presentation 4 - eia part 1.pdf

8/17/2019 Presentation 4 - EIA part 1.pdf

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Environmental ImpactAssessment

Dr. P. I. A. Gomes

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Environmental Impacts

What is pollution/what is an impact?

Current

(planning

stage)

Commencement

of the project

E n v i r o n m

e n t a l p a r a m e t e r

Time (years)

No infrastructure

development (no

project)

Project A

Project B

50 years after the

commencement

of the project

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Pollution is a change in an environmental parameter (or an indicator)

over time relative to the no project scenario (i.e. relative to the

natural trend of the parameter).

Environment

Natural Social

Pollution and Environmental impacts are not synonyms, but are

correlated.

Physical Biological

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Generally when the environment is been mentioned it obviously includes

the social environment. However nowadays there is a trend, of separating

these two: Instead of Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental and

Social Impact Assessment. Where the former includes the physical andbiological environments only.

In many countries it is a statutory requirement to evaluate or assess the

Environmental impact of large scale projects . As Infrastructure Projects are

massive and large in size, technically almost all infrastructure projects needs

to conduct an assessment of probable impacts on the environment in

advance.

Assessment of possible impacts (positive or negative), that a proposed

project may have on the environment is called an Environmental Impact

Assessment (EIA).EIAR: Environmental Impact Assessment Report.

Due to statutory nature of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report, it

can be considered as a decision making tool.

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Development Projects/Anthropogenic

activities

Technical feasibility Economic feasibility Environmental feasibility

To commence a project these three need to be satisfied

The developer is very much interested of the technical and economic

feasibilities, as these factors govern the return (profit) of the project. Its

very rare to see a private developer (may be different if the developer is

government) consider the impact on the environment. However

nowadays any developer is compelled to check the impact on theenvironment as it is a statutory obligation.

Importantly unlike in Technical and Economic feasibility studies, in the

Environmental feasibility the public participation take place.

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Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) should be carried

out for the stages; construction and operational and

maintenance separately

Impacts during the construction stage are relatively short

term and in case of operational and maintenance are

rather long term

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Environmental Impact Assessment- A case

study-Havelock City Mixed Development

Project, Sri Lanka

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Site for the Havelock city

project

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Technical feasibility

The 2004 master plan of the UDA (although not yet officially sanctioned) identifiedthe need for vertical development considering the space limitations of the Colombo

City. Considering the large-scale vertical development that is proposed, the most

important issue in technical evaluation is the capacity of the urban environmental

infrastructure. This study shows that the prevailing infrastructure in the area is

already over-stretched and in bad condition to meet even the present needs. Thus

the project will invest significantly for the improvement of environmental

infrastructure and services in the project area. These investments will benefit notonly the proposed project but also the entire project area and beyond.

Economic feasibility

Total investment will be in the range of 250 million US Dollars (USD). This will be a

significant boost to the national economy. Also significant number of employment

opportunities will be crested by this project both during design/construction and

operation stages. In fact the long-term employment opportunities available as a

result of this project will exceed 1000. This is considering the large work force

required to operate and maintain the facilities created under this project consisting

of over 1000 housing units, 300 rooms hotel, shopping complex etc. Other than the

direct employment there will significant number of indirect employment

opportunities by way of provision of ancillary services.

Technical and Economical aspects

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Skeleton road

Proposed

bridge

Mayura Lane

Old flatsReligious

centers

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Nature of the Project

Havelock City is urban development project based on the

concept of “City within a City”. Accordingly it consists of allfacilities, such as shopping, marketing, recreation and

pleasure, parking and other services required for modern

living. Hotel mainly catering to the needs of businessmen is an

added feature in this development.

Project components and salient features

Havelock City consists of two main components, namely a

residential complex and commercial complex. In addition it will

also include several other facilities to support the needs of the

residents and visitors.

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Residential (Apartment) Complex

Number of Towers 8 (of each with 22-29 storey)

Number of units 1080Car park 1360 slots (floor area: 42,960 m2)

Gross floor area* 170,888 m2

Commercial Complex

Retail Mall 41,460 m2

5-star Hotel 35,160 m2

Cinema (6 Nos) 4,250 m2

Car Park 810 slots (floor area: 27,537 m2)

Gross floor area* 85,259 m2

Other FacilitiesClub house including sports complex

Internal road network including a bridge across the canal connecting to Skeleton

Road (The access to the Skeleton Road is limited to permanent residents of the

apartment complex only).

