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Lesson
The envisaged institutional arrangements for safeguards need to be fully functional from commencement to the closure of projects. This would allow the safeguards performance of projects to improve, as was the case with the environmental performance of this project which improved over time, with increased monitoring and coordination by the project staff.

Project Number: 43464-023
Project Name: Himachal Pradesh Clean Energy Transmission Investment Program (Tranche 1)
Report Date:
Lesson
Court cases and stay orders, due to compensation complaints, can cause unnecessary project delays. Court cases and stay orders secured by a few landowners, despite being awarded due compensation approved by competent authority, hampered project implementation. Some cases were resolved quickly, while others lingered, waiting for court resolution.

Project Number: 43464-023
Project Name: Himachal Pradesh Clean Energy Transmission Investment Program (Tranche 1)
Report Date:
Lesson
A proper evaluation and approval process during project implementation can reduce noncompliance issues during the safeguard assessment. Updates to safeguard documents need to be timely completed to avoid implementataio disruptions. For example, the government land considered during project design for the construction of a substation had to be changed to private land. However, the resettlement plan was not updated.

Project Number: 47101-003
Project Name: Assam Power Sector Investment Program (Tranche 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
The process of obtaining forest and wildlife clearance approvals in India is lengthy and complex and this should be factored into the project implementation timelines both at the design stage and while processing the scope extension. The compliance risk can be mitigated through advanced action by the implementing agency in managing land acquisition, forest clearance, and resettlement issues. The compliance with safeguards requirements should be linked to commissioning as retrofitting after transmission assets become operational poses challenges.

Project Number: 44426-016
Project Name: Green Energy Corridor and Grid Strengthening Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Executing agencies (EAs) should engage qualified safeguards specialists to support safeguards implementation, supervision, monitoring, and reporting. The project EA, Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGCL), managed the environmental safeguards requirements without the planned consultant. However, engaging an expert to support APGCL in handling pollution control aspects and strengthening internal staff capacity would have been desirable to ensure that issues were detected and reported properly.

Project Number: 47101-002
Project Name: Assam Power Sector Investment Program - Tranche 1
Report Date:
Lesson
Project monitoring needs to continue until the preparation of the project completion report (PCR). From loan closure in August 2020 to project completion in February 2022, APDCL implemented the project using its own resources. A streamlined process for monitoring and reporting was not followed during this period. While there were no adverse incidents or complaints reported during this period, it would be in the best interest of the project, the borrowing governments, and ADB to continue keeping a close watch on the project and its operation until at least PCR preparation.

Project Number: 47101-003
Project Name: Assam Power Sector Investment Program - Tranche 2
Report Date:
Lesson
The need to obtain varioushe need to obtain various forest and wildlife clearances should be considered at project planning and replanning stages. Processing of forest and wildlife clearances led to some delays in project implementation. The requirements for this should have been considered during the original planning stage and while processing the scope changes, with timeline extensions likewise considered to address the lengthy process of obtaining these clearances in India.

Project Number: 44426-016
Project Name: Green Energy Corridor and Grid Strengthening Project
Report Date:
Lesson
It is important to engage suitable safeguards experts to ensure that high-quality reassessments are undertaken to align safeguards implementation to changes in the project scope. Changes in scope are common in the implementation of large power transmission projects and timely updating of all relevant project documents to reflect and address such changes is necessary. In this project, scope changes were made especially to utilize the large loan savings that resulted from the overestimation of the project costs at appraisal.

Project Number: 44426-016
Project Name: Green Energy Corridor and Grid Strengthening Project
Report Date:
Lesson
New technologies can enhance safeguards. The adoption of new technologies such as metallic return conductors, gas-insulated substations, and high-voltage direct current transmission systems has minimized the project’s environmental and social impacts. Specifically, it has reduced the project’s land requirements, with completed infrastructure expected to contribute positively to the welfare of communities in the beneficiary states.

Project Number: 44426-014
Project Name: National Grid Improvement Project
Report Date: