ETHIOPIAN ROADS ADMINISTRATION

ENVIRONMENTAL MONOTORING REPORT

GONDWANA Engineering PLC with sub

consultant YLS Engineering plc

Report prepared by
1. Asasahegn Girma Int. Environmentalist

December, 2022.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1. Background ................................................................................................................................. 3
1.2. Objectives .................................................................................................................................... 3
1.3. Methodology ................................................................................................................................ 4
1.3.1. Desk Study .......................................................................................................................... 4
1.3.2. Field Completion Visit ........................................................................................................ 4
1.3.3. Report Writing ..................................................................................................................... 4
2. Main Remarks Project’s EIA, Contract agreement and from Previous Environmental
Monitoring .................................................................................................................................................... 5
2.1. ESIA and ESMP of Sodo Junction (Dimtu) – Bilate Military Training Centre Road
Project ...................................................................................................................................................... 5
2.2. From previous report ................................................................................................................. 6
2.3. Division 1600 Environmental protection and Mitigation measures ..................................... 6
3. Outstanding issues............................................................................................................................. 7
3.1. Assignment of Environmental Control Officer (ECO) ........................................................... 7
3.2. Environmental Management Plan (ESMP) ............................................................................ 7
4. Environmental Aspects of the Construction Activity ..................................................................... 7
4.1. Disposal site ................................................................................................................................ 7
5. Occupational Health and safety ....................................................................................................... 9
5.1. Distributions of PPE for the workers........................................................................................ 9
5.2. Campsites, Workshop and Store ............................................................................................. 9
5.3. Traffic Safety ............................................................................................................................. 10
5.4. HIV/AIDS prevention and control services ........................................................................... 11
6. Conclusions and Recommendations............................................................................................. 11
6.1. Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 11
6.2. Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 11

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1. Introduction
1.1. Background
The Sodo Junction (Dimtu) – Bilate Military Training Centre Road construction Project is among
the projects that constructed by ERA to increase the overall efficiency of the road transport
system of the country for augmenting and improving the main road network. The Ethiopian
Roads Administration (ERA) has signed contract agreements for the construction of Sodo
Junction (Dimtu) – Bilate Military Training Centre Road Project with Powercon Construction Plc
14th of March,2022 and the project period is 37 months including 4 months of mobilization time.
ERA has entrusted Gondwana Engineering PLC sub consultant with YLS PLC for the
supervision of the construction work and signed contract agreement on July 7th, 2022.
The Road Project under construction is situated in South Nations and Nationalities Regional
State, Wolayita Zone. The starting point of the project is at the Dimtu town and ends inside
Bilate Special Force Military Camp. It has a total length of 25 km main road, compound and 3km
Airfield. The road traverses through small villages in between Dimtu and Bilate Military Training
center.
In accordance with the contract agreement, our company Gondwana Engineering PLC in Sub
consultant with YLS PLC Sodo Junction (Dimtu) – Bilate Military Training Centre Road Project
Office has a mandate to regularly monitor and report issues pertinent to Environmental and
Social Safeguard Management. The Environmental and Social Management Guideline, 2008
issued by the Ethiopian Roads Administration (ERA) and Quality Manual Volume 5 underline
the importance of regular monitoring and reporting of safeguard matters on the road projects. To
this end our company has communicating with contractor and local administration about
environment, social and safety issues. Therefore, this report is prepared in order to disclose the
current status of environmental management on Sodo Junction (Dimtu) – Bilate Military Training
Centre road construction project. Environmental Mitigation measures implemented in this month
are Auxiliary site management, road safety majors, workers healthy and safety among the
others.
Environmental monitoring had taken place for the project aiming to investigate the performance
of the project in environmental terms, and enhance its performance for the future construction
period. This Environmental monitoring is to highlight the environmental concerns of the project
and summarizing the environmental findings.
1.2. Objectives
The main objective of this report is to find and evaluate the environmental mitigation measures
done by the contractor while at the same times it helps to convey the current status and
challenges of implementing environmental and Social Mitigation Measures with all stakeholder
mainly consultant, client and the local administration. This means, determine how well the
environmental management information systems and equipment are performing.
Verify compliance with the relevant national, local or other laws and regulations. Minimize
human exposure to risks from environmental, health and safety problems.

