Volume 2: Social Action Plan including Vulnerable Community Development Plan Draft Final Report

Transcription

1 Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized NEPAL ELECTRICITY AUTHORITY Kali Gandaki 'A' Hydropower Plant Rehabilitation Project Volume 2: Social Action Plan including Vulnerable Community Development Plan Draft Final Report Submitted to: Large Hydropower Operation and Maintenance Department Nepal Electricity Authority Kathmandu, Nepal Submitted by: Environmental and Social Studies Department NEA Training Center, Kharipati, Bhaktapur, Nepal P.O. Box #: Kathmandu, Nepal. Phone No.: Fax No.: January

2 CONTENTS CONTENTS... 2 List of Tables... 4 Executive Summary... 5 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Background Project Description The Historical Context Rationale for Vulnerable Community Development Plan CHAPTER TWO: STUDY METHODOLOGY Project Impact Area Delineation Core Project Area Surrounding Area Desk Study and Literature Review Field Study and Data Collection Household Survey Consultations with the Vulnerable Community Key Informants Interviews CHAPTER THREE: VULNERABLE COMMUNITY PLAN Introduction Relevant Policies on Indigenous Peoples and other Vulnerable Communities Vulnerable Community in Project Area The Action Plan Communication Strategy Monitoring Mechanism CHAPTER FOUR: GENDER ACTION PLAN Introduction Gender Consultations Women s Involvement in the Project Involvement of Women in Construction Activities Specific Provision for Women in the Construction Camp Women Self help group (SHG) Addressing Gender Issues in Project Cycle Budget CHAPTER FIVE: INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT Organizational Framework Implementation Arrangement Role of ESSD / ESMU

3 5.4 Training and Capacity Building Areas of Capacity Building Grievance Redress Mechanism Grievance Redress Committee Monitoring and Evaluation Objectives of Monitoring Internal Monitoring External Evaluation Implementation Schedule CHAPTER SIX: COST AND BUDGET Estimated Cost and Budget Infrastructure Support Economic Support : Other Costs

4 List of Tables Table 2.1: Distribution of Surveyed Vulnerable Households 24 Table 3.1: Classification of Adivasi Janajatis in Nepal 25 Table 3.2: Scheduled Castes of Dalit Community in Nepal, National Dalit Commission, Table 3.3: Situation of Dalit in Comparison to National Average 27 Table 3.4: Distribution of Vulnerable Households 29 Table 3.6: Monitoring Parameters, Indicator, Method, Schedule and Location 33 Table 4.1: Issues Discussed by the Women during Consultation 38 Table 4.2: Women s Participation in Project 38 Table 4.3: Gender Issues in Project Cycle 42 Table 5.1: Roles and Responsibility 46 Table 5.2: Capacity Buildings 48 Table 5.3: Implementation Schedule for SAP and VCDP 52 Table 6.1: Budget for SAP and VCDP Implementation 54 4

5 Executive Summary Background 1. Kali Gandaki A Hydroelectric Project (KGAHEP) is a 144 MW peaking run-of-river plant, located on Kali Gandakiriver in Syangja District. The dam is located below the confluence of Kali Gandaki and Andhi Khola rivers funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and commissioned in Today it is the largest hydroelectric power station in Nepal, and supplies nearly 50% of Nepal Electricity Authority s (NEA) total annual electricity generation which represents a quarter of the country s total annual electricity generation. Kali Gandaki A Hydropower Plant (KHAHPP) is unique of its kind in Nepal offering both by its large capacity (144 MW) and its peaking capacity (6 hours). 2. The power plant however is currently facing low availability of generation capacity from erosion and cavitation leading to severe damage to its power generation equipment and safety risks. The headworks have been experiencing problems in dealing with floating debris as well as bed load sediment transport from time to time. Therefore, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) intends to improve the performance of the power plant by carrying out necessary modifications in the head works structures. The current project will address the main items related to some civil works and electro mechanical works and will consist of the following sub components. The Proposed Project 3. The proposed project includes three major components 1) Civil works and 2) Electro mechanical works and 3) Technical Assistance & Capacity Building. Component A: Civil Works will address the main items related to civil works and will consist of the following sub-components. Headworks modifications. Under this sub-component, modifications will be made to the headworks including the intake and the settling basins. Improving Dam SafetyMonitoring & Instrumentation. Under this sub-component, instruments installed in the project will be repaired and others added as necessary to meet state of the art requirements. An operation and maintenance manual will be prepared which will include an instrumentation plan. Real-Time sediment monitoring instrument will be installed. Maintenance Works. Under this sub-component, maintenance of the headworks and the powerhouse areas, including the stabilization of the slope in the headworks area and the modifications to the tailrace to address cavitation. Component B: Electro-Mechanical Works. This component consists of mechanical and electrical works divided into two sub-components. Mechanical Works. Under this sub-component the mechanical parts in the powerhouse and the intake will be repaired and upgraded. 5