Project components and salient features

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Constructional Activities

The construction methods will be typical to high rise building construction. In comparison to

building works the other construction activities will be minor in nature. These will include

internal road network, the bridge over the canal connecting the site to Skeleton Road, water and

sewer pipe laying and finishing works. Landscaping is also a key component of the development plan.

Earthwork will range from shallow to deep excavations for construction of apartment car parks

and commercial complex basement. The site was previously used as an industrial site. Therefore

it was fully developed and there is no need for clearing of vegetation.

Project will also invest in upgrading/improvement of the infrastructural facilities in the site area.

These include water supply, sewer network, electricity and roads. The construction work related

to these activities will be carried out by the respective government agencies, such as the

NWSDB. The project proponent) will meet the cost of upgrading.

The project plans to construct a bridge over the canal to link with Skeleton Road. Also a newaccess road via Darmarama Road to Duplication Road is planned. However, the main access to

the site will be through the Havelock Road. The project proponent envisages some improvement

to the Havelock Road in order to facilitate the traffic and avoid congestion. However plan for this

improvement has not yet being developed. The project proponent intends to consult the RDA and

CMC in the future for this purpose.18


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The Construction Management System

Initial capital Investment

Land = Rs. 750 millionEquity = Rs. 1875 million

Total = Rs. 2625 million

Life time of equipment

Not relevant

Operating cost

Not relevant. The construction costs are given below.

Apartment = Rs. 17,198 million

Commercial = Rs. 8,990 million

Total = Rs. 26,188 million

Method of financing

Equity and Land/presales = Rs. 14729 million

Equity contribution for commercial = Rs. 7260 million

Loan facilities = Rs. 4200 million

Total = Rs. 26189 million

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Justification of the project

An idling land of nearly 3000 perches will be put into productive use.

Replacement houses for the occupants of five dilapidated apartment blocks in

the adjoining land. (There is a significant opportunity cost1 in leaving these

prime lands as it is).

Furthermore proposed project will not compromise the environmental and

social assets in the project area. Therefore the “no action” alternative is not an

acceptable option.

1The opportunity cost includes all the forgone benefits of not using this

economic space in the commercial capital, Colombo. Forgone benefits

includes mainly:•Satisfying the housing demand by 1080 dwelling units

• Provision of material and spatial support for investors

•The probable impetus to the local economy

•The foreign investment of US $ 250 million

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Environmental Impacts of Havelock City Project

Construction

stage

Operationalstage

Flora and fauna

Traffic , transport and parking

Water and energy

Waste generation and disposal

Strom water managementRelocation

Work force

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Description of the Existing Environment

Physical Biological Social

•Hydrology and

drainage/surface waterbodies and water quality

• Land use

• Air quality

• Noise

•Flora and Fauna

•Locations of centers of

populations and settlements•Population characteristics

• Available infrastructure

•Housing and sanitation

•Economic activities

•Land value

•Religious and cultural centers

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Physical Environment

The project area falls into western lowlands. The average annual rainfall is

around 2500mm. Most of the rainfall is received from Southwest Monsoon

(May to September). The average annual temperature is about 270C.

The only surface water body is the Wellawatte canal, which was built during

the Dutch period. Canal connects to the Diyawanda Oya and drains to the

sea at Wellawatta, and the water hardly has any use due excessive

pollution.

Storm water drains to canal

Available ground water not good for drinking

H o

r ol o g y e t c

The project area is highly built up area consisting of residential, public,

business and commercial buildings, road network and several

playgrounds. The project site is in mixed commercial land-use zone.

L an d u s e

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UDA Land-use (a) Zones for Colombo City (b) Building densities

(a) (b)

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According to these data the prevailing ambient noise levels

already exceed the standards

N oi s

e

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Biological Environment

Few species of economically important trees were observed in project

area. No endemic or threatened floral species were observed. All

most all faunal species were commonly found in home gardens

F l or a

an d

f a un a

Water hyacinth26


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Social/socio-economic Environment

The social investigation covered the area within half a kilometer from the

project site boundary. Based on the reconnaissance survey carried out by the

sociologist this was determined as the key impact area. Regional and nationalimpacts are positive in nature and thus not considered in detail.

