9.7 Overall Identified Hazards

SN Source Hazard Description

A-1 Diesel Storage Fire and explosion Release of fuel (Diesel) from storage tank leading
tanks possibly to
- Pool Fire
- Tank on fire
- Vapour cloud explosion
A-2 Diesel Pipeline Fire and Explosion Release of fuel (Diesel) from pipeline leading
possibly to
- Pool Fire
- Vapour cloud explosion
A-3 Natural Gas Fire and explosion Release of Natural Gas from pipeline leading
Pipeline possibly to
- Jet Fire
- Flash Fire
- Vapour cloud explosion
A-4 Hydrochloric Toxic Release Release of Hydrochloric Acid from storage tank
Acid Storage leading possibly to
Tank - Toxic Vapour Cloud
A-5 Sulphuric Acid Fire & Toxic Release Release of Sulphuric Acid from storage tank
Storage tank leading possibly to
- Toxic Vapour Cloud
- Pool Fire

9.3.6 Emergency Situations Not Involving Loss of Containment

Emergency situations not involving loss of containment are generally more

likely to occur and the following are possible:

Hazards: Physical Injuries

 Injury due to manual handling of materials.

 Injury due to fall.
 Hand injuries while working with equipment.

Hazards: Others

 Falls due to working at heights.

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  Electric shock caused by contact with faulty electrical equipment, cables,
etc.
 Chronic health issues related to inhalation or ingestion of dust or chemical
vapour.

9.3.7 External Hazards

External hazards which may impair safety include the following:

 Extreme weather conditions;
 Earthquake or ground movement; and
 Security breaches.

Extreme weather conditions are primarily lightening, cyclones, high winds

and heavy rainfall. They may result in injury through slips trips of personnel
or equipment damage. Thus there are potential hazards to workers from
direct impact of the structure, i.e. falling equipment and storage tanks and any
subsequent releases caused by storage tank damage. However, no fatalities
are expected from such conditions i.e. risk to workers is low providing:
 Reliable weather forecasts are available; and
 Design and operational limits of the structures are known and not
exceeded.

The project region falls in Zone II (i.e., moderate hazard zone) as per the
Seismic Zone Map prepared by the BMD.

9.3.8 Representative Hole Size

The hole sizes which are detectable or hazardous are not constant, but
dependent on a number of factors. Smaller hole sizes will result in lower
release rates and longer leak duration, while larger hole sizes will lead to
larger release rates but correspondingly shorter leak duration. The release
scenarios or sizes that were considered are as follows:

Table 9.8 Hole size category for consequences and failure frequency

Hole Category Equivalent Hole Size (mm) Hole Size Range (mm)
Small 10 1-10
Medium 50 10 – 50
Large 100 50 – 150
Full bore rupture (FBR) Piping diameter 150 – Rupture

9.3.9 Release Duration

The release duration for liquid release was estimated by the total available
isolatable system inventory divided by the initial release rate. The release
duration for gas release was estimated based on the total available isolatable
system inventory depressurised through the leaks and through the blow
down system, where applicable. It was assumed that detection and isolation
can be achieved (via emergency shutdown, manual intervention, etc.) within
10 minute from the time of release.

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9.3.10 Scenarios Identified

After the detailed analysis of the proposed facility and layout the following
hazardous scenarios were identified listed in the below Table 5.4.

Table 9.9 Scenarios Identified

Leak Size
Leak Source Scenario Inventory
(mm)
Small Leak 5
Medium Leak 25
9500 m3
Diesel Tank 1 & 2 (Sirajganj 4) Large Leak 100
each
Catastrophic
Rupture
Small Leak 5
Medium Leak 25
5500 MT
Diesel Tank 1 & 2 (Sirajganj 1) Large Leak 100
each
Catastrophic
Rupture
Small Leak 5
Medium Leak 25
Natural Gas Supply Pipeline Large Leak 29573.16 kg 100
Full Bore
508
Rupture
Small Leak 5
Medium Leak 25
159418.61
Diesel Supply Pipeline Large Leak 100
kg
Full Bore
254
Rupture
Small Leak 5
Hydrochloric Acid Storage in Sirajganj 4 (30%
Medium Leak 2000 kg 25
Conc)
Large Leak 100
Small Leak 5
Medium Leak 25
Sulphuric Acid Storage (50%) 1000 kg
Large Leak 100
Small Leak 5
Hydrochloric Acid Storage in Sirajganj 1 (30%
Medium Leak 20000 kg 25
Conc)
Large Leak 100

9.3.11 Consequence Analysis of the Identified Scenarios

The project will have continuous natural gas supply at a maximum rate of
59500 kg/hour.

The gas will be supplied through a pipeline of 20 inch diameter and at a

pressure of 1000 psig and temperature of approximately 30ºC up to the Gas
metering skid. This is a buried pipeline. Hence it can be said that the
consequence in the portions where it is underground will not be very high
and the probability of failure in those parts will be also insignificant. However
there will be certain areas where the pipeline needs to come above the ground
for unavoidable design issues. The consequence results will be high in those
areas and this will represent the worst case scenario.

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The main hazard associated with gas pipeline is loss of containment of the gas
from the pipeline systems due to holes or rupture of pipeline in an extreme
case. The loss of containment of the product (natural gas) and its escape to the
environment can theoretically cause jet fire, flash fire, explosion etc. The heat
radiation from the jet fire, flash fire and overpressure due to explosions like
Unconfined Vapour Cloud Explosion (UVCE) can cause injury to people,
damage buildings and equipment.