6 Electrical Works. The electrical works will repair and upgrade the control system of the power house and the dam. Component C: Technical Assistance and Capacity-Building. This component consists of the following four sub-components. Consulting Firm (Consulting Services for Dam Safety, Civil & Electro Mechanical works). Under this sub-component, technical advisory services will be provided to NEA through a consulting firm, for overseeing all the three components of the Project. The consultant will also provide the detailed technical design, held NEA with implementation and procurement, and help prepare the Operation and Maintenance Manual, Emergency Preparedness Plan and the Instrumentation Plan (IP). Asset Management. Under this sub-component technical assistance will be provided to NEA to improve and upgrade their asset management systems. Safeguard Implementation. This sub-component will provide technical assistance to NEA in implementing the Environmental Management Plan (EMP), Community Support Program and the Vulnerable Community Development Plan, including monitoring and evaluation. Capacity-Building. This sub-component will provide training to increase NEA s capacity in asset management, sediment management, safeguard implementation, and operations and maintenance of specialized fields of electro-mechanical equipment and safety instruments. The Historical Context 4. The KGA Hydroelectric Power Plant was funded by Asian Development Bank and is in operation since Environmental and Social Studies Department (ESSD) of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) carried out the preparation of Social Impact Assessment (SIA). Kali Gandaki Environmental Management Unit (KGEMU) carried out the implementation of social and environmental programs. With the objective of restoring and improving livelihoods of the affected and mitigate adverse social impacts, Acquisition, Compensation and Resettlement Plan for Facilities and Access Road (ACRP) and Mitigation Management And Monitoring Plan was prepared. 5. The ACRP identified that the project would affect 1,468 families through partial loss of land and structures (mostly for the access roads). A total of 148 ha of land were acquired, including 94 ha of private and Guthi lands. The project implemented a set of programs to mitigate the adverse impacts. The program implementation experienced some issues, such as labour disputes, land leasing and compensation for tree and Guthi lands. As per the ICR of the implementation and report of Panel of Experts, these were satisfactorily resolved. Rationale for VCDP 6. The Vulnerable Community Development Plan (VCDP) prepared by the project is designed to ensure that project addresses the issues and needs of vulnerable groups and especially Bote ethnic group residing the project influence area in a culturally sensitive manner. This VCDP has been prepared to 6

7 guide the proposed project planning and implementation to identify and address impacts on vulnerable communities and make sure that they benefit from the project. The specific objectives of the VCDF are to; 1. ensure the participation of the vulnerable groups in the entire project cycle and monitoring of the project activities in general and project supported community development in particular 2. ensure that project benefits will accrue to vulnerable households, 3. Project information is shared with the vulnerable households in an appropriate fashion and consultations are held to seek their input on the project activities and implementation Study Methodology 7. The study methodologies adopted for the VCDP is based on desk study, review of pertinent literatures, field observation by the team of experts, focus group discussion, interaction and consultation meeting with the local communities, stakeholders and the officials of NEA's and GON line agencies. The details of methodologies applied in conducting the VCDP of the proposed Project are presented below. Project Impact Area Delineation 8. The project area consists of the core project area and the surrounding areas of the proposed rehabilitation works of the project. The term Project indicates the proposed rehabilitation of Kali Gandaki 'A' Hydroelectric Power Plant and the area includes the core project area and the surrounding area. The term ''core project area'' implies the headwork area consisting of the project structures and facilities where the rehabilitation works will be carried out. The term ''surrounding area'' indicates a greater area, which will directly or indirectly be influenced by the implementation of the proposed works, where no project structures and facilities are located. This area includes the surrounding VDCs, namely, the parts of Harmichaur and the Shree Krishna Gandaki VDCs. Desk Study and Literature Review 9. The social reports and documents of the Kali Gandaki A Hydroelectric Project, district-level reports, and other pertinent literatures were reviewed during the preparation of VCDP. The major reports reviewed include (i) Synthesis Reports (Environmental and Social), 2003, Kali Gandaki A Hydroelectric Project; (ii) Project Completion Report, 2004 (ADB); Kali Gandaki A Hydroelectric Project; and (iii) Environmental and Social Mitigation and Monitoring Report (Operation Phase), Kali Gandaki A Hydroelectric Project. Besides, District profiles of Syangja, Gulmi and Palpa published by the District Development Committees (DDCs); 2011 Census data published by the Central Bureau of Statistics, GON and VDCs profiles were also reviewed to obtain required information. 10. The review of documents helped in understanding the study area, assessing the implementation process adopted in original project, data gap and to develop the methodology to collect relevant information required for the preparation of VCDP. Socio-economic and cultural data related to 7

8 vulnerable community such as the ethnicity, language, religion, etc. were derived from 2011 census data prepared by the Central Bureau of Statistics.. Field Study and Data Collection 11. Field observation and the survey work at KGA area started in December 2012 by the multidisciplinary team of experts comprising Team leader/ Social Exert, Socio-economist, Sociologist, Anthropologist and Data Analyst. The sample survey was carried out at headworks, powerhouse, Access road, upstream reservoir, downstream and the transmission line and substation area. The team also visited the relevant government offices of DDC and Land Revenue Office of Syangja District to obtain district- and VDC-level data and information. 12. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques were used to collect data. The techniques included: (i) household questionnaires, (ii) group discussion using checklist, and (iii) key informant interview with district-level key government officials including Land Revenue Office, DDC official in Syangja District, Guthi Sansthan (Office of Trust), and KGA HEP officials at Beltari and NEA officials in Kathmandu. In order to identify issues related to vulnerable community, a total of 87 households from indigenous community, dalits and women headed households were surveyed. Of the total vulnerable households surveyed, almost 89 percent are from indigenous community. 13. Free, prior informed consultations were carried out with the women, marginalized Bote community, other indigenous community and dalits, upstream at Setibeni and dewatered stretch at Rudrabeni. The main objective of the consultations and interaction meetings was to collect qualitative data related to the pertinent issues and information of the area, outstanding and newly emerged issues in the KGA HPP area as well as to inform them about the proposed rehabilitation works at the headworks site of KGA HEP. The consultations with the vulnerable community will be a continuous process throughout the project cycle. Meetings were conducted with the officials of KGA HPP at the NEA camps, Beltari; NEA authority in head office, Kathmandu; district-level key government officials form District Development Committee, and Land Revenue Office of Syangja. The objectives of the interviews was to understand the allocation and use of royalty among the project area VDCs, mechanism and safety provision in Boating transportation at KGA reservoir, transfer of ownership of resettled houses to affected Bote families and the Kali Gandaki Primary School. Vulnerable Community Development Plan 14. In Nepal, there are several factors that could determine a group's vulnerability. Even though gender, caste and ethnicity have been officially acknowledged as primary factors that determine a group's backwardness; other factors such as region, economic status and patronage network play an equally important role. The Tenth National Plan ( ) have identified three major groups as more vulnerable than others in the context of Nepal women, Dalits and Adivasi/Janajati. These three groups are disadvantaged in terms of (i) access to livelihood, assets and services; (ii) social inclusion and empowerment; (iii) legal inclusion and representation in Government; and (iv)economic marginalization.the Adibasi/janajati groups in Nepal are defined as social groups with a social and cultural identity distinct from the dominant society. In the context of Nepal, however, the word Dalit has generally come to mean a 'community or a person who suffers from the illness of caste discrimination and belongs to the bottom of the caste hierarchy'. Though women comprise half of the 8

9 total population, gender discrimination still prevails in the society. Status of women in Nepal with regards to their access to knowledge, economic resources, political power, and personal autonomy in decision making is quite low. Hence, women in all groups due to their limited access to economic resources and livelihood options can equally be classified as vulnerable who are at permanent risk for facing severe poverty in Nepal. Elderly people, children and the individuals less able to care themselves within the communities are also persons who are any time prone to vulnerability. Relevant Policies on Indigenous Peoples and other Vulnerable Communities 15. Nepal does not have a standalone policy on Indigenous Peoples, however in the Tenth Plan significant emphasis has been placed on delivering basic services to the disadvantaged people such as indigenous community, Dalits, women, disabled and other vulnerable groups. One of the main thrusts of the Tenth Plan is the implementation of targeted programs for the uplift, employment and basic security of Dalits, indigenous people and disabled peoples. The policy provision also outlines that the government should pilot strong and separate package of program of basic security for vulnerable sections of society. Policies and action for their protection and development have also been developed in the plan. The plan states that targeted and empowerment programs shall be promoted to enhance the wellbeing of the vulnerable, disadvantaged and exploited groups. Similarly, the National Foundation for Upliftment of Adivasi/Janjati Act, 2058 (2002), the National Human Rights Action Plan 2005, the Environmental Act 1997, and the Forest Act 1993 have emphasized protection and promotion of vulnerable groups in general, indigenous peoples knowledge, and cultural heritage in particular. In 1999, the Local Self-Governance Act was amended to give more power to the local political bodies, including authority to promote, preserve, and protect the IP's language, religion, culture, and their welfare. In 2007 the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the General Assembly. Nepal ratified ILO Convention No. 169 on September 14, 2007 (BS 2064/05/28). Article 1 of the convention provides a definition of tribal and indigenous peoples; Article 6 requires consultation with the peoples concerned through appropriate procedures and, in particular, through their representative institutions; Article 15 states that indigenous and tribal peoples shall, wherever possible, participate in the benefits of natural resource utilization activities and shall receive fair compensation for any damages which they may sustain as a result of such activities; Article 16(2) clearly mentions that where the relocation of these peoples is considered necessary, such exceptional measures and such relocation shall take place only with their free and informed consent; and Article 16(3) mentions that, whenever possible, these peoples shall have the right to return to their traditional land as soon as the grounds for relocation cease to exist.the World Bank Policy on indigenous peoples, OP/BP 4.10 underscores the need for borrowers and Bank staff to identify indigenous peoples, consult with them, ensure that they participate in, and benefit from Bank-funded operations in a culturally appropriate way - and that adverse impacts on them are avoided, or where not feasible, minimized or mitigated. Vulnerable Community in Project Area 16. The project area is a mixed type of community and there are no homogenous settlements for a particular group, expect resettlement colony of 17 Bote households. The vulnerable community in the project area includes Bote and Magars (Janjati), dalits and women headed households. Over half of the vulnerable households on an average own 1.13 ha of land. Most of them own sheep and goats and quite a few of them also owns pig. Though number of them owns land, approximately 90 percent are selfsufficient for food only for three months. For rest of the months they have to buy from the open market. Similar to other river basin communities, the overall economic structure of the vulnerable households is also characterized by a mixture of nonfarm and farm related activities. Livestock rearing 9

