2 environmental assessment report - തദ്ദേശ...

Environmental Assessment Report Kerala Local Government Strengthening Project

2

EEEXXXEEECCCUUUTTTIIIVVVEEE SSSUUUMMMMMMAAARRRYYY

Chapter 1 Introduction

Suchitwa Mission, Thiruvananthapuram

3

CCChhhaaapppttteeerrr 111

IIInnntttrrroooddduuuccctttiiiooonnn

erala embarked on a trajectory of rapid decentralization since October 1995. The State

has moved ahead at good pace by transferring not only functions and responsibilities but

also the authority to three tier Local Governments for carrying them out along with

resources, both human and financial. The decentralization and strengthening of Local

Governments has very high potential for achieving effective and efficient governance,

especially in delivering minimum needs, public services and poverty alleviation. As the

decentralization movement in Kerala enters into its second decade, the GoK is keen to move

forward on the next phase of institutionalizing local self-governments. The Kerala Local

Government and Service Delivery Project (KLGSP) has been mooted by the Government of

Kerala with the basic objective of strengthening local government finances, administrative and

management systems and quality of service delivery of local governments. It is seeking to

partner with the World Bank in its endeavour to launch and implement this project. This report

pertains to the Environmental and Social Assessment (ESA) of this proposed project, which is a

mandatory condition for any World Bank funding.

111...111 DDDeeeccceeennntttrrraaallliiizzzaaatttiiiooonnn iiinnn KKKeeerrraaalllaaa

The Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, was brought into effect in 1994. This Act was basically a

mixture of the provisions of the old Kerala Panchayat Act and the provisions of the

Constitution. The significant feature was the provision that the Government shall, after the

commencement of the Act, transfer to PRIs all institutions, schemes, buildings and other

properties connected with the subjects listed in the respective schedules dealing with these

functions. A detailed account of Kerala’s decentralization is given in Annexure I.

The first elections to the three-tier Panchayat Raj set up were held in September 1995 and the

Panchayats came into being on the 2nd of October. A significant event was the issue of a

comprehensive government order in September 1995, transferring various institutions and staff

to the three tier PRIs. Another noteworthy event was the budget of 1996 which had a separate

document known, which detailed the grants-in-aid, and the schemes transferred to the local

bodies. Thus, the allocation for the local bodies was seen as an independent subset of the

State Budget giving it the stamp of legislative approval and protecting it from the vagaries of

executive decision-making. The Government, on 17th of August, 1996, launched the People's

Planning Campaign spearheaded by the State Planning Board in partnership with the

Department of Local Administration (now appropriately renamed as the Department of Local

Self Government), with the full association of political parties, non-government organizations,

professionals and elected members. This was to harness public action for participatory

planning at the grass roots level and to create a favourable environment for genuine

decentralisation and powerful demand for radical reform in the legislative, administrative and

developmental systems. It helped to formalize and institutionalise the paradigm shift to a

people-centered, bottom-up approach to planning and development giving a direct and

KK


4

continuing role to the people. Simultaneously the Committee on Decentralization of Powers

under the late Dr. S. B. Sen, laid down clear and coherent first principles and recommended

basic restructuring of laws of local government. These recommendations were incorporated

into the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act in February 1999, providing the legal foundation for healthy

and accountable institutions, the local governments.

1.1.1 Features of Panchayati Raj in Kerala

There are certain peculiar Socio-political features with respect to the Panchayati Raj in

Kerala.

Large size of the Grama Panchayats (999 Nos) providing the natural “right size” for several

development services, especially viable service areas for PHCs, Veterinary Hospitals, Krishi

Bhavans and so on.

Large size limiting the direct participation by people only at the ward level, i.e., the

constituency of a Grama Panchayat Member.

Difficulty of earmarking exclusive functions for Block Panchayats (152 Nos.) which they

alone can perform better than others due to the large Grama Panchayats and relatively

compact Districts (14 Nos).

Rural-urban continuum, existing in the settlement pattern in Kerala.

