Services to the Environmental, Social And Resettlement Due Diligence Program for the Nepal Compact

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has contracted AECOM (the Lead Consultant) to assist with environmental and social due diligence in the development and execution of transmission line projects that will be supporting the Nepal Compact Program. SW Nepal supports AECOM as its national partner in Nepal. The joint role includes providing two key types of services as follows:

• provide advice to the US-based MCC team on environmental and social due diligence,
• Support to MCC in providing technical assistance to Nepal teams preparing the projects and responsible for compliance with Nepal’s national environmental and social laws and regulations.

Objective

The objective of Technical Directive 3 (TD 3) for the option year I are to support in preparation of detailed Terms of Reference and Scoping Document for domestic Nepali Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) consultant services. This further extends to support in the identification and preparation of necessary Project Partnership Agreements relevant for Environmental and Social Practice (ESP) tasks during the ESIA and RAP process

In the context to TD 3 for the option year I, SW Nepal undertook the following activities to meet the objectives.

• Revise/update ToR for Nepali EIA- that complies with Nepal’s regulations and requirements, and that also aligns with the proposed process for completing full ESIA
• Provide support information for ToR for Forest Clearance Plan, Social Impact Assessment and Resettlement Action Plan (RAP)SW Nepal was also engaged in a field visit to Hetauda, Bharatpur and Lumbini

Scott Wilson Nepal also provided local oversight and project management services to enable smooth delivery by international experts.