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Specifically, the objectives of Environmental Audit Report include;
 Document the implementation of the EMP
 Administration & management procedures.
 Physical actions and corrective measures
 Document existing environmental, health and safety issues related to the project
activities.
 Recommend mitigation measures to ensure the well‐being of people (project workers
and local communities) and the surrounding environment (natural and/or man‐made).
1.3. Methodology
The construction supervision (consultant) carried out environmental monitoring to evaluate the
environmental management activities and progress during the project construction. This is to
 Monitor the overall performance and Environmental managements of the project, as well
as the progress of the Auxiliary site rehabilitation to mitigate the environmental and
social issues around the project area.
 Determine the Environmental managements systems of the project during construction
time.
The monitoring and management activities are carried out through:
1.3.1. Desk Study
EIA /Environmental Impact Assessment/ - The EIA conducted prior to the project need to
be assessed to have a comprehensive look at the project, especially towards the
environmental aspects. Baseline conditions of the project area should be evaluated
alongside the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures.
ESMP– during the site visit the environmentalist checks the ESMP documents submitted
by the Contractor. Accordingly, the environmentalist asses the site whether the
contractor meet or not the mitigation measures listed on the ESMP
1.3.2. Field Completion Visit
The site visit was conducted on December, 2022 and observation was made for the whole
stretch of the project, material extraction and crusher site. Background data about these sites
were gathered.
1.3.3. Report Writing
Concerning environmental issues are compiled and reported in this monitoring report by the
Consultant and to be reported to the client and contractor for efficient amendment by the
contractor to apply all the mitigation measures considered to reduce the environmental impacts
of the project.

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 2. Main Remarks Project’s EIA, Contract agreement and from Previous
Environmental Monitoring
2.1. ESIA and ESMP of Sodo Junction (Dimtu) – Bilate Military Training Centre
Road Project
It would obviously by immense to incorporate all findings of the ESIA, however, to summarize,
the main adverse environmental impacts put as they are likely to result from the road upgrading
project and its operation include the following:
 Loss of land under various uses due to land acquisition for the right of way,
realignments, culverts, detours, quarries and borrows pits, and for construction works.
 Increased soil erosion due to ground disturbance and alteration of drainage systems.
 Alteration to the drainage regime and water pollution due to redirecting of watercourses
at culverts enhanced soil erosion, operation of quarries and borrow pits, disposal of
wastes, etc.
 Air and noise pollution due to construction activities and operation of construction
machinery.
 Loss/clearing of vegetation due to land acquisition for the reasons mentioned above.
 Loss of commercially important trees due to widening of road width.
 Increased risks of communicable diseases.
Positive benefits were expected to be;
 Opportunity to Local People,
 Access to Health,
 Education and Other Facilities,
 Women Employment,
 Economic Growth,
 Increased Access and Traffic Efficiency of the Road,
 Reduced Travel Time and Vehicle Operation Cost,
 Avoid the Existing Drainage Problems
Many of these effects, based on the study, are predicted to be short-term and reversible,
stemming from ground disturbance, operation of equipment, construction camps/employment of
labor force, and construction materials processing and storage. But some impacts will be
permanent.
Report’s mitigation plans are too many but selectively few are presented here;
 Confining clearing of vegetation to what is absolutely necessary;

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  Replanting trees and shrubs in areas adjacent to the roads and at areas affected due to
operation of quarries and borrow pits. Indigenous and exotic species, which are
environmentally friendly and adapted to the agro-ecology of the area, are proposed;
 Restore borrow pits and quarry areas;
 Preserve top soils for reuse to refill borrow sites and quarry areas;
 After completion of work, reset or refill quarry sites;
 Secure operational areas to prevent human and animal accidents;
 Store any explosives and chemicals in a safe place;
 Provide safe water supply & appropriate waste disposal facilities including the provision
of sanitary latrines in the construction camp;
 Put visible and appropriate warning signs on the road during road construction including
speed limits;
 Provide education to personnel of the contractor about safety procedures and
emergency response plans associated with their task;
 Construction workers should be given health awareness training particularly the spread
of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases;
 Dispose solid as well as liquid wastes properly in a designated place.
2.2. From previous report
 Management of liquid waste was not satisfactory. That means the contractor has
excavated a septic tank for his worker’s but it is still opened.
 Safety precaution methods like PPE, road sign and safety ribbon for deep excavation
areas are not provided.
 Dust and noise pollution reduction mechanism of the contractor was very poor. That
means the contractor doesn’t shower near to settlement areas periodically.
 The contractor didn’t establish clinic for the worker’s.
2.3. Division 1600 Environmental protection and Mitigation measures
 The contractor shall fulfill any regional and national Environmental protection and
mitigation measures.
 Preserving the top soil during construction time.
 Removing selected materials shall be as per the direction of the Engineer.
 The final selection of the auxiliary site (quarry site, borrow pit, spoil area, plants and
storage sites) should be approved by the local administrations, Engineer and ERA.
 Trees or shrubs that are outside the areas of road clearing and widening, borrow pits
quarry sources, detours, camps and other construction material sources should be
preserved.
 The contractor shall by no means dispose of used oils on top soils or to water resources.