10 and agriculture is the main source of occupation for the vulnerable community, though it is mainly for subsistence purpose. Though Bote are traditionally known for fishing and ferrying community, very few of them are involved in these activities. Most of these households are involved in multiple activities. 17. The current average annual per household income is estimated to be NRs 75,087which is significantly lower than the nominal average household income for Nepal (NRs 202,374), Western Development Region (NRs. 212,694), Mountain (NRs 169,990) and Western Rural Hill (NRs 157,991) calculated by NLSS III Little over one third of the total household s earning is in the range of NRs 30,000 to 60,000 and about 30 % earns more than NRs 100,000 per year. The current average annual expenditure is estimated to be NRs. 44,744 which is much less than the reported income. However, major portion of the income is spent on purchase of food items, followed by clothing, medicine and health treatment, loan repayment and festivals and rituals. The least expenditure of these vulnerable households is on education. Over half of the households spend about NRs 60,000 per year whereas 7% spends over NRs 100,000 per year. The Action Plan 18. The VCDP aims to enhance the opportunities created by the project to improve the livelihood and condition of vulnerable communities as a result of project implementation. The VCDP consist of a numbers of activities and is an integral part of the project which will be implemented in conjunction with SAP. Group Discussion, interviews and field based observation have been used to arrive at the community level activities to be taken up under VCDP. Vulnerable Peoples Expectation 19. The VCDP draws its plan and program based on the interaction and group discussion with the local people community leaders. There are large numbers of expectation of vulnerable people regarding the project as noticed during the field survey. The field observation and interaction revealed following major issues, concerns and expectations of the vulnerable community; Employment priority to the members of Vulnerable Community of the project area Implementation of income generating activities and skill training program. Renovation of houses Renovation of school building Legal ownership of land Proposed Plan 20. The VCDP aims to enhance the opportunities created by the project to improve the livelihood and condition of these communities as a result of project implementation. Likewise, it also plans to address the major issues faced by Vulnerable Community. Thus, the VCDP proposed following measures to address their concerns and specific requirements. 10

11 Infrastructure Support The development of infrastructures is the prerequisite for overall development of any region or communities. In order to address the needs of the Vulnerable Community, infrastructure support in following area will have positive and effective result in enhancing socio-economic condition of the members of the Vulnerable Community as well as the local area: Drinking water facilities; School renovation; Renovation of resettled houses Economic Support The VCDP propose following activities to support economic aspects of the vulnerable community: Occupational training and initiation of income generation activities based on locally available resources; Capacity building program for NGO, VDC, DDC staff. Operation of a community boat transportation for Bote community Training for fishing in reservoir for Bote families Legal transfer of land ownership of houses and school Other Community Demands Protection work of Setibeni Sheela; Bank protection at Rudrabeni Ram Temple; Rural electrification Construction of cremation platform Drinking water facilities, irrigation and electricity facilities from the project; and Extension of siren warning system to downstream areas 22. Implementation of VCDP is the responsibility of project. A committee will be formed during the implementation of VCDP comprising the representatives of the Vulnerable Community, VDCs and local NGOs to support for the successful implementation of VCDP. Formation of this committee will be facilitated by the project and this committee will also be responsible for resolving any dispute that arises during the implementation process of VCDP. The entire effort will be coordinated by the Social Development Officer of Project s Environment and Social Monitoring Unit (ESMU). The Social Development Officer of Project ESMU will be responsible for informing the community at least week before the date of consultation. Project will also share the agenda of the consultation beforehand. Any change in date or agenda will be pre informed. The prioritization of activities and selection of beneficiaries for income generation activities will be carried out in consultation with the committee. 11

