Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project

8.9.2.3 Institutional Arrangement87. Forest department is generally responsible for plantation of all government owned sites. It is acommon practice in Bangladesh that the Forest Department either performs the task by themselves orin special case they retain NGOs (Plantation Development NGO) for these works. The Consultantwould like to recommend engaging an experienced NGO to undertake this work under the supervisionof Forest Department. The NGO will be encouraged to involve the affected households, especiallywomen, who are particularly vulnerable in plantation program. Forest Department will providetechnical support in planning and developing the plantations. The successful experience of the Roadsand Highways Department (RHD), Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) andBangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) are to be considered while implementing the treeplantation plan.88. Nurseries of the FD at Munshiganj, Shariatpur and Madaripur Districts can be used for raisingsaplings. There are a number of private sector nurseries in the project districts which will be contactedfor raising saplings as well. The Forest Department will assist the AHs in developing the nurseriesduring construction stage. Social and Environmental specialists of the Safeguard Department of BBAwill be responsible for overall coordination (with the Forest Department, NGO, PAPs, and destitutewomen), implementation and supervision of the program. It is recommended that BBA should startdialogue with the Forest Department for the plantation development program in the pre-constructionstage, so that setting up of nurseries for the 400,000 trees can be done in the early stages of theproject and the girths are available within next 2 to 3 years.89. The tasks of the Plantation Development NGOs will be as follows:Training of the local people particularly the PAPs to establish nurseries and supply them withnecessary inputs for raising samplings.Preparation of plantation programs in accordance with this plan and get them approved bythe Forest Department and BBA-EU.Development of nurseries for raising seedlings with a provision of 20% mortality and culling.Procurement of seedlings of approved species and / or FD nurseries for plantation in theabove mentioned areas.Plantation of seedlings after preparation of the land with fertilizers and installing fences forthe protection of saplings.Maintenance of the saplings by employing adequate number of the trained PAPs and fillingup of the vacancies for a period of two years and gradually involve the beneficiaries in themaintenance of the planted saplings.Distribution of saplings among the PAPs settled in and outside of the RS and training ofthese PAPs on plantation and maintenance of sapling in the homesteads.Assist Forest Department and BBA-EU in procurement and distribution of saplings and otherinputs to the PAPs and conduct sample trace studies on the effectiveness of the program inplantation.8.9.2.4 Budget90. The budget for proposed plantation development plan is given in Table 8-9. The budget alsoincludes maintenance for first 2 years of plantation to ensure that all planted saplings will survive andprovision for an additional plantation. The plantation in the Resettlement Sites and Service Areas willbe taken up during pre-construction stage or initial stages of construction, while plantation in otherproject areas will be taken up immediately after completion of the construction activities. The budgetalso includes procurement and development of all facilities required to establish a nursery such as,collection of loamy silt soils, decomposing cow dung, and procurement of fertilizers. The budget alsoincludes measures required for maintenance of plantation, such as watering, weeding, fertilizerapplication, etc.Table 8-9: Cost Estimates for Tree Plantation PlanPlantation Area Unit No Rate, USD Quantity Amount (USD)RTWs nos 1 3 160,000 480,000Approach Road nos 1 3 149,791 449,3738-46