Bangladesh - Asian Development Bank

Semi-annual Social Monitoring Report

Project No. 49423-005 December 2019

Bangladesh: Bangladesh Power SystemEnhancement and Efficiency Improvement

Project: UP-GRADATION, REHABILITATION, AND INTENSIFICATION OF

DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (DMCS & RRKB DIVISIONS)

This Semi-annual Social Monitoring Report is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein

do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be

preliminary in nature.

In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or

reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does

not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area.

Social Safeguard Monitoring Report (Revised)

Reporting Period Date

: July 2019 to December 2019 : December 2019

Bangladesh Power System Enhancement and Efficiency Improvement Project

UP-GRADATION, REHABILITATION, AND INTENSIFICATION OF DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (DMCS & RRKB DIVISIONS)

ADB Loan No. 3522-BAN

Prepared by the PIU, URIDS of Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board for the Asian Development Bank

1

Project Name: UP-GRADATION, REHABILITATION, AND INTENSIFICATION OF DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (DMCS & RRKB DIVISIONS)

Contract Number: BREB/URIDS (DMCS)/URIDS (E) –S-45/2017-2018

Project Number: 5060130

Report Number: SEMI-ANNUAL SOCIAL SAFEGUARD MONITORING REPORT FROM JULYTO DECEMBER 2019.

REVIEW HISTORY

Revision #

Date Prepared by Reviewed by Approved for Issue by

Draft 15.01.2020 Kamrul Hasan Bhuiyan, Safeguards Specialist (National)

Jayadun De Mel, Team Leader; Md. Emran Ali, Deputy Team Leader; Md. Ghulam Faruque Chowdhury, Power Distribution Engineering Specialist, and Mehedi Emon, Environment Specialist (International)

SMEC Company Details

SMEC International Pty. Ltd.

SMEC URIDS Project Office:

House 526, Lane 10, Flat A3, DOHS Baridhara, Dhaka 1206, Bangladesh

Tel: +880 2841 3571 Fax: +880 2841 6368

Email: [email protected] Website: www.smec.com

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.smec.com/

2

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ACRE Area Coverage Rural Electrification

ADB Asian Development Bank

AIDS Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

BDT Bangladeshi Taka

BREB Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board

DCP Disclosure, Consultation and Participation

DMCS Distribution System (Dhaka, Mymensingh, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions

DPP Development Project Proforma

EIA Environmental Impact Assessment

GoB Government of Bangladesh

HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus

IEEs Initial Environmental Examinations

OHS Occupational Health & Safety

PBS Palli-Bidyut Samity

PPE Personnel Protective Equipment

RRKB Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna and Barishal divisions

SPS 2009 Safeguard Policy Statement 2009

URIDS Up-gradation, Rehabilitation and Intensification of Distribution System

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................ 4

1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 5

1.1 Scope of Report ............................................................................................................................. 5

1.2 Brief Project Description ............................................................................................................... 5

2.0 Project Status .............................................................................................................................. 6

2.1 Status of Project Implementation ................................................................................................. 6

2.2 Status of Project Monitoring Activities ......................................................................................... 7

4.0 Implementation of the Grievance Redress Mechanism ........................................................... 13

4.1 Grievance Redressal Mechanism ................................................................................................ 14

4.2 Status of Implementation of the GRM ........................................................................................ 14

5.0 Stakeholder Engagement .......................................................................................................... 15

5.1 Stakeholder Engagement Process ............................................................................................... 15

5.2 Consultations .............................................................................................................................. 17

6.0 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 21

Annexure-1: Location map of URIDS (DMCS & RRKB) Project. ............................................................... 22

Annexure-2: Photographs of FGDs ......................................................................................................... 23

Annexure-3: Participants list of FGDS ..................................................................................................... 24

Annexure-4: Monitoring checklist .......................................................................................................... 28

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Project Implementation Status up to December 2019. ............................................................ 6 Table 2:The status of occupational health & safety issues at the site. ................................................... 8 Table 3:The status of Occupational Accident and its Corrective Action. ................................................ 9 Table 4: The status of labor standards at the sites. ................................................................................ 9 Table 5: Matrix of monitoring results. .................................................................................................. 11 Table 6: Project Implementation Plan. ................................................................................................. 12 Table 7: The status of Grievances and Corrective Actions.................................................................... 14 Table 8: Details of Focus Group Discussion (FGDS). ............................................................................. 15 Table 9: Summary of questions discussed in the FGD sessions. ........................................................... 17 Table 10: Summary of Focus Group Discussion at Gobinda Notun Bazar, Chatak, Sunamganj. .......... 18 Table 11: Summary of Focus Group Discussion at Hospital Road, Nikli, Kishorganj............................. 18 Table 12: Summary of Focus Group Discussion at Nansree, Nikli, Kishoreganj. ................................... 19 Table 13: Summary of Rangpur PBS-2 at Darshana Pahari, near Banga Bridge. .................................. 20 Table 14: Summary of Focus Group Discussion at Dighapatia Union Parishad of Natore PBS-1. ........ 21