12 23. The project will have a communication strategy in place for the implementation of VCDP. The communication strategy will be guided by the concepts of Free, Prior and Informed consultation 1 with the affected communities to enable informed participation, leading to lenders confirmation of broad community support for the project within the affected communities. It is the developer s (KGAHEP) responsibility to inform all relevant stakeholders of the project so that they will be fully informed about the likely impacts and the best benefits they will receive from the project. KGAHEP s social cell is responsible for informing all the relevant stakeholders well in advance by giving notice at the appropriate time and in encouraging participation of local stakeholders in the decision-making process and implementation of the VCDP. Project will use various communication tools like Print (brochure, leaflet, flyer, newspaper both local and national,), Electronic (FM radio) in disseminating the project related information to the project affected people and the community. 24. The draft and final SIA and VCDP will be disclosed in NEA s and World Bank s website and made available to wider audience and national and international levels of stakeholders. At local level, information dissemination and consultation will continue throughout VCDP implementation. Summary of the major findings of SIA and VCDP will be translated in Nepali and will be distributed to the participants and interested people. 25. The project will monitor the implementation of VCDP on regular basis. Monthly progress reports will be prepared for the first six months of implementation and thereafter quarterly progress reports will be prepared. The monitoring indicator will be as per the baseline data. The internal monitoring activities will be carried out by the project through its Social Cell. A set of monitoring indicators is presented in table 5.6 above for the monitoring of the VCDP implementation. Participatory monitoring will be carried out by a committee comprising the representative of members of Vulnerable Community, VDCs and local communities, NGOs, and member of the social cell to ensure and assist to responsible organization in implementation of VCDP. The external evaluation of VCDP implementation will be carried out a third part hired by the project. The external evaluation will be carried out once at midterm and again after the completion of VCDP implementation. Gender Action Plan 26. In the project area, almost 50 percent of the population is women, though in the sample survey only 8 women headed households were covered with an average family size of 6. With poor literacy rate, women heads of the households though gainfully engaged in economic activities are largely poor as most of them are daily wage labourers in farm and non-farm activities. All these households earn less that NRs. 150,000 per year and over 70 percent of their income is spent on purchase of food items leaving very little for education and recreational activities. None of the women headed households have more than three months of food security. None of the women, who participated in the consultation process, have any say in the decision making either at home or at the community level. 1 Free the client or its representatives have not coerced intimidated or unduly incentivized the affected population to be supportive of the project; Prior Consultation with project-affected communities must be sufficiently early in the project planning process; and, Informed Consultation with all project-affected communities on project operations and potential adverse impacts and risks, using methods of communication that are inclusive, culturally appropriate and adapted to the community s language needs and decision making. 12

13 Given the poor economic and social status of women in the project area, it is imperative to bring the issues pertaining to socio-economic development of women within the scope of the project. 27. Consultations with women were conducted with two major objectives including, a) identifying women specific issues in the project, and b) securing participation of women in project activities. At every consultation meeting, women were encouraged to participate and their views and opinions were heard. Altogether 20 local women participated in the focus group discussion at Beltari area. The issues raised by the women groups include (i) continuation of sickbay at Beltari Camp; (ii) renovation drining water and irrigation schemes; (iii) employment opportunities; and (iv) extension of siren warning system. 28. The construction contractor will set up their construction camps on identified locations where labor force required for the construction activities will be provide with temporary residential accommodation and other necessary infrastructure facilities. It needs to be pointed out that a significant number of women and child workers along with the male member of the family are engaged in the construction work and they stay in temporary construction camps in a sub-human condition. They are likely to face many adverse conditions. In order to overcome these adverse conditions, contractor is responsible for providing specific provisions in the construction camp such as residential accommodation suitable to nuclear families; basic health-care' facilities; day crèche extended with primary educational facilities; exempting w from night shifts; HIV/AIDS awareness camps for the target people, both in the construction camp and neighboring villages as well, and supply of condoms at concession rate. 29. The ESSD / NGO will initiate the process of identifying the interested women for forming the SHGs. The women SHGs will be formed as per the norms formulated by the Government. The SHG will be formed among the women from same VDC wherever possible. The skill development program and financial assistance will be distributed through the SHGs. Small loan assistance program will be development particularly for vulnerable women headed households. 30. Income generating program will be designed to ensure that women derive a reliable income by engaging in activities that are within their capacity, taking into account the availability of resources and the type of enterprises that they are already engaged in. Capacity enhancing assistance will be provided that improve the access of women to skills training for off-farm employment such as tailoring and weaving, small goods shops; marketing - buying and selling local produce; processing of locally produced products. Social awareness campaigns and training opportunities will be organized to increase women s integration into social and economic mainstream. Project will strengthen Women s Community based and nongovernmental organizations by providing training and advisory supports once during construction period. 31. The gender action plan seeks to address the various gender related issues through a set of activities and programs. The implementation mechanism specifying the roles of different institutional players, the indicators for further assessment and the means of verification have been specified. To make the gender development plan a time bound initiative, a time frame for implementation of each 13

