climate smart human settlement planning and development in samdrup jongkhar thromde · 2019. 7....

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SETTLEMENT

MINISTRY OF WORKS AND HUMAN SETTLEMENT

ROYAL GOVERNMENT OF BHUTAN

TECHNICAL PROJECT REPORT

ON

CLIMATE SMART HUMAN SETTLEMENT PLANNING AND

DEVELOPMENT

IN

SAMDRUP JONGKHAR THROMDE

Carried out under the

STRATEGIC PROGRAM FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE (SPCR)

PILOT PROGRAM FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE (PPCR)

VOLUME I

June 2019

Climate SMART Human Settlement Planning and Development in Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde

Contents GLOSSARY OF TERMS ............................................................................................................................. 11

ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................... 11

1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 12

1.1. Background of Bhutan .................................................................................................................. 12

1.2. Project Background ...................................................................................................................... 12

1.3. Baseline Information on Climate SMART Planning....................................................................... 14

2. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................................... 16

3. ANALYTICAL STUDIES AND REVIEWS ........................................................................................... 18

3.1. Study of International Climate Resilient Planning Principles, Frameworks, and Characteristics . 18

3.1.1. Climate Change, Climate Resilience, and Climate Adaptation ................................................... 18

3.1.2. Hazard, Disaster, Risk and Vulnerability ................................................................................... 20

3.1.3. Climate Resilient City Concept .................................................................................................... 21

3.2. Study of Climate SMART Land Use Planning (LUP) Concept ............................................................. 30

3.2.1. Risk Assessment of the impacts of climate change on vulnerable sectors ................................ 31

3.3. Review of existing relevant national and international documents with special focus on Environment and Climate Change ............................................................................................................ 35

3.4. Review of human settlement planning principles followed in Bhutan ............................................. 73

3.5. Review of planning principles and sector-based proposals inthe Urban Development Plan (UDP) for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde (2013-2013) ................................................................................................ 79

4. BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT SITE ............................................................................................ 89

4.1. Site selection criteria ......................................................................................................................... 89

4.2. Background of the project site .......................................................................................................... 89

4.2.1. Location, Size and Connectivity .................................................................................................. 89

4.2.2. Demography ............................................................................................................................... 91

4.2.3. Climatic Conditions ..................................................................................................................... 91

4.2.4. Planning Initiatives ..................................................................................................................... 92

4.2.5. Current Climatic Issues ............................................................................................................... 93

5. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLIMATE SMART LAND USE PLANNING FOR SAMDRUPJONGKHAR THROMDE ............................................................................................................................ 94

5.1. Overarching Climate Resilient Principles for Bhutan ......................................................................... 94

5.2. Proposed Climate Resilient Planning Principles and a Framework for Climate Resiliency for S/Jongkhar Thromde ................................................................................................................................ 97

5.3. Sector-based Strategies for SamdrupJongkharThromde .................................................................. 99

5.3.1. Climate Resilient Storm Water Management for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde ........................ 99

5.3.2. Smart Lighting System for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde .......................................................... 117

5.3.3. Climate Resilient Waste Management Practices for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde ................. 122

5.3.4. Drinking Water and Waste Water Management in SamdrupJongkharThromde ..................... 132

5.3.5. Green Building Design for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde .......................................................... 142

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5.3.6. Cultural Heritage, Green Areas, Parks, Open Spaces, and Recreational Areas in SamdrupJongkharThromde ................................................................................................................ 150

5.3.7. Climate Resilient Transportation System and Smart Parking ................................................... 156

5.3.8. Disaster Risk Reduction for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde ........................................................ 164

5.3.9. Legislations & Smart Governance, Smart Economy & Climate Smart Agriculture, and Gender Integration .......................................................................................................................................... 179

6. CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................................... 187

7. INVESTMENT PLAN ........................................................................................................................... 195