4

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

During this reporting period (July to December, 2019), the social safeguards team visited various

sites of project including line-upgradation, rehabilitation, and civil construction sites, and spoke to

local people about the project’s perception, conducted five more focused group discussions at

Kishoreganj, Sunamganj, Khulna and Natore areas where different types of consumers such as

drivers, fishermen, daily labourers, teachers, union parishad members and others were involved and

shared their concerns, views, opinions and suggestions.

The salient of FGDs:

• Most of the participants claimed that they had to pay excessive electricity bill each month; but

they didn’t know exactly why; they complained to respective authorities; but they didn’t get

reasonable solutions from the authority yet.

• Many complained that they had to suffer from frequent power interruptions, almost every

week; they had to suffer with power interruptions for whole day, particularly on the hat/bazar

day, Friday is the most common day for this kind of inconvenience.

• They complained that during peak hours also, they had to suffer from load-shedding, lasting up

to around one and half-hours; they didn’t get the electricity at night when children were

studying, and they expected that this problem would be resolved quickly.

• The alleged that local people, on the other hand, are not hired by contractors/sub-contractors

during construction or repairing works, if they so desire, local people will have the opportunity

to work with this project.

• At the construction sites, full PPE was not used by the laborers, and workers; even, in many

instances, contractors don’t provide the full set of PPEs at the sites, creating opportunities for

incidents during working hours.

• There are no compensation issues because most of the existing lines are renovated and

rehabilitated under this project, for civil constructions, the land was purchased with the

agreement of landowners following the existing laws, no grievance yet received regarding land

purchase.

• There are no resettlement plan (RP) issue. None have lost their homes due to the project’s

activities. For civil construction, after the adoption of Immovable Property Rules, 1982, land was

purchased with the agreement of landowners and paid them according to the prevailing market

price. It is ascertained that no private land was acquired for civil construction works.

5

1.0 Introduction

Accelerating the steps of generating electricity across the country is the top priority of the

Government of Bangladesh. Government is committed to providing good access to electricity in the

rural areas of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) is one of the important

institutes that has the proximity to providing quality-electricity to consumers without disruptions

that could have a tremendous impact on country’s economic growth.

It is included in the GoB’s s seventh’s five-year plan to produce affordable and reliable electricity for

both economic development & poverty reduction and everyone will have good access to affordable

and reliable electricity by the year of 2021. In order to achieve this vision of the government,

Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) worked with a firm objective to boost the

electrification program throughout the country based on the concept of Area Coverage Rural

Electrification (ACRE). The ACRE idea leads to the development of a cooperative called Palli-Bidyut

Samity (PBS) to provide electric services to their member consumers. Since its creation, 80 nos of

PBSs have been established throughout the country under various projects from ACRE Phase-I to

ACRE Phase-V. After establishment of the PBSs, the distribution system of the PBSs has been

gradually expanded and, strengthened under the various Intensification and Expansion Projects.

1.1 Scope of Report

• The objective of this social safeguard management and monitoring report is to record

resettlement and social impacts resulting from the project activities and to ensure

implementation of the earlier “mitigation measures” that were developed to mitigate adverse

effects and boost the positive impacts of specific project activities during the reporting period

particularly of July 2019 to December 2019. In addition, it would also provide measures to

handle any unintended or unwanted social impacts that may occur during the project’s

construction and operation phases.

• The implementation of this plan enhanced the social control and monitoring of the project

activities to verify the compliance with all the indicators, limitation, and socio-economic

outcomes set out in the Environmental Management Plan (EMP), Initial Environmental

Examinations (IEEs), and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and minimized the damaged

caused by environmental and social works.

1.2 Brief Project Description

To improve the quality of the electricity , increase the capability of consumer growth, minimize

the system losses, connect new households, small industries etc. in the existing distribution

network of the said PBSs, according to the above study Area Coverage Rural Electrification

(ACRE), the scope of work under the project of Up-gradation, Rehabilitation, and Intensification

of Distribution System (Dhaka, Mymensingh, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions (DMCS) and

Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna and Barishal divisions (RRKB)’’ is to construct as 50,500 km of

distribution lines for rehabilitation/ up-gradation and 11,965 km lines for intensification

extension of 1/ 2/3 poles with new connection of 9,50,000 households.

