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Application of a Strategic Environmental Assessment framework in thePalar River BasinTamil Nadu, India: 

Application of a Strategic Environmental Assessment framework in the Palar River Basin Tamil Nadu, India Presentation at Workshop on CEA, SEA and DPL January 18, 2005 N. Harshadeep Sr. Environmental Specialist South Asia Environmental and Social Development Unit (SASES) The World Bank

Outline: 

Outline Introduction How Policies, Programs and Projects caused environmental problems and how they are helping address these problems? What helped? Opposition? Steps? Outcomes and Next Steps

The FrameworkMerging SEA & IWRM Approaches: 

The Framework Merging SEA & IWRM Approaches Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) [Basin EA = Sectoral EA + Regional EA] Integrated Water Resources Planning & Management (IWRM) Sustainable Basin Planning & Management Issues/Information Analysis of Alternatives Stakeholder Consultation Policy/Institutional Reforms Upstream Input into Decision Making Proactive Scoping/Screening Knowledge Base Holistic Basin Framework Scenario Analysis; Modeling Stakeholder Participation Institutional Capacity Building Decision Support Systems Cumulative Impact Assessment Supply, Demand, Quality “Do No Harm”: Minimize environmental/social risks “Do Good”: Maximize sustainable environmental/social benefits Maximize Sustainable Productivity of Water (Net Benefits of Water)

Mainstreaming Environmental & Social Safeguards and Opportunities: 

Mainstreaming Environmental & Social Safeguards and Opportunities 4.01 4.04 4.09 4.11 4.12 4.20 4.36 4.37 7.50 7.60 Plus…. Environmental Assessment Natural Habitats Pest Management Physical Cultural Resources Involuntary Resettlement Indigenous Peoples Forests Safety of Dams Projects on International Waterways Projects in Disputed Areas BP17.50 Public Disclosure Safeguards (National, Provincial, Local, Donor) e.g. The Bank 10+1 Safeguard Policies Environmental and Social Opportunities Livelihood improvement, poverty alleviation, equity, benefits to vulnerable groups, gender sensitivity Improving resource productivity and sustainability, sustainable agricultural practices, public health, water quality, wetland management, biodiversity land quality Knowledge base, analytical capacity Awareness, Training, Capacity-building

Slide5: 

Ocean River Basin Boundary Irrigation An Example of a Typical River Basin… …there is a need to share information and integrate the activities of multiple actors… Agriculture Department Irrigation Department Rural Water Supply Department Urban Water Supply Department Power Department Livestock Department Industry Department Environment Department Fisheries Department Transport Department Tourism Department Groundwater Department Surface Water Department Forest Department Ocean Development/CZM Department Trans-boundary Water Institutions

Slide6: 

Agriculture & Livestock (pesticide and fertilizer pollution, livestock fodder, grazing land availability, medicinal plants, pest/pesticide management, organic cultivation, clean milk production) Irrigation (access to water, waterlogging, water quality, siltation/erosion) Rural Water Supply & Sanitation (access to clean water, pollution of local water bodies, drinking water quality & testing) Industry & Power (access to required water, industrial effluent and sludge management, thermal pollution, industrial disasters) Environment (water quality/pollution monitoring, instream flow requirements (incl. community use), wetlands protection, biodiversity conservation, sand mining) Fisheries-related (exotic species, access to resources, disease & pollution) Navigation (dredging spoil management, spills) Tourism (waste management, seasonal demands) Groundwater-Related (Overexploitation; Pollution from natural sources – e.g. of As, Fl; and from anthropogenic sources – e.g. of Nitrates, Pesticides, TDS) Land & Forest Management (catchment protection for soil and water conservation, soil degradation, incl. salinization, biodiversity conservation, recharge, water harvesting, non-point source runoff) Coastal Zone Management (Saline water intrusion, coastal wetland management, ocean pollution, coastal hazard management, fisheries-related) Urban (health benefits from access to clean water and sanitation, domestic and stormwater runoff treatment/management, sludge management, solid and hazwaste management) Climate & Disasters (droughts, floods and other natural disasters, climate change) Overall (environmental awareness, competition for water, growing demands, construction and operation-related safeguards, environmental knowledge base and decision support systems, adequacy of policies, institutions, instruments, incentives & coordination in management of the resource base and service delivery; cultural property management, appropriate indigenous knowledge use) Dams (siltation, dam safety, downstream releases) Typical Environmental Issues in a Basin Context

Slide7: 