Influence of the political milieu, leading to elections on party basis and polarization in the

political composition of local governments. This had led to the policy decision to treat PRIs

as non-hierarchical, i.e., the District Panchayat has no control over Block or Village

Panchayats.

Decentralization in Kerala is marked by a rare clarity of vision about the nature of local

governments and the process of empowering them. This vision is best captured in the words of

the Committee on Decentralization of Powers:

“Local Self-Government (LSG) is essentially the empowerment of the people by giving them

not only the voice, but the power of choice as well in order to shape the development which

they feel is appropriate to their situation. It implies maximum decentralization of powers to

enable the elected bodies to function as autonomous units with adequate power, authority and

resources to discharge the basic responsibility of bringing about "economic development and

social justice". It is not enough to formally transfer powers and responsibilities to the Local

Self Government Institutions (LSGIs). They have to be vested with the authority to exercise

them fully, which requires concordant changes not only in the appropriate rules, manuals,

government orders and circulars governing development administration, but also in the

conventions, practices and even, the value premises of the governmental agencies. De-

centralization does not mean just de-concentration where a subordinate is allowed to act on

behalf of the superior without any real transfer of authority, or delegation where powers are

formally conferred on a subordinate without any real transfer or authority. It implies

devolution where real power and authority are transferred to enable autonomous functioning

with the defined areas.



5

1.1.2 Empowering of Local Governments

The transfer of functions and powers to the LSGIs and their exercise by them are governed by

the following basic principles:

i. Autonomy, basically functional, financial and administrative autonomy

ii. Subsidiarity, transferring functions and powers from the level of the Grama Sabhas and

Wards Committees and go to the higher level up to the Union Government.

iii. Role clarity, calling for clear perception of role in the developmental process with

unity of vision and diversity of means.

iv. Complimentarity, related to the principle of role-clarity, consistent with local needs

and priorities and convergence into an integrated local plan.

v. Uniformity, implying the norms and criteria for selection of beneficiaries and sites or

prioritization of activities and pattern of assistance within a given LSGI

vi. People's participation, involving the people fully by empowering them to take their own

decisions after analyzing the situation.

vii. Accountability, to the people within their jurisdiction and in certain respects, to the

whole nation to be ensured through social audit of the performance of the LSGIs and

objective audit both concurrent and post-facto.

viii. Transparency, ensuring decisions based on norms and criteria evolved on the basis of

social consensus and rationale of the decision

1.1.3 Objectives of Decentralisation

The following objectives are for decentralization in Kerala.

1. To improve the quality of investment by allocating resources for priorities fixed by the

local people.

2. To facilitate emergence of local solutions to developmental problems through improved

planning, better implementation, use of traditional knowledge and appropriate technology.

3. To exploit local production possibilities.

4. To enable people's participation leading to better vigil in execution of schemes followed up

with better upkeep of assets.

5. To provide the enabling environment for people to make contributions in kind and cash for

development programmes identified by them for priority action.

6. To bring about a convergence of resources and services to tackle development problems

with greater vigour.

7. To unleash public action resulting in a demand led improvement in the delivery of

developmental and welfare services.

1.1.4 Institutions of Local Government

The Kerala Panchayat Raj Act particularly through the amendments brought about in 1999 has

several innovative features laying a strong legal foundation for building up strong local self

government institutions. The salient features are described below:

Grama Sabha, equated with the electoral constituency of a Village Panchayat Member, as

all the electors of the Ward are members of the Grama Sabha.


6

Standing Committee System, every elected Member of the Local Government gets a chance

to function in one Standing Committee or the other.

Control by Government, limiting to general guidelines and intervention only through a

process and in consultation with the Ombudsman or Appellate Tribunal

Setting up of independent institutions, to reduce governmental control and foster the

concept of self government such as

The State Election Commission.

The Finance Commission.

Ombudsman for Local Governments

Appellate Tribunals

Audit Commission

State Development Council

The powers and responsibilities of the Grama Sabha as defined in the Act are given in Annexure

II.