6

Project Information:

1 Name of the Project Up-Gradation, Rehabilitation, and Intensification of Distribution System (DMCS & RRKB DIVISIONS)

2 ADB Loan Number 3522-BAN

3 Name of Monitoring/Reporting Agency

Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board Nikunja, Dhaka

4 Monitoring and Reporting Period July 2019 to December 2019

5 Date of Reporting January 2020

6 Type of ADB Contract Multi-Tranche Financing Facility (MFF)

2.0 Project Status

Up to December 2019, the progress status of URIDS (DMCS) is about 6,728 Km of line up-gradation, and 4,043.83 Km of new line construction which is 39.89% of the total DPP mileage of 27,000 km. Likewise, under URIDS (RRKB) project, the total line up-gradation is about 8,018 km and 4,011 km of new line construction which is 51.76% of the total DPP mileage of 23,500 km. The progress was considered is 45.82% of the total mileage. The progress in civil work construction is being made at all the constructed sites.

2.1 Status of Project Implementation

Table 1: Project Implementation Status up to December 2019.

Project component Revised Target date

Progress status Percent (%) completed

Remarks

Output 1: Upgrade, rehabilitation, and extension of distribution system Line Up-gradation/ renovation both DMCS & RRKB

38,535 km by December 2020

14,746 km completed

38.26%

Meters allocation/rehabilitation (both DMCS & RRKB)

9,50,000 nos by December 2020

591,736 nos connected to consumer’s households

62.29%

New line construction (both DMCS & RRKB)

11,965 km by December 2020

8,054.83 km, 67.32%

Consumer connection (both DMCS & RRKB)

9,50,000 591,736 62.29%

Output 2: Capacity building at BREB / PBS staff Network planning, design and project formulation through on-the-job training (both DMCS & RRKB)

September 2020

Approved by BREB and procurement is underway

30% By September 2020, PIMC will provide on-the-job training to staff of two PBSs such as Gopalganj PBS and Bagerhat PBS.

Sub-output 3: Engage national training service provider to satisfy national in-country training requirements (both DMCS & RRKB)

December 2020 Technical proposal of service providers has already been evaluated and

20% By March, 2020, the activity will begin.

7

selection is now underway.

2.2 Status of Project Monitoring Activities

To ensure better management of OHS (Occupational Health & Safety), livelihood and employment,

labor working conditions, resettlement, and compensation etc., the compliance and other relevant

social status have been monitored rigorously during construction for ensuring sound & better

implementation. During the compliance monitoring period, the community’s health and safety

issues related to air and noise pollution were also discussed. In this context, it was better to find the

condition of people living near the project sites at the construction stage because the project was

properly managed. Safety and security due to the movement of vehicles were regulated to prevent

any kind of accident. A checklist was prepared based on the indicators as guidance and also

considered the non-compliance issues and suggested mitigating measures to further improve

compliance status.

Compensation: There are no compensation issues as there is no need to acquire land to improve the

existing distribution line. In contact with local people and the project management, it is ascertained

that most cases of lands were properly procured and paid by BREB for civil works constructions

according to the prevailing market price.

Resettlement: There are no resettlement plan (RP) issues. None have lost their homes due to the

project activities. For civil construction, land was purchased with the negotiation of landowners and

paid them according to the prevailing market price following the acquisition of Immovable Property

Rules, 1982. It is ascertained that no private land has been purchased and used for civil construction.

Livelihood and Employment: The workers basically hired from different parts of Bangladesh, mostly

from Mymensingh, Rangpur, Cumilla and Barishal etc., some of the labors are recruited locally or

from the local community, these labors are engaged for manual works but technical labors are

recruited from professional firm, by contractors/sub-contractors. During the field visit, contractor

told that they had to recruit these labors from different regions of the country due to the lack of

local manual labor.

Mostly on daily basis, these manual labors are recruited and paid BDT 500 to BDT 700 based on their

experience and skills, and supervised by contractor’s nominated people. Manual labors ensured that

they received their payment timely, and contractors/sub-contractors and PIU monitored the

payment schedule of the labors, and closely monitoring other labor issues, such as labor shed,

sanitation, access to drinking water and bathing water etc.

Occupational Health & Safety: From July to December 2019, no incidents were recorded except for

the illness of five laborers. This is a remarkable achievement considering the numbers of workers,

construction activities and the work done during the relevant period of time. URIDS continued to

keep the workers, contractors, sub-contractors to respond actively and to take corrective action

where hazardous actions or conditions are observed.