When gas/hydrocarbon is released through a hole or a rupture, the released

hydrocarbon mixes with air (oxygen) to form a flammable mixture. Below a
certain concentration of flammable gas i.e. at Lower Flammability Limit (LFL)
the mixture is too lean, while above a certain concentration i.e. Upper
Flammability Limit (UFL) the mixture is too rich. A concentration between the
two limits constitutes the flammable range. For a flammable mixture to form,
the hydrocarbons released should be thoroughly mixed with air to have the
concentration between LFL and UFL. If the released gas and the mixture come
in contact with an ignition source, the mixture will burn at the surface and the
flame would rapidly spread from the point of ignition to the source resulting
in what is known as a Flash Fire. Any person present in the range of the flash
fire is likely to suffer potentially fatal burn injuries.

Analysis of the main hazards due to release of natural gas from pipeline
indicates the following:
 The possibility of an explosion due to release of natural gas is extremely
remote.
 Natural gas is a very light gas having a molecular weight much lower than
that of air. This results in quick dispersion of natural gas. Therefore, cloud
formation and delayed ignition leading to an Unconfined Vapour Cloud
Explosion (UVCE) is a highly unlikely event. Another reason for low
probability of UVCE is the high value of LEL of Natural gas i.e. 5.3%.
 Natural gas is a ‘much super-heated vapour’ (normally super-heated
vapours are called as gas) at the atmospheric pressure. Boiling Liquid
Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE) can happen only when there is low
boiling liquid stored under pressure. Therefore, there is no possibility of
BLEVE in natural gas pipeline.
 Natural gas has very low toxicity and the main hazard is asphyxiation due
to the reduced oxygen levels. Therefore, toxic effects are not considered
since pipelines are traversing open terrain.
 Accidental release of natural gases from the pipeline either due to rupture
of pipeline or leakage from valves or pinholes may result in a jet fire
escaping at high velocity, thereby forming a turbulent jet. This jet will
loose its momentum after a considerable distance and will then become a
passive jet. A portion of the jet will also have the mixture between the LFL
and UFL, which can ignite if there is an ignition source. This will be like a
flame torch that will radiate heat in all directions. Therefore, jet fire and
thermal radiation effects of jet fire are the main hazard.

The term jet fire is used to describe the flame produced due to the ignition of a
continuous pressurised leakage from the pipe work. Combustion in a jet fire
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occurs in the form of a strong turbulent diffusion flame that is strongly
influenced by the initial momentum of the release. Flame temperatures for
typical jet flames vary from 1600°C for laminar diffusion flames to 2000°C for
turbulent diffusion flames. The principal hazards from a jet fire are thermal
radiation and the potential for significant knock-on effects, such as equipment
failure due to impingement of the jet fire.

Based on above, it can be concluded that jet fire and thermal radiation effects
of jet fire are the main hazards in natural gas pipeline and therefore have been
evaluated.

The project will have diesel supply at a maximum rate of 300 m3/hour. The
diesel will be supplied through a pipeline of 10 inch diameter and at a
pressure of 58 psig and temperature of approximately 30ºC up to the storage
tanks in Sirajganj 4 facility.

Two above ground storage tank of 9500 m3 capacity each will be maintained
for storage of Diesel required for diesel consumption for plant operations in
the Sirajganj 4 Facility.

Two above ground storage tank of 5500 MT capacity each are being
maintained for storage of Diesel required for diesel consumption for plant
operations in the Sirajganj 1 facility.

The worst-case scenario is a catastrophic release of the full contents of a

storage vessel. In the cases of leak of various sizes and catastrophic rupture of
the tanks, pool fire was analysed to be the only major consequence. Possibility
of explosion was observed as very remote due to relative low quantity of
storage.

The worst-case scenario is a large release (100 mm) of the full contents of a
storage vessel. In case of pressurised tanks the failure frequency for 100 mm
release is in the range of 1.3E-04 i.e. once in every 7692 years of operation.
Hence it can be concluded that the chances of that are very remote.

The worst-case scenario is a catastrophic release of the full contents of a

storage vessel. In the cases of leak of various sizes and catastrophic rupture of
the tanks, toxic dispersion was analysed to be the only major consequence.

30 m3 Hydrochloric Acid and 40 m3 of Sulfuric Acid will also be store in the

Sirajganj 4 plant whereas 20 tons of HCl and 20 tons of sulphuric acid are
stored in the existing power plant. Hydrochloric Acid has toxic effects and
Sulfuric Acid has flammable characteristics.

The effects of the distances with respect to various fire scenarios have been
analyzed based on the following consequence illustration.

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Figure 9.1 An Illustration of Consequence Analysis Scenarios

Note: d= Downwind Distance in meter; c = Crosswind Distance, in meter; s = Offset Distance between
source and effect zone, in meter; and m = Downwind Distance at which c occurs in meter.

The consequence analysis results for various scenarios have been presented in
Table 9.10 to Table 9.14. Consequence contours of the affected areas on the
layout in case of any large leak in HSD storage tanks in Sirajganj 4 and
Sirajganj 1 facilities in the worst case scenarios have been presented in Figure
9.2 and Figure 9.3, respectively.