1.1.5 Decentralised planning Process

The decentralised local level planning has been used as the engine for harnessing public action

in favour of decentralisation. In order to shake the system and force the process, a campaign

approach has been followed. This campaign has succeeded in setting the agenda for

decentralised development. The salient features of the campaign methodology are described

in Annexure III, stage by stage.

1.1.6 Finances of PRIs

The first State Finance Commission, constituted in May 1994, analysed the resource

mobilisation aspect in local governments and suggested fundamental changes to ensure

rationalisation and control tax evasion. Though the Finance Commission recommended one per

cent of the net revenue of the State to be devolved to local governments, the Government

went far beyond and decided to devolve 35 to 40% of the Plan Funds to local governments

Only the Grama Panchayats and Municipalities are given the power of taxation. The

establishment cost of Block and District Panchayats are met by a non-plan grant-in-aid from

Government. The major taxes levied by Village Panchayats are Property Tax, Profession Tax,

Entertainment Tax and Advertisement Tax, the last one practically not exploited. The assigned

taxes by the State Government consist of Land Revenue and Surcharge on Stamp Duty and the

shared tax is the Motor Vehicle Tax. The Kerala Panchayat Raj Act provides for levy of user

charges and also availing of institutional finance by Panchayat Raj Institutions.

1.1.7 Performance Assessment

Decentralization has had several positive spin-offs. They are summarized below:

1. The formula based devolution of funds has ensured that funds have flowed to every nook

and corner of the State including the hitherto outlying and backward areas, facilitating

public investment.



7

2. The cornerstone of Kerala’s decentralization has been people’s participation. The

processes have been designed to facilitate intervention by the interested citizen at all

stages of the development process right from generation of developmental ideas through

project planning, project implementation, up to monitoring.

3. Decentralization has resulted in better targeting especially in the case of individual

benefits by insisting on a due process in the selection of beneficiaries. The quality of

identification has certainly improved.

4. Decentralization has opened up opportunities for wide ranging reforms. Already right to

information, prescription of dire process in giving of benefits, outsourcing of technical

services, community management of assets and simplification of procedures have taken

place. More reforms in the form of independent regulatory institutions, improved

management systems both financial and administrative, enhanced accountability

mechanisms etc., are in the offing.

5. Evolved an organic relationship between transferred departments and local governments

and bring in role clarity.

6. Launched a comprehensive capacity building programme going beyond plan formulation

and implementation and stressing management, governance and long term development

issues

7. In development matters local governments have significant achievements. The important

ones are:

As is evident from the performance, local governments have done well in provision of

minimum needs infrastructure both to households as well as to communities. This is

particularly true of housing, sanitation, water supply, infrastructure of hospitals and

schools and connectivity.

The introduction of the mandatory Women Component Plan has been a path breaker.

Local governments have gradually matured in their planning for gender sensitive

schemes. Earmarking of 10% of the plan outlay for women has helped considerably the

disadvantaged groups among women like widows, and has improved the provision of

services which are of direct benefit to women. The local governments have to be

further guided to improve the quality of planning to engender it fully.

Local government plans have shown a strong anti-poverty bias. More funds have flown

to families below poverty line through local governments than would normally have

been.

Local governments have evolved good models in water supply, improvement of quality

of education, improving agriculture productivity, etc. They have generally shown a

preference for affordable technologies and appropriate solutions. There have been

some positive steps in areas like integrated natural resource management

Certain innovations have been introduced in the planning methodology to make it more

participatory and quality oriented. They include, preparation of a Vision document by a

Working Group consisting of Experts drawn from among elected members, practitioners,

officials, academicians and activists. The functions of this Working Group are:


8

o Analysis of the development sector(s)/area(s) assigned to it.

o Evaluation of the performance during the last five years.

o Identification of existing problems, gaps, needs, possibilities.

o Generation of a shared vision on the development of the sector(s)/area(s)

o Suggesting an action plan to realize the vision with priorities and reasons for the

priority.

