Environmental Concerns in Rural Electrification

Environmental concerns in rural electrification

The process of rural electrification has several impacts on the physical, biological, socio-economic and cultural environments during its various phases. Some of the various environmental concerns are listed below.

Impacts and their mitigation measure on physical environment

Construction phase

1. The level of noise during construction phase can be significantly high due to the operation of heavy machinery. Construction process may also continue during night times which can disturb the people living near construction sites. Therefore, the locals should be pre-informed about the schedules of the construction phase. The workers should also be provided with ear plugs and other equipment to protect themselves from the adverse effects of noise.
2. Due to frequent operation of vehicles, the air quality around the construction site gets degraded due to a mixture of dust and smoke. The vehicles and machinery used should be regularly maintained. Water should be sprayed on dusty roads where frequent movement of vehicles is imminent. It is also advisable to plant trees with feathery leaves which can trap dust particles.
3. The construction process can generate a large amount of waste particles which if thrown directly into the water sources can degrade the quality of water. The construction process is also prone to various leakages of toxic materials which can mix with the water of locally available sources. Therefore, a proper disposal system of waste products should be established. The amount of leakage should also be regularly monitored and the necessary repair actions should be taken if any leakage is found.
4. The construction process involves stockpiling of various materials required for construction such as bricks, sands, gravels, etc. which require storage space. These materials if not managed properly can mix with the soil of local environment and degrade its quality. So proper space should be allocated for the storage purpose. Mixing of the construction materials should be avoided. Compensation should also be provided for the used land.
5. Due to the involvement of a lot of people, improper disposal of waste and fecal matters can become a serious issue. Therefore, an adequate amount of toilets should be established (at least one toilet for 20 people). The workers should also be prohibited from polluting the local water resources.
6. Improper disposal of excavated soil can hamper the quality of soil of the local environment. The excavated soil should be deposited at areas which minimize the impact on the physical and socio-cultural environment.

Operation phase

1. Due to the construction of a dam in hydropower plants, a lot of sediments can be trapped in the upper dam site. Therefore, the sediment particles should be flushed downstream at regular intervals.
2. Construction of dams can seriously hamper the flow of water in the rivers. At least 10 % of the minimum dry season flow should be maintained on the downstream side of the dam.

Impacts and their mitigation measure on biological environment

The impacts of the electrification process on the biological environment during construction and operation phases along with their mitigation measures are listed below.

1. Illegal cutting of trees can be a serious problem during both construction and operation phases. Due to the involvement of numerous workers, trees are cut mainly for the purpose of cooking and construction of camps. This should be strictly prohibited. Kerosene or LPG should be used for cooking purpose and bamboo or tin should be used for the construction of camps. In addition to that, the project should also support local NGOs and DFOs for the conservation of forests.
2. In addition to illegal deforestation, illegal hunting and poaching of wild animals can also be a serious issue. Workers should be strictly prohibited from hunting animals illegally and construction with high-level noise should be avoided during night times.
3. Due to the construction of dams, the aquatic ecosystem can be seriously affected. A fish ladder system should be established to facilitate fish migration and local fishermen should be prohibited from practicing poisoning of water sources. In addition to that, at least 10 % of the minimum dry season flow should be maintained on the downstream side of the dam.
4. In order to prevent animals from falling into the potentially dangerous areas accidentally, a wire should be constructed around those areas.

Impacts and their mitigation measure on socio-economic and cultural environment

Construction phase

1. A large project can result in changes in the social structure of a community. Local people should be encouraged to take part in the project activities suited to their abilities. Local business ventures should also be encouraged to expand their business to the construction areas.
2. A project can violate the religious and cultural practices of a society at any phase of its lifespan. Therefore, some awareness programs regarding the positive impacts of the project and socio-cultural harmony should be conducted.
3. Due to the exploitation of local resources such as land and water, it is necessary to provide adequate compensation to the local community. In addition to that, the project should also support the community in its economic growth by providing support to the local institutions such as schools.
4. The labors or workers may conduct any activity that results in disturbing the social harmony of the community. Such activities such as alcoholism, gambling, etc. should be strictly prohibited. The movement of labors should be restricted to the construction areas and a group to maintain social harmony should be formed.
5. The labors are prone to accidents and occupational health hazards during the project. Therefore, they should be provided with adequate training and protection materials to ensure their safety. First aid equipment and basic health training should also be provided to the workers.
6. Due to the generation of a lot of waste products, and effective form of waste disposal system should be established. An adequate number of toilets should be constructed and they should be constructed at least 6 meters away from the residential areas and at least 30 meters away from the local water sources.
7. It is necessary to provide compensation of some form to the households affected by the construction process. The local people should also be encouraged to participate in saving schemes and should be encouraged to stay away from the activities that can result in the wrong use of their income.
8. It is also necessary to appoint a public relations officer to maintain a good relationship with the local community. The locals should be prep-informed about the project implementation and how it affects them in future as well.
9. Due to the requirement of a large number of workers, children of rural areas may be employed in the construction process. Such activities regarding child employment should be banned and local women should be encouraged to take part in the construction process.