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  Waste material from construction area shall be dumped (disposed) at the area were
approved for disposal.
3. Outstanding issues
The status of some of the safeguard issues are presented here under:
3.1. Assignment of Environmental Control Officer (ECO)
The primary role of the Environmental Control Officer is to act as semi-independent quality
controller and monitoring agent regarding all environmental concerns and associated
environmental impacts. So, the consultant will advise the contractor to assign the Environmental
Control Officer on site level permanently.
3.2. Environmental Management Plan (ESMP)
The contractor prepared and submitted revised ESMP without losing the basic tenet in the EIA
in December 24, 2022.
The ESMP is a living document i.e., it is open to constant change taking unforeseen issues into
consideration. The aim of ESMP is: (I) borrow pits, quarries, workers’ camps, and detours are
properly reinstated, (ii) safe waste disposal measures are implemented; (iii) correctly sized
dissipaters, culverts and drainage canals, among others, are constructed to reduce soil erosion
and sedimentation in the project areas; (iv) health and safety of workers and nearby
communities are ensured prior to the end of the contract.
Therefore, the consultant will suggest the contractor to apply all techniques which are written on
ESMP of the document for every auxiliary sites and Camp sites.
4. Environmental Aspects of the Construction Activity
A report was subsequently provided to the Engineer's side of the issues, which were reported to
the contractor as well as the client's ERA for effective implementation of improvement
measures. Generally, environmental concerns stem from the disposal mechanisms of waste,
utilization of borrow pit site and quarry site.

4.1. Disposal site

Construction of the project works will generate large quantities of spoil material especially on the
new alignment if the re-alignment is required during a construction. It is likely that there will be
occasions when unsuitable existing road material will need to be removed and disposed of,
while areas requiring road width increase also produce excess excavated soil material to be
cleared.
The contractor should acquire the permission from local administrator and engineer to dispose
of spoil material excavated from the construction activities to dispose of in the authorized site in
an environmentally sound manner that minimizes soil erosion, protects water quality and fits
with the land use and landscape.

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 Table 4-1 Spoil disposal, Quarry site; borrow pit and camp site areas

Auxiliary Location Status Findings Recommendations

site

Spoil area BCC'0+420 Active  It’s not properly  The contractor must spread
leveled and and level the spoil properly.
RHS  The contactor must bring
spread.
 The site is not written letter from the
authorized by the organization who gave an
consultant. approval for the specific
site.

Active  The site is not  The contactor must bring

21+120 RHS
authorized by the written letter from the
consultant. organization who gave an
 It is properly approval for the specific
leveled and site.
spread.  The contractor must avoid
 The site is disposal surplus waste
located near to material such site.
farmland
Borrow pit 8+200 RHS Not active  It’s an existing
offset 50m borrow
 It gets an
approval from the
consultant
 The contractor must
16+000LHS closed  Already site has
rehabilitate after finishing
offset 50m finished its
using the borrow pit site.
function.
 The contractor must stock
17+000LHS Active  It’s approved by
the topsoil while they are
offset 200m the consultant.
clearing.
 High emission of
 Proper rehabilitation must
dust has been
be held after finishing using
observed.
this site.
 The contractor must shower
periodically during
production in order to
decrease the emission of
dust.

 The contractor must

21+800LHS closed  Already site has
rehabilitate after finishing
offset 20m finished its
using the borrow pit site.
function.

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  The contractor must stock
BCC' 0+420 Active  It’s approved by
the topsoil while they are
RHS the consultant
clearing.
 Proper rehabilitation must
be held after finishing using
this site.

Quarry site 22+120RHS Active  The area has no  The contractor must
offset 5.4km fence. provide proper fence
and crusher
 It’s approved by because it is a risk zone.
the consultant  The contractor must
preserve topsoil.

Camp site 23+000 RHS Active  The contractor is  The contractor must
using this site provide fence
properly but
some problems
have been seen
the camp has no
fence.

