Adverse Impacts

There are a number of significant adverse environmental impacts that are likely to result from developing this railway project and its subsequent operation. These are summarised as follows, together with proposed mitigation measures:‐

• Soil erosion, compaction and pollution resulting from land clearing and grubbing, extraction of construction materials, compaction by heavy equipment, use of detours and access roads, and spillage of hazardous substances like fuel and oils. The potential impacts can be minimized by limiting land clearing to the imperative area for the project, applying half‐way construction method, adjusting the railway construction for the dry season, lining the side and diversion drains with existing or potential gully erosion, establishing vegetation or grasses on ground surfaces exposed to water or wind erosion, and restoring borrow pits, detours and access roads when construction is completed.

• Negative visual impacts/landscape quality emanating from clearance of vegetation, exploitation of quarries and borrow pits, and side‐tipping of spoil materials from road cuts. This impact can be mitigated through stockpiling spoil/excess materials at proper sites and utilising them in back‐filling of quarries or borrow pits, and restoration of borrow pits and quarries through back‐filling, landscaping and by re‐establishing vegetation cover.

• Impacts on water resources including sedimentation and water pollution as a result of excavation for foundation of culverts, spillage of hazardous substances, and conflicts over water with existing users. Recommended mitigation measures include carrying out cross‐ drainage works during the dry season, proper storage and handling of hazardous substances, and developing water supply sources for the construction works and the campsite requirements.

• Air and noise pollution stemming from dust, exhaust emissions and noise generated during the earth moving activities, hauling of construction materials, and aggregate production. Those potential impacts can be reduced by restricting traffic speeds and regular watering of detours and other active construction sites, regular and effective maintenance of construction equipment and vehicles, and locating contractor’s site establishments away from sensitive receptors like villages & towns, water sources, schools, health units and religious sites etc.

• Deforestation/damages of natural vegetation caused by vegetation clearance during widening of the road, construction of detour roads, exploitation of material sources and contractor’s site establishments (campsites, aggregate production & asphalt mixing plants). The potential impacts can be minimized through application of half‐way construction method, careful siting of material sources & contractor’s site facilities by strictly avoiding forest lands & dense woodlands, replanting areas affected by temporary uses like borrow sites, campsites & access roads, and prohibiting cutting of vegetation by the construction workforce.

• Impact on wildlife related to increased disturbance of habitats, disruption of wildlife movements across the railway project, and increased animal fatalities mainly in relation to extraction and haulage of construction materials, execution of construction works, increasing of traffic volume and speed (during operation phase), and obstructions caused by the sections in high fill. The impacts can be minimized through avoidance of locating quarry & borrow sites and contractor’s site facilities in major wildlife areas. Formal surveys of endangered species will be undertaken during full EIA studies.

• Increased risks of accidents to pedestrians or railway sides communities, domestic
animals and wildlife mainly in relation to increased train traffic volume and speed during
the operation period. Potential impacts can be reduced by establishing traffic
management plan that includes erecting clearly visible warning signs; reducing dust levels
by suitable palliative measures; raising the awareness of workers towards safety and
health issues and provision of protective clothing for workers; and provision of health
education on how to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and provision
of protectives like condoms.

Most of these potential impacts will be temporary and reversible nature as they result from earthwork activities, operation of construction equipment and vehicles, extraction and hauling of materials, processing and storage of construction materials, and establishment and operation contractor’s site facilities. However, some impacts will be permanent mainly related to operation of the road.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20