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Table 9.10 Jet Fire results

Weather State 2F Weather State 5D

Scenario Fatality Probability Leak Size (mm) d (m) c (m) s (m) M (m) d (m) c (m) s (m) M (m)
Natural Gas Pipeline 0.9 5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Natural Gas Pipeline 0.5 5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Natural Gas Pipeline 0.03 5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Natural Gas Pipeline 0.9 25 26.9 7.2 6.2 16.5 28.8 7.0 6.3 17.5
Natural Gas Pipeline 0.5 25 29.5 10.0 5.6 17.6 31.3 9.7 5.7 18.5
Natural Gas Pipeline 0.03 25 33.1 14.5 4.8 18.9 34.3 14.2 4.8 19.6
Natural Gas Pipeline 0.9 100 87.5 34.8 17.0 52.3 95.2 35.7 17.3 56.2
Natural Gas Pipeline 0.5 100 97.0 44.4 12.6 54.8 103.5 45.0 14.2 58.8
Natural Gas Pipeline 0.03 100 112.4 60.5 3.3 57.9 116.3 60.9 6.9 61.6
Natural Gas Pipeline 0.9 508 270.6 118.2 31.4 151.0 276.2 125.3 34.5 155.3
Natural Gas Pipeline 0.5 508 295.3 147.2 8.0 151.6 306.8 153.7 13.2 160.0
Natural Gas Pipeline 0.03 508 342.6 198.0 -36.3 153.1 355.3 202.9 -26.9 164.2
HSD Pipeline 0.9 5 3.0 0.9 1.2 2.1 3.5 1.4 0.5 2.0
HSD Pipeline 0.5 5 3.6 1.4 0.7 2.2 3.9 1.9 0.2 2.1
HSD Pipeline 0.03 5 4.3 2.0 0.2 2.2 4.7 2.6 -0.3 2.2
HSD Pipeline 0.9 25 10.8 4.1 0.5 5.7 10.5 4.8 0.0 5.2
HSD Pipeline 0.5 25 11.6 5.0 0.2 5.9 11.4 5.7 -0.6 5.4
HSD Pipeline 0.03 25 13.1 6.6 -0.5 6.3 13.0 7.4 -1.4 5.8
HSD Pipeline 0.9 100 22.0 9.0 0.1 11.1 20.5 9.8 -0.9 9.8
HSD Pipeline 0.5 100 23.7 10.8 -0.5 11.6 22.2 11.6 -1.4 10.4
HSD Pipeline 0.03 100 26.5 13.9 -1.3 12.6 25.4 15.0 -2.6 11.4
HSD Pipeline 0.9 254 33.4 14.2 -0.5 16.4 30.8 15.1 -1.5 14.6
HSD Pipeline 0.5 254 35.9 17.0 -1.0 17.4 33.4 17.8 -2.2 15.6
HSD Pipeline 0.03 254 40.3 21.6 -2.0 19.2 38.2 23.1 -3.8 17.2

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Table 9.11 Flash Fire Results

Weather State 2F Weather State 5D

Scenario Leak Size (mm) LFL Fraction Concentration (ppm) Max Distance (m) Max Width (m) Max Distance (m) Max Width (m)
Natural Gas Pipeline 5 0.5 22000 7.23 0.73 5.91 0.66
Natural Gas Pipeline 5 1 44000 3.96 0.36 3.53 0.35
Natural Gas Pipeline 25 0.5 22000 58.75 5.05 55.88 4.10
Natural Gas Pipeline 25 1 44000 23.57 2.09 21.08 1.88
Natural Gas Pipeline 100 0.5 22000 222.88 20.23 247.59 17.65
Natural Gas Pipeline 100 1 44000 126.06 11.06 125.46 9.55
Natural Gas Pipeline 508 0.5 22000 415.58 59.64 465.94 60.50
Natural Gas Pipeline 508 1 44000 415.58 37.62 465.16 35.09
HSD Pipeline 5 0.5 2577.3 6.3 1.5 8.0 1.2
HSD Pipeline 5 1 5154.5 6.1 0.9 5.8 0.8
HSD Pipeline 25 0.5 2577.3 13.0 4.1 14.1 4.3
HSD Pipeline 25 1 5154.5 13.0 3.6 13.9 3.7
HSD Pipeline 100 0.5 2577.3 23.2 4.3 25.2 5.9
HSD Pipeline 100 1 5154.5 23.2 4.3 25.2 5.8
HSD Pipeline 254 0.5 2577.3 33.0 5.8 35.6 7.4
HSD Pipeline 254 1 5154.5 33.0 5.8 35.6 7.4
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 5 0.5 2577.3 3.5 0.8 4.0 0.9
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 5 1 5154.5 3.4 0.6 4.0 0.6
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 25 0.5 2577.3 6.3 0.9 6.4 1.5
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 25 1 5154.5 6.2 0.8 6.3 1.3
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 100 0.5 2577.3 8.0 1.1 8.7 1.4
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 100 1 5154.5 7.6 0.8 8.6 1.4
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 5 0.5 2577.3 3.5 0.8 4.0 0.9
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 5 1 5154.5 3.4 0.6 4.0 0.6
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 25 0.5 2577.3 6.3 0.9 6.4 1.5
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 25 1 5154.5 6.2 0.8 6.3 1.3
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 100 0.5 2577.3 8.0 1.1 8.7 1.4
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 100 1 5154.5 7.6 0.8 8.6 1.4

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Table 9.12 Pool Fire Results