14 activity has also been specified. The GAP has a specific budget of NRs 1million whereas other activities will also cover women specific expenses. Institutional Arrangement 32. The implementation of SAP and VCDP will be the responsibility of Project Manager. The project manager will be assisted by ESSD. ESSD will set up a social cell at project level. The social cell of ESSD will comprise of one Social Development Officer (SDO) with adequate experience of hydro projects. The SDO will be assisted by two social mobilizers. ESSD will hire these mobilizers from the locally qualified persons. One of the mobilizers will be woman. For day to day operations, the SDO will directly report to the Project Manager. The social cell will be responsible for planning and designing of project information campaigns, group based and individual income generating activities, and community mobilization for implementation of SAP. As and when required, the social cell will hire the services of local NGOs or firms for the implementation of project information campaigns, poverty alleviation and income-generation activities, especially the formation of self-help groups (SHGs). The table below provides the detailed role and responsibility of each player. Roles and Responsibility S. No. Responsible Person Role and Responsibilities Project Manager Overall responsibility to implement SAP and VCDP Provide guidance on policy matters to social cell Ensure timely release of funds for implementation 1 Internally monitor implementation progress by calling monthly review meeting Coordination with other line agencies as and when required Social Development Will be the facilitator between the project and the community Officer Manage day to day implementation of SAP and VCDP Planning and designing of project information campaign; income generating activities Consultation with the community and ensure that vulnerable community is part of all consultations and their views are considered Preparation of monthly progress reports and quarterly process 2 documentation Liaison with other line agencies on day to day basis Participate in monthly review meeting Coordinate the training programs for income generating activities; Identify master trainers / institutions for training Assist Project Manager in hiring of master trainers/ institutions for training Develop Terms of Reference for M&E agency Assist Project Manager in hiring of M&E agency Community Mobilizers Verification of community needs Identification of vulnerable community and their needs Develop rapport with the community Co-ordinate with the Social development Officer and the community 3 Undertake project information campaign; Distribute the project pamphlets Generate awareness about the alternate economic livelihood and enable the community to make informed choice; Mobilize the community for consultation and participate in the consultation 14

15 Assist SDO in preparation of monthly progress reports; Identify training needs and institutions for income generating activities; Helping community members to file grievances and accompany the member to GRC; Maintaining records of grievances with decision taken 33. Establishment of adequate implementation capacity to launch and carry out the components of SAP and VCDP must be completed before the start of civil works. To enhance capabilities, social cell staff can be sent on exposure visits to other projects with good community program as well as sponsored for training courses in community development. The training would also cover techniques of conducting participatory rural appraisal for micro planning, conducting census and socio-economic surveys, dissemination of information, community consultation and conducting of monitoring and evaluation. Grievance Redress Mechanism 34. At project level a grievance redress mechanism will be established to allow community to appeal against any disagreeable decisions, practices and activities; technical and general project-related disputes. The community will be made fully aware of their rights and the procedures for doing so verbally and in writing during project information campaign and consultations. Grievance Redress Committee (GRC) will be formed much in advance in order to address the grievances of aggrieved community member. Prior to approaching GRC, complaints of the community member on any aspect of the project shall in first instance be settled in written form in field based project office. The complaint can be discussed in an informal meeting with the community member by the Social Development Officer of the project s social cell and representative of the Project Manager to settle the issues at the local level. The community consultation may also facilitate the process in this regard. All the grievances will be reviewed and the decision will be made and informed in writing to the complaining party within two weeks of receipt of the complaint. Any complaining party can exercise its constitutional right to approach the court of law at any time if he/she chooses to do so. 35. At the project level, a Public Information Centre (PIC) will be established. The project information including a booklet carrying details of SAP and VCDP in local language will be placed in the PIC. A grievance / feedback recording register will also be placed at PIC. PAPs as well as local people can lodge their complaints at this centre. The Chairman of GRC will review that register on monthly basis. Monitoring and Evaluation 36. Regular monitoring of SAP and VCDP implementation will be conducted by the implementing agency as well as by an independent external evaluation organization hired by the project to verify: Actions and commitments described in the SAP and VCDP are implemented fully on time; SAP and VCDP actions are effective in sustainable; Complaints and grievances lodged by project affected people are followed up and that where necessary, appropriate corrective actions are implemented; and 15