The contractors and sub-contractors provided the necessary instructions and supervisions to achieve

the quality works and safety requirements.

8

Table 2:The status of occupational health & safety issues at the site.

Trainings/Drills/Inspections Number and Position of Participant/s

Location/s and Date/s

Remarks

On site discussion on safety procedures for civil construction of zonal offices

30 Patia, Rajshahi, Dupchaciya, Bogra, Pirganj, Thakurgoan, Jhenaidah, Magura, Jikorgacha, Jessore, Lalmohon, Bhola, Patuakhali, Khulna, Chatak, Sunamganj and Kishoreganj

• PPE (Personnel

Protective Equipment)

e.g., hard helmate, safety

belt, safety boots etc. is

being used during up-

gradation &

rehabilitation works.

• No under age 18 labors

(child) are allowed to the

site for working

• No medical examination

is yet to conduct among

the workers except

measuring blood

pressure.

Inspection of up-gradation works sites

40 Pabna, Sirajganj, Natore, Khulna, Rangpur, Bagerhat, Barishal, Rajshahi, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Kishoreganj, Brahmanbaria, Sitakund, Chittagong, Comilla etc.

• PPE (Personnel

Protective Equipment)

e.g., hard helmate, safety

belt, safety boots etc. is

being used during up-

gradation &

rehabilitation works.

• No under age 18 labors

(child) are allowed to the

site for working

• No medical examination

is yet to conduct among

the workers except

measuring blood

pressure.

Inspection of labour camp sites

50 Patia, Rajshahi, Dupchaciya, Bogra, Pirganj, Thakurgoan, Jhenaidah, Magura, Jikorgacha, Jessore, Lalmohon, Bhola, Patuakhali, Khulna, Chatak, Sunamganj and Kishoreganj

• Fresh & Clean water

supply is available at the

site;

• Toilets are found but not

maintaining the hygienic

status;

• No hand washing taps

were found at the site.

9

Table 3:The status of Occupational Accident and its Corrective Action.

Occupational Accident

Number and Position of Person/s Involved

Location/s and Date/s of Incident

Description of Incident

Corrective Action

Fatality 0 0 0 0

Non-fatal Injury 0 0 0 0 used during construction works

Near-miss 0 0 0 0

Illness 5 Jhikorgasa zonal office complex of

Jessore PBS-1, and Chatak Zonal officice

complex of Sunamganj PBS

seasonal fever etc. Medical check-up should be

examined and first-aid-box make

available at the sites.

Other Incidents N/A N/A N/A N/A

Labor working condition:

Labor standards should be followed as per ADB loan covenants are as follows:

• Comply with all applicable law and related international treaty obligations of the borrower and

do not employ child labor as defined under the Bangladesh Law.

• Provide safe working condition for male and female workers.

• Carryout HIV/AIDS and human trafficking prevention and awareness campaigns in the campsites

and corridor of influence.

• Engage women workers as wage laborers depending on their skill.

• Provide equal wage for equal works between men and women.

Table 4: The status of labor standards at the sites.

Sl. No

Labor Standards Status of the project of labor standards

Remarks

1 Use of PPE (Personnel Protective Equipment) during construction.

PPE is not fully used by workers/laborers during construction.

Full PPE must be used.

2 Safe working conditions both male & female workers

Fully complied. -

3 Medical examination of HIV/AIDS before commencing of work.

Not fully complied. Only measured the blood pressure level.

Medical examinations must be conducted by contractors/sub-contractors before commencing works.

4 Engage women workers as wage laborers.

No female workers are engaged in line-upgradation, rehabilitation and constructions works.

Suggested for engaged female workers at the civil construction sites.

10

Sl. No

Labor Standards Status of the project of labor standards

Remarks

5 Conduction of Toolbox meeting before starting the works.

Not fully complied. Some sites are maintained, some are not.

Toolbox talk must be conducted at all the sites before starting the works.

11

Table 5: Matrix of monitoring results.

Social components

Indicators Status Corrective Actions

Compensation Status of compensation and impacts of the project activities.

There is no compensation issue

N/A

Livelihood and employment

• Employment opportunity

• Recruitment of local labors

• Labor wages

• Payment schedule

• Due to unavailability of local labors, about 60/70% labors recruited from the out sides of the project

• Some labors collected from the project sites

• No delay for payment

• Monthly payment ensured based on daily wage rate.

