Tag Archives: ADB

BRT’s Environmental, Healthcare compliance ‘Unsatisfactory’

on 29/05/2018

Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Environmental Monitoring Report has declared unsatisfactory the project`s environmental, healthcare and safety compliance during the first two months ending on Dec 31, 2017.

These endings are contained in a 41-page Environmental Monitoring Report and a 70-page annexure looking into potential and actual environmental, health and safety hazards and their risks and mitigation measures has been prepared by the MM Pakistan for the executing agency, Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), and donor ADB.

The report noted that the contractor had been strongly advised to remove all deficiencies and gaps in the implementation arrangements for the environmental, health and safety requirements.

It said the Project Management Construction Supervision Consultants` (PMCSC) environment, health and safety management teams were constantly pushing contractors for the resolution of prevailing environmental issues such as high levels of dust along the project corridor, presence of debris/excavated material along the project corridor, traffic congestion due to construction activities and other relevant issues related to the campsites.The report said keeping in view the fact that the project was being executed in a highly-urbanized environment, it was expected that the environmental issues related with dust emissions and excavated material would continue to arise.`However, all efforts shall be made for the minimization of these impacts in light of the project`s Environmental Management Plan (EMP),’ it said.

The report identified high level of dust, traffic congestion and need of taking health, safety and environment (HSE) related measures along the BRT corridor and noted the corrective measures had been taken to address them.`The construction of the project is in progress on a fast track basis and the general HSE conditions at the project have so far been unsatisfactory,` it said.The report said both the contractor and the PSCMC had deployed 111 HSE staff members for the project.

It included a detailed independent environmental monitoring through a third-party laboratory to check air quality, noise, drinking water and in house environmental monitoring through handheld devices at specific locations along the corridor.The report said since most of the material generated from the Reach-H corridor was earthen material, which was being generated due to the excessive piling activities.It said the material had a high demand and that it was sold to third party contractors.The report said the disposal of excavated material at unauthorized and random locations had been observed along the project corridor and the Reach-H corridor remained most affected due to the practice.

The report said the records provided by the PDA showed that it was only the civic agency, which had felled trees for the project, and that the contractor didn`t chop down any tree. Around 26,500 small and large trees have been cut down or uprooted and that majority of them have been replanted at different locations of the city, it said.The report said major sources of dust production along the BRT Corridor included the movement of traffic at unpaved sections of the corridor, haulage of earth material, presence of dry excavated material at the roadsides, and construction machinery`s movement at the drainage work construction areas along the corridor.

The environmental inspection checklists contained in the annexure for Reach-I said the stored material or spoil heaps could contribute to dust production.The checklists also pointed out that there were no proper drainage and sewerage system for storm water; waste bins were not available at sites in adequate number. They also pointed out spillage of oil and other hazardous chemicals on the soft ground.The checklists also mentioned similar omission for construction sites in all three reaches, batching plants, residential camps and workshops.

When contacted, PDA director general Israrul Haq said considerable HSE improvements had been made. He said the standards mentioned in the report were of international level and in many instances, workers in Peshawar didn`t follow such standards but even then, they were trying to implement them.

NDRMF gets US$25 million

on 01/03/2017

The ECC has approved the allocation of $25 million equivalent of funds for the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF). The Economic Affairs Division (EAD) has set up the fund to have a government-owned sustainable mechanism to support disaster risk financing instruments that can enhance the country’s resilience to natural calamities. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has shown an indicative assistance of $1.2bn as loan for this fund. The EAD and ADB had signed a loan agreement for $200 million in December 2016 as the first tranche against the total amount. The ECC also approved a grant of Rs12m as equity share of the government of Pakistan to clear liabilities and financial obligations to facilitate the wind-up process of Pakistan Textile City Limited.

Pakistan may overcome load shedding by 2018ADB expresses satisfaction with govt power policy

on 01/03/2017

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has expressed its hope that Pakistan would be able to overcome load shedding by 2018—A claim made by the government and yet many people are not sure about it. The bank, however, seems satisfied about government’s power policy. ADB Country Head Werner E Liepach who talked to a group of journalists said he was hopeful that Pakistan could end load shedding by 2018 provided the government continued its effort to achieve the goal. Werner E Liepach’s remarks have bolstered the image of the government as regards its promises to eliminate load-shedding. The ADB official sees things were moving in the right direction saying the capacity has increased and thus conditions have improved over the past few years. The bank, however, supported independent regulatory regime unlike the government which has put regulatory bodies under its control. He said the NEPRA was still independent in its decisions and an effective, efficient and independent regulatory regime helped the end consumer. The ADB has approved US$3 billion for the energy sector. The bank is providing $400 million for smart metering, which would improve efficiency of the companies. On privatisation of the DisCos, he said the ADB had asked for privatisation as it would increase efficiency, help reduce the circular debt and bring investment.