o Preparation of draft projects to implement the action plan.

o Identification of spillover projects.

o Updation of development reports.

o Monitoring of projects every quarter.

o Any other task assigned by the DPC or local government

111...222 EEEnnnvvviiirrrooonnnmmmeeennnttt rrreeelllaaattteeeddd FFFuuunnnccctttiiiooonnnsss aaannnddd RRReeessspppooonnnsssiiibbbiiillliiitttiiieeesss ooofff LLLooocccaaalll

GGGooovvveeerrrnnnmmmeeennntttsss

Conservation and protection of the environment have been an inseparable part of Indian

heritage and culture. Realizing its importance, necessary amendments have been made in the

Indian Constitution from time to time. The incorporation of the Part IX and IX A in the

Constitution of India, made through 73rd and 74th Amendment in 1992, enabled the Grama

Panchayats and Municipalities to perform functions related to environmental management.

Therefore, the Grama Panchayats are assigned with functions as much as 29 subjects, in the

Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution. Among the 29 subjects, the following are related to

environment management.

1. Agriculture including agriculture extension.

2. Land improvement, implementation of land reforms, land consolidation and soil

conservation.

3. Minor irrigation, water management and watershed development.

6. Social forestry and farm forestry

11. Drinking water

15. Non-conventional energy sources

23. Health and sanitation, including hospitals, primary health centers and dispensaries.

Addition of part IX A through amendment in the Indian Constitution, the following subjects

related to environment management in the 12th schedule of the Constitution have also been

added as functions of Municipalities.

1. Urban planning including town planning

2. Regulation of land-use and construction of buildings

3. Water supply for domestic, industrial and commercial and solid waste management.

4. Public health, sanitation conservancy and solid waste management.

5. Urban forestry, protection of the environment and promotion of ecological aspects.

7. Provision of urban amenities and facilities such as parks, gardens, playgrounds.

9. Regulation of slaughterhouse and tanners



9

Therefore, the Local Governments have significant role in environment management.

The level of awareness regarding environmental issues is high in Kerala and therefore,

Government of Kerala could undertake several programs and initiatives having linkage to

environmental management and sustainable development. For example:

The Panchayat Level Resource Mapping Programme, as a tool for environmental appraisal

of resources and natural resource based planning at the village level and for realizing the

goal of spatial planning.

The state wide campaign of preparing Watershed based Development Master Plan at the

Block Panchayat Level (1990, 1998), as a tool for institutionalizing decentralized planning

based on geohydrological unit.

The Kerala Total Sanitation and Health Mission (1999) for coordinating sanitation campaign

in the state leading to almost 97% of the villages achieving Open Defecation Free status, a

success story of the Total Sanitation Campaign of Government of India.

The Clean Kerala Mission (2003) for enabling the urban and rural local bodies to establish

integrated municipal solid waste management system.

The Suchitwa (Sanitation) Mission (2003) for proving advisory support to the state

government and handholding support to the local governments in the form of enabler in all

respects (capacity building, project formulation, regulatory advice, top-up grant,

technology provider etc) for achieving improved output in all sanitation components and

sustainable outcome in the health and environmental aspects.

Though many of the known functions and activities, normally undertaken by the PRI

institutions as part of their routine business, are examined implicitly for their likely impact on

environment, there are no concrete or physically well defined procedure for explicit

assessment.

111...333 NNNaaatttuuurrraaalll RRReeesssooouuurrrccceeesss MMMaaannnaaagggeeemmmeeennnttt aaannnddd LLLooocccaaalll GGGooovvveeerrrnnnmmmeeennntttsss

Natural Resources like land, water and biomass are fundamental factors that have a bearing

on the livelihoods of the rural poor. Attempts by Local Governments to integrated natural

resource management began in the Ninth Plan with the initiative for Block level Watershed

Master Plan preparation. With the introduction of NREGA, Local Governments have embarked

upon a trajectory of community based integrated natural resource management. The focus of

the works permitted by the Act is on development of natural resources particularly land, water

and biomass that would help in addressing drought, deforestation and soil erosion. A large

majority of NREGA workers reside in areas where protective and restorative measures are

urgently needed. The complementarity of NREGA would provide the much needed fillip to

watershed development programmes of Local Governments.