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List of Figures

Figure 1: Methodology of the project report formulation ............................................................................ 17 Figure 2: Building Resilience through Adaptation and Mitigation(Source: Calgary’s Climate Program. Extracted from https://www.calgary.ca/UEP/ESM/Pages/Energy-Savings/Climate-Change.aspx) ............ 19 Figure 3: Interconnectivity between Climate Change, Resilience, Adaptation and Vulnerability (Source: By Quokka-roo, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. created on 7 May 2014. Extracted from Sheyna Gifford’s homepage: Mission Control for Science, Education, Outreach, and Advocacy).......................................... 20 Figure 4: Interconnectivity between Hazards, Risks and Vulnerability (Source: ITC, University of Twente) ...................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Figure 5: Dynamic Resilience Wheel (Source: Ospina, A.V. (2013), PhD thesis, IDPM, University of Manchester, UK ............................................................................................................................................ 26 Figure 6: Framework for Resilience Planning (Source: ISET-International, Available at http://michelleffox.com/portfolio/climate-resilience-framework-2/) ........................................................... 27 Figure 7: Climate SMART Development (Source: Climate Works Foundation and World Bank Group) .. 30 Figure 8: Impacts of climate change on vulnerable sectors in Bhutan (Source: National Environment Commission) ................................................................................................................................................. 31 Figure 9: Planning Principles in the UDP ( Source: S/Jongkhar UDP, 2013-2033)..................................... 79 Figure 10: Map showing location of S/Jongkhar Thromde ( Source: S/Jongkhar UDP, 2013-2033) .......... 90 Figure 11: Map showing location of S/Jongkhar Thromde .......................................................................... 90 Figure 12: S/Jongkhar Town (Source: S/Jongkhar Thromde Website) ........................................................ 91 Figure 13: Climate Resilience Framework for S/Jongkhar Thromde ........................................................... 98 Figure 14: Difference between Natural and Urban Environments (Source: Toronto and Region Conservation, and U.S.E.P.A, 2007) .......................................................................................................... 100 Figure 15: Sensitive and special value features in Malaysia(Source: Presentation by IR. Amin Ramli, 2018, Malaysia.) ................................................................................................................................................... 106 Figure 16:Building on small clusters in Malaysia (Source: Presentation by IR. Amin Ramli, 2018, Malaysia) .................................................................................................................................................... 107 Figure 17: Planning with minimal disturbance and maintenance (Source: Presentation by IR. Amin Ramli, 2018, Malaysia) .......................................................................................................................................... 107 Figure 18: Examples of Reduction of street imperviousness (Source: Presentation by IR. Amin Ramli, 2018, Malaysia) .......................................................................................................................................... 108 Figure 19: Figure showing disconnection of storm water drains from sewer line (Source: Presentation by IR. Amin Ramli, 2018, Malaysia) .............................................................................................................. 108 Figure 20: Figure showing how to control pollution of storm water drains (Source: Presentation by IR. Amin Ramli, 2018, Malaysia) .................................................................................................................... 109 Figure 21: Examples of gain garden (Source: www.co.worcester.md.us) ................................................. 110 Figure 22: Examples and cross section of Bio Swale (Source: Michigan State University, The US Nature Conservancy ............................................................................................................................................... 111 Figure 23: RWHS (Source:Storm water management handbook by Resource Conservation and Development Council, Pennsylvania) ...................................................................................................... 112 Figure 24: Installation of RWHS and filtering accessories (Source:, and RWCS, Canada) ..................... 113 Figure 25: Plan and cross section of a Wet Retention Pond (Source: NJ Storm Water BMP Manual and Google) ....................................................................................................................................................... 114 Figure 26: Images of retention ponds (Source: Extracted from ttps://webpages.uidaho.edu/larc380/new380/pages/retBasin.html) ............................................................ 115 Figure 27: Impervious pavements (Source: Bhutan Green Building Design Guidelines, and MIPTC, Malaysia) .................................................................................................................................................... 116 Figure 28: Images of street tree trenches (Source: Philadelphia Water Department and www.thelinemedia.com ) ............................................................................................................................ 116 Figure 29: Smart lighting system and City Touch Software in Melaka (Source: Melaka City Council) ... 119 Figure 30: Smart lighting units and Smart lighting layout plan (Source: www.researchgate.com) ........... 121 Figure 31: Some areas in S/Jongkhar Thromde where smart street lights could be installed .................... 122 Figure 32: Landfill site with composting and dry waste segregating system in S/JongkharThromde ....... 123 Figure 33: Waste segregation initiatives in some areas of S/Jongkhar Thromde ....................................... 123