16 If necessary, changes in SAP and VCDP activities and implementation procedure are made to improve effectiveness of the actions. 37. The project manager will ensure that funds are delivered on time to social cell for timely implementation of SAP and VCDP. The implementation of SAP and VCDP will be completed in 18 months timeframe. Estimated Cost and Budget The total estimated cost for the implementation of the mitigation measures and the community support program is NRs million (approx million USD) as presented in the table below. S. No. Measures Costs (NRs) Social Action Plan 1. Extension of Siren warning system downstream& operation for five years In million NRS Maintenance works at Setibeni Sheela Bank protection at Rudrabeni temple and Setibeni Bazar Improvement of irrigation scheme and water supply in Beltari Improved electricity supply at Setibeni Bazaar Cost of ongoing consultation with the community Livelihood support Sub Total (A) Vulnerable Community Development Plan 8 Maintenance of resettled Bote houses Maintenance of Bote primary school Administrative cost of transfer of land to Bote families and School Support for affected Bote for operation of a community Boat transportation and fishing nets for fishing in reservoir Sub Total (B) Gender Action Plan SHG formation for women headed households and other women members) , Sub Total (C ) 300, Cost for Institutional Arrangement Staff Cost of Implementation Agency (ESSD / NGO) Office and field equipment/ furniture

17 15 Training program for capacity building of implementing Agency and line departments Vehicles, travel and Per Diem Hiring of external agency for evaluation Sub Total (D) Total A + B + C+D Miscellaneous (5% of the total) Grand Total Will cover evaluation of both implementation of EMP as well as SAP and VCDP. 17

18 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Kali Gandaki A Hydroelectric Project (KGAHEP) is a 144 MW peaking run-of-river plant, located on Kali Gandakiriver in Syangja District. The dam is located below the confluence of Kali Gandaki and Andhi Khola rivers funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and commissioned in Today it is the largest hydroelectric power station in Nepal, and supplies nearly 50% of Nepal Electricity Authority s (NEA) total annual electricity generation which represents a quarter of the country s total annual electricity generation. Kali Gandaki A Hydropower Plant (KHAHPP) is unique of its kind in Nepal offering both by its large capacity (144 MW) and its peaking capacity (6 hours). The KGA power plant however is currently facing low availability of generation capacity from erosion and cavitation leading to severe damage to its power generation equipment and safety risks. The headworks have been experiencing problems in dealing with floating debris as well as bed load sediment transport from time to time. Based on the physical model of the existing headworks structures of KGAHPP, following major shortcoming of the existing headworks arrangement were observed (Hydraulic Model Testing of the Headworks of KGA Hydropower Plant, June 2012): Approach flow into the intakes is not satisfactory due to highly uneven flow distribution in the forebay pond. Most of the trash/ floating debris were observed to be attracted towards the intake resulting in partial clogging of the intake trash racks. Since, there was no way for self-passage of trash downstream, all trash should be raked out. The bascule gate provisioned for the trash passage was not found so effective for passing the trash even if it would have been operated as recommended in the original design. Skewed and very turbulent flow was observed up to about half length of the settling basins. Three almost 90 degree bends along the waterway upstream of the settling basins inlet, sudden drop at the settling basin inlet and improper setting of the collector channel gates opening are the three main reasons for having turbulent and skewed flow inside the settling basins. Therefore, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) intends to improve the performance of the power plant by carrying out necessary modifications in the head works structures. The current project will address the main items related to some civil works and electro-mechanical works. 1.2 Project Description The proposed project includes three major components 1) Civil works and 2) Electro mechanical works and 3) Technical Assistance and Capacity Building. Component A: Civil Works will address the main items related to civil works and will consist of the following sub-components. 18

19 Headworks modifications. Under this sub-component, modifications will be made to the headworks including the intake and the settling basins. Improving Dam Safety and Instrumentation. Under this sub-component, instruments installed in the project will be repaired and others added as necessary to meet state of the art requirements. An operation and maintenance manual will be prepared which will include an instrumentation plan. Real-Time sediment monitoring instrument will be installed. Maintenance Works. Under this sub-component, maintenance of the headworks and the powerhouse areas, including the stabilization of the slope in the headworks area and the modifications to the tailrace to address cavitation. Component B: Electro-mechanical Works. This component consists of mechanical and electrical works divided into two sub-components. Mechanical Works. Under this sub-component the mechanical parts in the powerhouse and the intake will be repaired and upgraded. Electrical Works. The electrical works will repair and upgrade the control system of the powerhouse and the dam. Component C: Technical Assistance and Capacity-Building. This component consists of the following four sub-components. Consulting Firm (Consulting Services for Dam Safety, Civil and Electro-mechanical works). Under this sub-component, technical advisory services will be provided to NEA through a consulting firm, for overseeing all the three components of the Project. The consultant will also provide the detailed technical design, help NEA with implementation and procurement, and help prepare the Operation and Maintenance Manual, Emergency Preparedness Plan and the Instrumentation Plan (IP). Asset Management. Under this sub-component technical assistance will be provided to NEA to improve and upgrade their asset management systems. Safeguard Implementation. This sub-component will provide technical assistance to NEA in implementing the Environmental Management Plan (EMP), Community Support Program (CSP) and the Vulnerable Community Development Plan (VCDP), including monitoring and evaluation. Capacity-Building. This sub-component will provide training to increase NEA s capacity in asset management, sediment management, safeguard implementation, and operations and maintenance of specialized fields of electro-mechanical equipment and safety instruments. 19