Government of Kerala have decided that core objectives of the People’s Plan component of

Eleventh Plan would be revitalization of agriculture and promotion of local economic


10

development along with improvement of public services with focus on the poor. The

methodology aims at improving the quality of planning and preparing District Plans, with

enhanced participation of the people and support of professionals. The core of the new

methodology would be preparation of integrated Watershed Management plans, following the

principles of iterative, multilevel planning, with local watershed plans being prepared with a

full understanding of the River Basin issues and being organically merged to form a River Basin

Management plan. This process will be highly participatory, involving agricultural workers,

farmers, all those dependant on natural resources and farm produce for their livelihood, and

officials, professionals and activists concerned. The outputs would be implementable action

plans for increasing production and productivity in agriculture and other allied sectors. The

outcomes are expected to be progressive restoration of water- land- biomass balance and

improved livelihood opportunities based on sustainable natural resources management. In

order to make this happen conservation activities like afforestation, biomass development,

soil and water conservation, water resource development and promotion of sustainable income

generation activities would have to be attempted through community based organizations,

ensuring micro watershed based governance of resources.

One of the objectives of decentralisation is to increase public participation in decision making.

Public participation coupled with locally accountable people’s representatives will increase

efficiency and equity in the use of natural resources. Sustainable systems of natural resource

management would require community participation in the planning and implementation of

natural resource development programmes and the management of these resources. This

would be critical to build ownership and participation of the local community in the whole

process. Local Governments are ideally placed to bring about this transformation in the local

development paradigm.

Experience of decentralization shows that it is easier to sensitize Local Governments to the

subtle links that exist between natural resources within a natural boundary called watershed.

Local Governments have greater potential than line departments to push integrated natural

resource management approach because of their effectiveness in:

a) Empowering stakeholders

b) Resolving conflicting interests of stakeholders

c) Fostering adaptive management capacity

d) Adopting inter-disciplinary solutions to developmental issues

e) People’s participation

The Local Governments have specific role, especially in the areas of sustainable management

of resources, land use, conservation of water, waste management, health and sanitation and

environment protection. At present the Local Governments are in general utilizing the

expertise and services available in various state Govt. agencies for the delivery of those

functioning. The Local Governments have been so far successful in addressing some specific

areas of environment management like solid waste management, slaughter house, public

health and sanitation including managing of hospitals, using their own resources or mobilizing



11

external support. Only very limited service are being rendered by Local Governments in the

areas of water conservation and environmental protection. Strengthening of activities in the

areas of land use, agriculture and social forestry, drinking water etc. is also crucial.

Local Governments can play significant role in conserving natural resources, maintaining micro

environment prevailing in the area, conservation of water bodies, rain water harvesting etc.

The Local Governments can play a role by coordinating the services / activities of relevant

State Government agencies and ensure a holistic approach for protection of environment. Also

the three tier system of Local Governments can be used effectively for bringing in a regional

perspective in the planning process, especially in issues related to natural resource

management and watershed management. Local Governments thus should play a more

proactive role in bringing in sectoral and regional convergence in development interventions.

111...444 EEEnnnvvviiirrrooonnnmmmeeennntttaaalll CCCaaapppaaaccciiitttyyy BBBuuuiiillldddiiinnnggg ooofff LLLooocccaaalll GGGooovvveeerrrnnnmmmeeennntttsss iiinnn KKKeeerrraaalllaaa ---

PPPrrreeevvviiiooouuusss AAAtttttteeemmmppptttsss

Democratic decentralization and participatory planning initiated in Kerala during the last one

and a half decade has been made significant efforts to bring the issue of natural resource and

environment management in the development politics of the state. The People’s Planning