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Figure 34: Some initiatives on medical waste management (Source: Dept. of Health Services, California) .................................................................................................................................................................... 126 Figure 35: Waste management system in Devangini society, Mumbai (Source: International conference on SWM, Mumbai) .......................................................................................................................................... 127 Figure 36: Recycling process of E-waste (Source: Singtel&Singpost. Singapore) .................................... 129 Figure 37: On-going water supply project in S/JongkharThromde ............................................................ 134 Figure 38: Steps in Climate Resilient Water Safety Plan (Source: MoWIE, Ethopia) ............................... 136 Figure 39: Verification process of the WSP (Source: MoWIE, Ethopia) ................................................... 137 Figure 40: Climate Resilient WSP Framework (Source: WHO) ................................................................ 139 Figure 41: Water Conservation Measures (Source: CEDSCO training materials from Malaysia ) ........... 141 Figure 42: Passive solar design in a building (Source: Construction Links Network @ https://constructionlinks.ca/news/and Evolution: Energy Efficient Homes @ https://www.evolutionseries.co.nz/) ........................................................................................................... 143 Figure 43: Zed Earth Villa in Bengaluru (Source: SVA GRIHA, India) ................................................... 146 Figure 44: BioSciences Research Building , Ireland (Sources: The Journal of the Research Institute of Architects, 2016) ........................................................................................................................................ 147 Figure 45: Biosciences Research Building in Ireland (Source: The Journal of the Research Institute of Architect, 2016) .......................................................................................................................................... 147 Figure 46: Climate resilient elements in the building (source: BRB website) ........................................... 149 Figure 47: Clock tower areain Thimphu and the Temple square in S/Jongkhar Thromde ......................... 151 Figure 48: Recommendations for recreational activities in the S/Jongkhar UDP (Source: UDP, S/Jongkhar Thromde, 2013) .......................................................................................................................................... 153 Figure 49: Plan of the Rinkai Disaster Park in Japan (Source: Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park, Japan) .. 154 Figure 50: A Kamado bench and manhole connected to sewage pipe in a multifunctional parksin Japan (Source: A Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park, Tokyo) ................................................................................. 154 Figure 51: Open spaces used as camps in Nepal during disaster (Source:NRRC, Nepal) ......................... 155 Figure 52: Existing road and parking condition in S/Jongkhar Thromde) ................................................. 159 Figure 53: Rigid and Flexible pavements (Source: 1999 Encyclopedia Britannica, Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLCw9coHX1s) ............................................................................... 160 Figure 54: Climate resilient qualities of concrete pavement (Source: Google) .......................................... 161 Figure 55: Smart parking solutions in Gliwice, Poland (source: City parking Group, Poland) ................. 162 Figure 56: Slope analysis map of S/Jongkhar Thromde ............................................................................. 166 Figure 57: Updated topographic map of S/Jongkhar Thromde .................................................................. 167 Figure 58: Earthquake faults in the Eastern region of Bhutan (Source: UDP S/Jongkhar Thromde) ........ 168 Figure 59: Flood prone areas in S/Jongkhar Thromde ............................................................................... 169 Figure 60:Flood Hazard Map of S/Jongkhar Thromde (Source:FEMD, DES, MoWHS) .......................... 171 Figure 61:Flood Vulnerability Map of S/Jongkhar Thromde (Source: FEMD, DES, MoWHS) ............... 172 Figure 62: Low level bund constructed to store water (Source:SFP, Yorkshire) ....................................... 175 Figure 63: Floodplain Woodland (Source: SFP, Yorkshire) ...................................................................... 175 Figure 64: Woodland Debris Dam (Source:SFP, Yorkshire) ..................................................................... 176 Figure 65: Short term and long term flood protection measures for S/Jongkhar Thromde (Source:FEMD, DES, MoWHS) ........................................................................................................................................... 178 Figure 66: Climate Smart Agriculture (Source: Irina Papuso and JimlyFaraby, Seminar on Climate Change and Risk Management, 2013. ..................................................................................................................... 180 Figure 67: Interviewing women during the household survey in S/JongkharThromde.............................. 181 Figure 68: Vertical garden ideas (Source:http://www.goodshomedesign.c ............................................... 185 Figure 69: Climate Smart Agriculture Project in Africa and Greenhouse in St, Lucia in West Indies) (Source: Climate Interactive, CSA in Africa &St.Lucia News online) ...................................................... 185