23+100 LHS Under

construction

5. Occupational Health and safety

5.1. Distributions of PPE for the workers
Construction workers health, safety and welfare issues were among the major variables to be
kept during construction activities. Accordingly, based on the data collected from the whole
stretch only vest is provided for the worker’s.
 The contractor must provide necessary PPE for the workers working on the risk sites
and other construction activity.
 The contractor shall schedule a plan to discuss with the workers and community near to
the construction area on the safety issue and use of PPE.

5.2. Campsites, Workshop and Store

The overall compound and storage areas of the workshop are in feeble condition; where much
of the materials are not properly collected, sorted and disposed. Additionally, camp
beatifications by ornamental trees, and facilities like car wash area were not established well.
Some solid waste like plastics was disposed inside the camp site and near to the camp site.
Materials of metal, tire, oil barrels, etc.… are stored in one area.

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  The contractor should collect and sort all waste materials according to their types.
 The contractor should collect oil/lubricants in barrels and be disposed safely periodically.

5.3. Traffic Safety

The safety of road users and workers is a concern on roads and highways worldwide.
Thousands of people are killed when traffic has to pass through road construction or
maintenance works every year. The numbers of construction zone injuries and fatalities are
predicted to climb even higher. The problem is alarming in developing countries such as
Ethiopia where awareness of the drivers and road users is minimal.
The main causes of deaths and injuries at road construction sites elsewhere are:
 Speeding traffic - the number one cause of death and injury in highway construction
work sites;
 Inadequate sign posting, lighting and drivers failing to notice road workers;
 Drivers do not pay attention to work site signs or flaggers indicating they should slow
down or come to a stop;
 Drivers are distracted by cellular phone calls, conversations, and activities at roadside
and are not merging properly;
 Drivers are driving right up to the last second and then try to force themselves in - if the
other driver doesn't let them get in, they enter the work zones and endanger the lives of
workers.
Whatever the causes are the problems exists everywhere on the road construction sites. In
order to curb this problem, the Ethiopian Roads Administration ERA has issued Draft Road
Safety Manual in 2004.
The project office implementing different road safety measures is no satisfactory in order to
avoid road accident of any forms. Road Safety has been given low attention in the contractor
management structure. The traffic and other sign are not properly dispensed in place.
The contractor must work towards “zero accident” goal by developing every required safety
masseur as described on ESIA, ESMP and contract agreement. The contractor must evaluate
safety related matters and measures:
 Motor vehicle insurance,
 Driving standards,
 Vehicle inspection systems,
 Road safety education,
 First aid kits,
 Accident data system,

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  Traffic law enforcement
 Road safety engineering activities, etc.

5.4. HIV/AIDS prevention and control services

The contractor's efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS and manage behavior change communication
(BCC) are in grave risk. Even if the contractor does not sign any subcontracts for the anti-
HIV/AIDS campaign.
6. Conclusions and Recommendations
6.1. Conclusions
The Environmental Monitoring of the Sodo Junction (Dimtu)–Bilate Military Training Centre
Road Construction Project was conducted to monitor the environmental management status
and performance of the contractor in relation to relevant environmental parameters.

There is no health and safety awareness or trainings conducted at the project site. HIV/AIDS
control being worked on in different forms is not satisfactory. Furthermore, other than a vest, the
contractor has not yet distributed any PPE to the workers. Women's empowerment and the
provision of better opportunities need to be worked on, though.

6.2. Recommendations
 The spoils which were improperly dumped without any approval from the Engineers and
from local administrators, near to the stream channel, on the culvert outlet and floodway
and excavation material from the main alignment should be removed and disposed of to
the area where authorized by the local administration and Engineer.
 The contractor should avoid the road side disposal and spoil material will be only
disposed of at sites which have been approved by the Engineer and local administrator
 The contractor must provide necessary PPE for the workers working on the risk sites
and other construction activity.
 The contractor must apply all techniques which are written on ESMP of the document for
every auxiliary sites and Camp sites.
 The contractor assign Environmental profession permanently works on the site.
 The contractor should collect and sort all waste materials according to their types.
 The contractor shall schedule a plan to discuss with the workers and community near to
the construction area on the safety issue and use of PPE.
 The contractors must hire sub-contractor or form a department that has working on
HIV/AIDS prevention and control. Additionally, contractor should promote sport for life by
preparing tennis table, handball and basketball playing fields for the workers as they
spend their break time, to far the workers from unnecessary addiction.

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