• Consult with the contractors for arranging local labors during construction works

Occupational health & Safety (OHS)

• Labor health

• Use of safety equipment (helmate, safety boots, safety cloths, hand gloves and eye glass during wielding).

• Not fully complied for use of safety equipment,

• First Aid Box is available with shortfalls of instruments

• Medical examinations are not conducted properly, only measuring of blood pressure, don’t conduct HIV/AIDS examination and other tropical diseases before first entry works at the site.

• Contractors should conduct other medical examinations also.

• Full PPE should be used at the sites during construction.

Labor working condition

• Labor sheds

• Kitchen

• Sanitation

• Bathing water, & drinking water access

• Arrangement for entertainments.

• Dustbin for keeping household waste

• Labor sheds found clean with windows

• Sanitary latrines installed nearby labor sheds but not hygienic.

• Full access to drinking and bathing water by installing sub-miscible pump nearby construction sites.

• Hygienic sanitation should be developed.

• Provide dust bin at the labor sheds.

12

2.3 Implementation Schedule Table 6: Project Implementation Plan.

Particulars 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Bidding

Bid Evaluation/ Award

Implementation

3.0 Performance Monitoring

3.1 Compliance with Legal and Policy Requirements

Land Acquisition Rules and Regulations:

• All land acquisition for civil construction of zonal, sub-zonal, extension and main building, has

been made following the acquisition of Immovable Property Rules, 1982. BREB strictly follows

the rule of acquisition, the purchase of land is carried out and compensation is properly paid by

BREB authority.

• A prerequisite, for any kind of development project is land acquisition. Bangladesh is a densely

populated country with hard to handle land acquisition. Under this process, land acquisition for

19 civil construction sites has been completed.

3.2 Compliance with Social Safeguard Covenants

Sl. No

Description Compliance status

1 Land for civil constructions is required for the project, and all project facilities made available to works contractors in accordance with the schedule agreed under the related works contract and all land acquisition and resettlement activities are implemented in compliance with (a) all applicable laws, and regulations of the Borrower relating to land acquisition, and involuntary resettlement; (b) the involuntary Resettlement Safeguards; (c) RF, and (d) all measures and requirements set forth in the respective RP, and any Corrective Actions set forth in the Safeguards Monitoring Report.

Being complied

2 No physical or economic displacements takes place in

connection with the project until; (a) compensation, and other entitlements have been provided to the affected people in accordance with RP; (b) a comprehensive income and livelihood restoration program has been established in accordance with the RP.

Being complied; No physical or economic displacement occurred due to project activities.

3 The Borrower shall ensure, or cause the Project Executing Being complied.

13

Sl. No

Description Compliance status

Agency to ensure, that all bidding documents and contracts for Works contain provisions that requires contractors to (a) comply with the measures and requirements relevant to the contractors set forth in the RP and any small ethnic community people plan, and any corrective or preventive actions set out in the safeguards monitoring report, (b) make available budgets for all such social measures; (c) provide the Borrower with a written notice of any unanticipated issues or small ethnic community risks or impact that arise due to construction, implementation or operation of the project that were not considered in the RP, or any small ethnic community plan; (d) adequately record the condition of road, agricultural land, and other infrastructure prior to starting to transport materials, and construction.

3.3 Compliance with Resettlement Plan Requirements

Since the selected places for the construction of zonal, sub-zonal, extension and main building for

Palli Bidyut Samities are usually unused lands, no resettlement will be needed. However,

compensation was paid to the landowners as provided for by the existing' Acquisition of Immovable

Property Rules, 1982, as the value of the land and to meet their trees, crops or any other valuable

losses on the land.

4.0 Implementation of the Grievance Redress Mechanism

The Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) is the Executive Agency of URIDS project

represented by Project Directors of URIDS (DMCS/RRKB). The Implementation & Monitoring

Consultant (PIMC) is SMEC and Associates represented by the Team Leader/Project Manager who

has also been delegated as “The Engineer” under the Contract.

ADB requires disclosure, Consultation and Participation (DCP) in project processing to ensure that

adequate and timely information is made available to beneficiaries and affected people. This process

enables opportunity to voice opinions and concerns and participate in influencing decision making

and project processes. The SPS 2009 of ADB stresses the significance of stakeholders DCP for

ensuring formulation and execution of development projects in compliance with environmental and

social safeguards regulations. As part of DCP, BREB organized a number of public consultations

during the IEE preparation stage of the project. All meetings were attended by BREB management

and PBS managers and engineers. Participants were made aware of the Project and ADBs

involvement in the Project. The local/affected people were self-motivated in favor of the project.