Weather State 2F Weather State 5D

Scenarios Fatality Probability Leak Size (mm) d (m) c (m) s (m) M (m) d (m) c (m) s (m) M (m)
HSD Pipeline 0.9 5 21.6 10.8 -4.3 10.8 21.4 10.7 -2.1 10.7
HSD Pipeline 0.5 5 21.6 10.8 -4.3 10.8 21.8 10.7 -2.1 10.9
HSD Pipeline 0.03 5 28.9 13.7 -4.3 14.4 32.7 15.6 -2.1 16.4
HSD Pipeline 0.9 25 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
HSD Pipeline 0.5 25 101.4 50.7 -37.7 50.7 100.8 50.4 -36.2 50.4
HSD Pipeline 0.03 25 102.5 50.7 -37.7 51.2 105.5 50.8 -36.2 52.7
HSD Pipeline 0.9 100 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
HSD Pipeline 0.5 100 233.2 116.6 -93.3 116.6 232.8 116.4 -91.1 116.4
HSD Pipeline 0.03 100 233.6 116.6 -93.3 116.8 237.9 116.4 -91.1 119.0
HSD Pipeline 0.9 254 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
HSD Pipeline 0.5 254 233.6 116.8 -83.8 116.8 233.5 116.7 -81.1 116.7
HSD Pipeline 0.03 254 234.0 116.8 -83.8 117.0 238.9 116.7 -81.1 119.4
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 0.9 5 16.1 -4.6 28.3 8.1 7.0 2.6 2.0 3.5
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 0.5 5 16.1 -4.6 19.5 8.1 8.3 3.4 2.0 4.1
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 0.03 5 25.5 -5.1 11.2 12.7 9.6 4.8 1.9 4.8
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 0.9 25 0.0 0.0 28.3 0.0 14.0 6.6 0.3 7.0
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 0.5 25 55.8 -27.9 19.5 27.9 19.0 8.7 0.3 9.5
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 0.03 25 55.8 -27.9 11.2 27.9 26.4 12.7 0.3 13.2
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 0.9 100 0.0 0.0 28.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 0.5 100 55.8 -27.9 19.5 27.9 42.4 21.2 -14.5 21.2
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 4) 0.03 100 55.8 -27.9 11.2 27.9 46.6 22.6 -14.5 23.3
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 0.9 5 16.1 -4.6 28.3 8.1 7.0 2.6 2.0 3.5
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 0.5 5 16.1 -4.6 19.5 8.1 8.3 3.4 2.0 4.1
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 0.03 5 25.5 -5.1 11.2 12.7 9.6 4.8 1.9 4.8
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 0.9 25 0.0 0.0 28.3 0.0 14.0 6.6 0.3 7.0
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 0.5 25 72.7 -30.0 19.5 36.3 19.0 8.7 0.3 9.5
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 0.03 25 72.7 -30.0 11.2 36.3 26.4 12.7 0.3 13.2
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 0.9 100 0.0 0.0 28.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 0.5 100 285.4 -133.9 19.5 142.7 42.4 21.2 -12.4 21.2
HSD Tank (Sirajganj 1) 0.03 100 285.4 -133.9 11.2 142.7 46.6 22.6 -12.4 23.3

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Table 9.13 Vapour Cloud Explosion Results

Over Pressure Over Pressure Radii (m)

Scenarios Leak Size (mm)
Limit (bar) Weather State 2F Weather State 5D
Natural Gas
5 0.02 Not Reached Not Reached
Pipeline
Natural Gas
5 0.14 Not Reached Not Reached
Pipeline
Natural Gas
5 0.2 Not Reached Not Reached
Pipeline
HSD Pipeline 5 0.02 Not Reached Not Reached
HSD Pipeline 5 0.14 Not Reached Not Reached
HSD Pipeline 5 0.2 Not Reached Not Reached
Natural Gas
25 0.02 92.94 87.83
Pipeline
Natural Gas
25 0.14 61.11 59.79
Pipeline
Natural Gas
25 0.2 58.6 57.57
Pipeline
HSD Pipeline 25 0.02 19.71 21.76
HSD Pipeline 25 0.14 12.51 13.04
HSD Pipeline 25 0.2 11.94 12.35
Natural Gas
100 0.02 467.42 455.95
Pipeline
Natural Gas
100 0.14 313.7 318.14
Pipeline
Natural Gas
100 0.2 301.55 307.25
Pipeline
HSD Pipeline 100 0.02 28.86 29.83
HSD Pipeline 100 0.14 22.29 22.54
HSD Pipeline 100 0.2 21.77 21.97
Natural Gas
Rupture 0.02 1246.59 1260.5
Pipeline
Natural Gas
Rupture 0.14 784.99 894.85
Pipeline
Natural Gas
Rupture 0.2 772.55 893.75
Pipeline
HSD Pipeline Rupture 0.02 39.45 40.61
HSD Pipeline Rupture 0.14 32.44 32.74
HSD Pipeline Rupture 0.2 31.89 32.12

Table 9.14 Toxic Dispersion Results

Distance to IDLH (m)

Serial No Scenarios IDLH (ppm) Weather State Weather State
2F 5D
Small Leak
Hydrochloric Acid
1 100 50.98 16.24
(Sirajganj 4)
Hydrochloric Acid
2 100 50.98 16.24
(Sirajganj 1)
Medium Leak
Hydrochloric Acid
1 100 206.5 152.79
(Sirajganj 4)
Hydrochloric Acid
2 100 206.5 152.79
(Sirajganj 1)
Large Leak
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 Distance to IDLH (m)
Serial No Scenarios IDLH (ppm) Weather State Weather State
2F 5D

Hydrochloric Acid
1 100 514.65 645.59
(Sirajganj 4)
Hydrochloric Acid
2 100 623.72 756.19
(Sirajganj 1)

Figure 9.2 Pool Fire Effect Zone for large leak in HSD Storage Tank in Sirajganj 4
facility for 2F weather state

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Figure 9.3 Pool Fire Effect Zone for large leak in HSD Storage Tank in Sirajganj 1 for 2F
weather state

Impact Hazardous Materials Handling and Storage

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale From localized to 750 m from the installation

Frequency Very low frequency during entire operation phase of the project
Likelihood unlikely
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered minor.