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Anticipated Environmental Impacts (selected)

Construction stage

The construction works that could obstruct the natural drainage pattern ofthe area are earthwork, which include excavation for basements, filling and

excavations of trenches for pipe laying

Dust levels in the ambient air can be raised by almost all construction

activities.

Noise due to construction machinery

However, considering the busy traffic conditions it is possible that large

trucks blocks could block the Havelock Road under following conditions

causing significant congestion

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Operational stage

Impact of additional traffic and related

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Proposed Mitigation methods

Construction stage

Drainage pattern: The project site was once a developed land thus there

are no natural drainage. All man made drainage paths are directed towards the

Wellawatta Canal. The site borders the Wellawatta canal thus existing drainage

paths are very short as well. The construction plans include drainage

management so that runoff will be directed to the canal. Where the construction

work affect existing drains or storm water carrying pipes the contractor will

reroute the storm water through temporary drains. Construction activities willnot upset the natural drainage pattern of the project site.

Dust contro l : paved the internal roads and start spraying water to keep the

exposed soil moist as measures to minimize dust problem

Noise con trol : Quieter equipment, Barrier protection, Work activityscheduling and planning

Traff ic issues: Only use Havelock Road access by construction vehicles,

such as trucks, All construction vehicles shall enter the site coming from

Kirulapona direction and leave in Tibirigasyaya direction

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Operational stage

Traff ic related is sues: Consultants recommend the implementation of four

access points (north, south, west and east). This is vital to minimize the trafficload on Havelock Road.

It is also recommended that walk through access to the apartments through the

Skeleton Road access be available only for the residents. This is in order to

prevent visitors to the apartments parking their vehicles along Skeleton Road.

It is also recommend that the developer plan the Havelock Road access in

consultation with the RDA and CMC taking into account the proposed widening

of the Havelock Road

Consultants recommend that MCL shall further discuss with the Skeleton Road

Residents Association and obtain their confidence with regard to accessconnection to the said road.

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Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation methods for the Social

environment

Positive Impacts

The project area and the vicinity will have an attractive look and it will add

to enhance the significance of land-use in the area.

The project will induce further improvements in the area including

improvements to environmental services and canal will be cleaner than what

it is today.

The improved systems for managing solid waste and wastewater may

establish in the area as a whole.

The access roads in the project impact area will be improved (at least few

sub-roads those may be connected to proposed project site)

The properties, especially land values will go up significantly in the project

impact area.

There will be economic gains to the area and shop keepers expect

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Negative impacts

The negative social impacts of the project are rather minimal. The people

have perception that the project will overload the existing urban services suchas water supply, wastewater disposal, drainage, solid waste disposal and

electricity. This is mainly because their lack of knowledge about the

improvements proposed for the infrastructure facilities under this project. Due

to planned improvement overall improvement to urban services is expected

for the entire area. It is important that developer carry out a public awareness

building in the project impact area.

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Terrestrial ecology of the proposed project area is already permanently

disturbed. Wellawatta Canal is the main aquatic habitats present in the

project area, which is highly polluted and highly disturbed. The land

used for construction of Hotel and Housing Complex is an abandoned

factory. There is no presence of endangered or threatened animalspecies or significantly important plants in the proposed project site.

Therefore it can be concluded that the impact of the project on the fauna

and flora as none. Furthermore, most of the faunal species recorded are

highly mobile species with the ability to survive under disturbed

conditions and thus it is unlikely that the proposed project will affecttheir populations in an adverse manner .

Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation methods for the

Biological environment

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EIA reports not only assess environmental impacts and

propose mitigation methods, also it gives an environmental

monitoring program as well. It includes;

System of Checking the anticipated impacts and how the

developer addressing them in the context of mitigatory

methods.Institutional arrangement

Reporting procedure

Expertise required etc

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References:

EIA report for the Havelock city mixed development project,

prepared by EML consultants in September 2006.

Team members of the EIA

•Mr. A. Jayathilake

•E. Sivasudhan

•Dr V.K Siriwardhena (team leader)

•Mr K Jinapala

•Dr P.M.C Bandara

•Dr K. Weerasekara

•Eng. P.I.A. Gomes

•Ms. Shanthi Dharmawardhana.

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