The affected persons are the groups of people, organizations, institutions and individuals.

The following two social issues are frequent during installation of pole at site and these are

• Interference to land

• Interference to standing crops

14

4.1 Grievance Redressal Mechanism

In order to address these issues, BREB established a committee for a potential resolution. On behalf

of BREB, the committee consult properly with local people to ensure impacts are minimized to

ensure no / reducing the grievances arise. The committee consists of the following members.

1. Elected Local PBS Director

2. Member from Office of the Executive Engineer, BREB

3. Member from O&M / E&C / MS of PBS

4. Member from Electrical/ Civil Consultant

5. Member from Contractor

When any issue raises, the committee meet and try to mitigate the issues raised by the complaint.

For instance, if the complaint asks not to install pole in the middle of his agricultural land but on the

back his land. Then the committee sit together and find out whether or not they can re-align the line

by installing few extra poles. In order to do this, the committee checks the availability of extra poles

and accessories with all technical departments and take decision instantly.

4.2 Status of Implementation of the GRM

Table 7: The status of Grievances and Corrective Actions.

Complainant/s or Affected Persons

Location/s and Date/s of Complaint

Description of Grievance/Complaint

Timeline* Time-bound Corrective Actions

Tree cutting/ trimming of trees

RoW clearing both for new line construction & Up-gradation.

Due to RoW clearing, it is a common trend to either cut down the trees or trimming the trees of 10 ft from both side of the electricity line but it is objected by the consumers since long.

Tree is being cutting down or trimming trees occurred in every two times a year.

• Before cutting

or trimming

trees, local

consumers

should be

informed by

BREB or PBS.

• Distribution of

free sapling in

the rainy season

(April/May) to

the affected

people from

BREB or project

as a

promotional

event that could

yearly be

organized.

Power shut down problem

Up-gradation and rehabilitation working areas

One of the most

common grievances is

‘power shut-down’. It

is difficult to manage

Year-round problem in some areas of Palli Bidyut Samity.

• Area wise

power shut

down plan

needs to be

15

Complainant/s or Affected Persons

Location/s and Date/s of Complaint

Description of Grievance/Complaint

Timeline* Time-bound Corrective Actions

power shut down

during line upgradation

and rehabilitation

works caused

consumers are not in

favour of long hours of

power interruptions.

developed and

informed the

local people for

their

understanding,

and

• Power shut

down should

avoid peak

hours and night

times.

Excessive bill of electricity

Everywhere in the PBS areas

Consumer believed that sometimes they had to pay an excessive amount of bill for electricity uses.

Year-round problem in some areas of some PBS’s

o Authority

should be given

concentration in

this issue and

resolve the

issues gently

and

communicate

hand- to-hand

with the

complaints.

5.0 Stakeholder Engagement

5.1 Stakeholder Engagement Process

Focus group Discussion (FGD) is a small, but demographically diverse group of people and whose

reactions are studied especially in market research or political analysis in guided or open discussions

about a proposed project or something else to determine the reactions that can be expected from a

larger population. It is a form of qualitative research consisting of interviews in which groups of

people are asked about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes towards the project,

service, concept, advertisement, idea or packaging. Questions are asked in an interactive group

setting where participants are free to talk with other group members.

Discussion was held with the local people at near the project site. Date, location and the number of

participants of each discussion is listed in table-9.

Table 8: Details of Focus Group Discussion (FGDS).

FGD

Number

Division Location Date and

time

Total

Participants

Category of

participants

1 Sylhet Gobindaganj 30-10-2019 11 (100% Business man, Driver,

16

FGD

Number

Division Location Date and

time

Total

Participants

Category of

participants

Notun Bazar,

Chatak,

Sunamganj

06:05 PM Male) Farmer, Senior

Citizen, and Local

Community people

2 Mymensingh Hospital Road,

Nikli, Kishorganj

28-10-2019

3:08 PM

12 (100%

Male)

Businessman, Farmer,

Senior citizen and

Local community

people. Nansree

Chairman Bazar,

Karpasha, Nikli,

Kishorganj

28-10-2019

05:05 PM

17 (100%

Male)

3 Rangpur Darshana Pahari,

Near Vanga

Bridge, Rangpur.

17/10/2019

11.20 AM

10 (100%

Male)

General worker,

Driver, Fishermen,

Farmers,

Shopkeepers

4 Rajshahi Dighapatia Union

Parishad

16/10/2019 11 (100%

Male

UP Member,

Fishermen, Farmers,

General worker,

Driver

17

5.2 Consultations

Table 9: Summary of questions discussed in the FGD sessions.