Location & Characteristics of the Palar Basin TAMIL NADU Palar Basin River Basin Map Boundaries are indicative and may be under dispute First Multi-Stakeholder Basin Board in South Asia Region Palar Basin Characteristics Basin Area: 18,300 km2 (10,910 km2 in TN) Rainfall: 1039 mm (SW: 458 mm; NE: 461 mm) Potential Supply: About 1,500 MCM SW; 2,700 MCM GW Current Demands: 2560 MCM (88% Irrigation) Industries: 88 large; 22,695 small (30 MLD effluent) River flows for 15 days in year! Storage: 11 reservoirs, 4,900 rainfed tanks and 661 “system” tanks About 250,000 wells (mostly dug wells) GW: 50% blocks over-exploited; 41% critical/semi-critical Population: 5.4 million (62 million in TN) Agricultural land: 63% Farmers: 62% marginal (<0.5 ha); 18% small (0.5-1 ha) and 20% medium&large (>1ha) About 450 Tannery units (in Vellore) with 9 CETPs

Bank-Financed Project contextTamil Nadu Water Resources Consolidation Project (TNWRCP): 

Bank-Financed Project context Tamil Nadu Water Resources Consolidation Project (TNWRCP) Objectives Introduce water resources planning by river basins across all uses of water Improve agricultural productivity through modernization and completion of irrigaiton systems, upgraded water management and farmer participation Assure sustainability of water infrastructure and the environment Improve institutional and technical capability for managing the state’s water resources Environment-Related Activities Institutional: setting up active environmental cells, Institute for Water Studies, Basin Boards & Technical Secretariat, guidelines, EIA capacity, inter-agency coordination Monitoring: water quality, resource degradation, knowledge base creation Research & Reporting: Basin Environmental Reports, State Environmental Framework, Water Resources Research Fund, modeling Groundwater Act, Well Census, Dam safety, solar technology, eco-friendly agriculture, water-saving crops and technologies Pilots for low-cost domestic and industrial wastewater treatment Awareness-raising & outreach Strategic Environmental Assessment

Many Environmental & Resource Problems in the Water Sector in TN: 

Many Environmental & Resource Problems in the Water Sector in TN Inefficient Water Use Weeds Pollution Degraded Lands Solid Waste Impact on Biota Drought

Palar BasinMultiple Issues for Multiple Stakeholders: 

Palar Basin Multiple Issues for Multiple Stakeholders Catchment Degradation Water Pollution (Tanneries, Waste Dumps, Textiles, Other Industries, Domestic, Fertilizer/Pesticide) Tank/Canal/Groundwater Irrigated Agriculture Coastal Zone Management Water Harvesting Urban Water Supply & Sewerage Rural Water Supply Inter-Basin Transfer Sand Mining Competing Water Uses & Unclear Entitlements Tank Degradation Water Scarcity Groundwater Management Agr. Dept/Agr. Engr. Dept WUA/Farmers Water Resources Organization Institute for Water Studies TWAD Board MetroWater TNEB Livestock Department Industry Department Tanneries/CLRI Environment Department TN Pollution Control Board Loss of Ecology Comm. Fisheries Department Forest Department Palar Basin Board & Secretariat Industrialists Local Government Academia NGOs, Politicians, etc. Salt-impacted Agricultural Productivity

Work Undertaken So Far: 

Work Undertaken So Far Meetings, Workshops, Discussions Consultant Inputs Knowledge Base Development Background Notes/Presentations Training/Awareness Building Vision Statement & Action Plan Mainstreaming into work supported by Tamil Nadu Water Resources Consolidation Project (TNWRCP) with WRO, IWS, State Surface and GW Data Center, River basin boards, technical secretariat, environmental cells, multi-disciplinary project preparation panel, industry groups, agriculture dept, Agr. Engr. Dept, Water User Associations, Research Institutions, Academia, etc.