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9.3.12 Risk Reduction Measures

Preventive Measures for Storage and Handling of HSD

Fire is one of the major hazards, which can result from HSD storage tanks. The
preventive measures include the following:
 Fire prevention and relevant code enforcement. The fire service facilities
should be equipped with:
o Smoke and fire detection alarm system.
o Water supply
o Fire hydrant and nozzle installation
o Foam system
o Water for sprinkler system
o Mobile firefighting equipment
o First aid appliances
 Periodic training/ awareness to be given to work force at the project site to
handle any emergency situation;
 Periodic mock drills to be conducted so as to check the alertness and
efficiency and corresponding records should be maintained;
 Signboards including emergency phone numbers and ‘no smoking’ signs
should be installed at all appropriate locations;
 Plant shall have adequate communication systems;
 All major units / equipment should be provided with smoke / fire
detection and alarm system;
 ‘No smoking zone’ to be declared at all fire prone areas;
 Sand buckets, fire hydrant points and fire extinguishers to be provided at
strategic locations;
 Storage location to be selected at an isolated place with proper fencing and
guarding;
 Co-ordination with local authorities such as fire, police, ambulance,
district administration and nearby industries should be ensured to manage
/ control, meet any eventuality; and
 Naked flame, welding etc. to be not permitted in storage area.

Preventive Measures for Handling of Natural Gas

 Leak detection sensors to be located at areas prone to fire risk/ leakages;

 All safety and firefighting requirements as per Oil Industry Safety
Directorate (OISD) norms to be put in place;
 High temperature and high pressure alarm with auto-activation of water
sprinklers as well as safety relief valve to be provided;
 Flame proof electrical fittings to be provided for the installation;
 Periodical training/awareness to be given to work force at the project site
to handle any emergency situation;
 Periodic mock drills to be conducted so as to check the alertness and
efficiency and corresponding records to be maintained;
 Signboards including emergency phone numbers and ‘no smoking’ signs
should be installed at all appropriate locations;
 Plant shall have adequate communication system;

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 Pipeline route/equipment should be provided with smoke / fire detection
and alarm system. Fire alarm and firefighting facility commensurate with
the storage should be provided at the unloading point;
 ‘No smoking zone’ to be declared at all fire prone areas. Non sparking
tools should be used for any maintenance; and
 Wind socks to be installed to check the wind direction at the time of
accident and accordingly persons may be diverted towards opposite
direction of wind.

Preventing Fire and Explosion Hazards

 Proper marking to be made for identification of locations of flammable

storages;
 Provision of secondary containment system for all fuel and lubricating oil
storages;
 Provision of fire and smoke detectors at potential sources of fire and
smoke;
 Storing flammables away from ignition sources and oxidizing materials;
 Providing specific worker training in handling of flammable materials,
and in fire prevention or suppression;
 Equipping facilities with fire detectors, alarm systems, and fire-fighting
equipment;
 Fire and emergency alarm systems that are both audible and visible;
 For safety of people the building, regulations concerning fire safety to be
followed. Some of the requirements include:
 Installation of fire extinguishers all over the building;
 Provision of water hydrants in operative condition;
 Emergency exit;
 Proper labelling of exit and place of fire protective system installation;
 Conducting mock drills;
 Trained personnel to use fire control systems.

General Health and Safety

 The facility will adopt a total safety control system, which aims to prevent
the probable accidents such as fire accidents or chemical spills.
 Firefighting system, such as sprinklers system, portable extinguishers
(such as CO2) and automated fire extinguishers shall be provided at
strategic locations with a clear labelling of the extinguisher so the type of
the extinguisher is easily identifiable. Also a main hydrant around the
buildings will be available. On all floors an automated fire detection
system will be in place.
 The site operations manager will take steps to train all emergency team
members and shall draw up an action plan and identify members. The
appointed emergency controller shall act as the in-charge at the site of the
incident to control the entire operation.
 The staff shall be trained for first-aid and firefighting procedures. The
rescue team shall support the first-aid and firefighting team.