Sl. No.

Questions discussed over the sessions of FGDs

1 Do you know about the project and its location?

2 What about your perception about the project? (positive and negative)

3 What is the importance of the project in the locality?

4 What will be the possible social impact (positive/negative)

5 What are the CSR expectations from the project owner?

18

Table 10: Summary of Focus Group Discussion at Gobinda Notun Bazar, Chatak, Sunamganj.

Participant’s Opinion, comments and Suggestions Response to Questions/Action Point

Most of the participants are very much known

about the project. They welcomed the project

activities.

Consultant briefly discuss about the proposed

project to the participants.

Livelihood will not be impacted during this project

period.

-

They opined that this project become benefited for

the local people. Upgradation of electricity line is

very good initiative. Student will get uninterrupted

electricity supply at evening. Industrial production

may increase.

-

In this region they don’t face much load shedding

comparing to other locality. In a day about one to

two hours electricity supply shut down and rarely

the face load shedding at night.

Consultant assured that before upgradation,

rehabilitation intensification of distribution

system they will announce locally before

starting their work.

They appreciate the proposed work and opined

that this project will not create any environmental

pollution during the construction period.

Consultant confirmed that they will monitor

ambient air, water, and noise to prevent

pollutions.

They are concern about transmitter theft and the

monthly electricity bill. They suggest to take

initiative action to prevent the theft, line cut, and

monitor the workshop graze (recharge point of

Auto Rickshaw) for continuing power supply.

Consultant noted their suggestions and

requested to consult with Zonal office for any

kind of complain.

Table 11: Summary of Focus Group Discussion at Hospital Road, Nikli, Kishorganj.


Most of the participants are known about the

project activities. They came to know by seeing the

electric cable were changing near about 8 to 10

days ago.



If they get the accurate voltage and uninterrupted

power supply, many of them can manage their

loverhood by engaging various economic activity.

-

19


Load shedding problem will be reduced due to

proper power supply.

-

Recently there is no electricity for 6/8 hours a day.

Low voltage is also another problem for the local

community. They don’t get proper voltage in day.





For any development work we will accept any

challenges including environmental pollution.



pollutions.

Before the power shut down, they requested to

announce though mike. If any electric pole inside

the residence or power cable above the rooftop

they requested to change the right of way or

shifted the pole in nearest safe location.



kind of complain.

Table 12: Summary of Focus Group Discussion at Nansree, Nikli, Kishoreganj.

Participant’s Opinion, comments and

Suggestions

Response to Questions/Action Point

Participants are known about the project. They

came to know by changing the power cable,

replacing electric pole in different locations named

Dhanshiri, Shingarpar.

They opined that this electric line were 20/25 years

old. It’s a great initiative taken by PBS to change the

exiting line which was mandatory needed.



They argued that four Moholla (Area) are sharing

only one transmitter. They repair this transmitter by

their own money if fails to transmit power supply

properly.

-

Lack of proper power supply they are behind of

industrialization. Water pumping would be another

source of income. Rice mill and other economic

activities will continue and developed.

-

During the winter session they get 18 hours

electricity supply but not quality power supply. Low

voltage is always remaining here.





20


Suggestions


Ambient air, noise and water will not be polluted

during the construction, operation phase.



pollutions.

We have support on project activities and local

people will help anytime if they required.



kind of complain.

Table 13: Summary of Rangpur PBS-2 at Darshana Pahari, near Banga Bridge.


They have no idea about URIDS project. After being

informed by SMEC site engineers, they opined that

new project such like URIDS will improve the

current scenario.



Livelihood will increase if the situation of current

scenario is improved, more people will be

employed

-

Current load shedding scenario is approximately 2-

3 hours in this area

-

They have suggested that the public land need to

be avoided, also existing line over the public land

need to be replaced.

Consultant assured that by the current project

such issues will be resolved.

• They have also suggested to put identity to the

PBS people so that they can identify them while

collecting the meter reading.

• Bribe taking activity by local inspector need to

stop

• Lots of mismatch in bill copy which need to be

resolved.

• Looking for pre-paid meter in village area also.



pollutions.

21

Table 14: Summary of Focus Group Discussion at Dighapatia Union Parishad of Natore PBS-1.


Suggestions


Lack of proper power supply they are behind of

industrialization. Current industrialization in this area

will need more electricity with continuous supply. It

will increase employment opportunity.

-

Load shedding problem will be reduced due to

proper power supply.

Ambient air, noise and water may be polluted during

the construction, operation phase.



pollutions.