Campaign realized the importance of natural resources and environment management for

sustainable development of the state and for strengthening the primary production sectors and

promoting livelihood of the poor and the deprived sections of the society. In order to facilitate

this, massive efforts was taken for capacity building of different local government

functionaries. The training programmes for local plan formulation included:

Need Identification Phase (Grama Sabha)

Prioritization Phase (Development Seminar)

Projectization Phase (Working Groups)

Plan Formulation Phase (Elected Council)

Plan Appraisal Phase (Technical Advisory Group)

Plan Approval Phase (District Planning Committee)

Natural resource and environment management and sustainable development was one of the

topics in the generic training module on local plan formulation for all the stakeholders of local

governance. In the designing and implementing the training module on natural resources and

environment the support of the state level scientific, environment and training institutions

like, the Centre of Earth Science Studies ( CESS), Centre for Water Resources Development

and Management ( CWRDM )Kerala Agriculture University ( KAU), State Institute of Rural

Development (SIRD) and institutions managed by NGOs like, Integrated Rural Technology

Centre ( IRTC), Peerumedu Development Society(PDS), Malanadu Development Society ( MDS)

have been utilized by the State Planning Board.

As a result of the massive capacity building exercise during the People’s Plan Campaign,

massive awareness to the different functionaries of local governments was created in the

following subject areas:


12

Sustainable Development and Environment Management

Agriculture Development and Enhancing Food Production

Sanitation and Solid Waste Management

Sanitation and Water Management

Watershed Development and Strengthening Rural Livelihood

Environment Impact Assessment and Formulation of Development Projects

In order to bring in more focus on the issue of natural resources and environment management

in development planning and to engage the community in the local level planning and

implementation of local plans with implicit objective of sustainable development, new

initiatives for capacity building was made by the state Planning Board during the close of the

Ninth Plan period. Efforts have been made for organizing special Grama Sabhas for discussing

issues related to watershed development and natural resource management. Local

governments prepared baseline documents and discussion notes on issues related to watershed

management and presented in Grama Sabha meetings. Grama Sabha meetings attended by

common people delineated micro watersheds and discussed, in detail, the issues related to

depletion of natural resources and management of environment.

Specific training programmes have been designed and implemented for the Block Level

Watershed Committee members and the elected representatives and officers of different line

departments transferred to local governments. This was to develop master plan for watershed

based development by the Block Panchayats with a regional development perspective. The

core subject areas of the training programme were:

Basic concept of watershed development and natural resource management

Identification and delineation of micro watersheds

PRA Techniques for assessing the watershed development and natural resources

management issues

Preparation of Baseline report on natural resources and environment

Preparation of Watershed Status Report: Structure and Methodology

During the Tenth Plan period, efforts have been made for institutionalizing the capacity

building interventions. In order to facilitate this, appropriate manuals and guidelines have

been prepared on various aspects of natural resources management, environmental

assessment, sanitation etc as part of the Decentralization Support Programme (DSP). Efforts

have also been made by the Government of Kerala to forge linkages between scientific

institutions and local governments for improved capacity building and handholding support.

The important constraints and limitations of the capacity building efforts for natural resources

and environment for local governments during the Ninth and Tenth Plan period are listed

below:



13

Lack of policy and legal framework for intervention of local government in natural

resources and environment management

Capacity gaps of elected representatives and officials of local governments was not

scientifically assessed and training was not properly designed

Scope and importance of sustainable development was not explicitly incorporated in the

training modules

No separate working group at the local level for watershed development and natural

resources management

Lack of comprehension on the concept and methodology of integration of different

development sectors with an overall objective of sustainable development

Lack of capacity of the plan appraisal team to assess the environmental impact of different

development projects and effective tools and techniques for doing environmental

assessment

Inadequacy of appropriate Environmental Management Framework.