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 A first-aid medical centre will be onsite to stabilise the accident victim. The
emergency team will make contact with a nearby hospital for further care,
if required.
 A training and rehearsal of the emergency response by emergency team
members and personnel on site will be done regularly.
 A safe assembly area will be identified and evacuation of the premises will
be practised regularly through mock drills.
 In case an emergency is being declared, the situation shall be reported to
the authorities such as local police, the chief inspector of factories and the
regional office of the DOE as per rules and regulation of law of the land.
 Safety manual for storage and handling of Hazardous chemicals shall be
prepared.
 All the personnel at the site shall be made aware about the hazardous
substance stored and risk associated with them.
 Personnel engaged in handling of hazardous chemicals shall be trained to
respond in an unlikely event of emergencies.
 A written process safety information document shall be compiled for
general use and summary of it shall be circulated to concerned personnel.
 MSDS shall be made available and displayed at prominent places in the
facility. The document compilation shall include an assessment of the
hazards presented including (i) toxicity information (ii) permissible
exposure limits. (iii) Physical data (iv) thermal and chemical stability data
(v) reactivity data (vi) corrosivity data (vii) safe procedures in process.
 Safe work practices shall be developed to provide for the control of
hazards during operation and maintenance
 In the material storage area, hazardous materials shall be stored based on
their compatibility characteristics.
 Near miss and accident reporting system shall be followed and corrective
measures shall be taken to avoid / minimize near miss incidents.
 Safety measures in the form of DO and Don’t Do shall be displayed at
strategic locations.
 Safety audits shall be conducted regularly.
 Firefighting system shall be tested periodically for proper functioning.
 All hydrants, monitors and valves shall be visually inspected every month.
 Disaster Management Plan shall be prepared and available with concerned
personnel department.

Personal Protective Equipment

In certain circumstances, personal protection of the individual maybe required

as a supplement to other preventive action. It should not be regarded as a
substitute for other control measures and must only be used in conjunction
with substitution and elimination measures. PPEs must be appropriately
selected individually fitted and workers trained in their correct use and
maintenance. PPEs must be regularly checked and maintained to ensure that
the worker is being protected.

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 First Aid

First aid procedures and facilities relevant to the needs of the particular
workforce should be laid down and provided in consultation with an
occupational physician or other health professional.

Health assessment should form a part of a comprehensive occupational health

and safety strategy. Where employees have to undergo health assessment,
there should be adequate consultation prior to the introduction of such
program. Medical records should be kept confidential. Site should be able to
relate employee health and illness data to exposure levels in the workplace.

It is to be noted that the current assessment is based on the hazardous

chemicals handling, transportation and storage at site for Sirajganj 1 and 4
projects. Since the detailed design of the Sirajganj 4 project is currently not
finalised and details of hazardous material inventory of Sirajganj 2 and
Sirajganj 3 projects are unknown and therefore, it is suggested to conduct a
detailed quantitative risk assessment (QRA) for the entire complex after
finalisation of the Sirajganj 4 design and availability of hazardous material
inventory of Sirajganj 2 and 3 projects from NWPGCL.

9.4 HEALTH AND SAFETY - TRAFFIC MOVEMENT

9.4.1 Traffic Safety

During the operation phase of the Project, the regular traffic and
transportation will be limited to the movement of plant personnel and
contracted workers during their working shifts. As the total manpower will be
limited to 70 who will work in shifts, their transportation will not lead to any
impact on road safety of the nearby communities using the access road. Key
raw material for power generation (natural gas/ HSD) will be transported by
pipeline. Considering these facts, impact due to traffic movement during
operation phase will be negligible.

Impact Traffic Safety (Operation Phase)

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Scale Access Road

Frequency Entire operation phase of the project

Likelihood Possible
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

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9.4.2 Risks of accidents and fatalities to workers

The operation and maintenance of the power plant will have risks of
industrial accidents and fatalities for workers. Both direct employees and
Contractors would be exposed to such risks. Sembcorp has proposed to
develop occupational health and safety system for the Plant and OHSAS
certification within two years of commissioning the power plant. Keeping this
in mind the significance of this impact is assigned below.

Impact Risks of industrial accidents and fatalities to workers

Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity
Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered minor.

Mitigation Measures
In order to minimise the risk of industrial accidents and fatalities to workers
during operations, the following mitigation measures are proposed:
 On job training for the workers shall be carried out;
 Work permit system shall be followed;
 PPE shall be provided and use of PPEs shall be enforced;
 SOPs need to be developed for operation and maintenance of the Plant;

9.4.3 Health associated risks from air emissions and waste water release

The power plant will have air emissions which will contribute to the air
pollution in Project AOI. This will contribute to the health risks of the local
community. The assessment of air quality (refer to Section 6.6.3) and water
resources impact due to discharge of treated effluent (refer to Section 6.6.2),
have indicated that the impact magnitude will be negligible while compared
with the magnitude criteria. Hence, the significance of the health associated
risks from air emissions and waste water release is minor.

Impact Health associated risks from air emissions and waste water release
Impact Nature Negative Positive Neutral
Impact Type Direct Indirect Induced
Impact Duration Temporary Short-term Long-term Permanent
Impact Extent Local Regional International
Impact Magnitude Positive Negligible Small Medium Large
Resource/ Receptor
Low Medium High
Sensitivity

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 Negligible Minor Moderate Major
Impact Significance
Significance of impact is considered negligible.

Mitigation Measures
The mitigation measures with respect to impacts of air emissions and effluent
discharge in the Jamuna River have been presented in Section 6.6.3 and
Section 6.6.2.

9.5 PLANS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION PHASE

9.5.1 Construction Phase

Prior to the beginning of major land works in order to ensure occupational

and community health and safety as well as to avoid any risk, the EPC
contractor in cooperation with Project Developer will develop the following
plans:
• Health and Safety Plan
• Traffic Management Plan
• Emergency Response Plan

The framework of these plans has been presented in Section 7.5.