20 1.3 The Historical Context The KGA Hydroelectric Project was funded by ADB and JBIC, and is in operation since The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), 1996 was approved by ADB. Kali Gandaki Environmental Management Unit (KGEMU) carried out the implementation of social and environmental programs. With the objective of restoring and improving livelihoods of the affected and mitigate adverse social impacts, Acquisition, Compensation and Resettlement Plan for Facilities and Access Road (ACRP) and Mitigation Management And Monitoring Plan was prepared. The ACRP identified that the project would affect 1,468 families through partial loss of land and structures (mostly for the access roads). A total of 148 ha of land were acquired, including 94 ha of private and Guthi lands. A total of Rs30 million was paid for land compensation. 13 houses and 20 cowsheds were acquired and an amount of Rs. 947,477 was paid as compensation. The project implemented a set of programs to mitigate the adverse impacts which included (i) a compensation and resettlement program, (ii) reconstruction program for resettled people, (iii) an intensified employment and skill training program for the affected households, (iv) an elaborated community development program for the Bote indigenous community, and (v) a rural electrification program.an implementation evaluation was conducted at program completion by the POE in The POE reported that the project has delivered its compensation and resettlement program, basic infrastructure for the communities, such as road, electricity, communication and health facilities; the employment opportunities during and after construction provided additional revenues to local population and promoted economic development. All these factors helped with a local transformation. The program implementation experienced some issues, such as labour disputes, land leasing and compensation for tree and Guthi lands. These were satisfactorily resolved. The POE concludes that: Overall socio-economic conditions of affected families have improved. Access to electricity, transportation and communication stimulated to improve the quality of life in project areas. Construction activities increased economic activities in project and surrounding area. Integration process of rural economy with regional and national economy was intensified. Substantial cash income flow to project area due to preferential hiring has improved living standard of local people. On the job and off the job skill training provided human capital to be used in future for income generation activities. Previous levels of income, consumption and household expenditure patterns are improved considerably. 1.4 Rationale for Vulnerable Community Development Plan and Objectives The Vulnerable Community Development Plan (VCDP) prepared by the project is designed to ensure that project addresses the issues and needs of vulnerable groups, and especially the marginalizedbote ethnic group residing the project influence area. 20

21 This VCDP has been prepared to guide the proposed project planning and implementation to identify and address impacts on vulnerable communities and make sure that they benefit from the project. The specific objectives of the VCDP are to; 1. ensure the participation of the vulnerable groups in the entire project cycle and monitoring of the project activities in general and project supported community development in particular, 2. ensure that project benefits will accrue to vulnerable households, and 3. share project information with the vulnerable households in an appropriate fashion and consultations are held to seek their input on the project activities and implementation. 21

22 CHAPTER TWO: STUDY METHODOLOGY The study methodologies adopted for the VCDP is based on desk study, review of pertinent literatures, field observation by the team of experts, focus group discussion, interaction and consultation meeting with the local communities, stakeholders and the officials of NEA's and Government of Nepal (GON) line agencies. The details of methodologies applied in conducting the VCDP of the proposed Project are presented below. 2.1 Project Impact Area Delineation The project area consists of the core project area and the surrounding areasof the proposed rehabilitation works of the project. The term Project indicates the proposed rehabilitation of Kali Gandaki 'A' Hydropower Plant and the area includes the core project area and the surrounding area Core Project Area The term ''core project area'' implies the headwork area consisting of the project structures and facilities where the rehabilitation works will be carried out. This area includes places necessary for safeguarding the various project structures and facilities. The concerned wards of Shree Krishna Gandaki VDC in which project structures and facilities are located are thus considered part of the core project area Surrounding Area The term ''surrounding area'' indicates a greater area, which will directly or indirectly be influenced by the implementation of the proposed works, where no project structures and facilities are located. This area includes the surrounding VDCs, namely, the parts of Harmichaur and the Shree Krishna Gandaki VDCs. 2.2 Desk Study and Literature Review The social reports and documents of the Kali Gandaki A Hydroelectric Project, district-level reports, and other pertinent literatures were reviewed during the preparation of VCDP. The major reports reviewed include the following: Synthesis Reports (Environmental and Social), 2003, Kali Gandaki A Hydroelectric Project, Project Completion Report, 2004 (ADB); Kali Gandaki A Hydroelectric Project, Operation Manual (Environmental and Social), 2005, Kali Gandaki A Hydroelectric Project, KGEMU/ NEA Reports, 22