Overview

Developers seeking financing from the World Bank are required to comply with the
applicable environmental and social safeguards, Operational Policies (OPs) and Bank
Procedures (BPs). A summary of the key objectives of the relevant safeguards policies
considered for the Project is provided in the sub-sections below.
OP 4.01 Environmental Assessment
Provides the framework for World Bank environmental safeguard policies and defines
the project screening and categorization in order to determine the level of ESA required.
For Category A projects the policy requires public consultation and disclosure to be
undertaken as part of the ESA process. The Policy sets out requirements to comply and
report on implementation of any environmental management plans.
OP 4.04 Natural Habitats
OP 4.04 outlines the World Bank policy on biodiversity conservation taking into account
ecosystem services and natural resource management and use by project affected people.
Projects must assess potential impacts on biodiversity. The policy strictly limits
circumstances under which conversion or degradation of natural habitats can occur and
prohibits projects which are likely to result in significant loss of critical natural habitats.
2 World Bank Group EHS Guidelines are reproduced in Annex C and are also available at:
http://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/554e8d80488658e4b76af76a6515bb18/Final%2B-
%2BGeneral%2BEHS%2BGuidelines.pdf?MOD=AJPERES
3 These are under revision and the ESA team will monitor draft documents to anticipate any future
requirements that may be applicable.
Environmental and Social Assessment of Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project
Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority 2-16
OP 4.09 Pest Management
Aims to minimize and manage the environmental and health risks associated with
pesticide use and promote and support safe, effective, and environmentally sound pest
management.
OP 4.10 Indigenous Peoples
OP4.10 requires that any development project must fully respect the dignity, human
rights, economies, and cultures of Indigenous Peoples.
OP 4.11 Physical Cultural Resources
Seeks to preserve physical cultural resources and avoid their destruction or damage. It
encompasses resources of archaeological, paleontological, historical, architectural and
religious (including grave yards and burial sites), aesthetic, or other cultural significance.
OP 4.12 Involuntary Resettlement
OP 4.12 establishes requirements of the World Bank for managing involuntary
resettlement. Involuntary resettlement should be avoided where possible. Where the
acquisition of land or other assets is necessary, the policy sets out requirements for
participation in resettlement planning, mandates compensation for assets at replacement
cost, and expects to see that incomes and standards of living of affected persons are
improved or at least restored to what they were prior to displacement.
OP 4.36 Forests
OP 4.36 sets out the World Bank objectives for reducing deforestation, enhancing the
environmental contribution of forested areas, promoting afforestation, reducing poverty,
and encouraging economic development.
OP 4.37 Safety of Dams
OP 4.37 requires competent design and construction supervision to implement dam safety
measures through the project cycle. The policy applies to projects that depend on the safe
functioning of existing dams (such as the Project) as well as to projects that involve
construction of new dams. The policy also recommends measures to strengthen the
institutional, legislative, and regulatory frameworks for dam safety programs.
OP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways
Requires notification to other riparian of planned projects that could affect water quality
or quantity, sufficiently far in advance to allow them to review the plans and raise any
concerns or objections.
OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas
The World Bank will only finance projects in disputed areas when either there is no
objection from the other claimant to the disputed area, or when the special circumstances
of the case support financing notwithstanding the objection.
BP 17.50 Public Disclosure of Information
BP 17.50 sets out the World Bank policy on disclosure of information. It is a mandatory
procedure to be followed by the borrower and Bank and supports public access to
information on environmental and social aspects of projects.
Environmental and Social Assessment of Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project
Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority 2-17
2.5.1 Applicable World Bank Policies
The applicability of environmental and social safeguard policies of the World Bank is
provided below in Table 2.7 along with comment as to whether or not they are triggered
by the Project.
Table 2.7: World Bank Operational Policies and relevance to the project.
WB
Operational
Policies
(OP)
Policy Triggered Justification
Yes No
Environment
al
Assessment
OP/BP/GP
4.01
Triggered. As the Project falls into Category
A, a full assessment has to be carried out. It is
the basis of this ESA
Natural
Habitats
OP/BP 4.04 Not triggered as the Project will not adversely
impact natural habitats or protected areas.
Totalai Game Reserve, located 20-25 km from
Tarbela, is the nearest protected area.
Pest
Management
OP 4.09 Not triggered. The Project is a power sector
project and there is no construction, operation
or maintenance activities that require the use
of pesticide. This includes maintaining of the
Right of Way (RoW) beneath the power
evacuation lines. NTDC does not use
pesticides to maintain RoW.
Indigenous
Peoples
OP 4.10 Not triggered. There are no distinct,
vulnerable, social and cultural groups in the
Project AOI which could qualify as
“indigenous” and trigger this Policy.
Physical
Cultural
Resources
OP 4.11 No known areas of cultural heritage will be
impacted by the Project. Procedures will be in
place to deal appropriately with any chance
finds.
Involuntary
Resettlement
OP/BP 4.12 No land acquisition will be required for setting
up the power generation and associated
facilities since the entire TDP area is owned
by WAPDA. For setting up the Islamabad
West Grid Station (up to which the power
evacuation transmission line will be built as
part of the T5HP), about 150 acres of land will
need to be acquired for which a resettlement
action plan (RAP) has been prepared. For the
construction of TL, some land may be
required and crop damage is likely to occur for
which a Land Acquisition and Resettlement
Policy Framework (LARF) is prepared. A
RAP will be prepared once the design and
exact alignment of the TL has been finalized.
Forests OP/BP 4.36 There will be no disruption to forests as a
result of the Project.
Environmental and Social Assessment of Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project
Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority 2-18
Safety of
Dams
OP/BP 4.37 The dam safety policy is triggered since the
construction