9.5.2 Operation Phase

During the operation phase of the Project, the Project Developer will develop
the following plan/ management systems for effective operation of the Plant
and to ensure risk avoidance with respect to occupational as well as
community health and safety:
• HSE Management System
• Spill Response and Emergency Plan
• Emergency Response and Disaster Management Plan

The framework of these plans has been presented in Section 7.5 and these
needs to be prepared and finalised prior to the start of commercial operation
of the Plant.

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10 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

This environmental and social impact assessment of the Project has been
prepared based on an understanding of the technical specifications of the
Project, existing studies and reports relevant to the project, a robust scoping
exercise, site visits, stakeholder consultations, baseline environmental
monitoring and socio-economic surveys which were undertaken between
November 2012 to February 2013 and February to June 2015. Through this
process an assessment has been done of the potential environmental and
social impacts attributable to the construction and operation phases of the
Project. Environmental and social impacts during decommissioning of the
Plant have not been considered in the impact assessment, as these will depend
on the options available at the time of expiry of the power purchase agreement
between SNWPCL and BPDB.

Qualitative and quantitative (where possible) assessments of impacts have

been presented with an impact rating against each potential impact and
mitigation measures to minimize and reduce the impacts. Cumulative
environmental impacts particularly on water resources, air quality, noise and
community health and safety have also been assessed taking into
consideration overall development of the Saidabad Power Generation
Complex. An economic zone is also proposed adjacent to the power
generation complex, however, at the time of study apart from total area
involved for the economic zone, no other project specific information, such as
master plan, type and nature of industries proposed, were not available and
hence, those could not be covered as part of the cumulative impacts.

The environmental and social assessment of the Project ascertains that the
Project is unlikely to cause any significant environmental and social impacts.
Many of the impacts are localised and short-term or temporary in nature and
can be readily addressed by some embedded control measures in the
engineering design of the Project as well as additional mitigation measures as
suggested in the Environmental Management Plan. The Project received
favourable support from local people and other stakeholders during
consultations. Stakeholders appreciated that in addition to providing a
reliable power supply to the region, the Project will have several other benefits
such as supporting economic growth in the region by opening avenues for
further development, employment (direct and indirect) and improving local
infrastructure.

The Project site is located within the area earmarked and developed for power
generation by the Government of Bangladesh to support the industrial
development in this area. Development of the Project will not cause any
physical displacement of people living in the area. The Project is not located
near any protected areas; however, there are critical habitats present within
the Project AOI. Critical habitat assessment carried out as part of the impact
assessment study highlighted that the impacts will be negligible to minor after
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implementing the suggested mitigation measures. No archaeological or
protected monuments are located in the Project vicinity. The nearest physical
cultural resources of local importance are located over 500 m from the Project.

During the construction phase of the Project, the key environmental issues are
noise and dust generation. There is also a risk of contamination of soil,
groundwater and the Jamuna River from accidental spills and leaks of
hazardous materials (e.g. oil) during handling, transportation, and storage at
the site.

Various mitigation measures have already been developed by the Project

Developer (SNWPCL), as part of their “Master Specification Manual” for the
EPC Contractor. The adverse impacts identified are generally manageable
through good housekeeping and a diligent implementation of the EMP by the
EPC Contractor and its supervision by the Project Developer and their team of
consultants. The nearest air quality and noise sensitive receptors will be a
focus for monitoring of any impact arising due to the construction activities.

The social assessment of the Project ascertains that the Project is unlikely to
cause any major social impacts. More importantly, the Project does not involve
any physical and economic displacement of families. The Project will have
both positive and negative impact on the social environment. The positive
impacts include employment and business opportunities for the local people,
increased availability of power supply, new infrastructure development etc.
On the other hand, the possible negative impacts include impact on
community health and safety. Most of the adverse impacts are localised, short-
term or temporary although some of them are permanent in nature like health
associated risks due to air emissions and effluent release, but can be mitigated
with appropriate mitigation measures built in as part of the Project planning
process. The Project appears to have strong favourable support from the local
administration, political classes and other stakeholders including the local
community.

During the construction phase there will be impact from migration of labour
into the Project area, construction activities and increased movement of traffic.
The range of impacts identified include: conflicts with the local community,
health and safety issues inconvenience due to vehicle movements, risk of
spread of communicable and sexually transmitted diseases, waste disposal
and unhygienic conditions. The magnitude and significance of most of these
impacts would be limited to the construction period, with limited spill over to
the operation phase. As the project intends to have a construction camp at the
facility, the interaction between the community and migrant workers would
be limited. Furthermore, by implementing the recommended mitigation
measures the Project will minimise the identified risks whereas on-going
consultation and engagement will support the maintenance of a harmonious
relation with the local community. Community health and safety related
impacts will be managed at source to reduce the footprint. By adopting the
mitigation measures as suggested in the EMP and systematic participatory
approach to involve community would further minimise these impacts.
ERM SEMBCORP NORTH-WEST POWER COMPANY LIMITED, SIRAJGANJ 4 - FINAL ESIA REPORT
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In addition, by implementing various social development schemes targeted at
specific groups such as women, children and local people based on the
outcome of need based assessment and adopting Sembcorp’s Sustainability
Policy, the Project will further enhance the good will and cooperation of the
community. The Project in its entirety can bring prosperity and development
into the region and pave the way for further industrialisation in sectors such
as food and fish processing, local manufacturing etc.