111...555 KKKeeerrraaalllaaa LLLooocccaaalll GGGooovvveeerrrnnnmmmeeennnttt aaannnddd SSSeeerrrvvviiiccceee DDDeeellliiivvveeerrryyy PPPrrrooojjjeeecccttt (((KKKLLLGGGSSSPPP))) –––

aaannn OOOvvveeerrrvvviiieeewww

The objective of this project is to enhance and strengthen the institutional capacities of local

governments in Kerala to deliver services and undertake their basic administrative and

governance functions effectively. Direct beneficiaries of the project will be the 978 GPs and

60 Municipalities in the State of Kerala. Investments made by the GPs and Municipalities will

indirectly benefit the entire population (29.5 million) of the State of Kerala.

The project will have four components with an estimated cost of US$338.4 million. A brief

description of the project components is described below.

Component 1: Performance Grants. This component will phase in an annual, performance-

based grant to all GPs and Municipalities in Kerala. The grant will be spent on both the

creation and maintenance of capital assets used in service delivery. The overall goal is to

improve GP and municipal performance in local governance and public service delivery.

Allocation of this grant to the local government will be based on performance which will be

determined through an Annual Performance Assessment exercise taken up under the project.

Component 2: Capacity Building. This component will provide capacity building inputs to

strengthen and supplement the existing systems and human resource of municipalities and GPs

to enhance their institutional performance. The focus will be in four core areas:

(i) Development and improvement of administrative systems used by LSGs;

(ii) Strengthening of capacities of LSGs personnel using these systems;

(iii) Mentoring directed at human resource capacity improvement and supplementation; and

(iv) Strengthening of the overall institutional capacities of the key organizations responsible for delivering LSG training in Kerala.


14

Component 3: Enhancing State Monitoring of the Local Government System. This component

will provide support to strengthen the system of performance monitoring of GPs and

municipalities in Kerala. This component will comprise four sub-components:

a. Establishment of a database of GP and municipal information.

b. LSG Service Delivery Survey.

c. Project Evaluations.

d. Establishment of a Decentralization Analysis Cell (DAC).

Component 4: Project Management: This component will provide support to the Project

Management Unit (PMU) within the LSGD in overall coordination, implementation, monitoring

and evaluation of the project.

111...666 CCCooonnnttteeexxxttt ooofff ttthhheee EEESSSAAA

The project has been classified under category B as per World Bank norms. This mandates the

preparation of an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) as a necessary

procedural requirement for project appraisal and adherence / compliance to the ESMF during

project implementation, a vital performance criterion.

Incidentally, the incorporation of the Part IX and IX A in the Constitution of India, made

through 73rd and 74th Amendment in 1992, has also integrated ample provisions entrusting the

Grama Panchayats and Municipalities to perform functions related to E&S management.

Sustainable systems of natural resource management would require community participation in

the planning and implementation of natural resource development programmes and the

management of these resources. Local Governments are ideally placed to bring about this

transformation in the local development paradigm. Even in this context, the ESMF will be a

suitably relevant tool placed in the hands of local governments as it will empower them to

manage E&S issues arising out of their own decisions and plans.

Given the inherent nature of the project goals, there are no concrete or physically well

defined interventions proposed, which could be examined or assessed for likely environmental

and social (E&S) impacts in order to develop an ESMF. However, many of the known functions

and activities normally undertaken by the PRIs as a matter of routine can be examined.

The ESA and ESMF developed for this project shall have the following components:

An in-depth understanding of the functioning of the local government including

functions, authority, roles and responsibilities at various levels.

A detailed study and analysis of the existing State and Central legislation pertaining to

activities and functions assigned to local governments;



15

An ESMF that identifies / recognizes possible E&S impacts of typical local government

functions or interventions, recognizes the likely impacts and enables the users to take

decisions that appropriately mitigate the same.

An Institutional Plan that specifies roles and responsibilities various players along the

LSG hierarchy have to perform / bear with respect to grant of E&S approval to any

proposed LSG activity.

A Capacity Building Plan that strives to build the capacity of different stakeholders to

mainstream E&S compliance in their day-to-day functioning.

An appropriate monitoring mechanism to track the implementation of the EMF.

2 environmental assessment report - തദ്ദേശ...

Documents