We have support on project activities and local

people will help anytime if they required.



kind of complain.

6.0 Conclusion

During the reporting period (July to December 2019), the social safeguard monitoring team visited

various project sites including Rangpur PBS-2, Chittagong PBS-3, Narsigndhi PBS-1, Kishoreganj PBS,

Sunamganj PBS, Sylhet PBS-1, Sylhet PBS-2, Sirajganj PBS-1, Sirajganj PBS-2, Pabna PBS-1, Pabna PBS-

2, Khulna PBS, Barishal PBS-2, Brahmanbaria PBS, Habiganj PBS, Moulvibaza r PBS, and Natore PBS-2

etc. and monitored the progress with the requirements of social safeguard issues based on ADB’s

safeguard policy, EIA recommendations provided in the EMP, and the ADB loan covenant. Most of

the social issues found well addressed, some of the issues still need to be developed further. During

the site visits, the occupational health and safety issues and wellbeing of workers were observed,

physical inspections were carried out at the sites of the labor sheds, progress was observed on

access to the drinking water, bathing water and sanitation facilities, and recommendations were

made to contractors/sub-contractors, PBS officials, BREB representatives (XEN, & Asst. engineers) to

address the issues which are not fully complied with the social safeguards requirements.

Recommendations: The following recommendations were provided during the site visits.

• Fully comply with the safety requirements.

• Ensuring the quality of PPE (safety boots, hand gloves, safety jacket, safety belt, and hard

helmate) at the sites.

• Ensure that labors/workers are informed to use PPE during construction works.

• Hygienic sanitation facilities in the vicinity of labor sheds should be provided.

• Construction materials (brick, cement, brickbat, concrete, stone, sand etc.) should be covered by

polythene.

• First-Aid box should be available at the sites with the required medicine.

• Make sure dustbins are available at the labor sheds and construction sites.

• Tool Box talk should be conducted daily before starting works at the site.

22

Annexure-1: Location map of URIDS (DMCS & RRKB) Project.

23

Annexure-2: Photographs of FGDs

FGD with local People

Photo-1: Participants of FGD conducted in

Rangpur on 17.10.2019

Photo-2: Participants of FGD conducted at Nikli

Bazar, Kishoreganj on 26.10.2019

Photo-3: Participants of FGD conducted in

Chatak, Sunamganj on 30.10.2019 Photo-4: Participants of FGD conducted in

Natore, Rajshahi on 16.10.2019

24

Annexure-3: Participants list of FGDS

28

Annexure-4: Monitoring checklist

Category Description of Potential Impact

Mitigation measures Compliance status

Remarks

Land acquisition Landowner’s livelihood status would be affected

• Asses the land whether it would be affected or not, by the project.

• Talk to landowners how their land is being used by the projects and how is the mode of payment.

Complied • No land is acquired by the project, the construction or up-gradation activities going on the existing land.

• Land for civil construction has been purchased by negotiations with landowners and paid them following the prevailing market rate.

Resettlement • Displacement of local habitants

• Provide compensation to the displaced households following the existing rules.

• Complied • No homeland is being used for line up-gradation, rehabilitations and civil construction works.

Livelihood and employment

• Livelihood and living status may be affected because of the project activities.

• Ensure no threat to the livelihood of the local people

• Employ local labors

• Ensure clean & pure water and sanitation facilities for the laborers or workers along with the labor sheds.

• 80% Complied

• Existing road networks are used for transporting materials to the sites.

• Remaining compliance requirements should be confirmed by contractors and updated in the next report.

Occupational /Community health & safety

• Health & safety will be affected during construction, up-gradation and rehabilitation of the distribution lines

• Use hard fence (bamboo or wire fence) around the civil construction sites.

• considering the community health & safety during project execution.

• Avoid excessive noise generation from using the machines.

• Watering on to the materials to control

• 70% complied

• Working hours should be limited from 7 am to 6pm.

• Contractors should be confirmed that rest of the compliance should be ensured and updated in the next monitoring report.

29

fugitive dust.

• Medical examinations should be confirmed among the laborers before first entering of the site before commencing works.

Labor working condition

• Risks of accident

• Ensuring treatment if any accident occurred.

• Documentation and reporting of accidents, incidents, and diseases if occur

• No child labors

• Conduct regular audits to the sites during construction.

• Ensure PPE used by the workers and available at the site.

• 70% complied

• Contractors should be confirmed that rest of the compliance should be ensured and updated in the next monitoring report.

Bangladesh - Asian Development Bank

Documents

Transcript of Bangladesh - Asian Development Bank