During the operation phase of the Project, the two key impacts will be from
the increase in ambient noise and air quality levels due to operation of plant
equipment and auxiliary machinery. It has been demonstrated through air
quality dispersion modelling with natural gas as primary fuel as well as HSD
as secondary fuel, the incremental ground level concentrations due to the
operation of the Plant will be well within the applicable ambient air quality
standards. Continuous emission monitoring from the stacks and periodic
ambient air quality monitoring throughout operations will confirm
compliance to the applicable standards/ guidelines and enable identification
of further measures to reduce impacts to ALARP. Incremental noise levels due
to the operation of Plant will meet the applicable GOB standards. However,
the nearest noise sensitive receptors will have slightly higher noise levels than
the applicable standards/ guidelines due to the higher background noise
levels which are resulted primarily due to anthropogenic activities.

Induced draft cooling towers have been proposed in the project to reduce the
water intake and outfall. About 74.4 m3/hr of warm water will be discharged
on land in the southern boundary of the project in the adjoining Channel.
Considering no direct discharge of this water into the Jamuna River or
Channel, warming of surface water is not expected. A surface water quality
monitoring program, along with quarterly monitoring of aquatic ecology and
fisheries has been formulated to further understand the extent of impact, if
any, and to alert SNWPCL to take additional mitigation measures. In the
unlikely event water percolation does not occur as expected, SNWPCL could
rely on temporary solutions such as to engage a sub-contractor to use the
portable pumps & hoses to evacuate this water to the river or dry canal,
thereby allowing a larger surface area for the water to percolate.
SNWPCL will monitor the wastewater discharge and if water stagnation if
observed to persist continuously over an extended period of [12-18] months,
then SNWPCL will evaluate permanent solutions to resolve the issue.
However if the water stagnation is observed to occur for only part of the year,
then the temporary solution should suffice.

The effective implementation of the ESMP and adherence with the GOB will
assist in minimising the environmental impacts to acceptable levels. No
additional studies for the EIA are envisaged at this stage.

Post environmental assessment, surveillance and monitoring are essential to

track and sustain the effectiveness of the mitigation measures suggested. A
detailed monitoring plan has been prepared as part of the EMP. The focus
ERM SEMBCORP NORTH-WEST POWER COMPANY LIMITED, SIRAJGANJ 4 - FINAL ESIA REPORT
PROJECT # - 0276008 AUGUST 2016
10-3
areas of monitoring cover air, surface water quality, groundwater quality,
noise, soil erosion, soil and groundwater contamination, occupational health
and safety as well as community health and safety. The reporting
requirements along with the follow up actions in case of deviation from the
norms have been detailed in the ESMP. The frequency has also been set in
consideration of the likely impacts.

The construction phase of the Project will have an important role in the socio-
economic development of the area, whereas the operation phase of the Project
will play an important role by supplying power in the region. A reliable and
expanded power supply will support future economic development of
dependant sectors including agriculture, industry and manufacturing
enabling them to operate and compete.

Based on the analysis conducted in this environmental and social assessment,

it is concluded that overall the Project will result in positive socio-economic
benefits and the negative environmental impacts that have been identified are
mostly short-term and localised in nature, and can be minimized adequately
through good design, appropriate application of mitigation measures and
regular supervision of implementation.

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REFERENCES

Agriculture Census 2008 for Sirajganj District. n.d.

Annual Report 2011, National Human Rights Commission, Bangladesh. National
Human Rights Commission, 2011.
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Preliminary Report of Economic Census 2013.
Dhaka: Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Nov 2013.
Bangladesh: Ethonologue, UNESCO. n.d.
Board of Investment. Board of Investment, Prime Minister's Office, Bangladesh.
October 12, 2010.
http://boi.gov.bd/index.php/component/businesslaws/?view=lawd
etails&law_id=1143&task=law (accessed February 16, 2015).
BPDB. Key Statistics - Present Installed Generation Capacity as on January 2015.
May 31, 2016.
http://www.bpdb.gov.bd/bpdb/index.php?option=com_content&vie
w=article&id=5&Itemid=6 (accessed May 14, 2016).
Census 2011. n.d.
DoE. Department of Environment, Government of the People of Bangladesh. 2016.
http://www.doe.gov.bd/ (accessed May 2016).
Economic Census 2001 & 2003 Sirajganj District . n.d.
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Heitzman, James, and Robert Worden. A Country Study: Bangladesh. Library of
Congress Federal Research Division, 1988.
—. Family, Household, and Kinship. n.d.
—. Social Classes and Stratification. n.d.
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IMF. Fourth Review under the three year arrangement under the extended credit
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Report No 14/149, 2014.
Maps of Bangladesh. Maps of Bangladesh. 2015. http://mapsofbangladesh.com
(accessed February 15, 2015).
Power Division. Power Division, Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral
Resources, Government of Peoples Republic of Bangladesh. 2015.
http://www.powerdivision.gov.bd (accessed February 24, 2015).
Sembcorp. Facts & Figures, 2015. 2016.
—. Sembcorp - Our Businesses. 2015. http://www.sembcorp.com/en/business-
utilities-quick-facts.aspx (accessed February 20, 2015).
theindependent. "theindependent Newspaper." Panic grips people as dyke
vulnerable. Sirajganj: Print Edition,theindependent, September 04, 2011.
Vermeer, Martin, and Stefan Rahmstorf. "Global sea level linked to global
temperature." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America, December 22, 2009: 21527 - 21532.

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