Operation phase

1. Locals are often prone to accidents at the potentially dangerous areas such as dams. A proper fencing or wiring system should be employed in order to prevent the locals from entering into the potentially dangerous areas. It is also necessary to appoint security personnel to prevent the locals from entering into the area.
2. It is also absolutely necessary to put up clearly visible warning signs at the potentially dangerous zones. It is also advisable to conduct awareness programs regarding the accidents or mishaps that might occur at those sites.
3. Sudden fluctuation of water level at the dam site can cause accidents in the downstream. a sudden rise in the water level during floods requires a sudden release of huge amount of water towards the downstream. Therefore, a proper and clearly audible warning siren system should be established.
4. After the completion of the project, the workers should either leave the area and find jobs suited to their abilities elsewhere or they should give up their skills and find jobs which are locally available. Therefore, some sort of training program should be organized so as to provide the workers with necessary skills and encouragement to set up their own business venture.

EIA and IEE

EIA (Environment Impact Assessment) is a form of appraisal of a project from the environmental point of view and serves to evaluate the environmental impact of the project. It also takes into account the beneficial and the adverse effects of the project on inter-related socio-economic, cultural and human health aspects of a society. It is conducted for hydropower projects of capacity greater than 50 MW (from Magh 2050 onwards) and is associated with the Ministry of Environment, Nepal. There are five major stages of EIA which are described briefly below.

1. Screening

It is the first stage which serves to determine whether a proposed project falls within the limit of the regulations. It also serves to determine whether the project is likely to have a significant impact on the environment and if it requires a detailed assessment.

2. Scoping

It is the second stage which serves to determine the extent of issues to be considered in the assessment and reported in the Environmental Statement. The local planning authority can be asked for their opinion, also known as scoping opinion, regarding the information to be included in the Environmental Statement.

3. Preparing an Environmental Statement

When the decision regarding the necessity of an assessment is made, the applicant must compile the information required to analyze the probable significant environmental effects of the development. Any relevant environmental information in the possession of the local authority must be provided to the applicant. The information which is compiled by the applicant in its final form is known as an Environmental Statement.

4. Making a planning application and consultation

The Environmental Statement must be publicized in a sense that the local governing committee and the public must be given an opportunity to express their opinions about the Environmental Statement and the proposed development.

5. Decision making

Whether consent for the continuity of the project is to be given is determined by analyzing the Environmental Statement, together with any other information which is relevant to the decision made on it. The decision is made by the local governing authority and/or the government. The public must be informed of the decision and the main reasons for it.

IEE (Initial Environment Examination) is another form of environmental appraisal which is similar to EIA, the difference being only in the process of conduction. It is associated with the Ministry of Energy, Nepal and is conducted for hydropower projects of capacity ranging from 1 to 50 MW.

It is absolutely necessary to conduct either of these to determine the viability of the project from the environmental point of view and to analyze the mitigation measures to the environmental impacts of the project.

The steps involved in conducting EIA and IEE are listed below.

1. Preparation for the study and collection of the necessary reference materials.
2. Preparation of the scoping document. This is done after getting opinions of the locals, information regarding necessary environmental issues and necessary permission from the government and local bodies. This is not done in IEE.
3. Preparation of ToR (Terms of Reference).
4. Approval of ToR and scoring after getting the required feedback from the concerned government bodies.
5. Baseline data collection by conducting the household survey.
6. Review of environmental acts and policies.
7. Environmental impact prediction and evaluation.
8. Analysis of alternatives to mitigate the environmental impacts.
9. Analysis of the mitigation measures of the environmental impacts which do not have viable alternatives.
10. Formulation of EMPs (Environmental Management Plans). This is not done in IEE.
11. Formulation of impact monitoring and measurement strategy.
12. Conduction of environmental audits. This is not done in IEE.
13. Preparation of draft report of EIA or IEE.
14. Conduction of public hearing. This is not done in IEE.
15. Preparation of the final draft report and submission for approval.

References

1. Department for Communities & Local Government. (2016).The Stages of Environmental Impact Assessment.Retrieved fromhttp://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/

In addition to the information extracted from the website mentioned above, class notes and the handouts provided by my lecturer Mr. Gopal Subedi Joshi was also used.