Summary of Key Environmental Issues & Possible Approaches in the Palar Basin: 

Summary of Key Environmental Issues & Possible Approaches in the Palar Basin WW Treatment HRTS IPM/IPNM Other Supply-Side (Desilt Tanks as appropriate, Improve Recharge, regulate sand mining) Demand-Side (Use less water intensive crops & irrigation systems) Management (Improve water regulation) Optimize Cropping Patterns and Irrigation Technologies IPM/IPNM Manage Pollution

Interaction of Issues: 

Interaction of Issues Environmental Social Economic Pollution (from industry, settlements) Sand mining Groundwater depletion Tank siltation Catchment degradation Sustainable agriculture Livelihoods Equity Access to clean water Social structure Migration Poverty Alleviation Health Sustainable Incomes Subsidies Efficiency Sustainable Growth Investment Prioritization

Progression of Issues in the Palar: 

Decreased availability of water due to overexploitation of groundwater resources; Increased sand mining in the Basin Increased pollution of ground and surface waters Degradation of Tanks and water supply structures Siltation in tanks and intake channels Decrease in the yield and quality of agricultural crops Prevalence of water borne disease and other health problems Labour shifts from agriculture to industrial sector Costs involved in repairing tanks and shifting water supply structures Depletion of Resources (Water; Forests; Sand) Degradation of Environment (Water; Soil; Crops; Infrastructure) Risks to Health & Ecosystems (Water borne diseases; Occupational health; Bioaccumulation of pollutants) Distortion on Employment and Income Generation (Loss of livelihood; Occupational shifts and migrations) Macro Economic Basin Wide Issues (Costs of Remediation; Shifting, Rehabilitation of structures, etc.) Progression of Issues in the Palar

Targeted Outcomes: 

Targeted Outcomes Enhance knowledge base & analytical capacity Provide a focal point for stakeholder participation Improve Awareness Move to more level playing field Elicit and discuss multiple stakeholder perspectives Develop shared vision planning of basin Improve networking, coordination Inform decisions (e.g. tasks, investment priorities) Determine priorities, “low hanging fruit” and areas of conflict Move towards resolution of problems

Stakeholder MeetingsKey Ingredients (e.g. Dec’03 mtg in Kancheepuram): 

Stakeholder Meetings Key Ingredients (e.g. Dec’03 mtg in Kancheepuram) Information Resources & Preparatory Work Facilities/ Equipment Balanced Breakout Groups Enthusiastic Participation Effective Facilitation Hard work Behind-the-Scenes Good Stakeholder Group Structured Interaction Political Support

Draft Vision Statement for the Palar Basin Board: 

Draft Vision Statement for the Palar Basin Board The Palar River Basin Management and Development Board (PRBMDB) seeks to improve, safeguard and monitor the water and land resources programs of its member organizations. As an apex body, the PRBMDB endeavors the primary role in sustainable water resources planning and management in an integrated manner covering the activities of all departments concerned. To promote, advice, direct and coordinate sustainable management and development of water, land and forest resources including the environmental aspects in the basin. To increase awareness, participation and commitment of people and to protect and enhance their wellbeing. To follow a participatory, transparent and objective approach and become a model for other river basins in India.

Slide18: 

Structured Process to move from Vision to Action Vision Strategies Problem solving process Tasks/Actions What? Alternatives? Who? When? Where? Resources? Capacity? Indicators? Institutions Policy/Regulations Resources Objectives Principles Tactics How will it be done? Issues Information Instruments

Sample Group Worksheet Table EntryObjective  Strategy  Tactics  Tasks: 

Sample Group Worksheet Table Entry Objective  Strategy  Tactics  Tasks Group on Resource Degradation Objective One: Groundwater Resource Restoration

Slide20: 

A Proposed Development Plan

Types of Public Interaction: 

Types of Public Interaction Information Disclosure

Next Steps: 

Next Steps Palar Basin SEA Multi-stakeholder Workshops Refinement, initial implementation & monitoring of Action Plans on: Pollution Management Health and Agriculture Water Resources Integration into FutureWater Resources Projects (social and environmental assessment, decision support systems, investments considered, partnerships facilitated) A long way to go, but a good start…

Limitations of Approach: 

Limitations of Approach Limited awareness of environmental issues, SEA, or IWRM Multiplicity of Stakeholders Fragmentation of Institutions Lack of effective consultative frameworks Limitations of Knowledge Base/Analysis Strong political will to implement recommendations Mental move from “crisis management” to “shared vision planning and management” …but there are few other options left for many basins such as the Palar…

…Summing Up: 

…Summing Up Requirements for an SEA approach for IWRM Manifestation of real problems Political, bureaucratic & other stakeholder commitment to achieve consensus to move ahead; emergence of champions The 4 Is: Institutions, Information, Instruments, Incentives Work demonstrates inextricably interlinked nature of environmental, social, economic and water issues A Structured SEA process complements and supplements basin management Processes are as important as Products Shows great potential for other basins – but it is essential to develop customized approaches for each basin!