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List of Tables

Table 1: Difference between Hazard, Disaster, Risk and Vulnerability (Source: UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction) ............................................................................................................................................ 20 Table 2: Definition of a Resilient City (Source:100 Resilient Cities, UN-Habitat and ResilientCity.org) .. 21 Table 3: Dimensions and Drivers of a Resilient City (Source: 100 Resilient City Website) ....................... 23 Table 4: Layers of DReW (Source:www.lwr.org/resiliencewheel ) .............................................................. 25 Table 5: Resilient Attributes of DReW ((Source:www.lwr.org/resiliencewheel) ........................................ 25 Table 6: List of Climate Resilient Characteristics from Literature (Source: Sustainability 2016, 8, 701; doi:10.3390/su8070701) ............................................................................................................................... 28 Table 7: Relevancy to GNH Principles ........................................................................................................ 29 Table 8: Risk assessment of the impacts of climate change on vulnerable sectors in Bhutan ..................... 32 Table 9: Recommendations to address climate risks in various sectors ....................................................... 35 Table 10: National and international documents relevant to SPCR ............................................................. 72 Table 11: Planning principles adopted in Bhutan for the preparation of human settlement plans ............... 77 Table 12: Analysis in relation to climate resiliency ..................................................................................... 78 Table 13: Strengths and gap analyses of the S/Jongkhar UDP principles .................................................... 81 Table 14: Analyses of sectoral proposals in the UDP in relation to climate resiliency ................................ 88 Table 15: Rainfall data from 2008-2012 for S/Jongkhar Thromde (Source: S/Jongkhar UDP)................... 92 Table 16: Temperature data of S/Jongkhar Thromde from 2008-2012 (Source: S/Jongkhar UDP) ............ 92 Table 17: Benefits of RWHS (Source: Nor Hafizi Md Lani, Zulkifli Yusop ,and Achmad Syafiuddin. Available at https://doi.org/10.3390/w10040506.) ..................................................................................... 103 Table 18: Medical waste data of S/Jongkhar Hospital in 2017 (Source: S/Jongkhar Hospital) ................. 124 Table 19: Climate hazards and potential impacts on roads ........................................................................ 157 Table 20: Hazard zones and vulnerable buildings in S/Jongkhar Thromde (Source: FEMD, DES, MoWHS) .................................................................................................................................................................... 170 Table 21:Risk Zones and vulnerable buildings in S/Jongkhar Thromde (Source: FEMD, DES, MoWHS) .................................................................................................................................................................... 170 Table 22: Short and long term recommendations for S/Jongkhar Thromde ............................................... 194 Table 23: Investment Plan for the Thromde ............................................................................................... 195

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS Sl.no Dzongkha Terms Meaning 1 Chhu River 2 Dzongkhag District 3 Dratshang Monastic Body 4 Gewogs Block 5 Thromde Municipality 6 Thrompon Mayor

ACRONYMS Sl.no Abbreviation Full Form

1. BPCL Bhutan Power Corporation Ltd 2. BTL Bhutan Telecom Ltd 3. DES Department of Engineering Services 4. DHS Department of Human Settlement 5. FEMD Flood Engineering and Management Division 6. GNHC Gross National Happiness Commission 7. LAP Local Area Plan 8. LEDS Low Emission Development Strategy 9. LUP Land Use Planning 10. MoWHS Ministry of Works and Human Settlement 11. NEC National Environment Commission 12. PPCR Pilot Program for Climate Resilience 13. PPD Policy and Planning Division 14. SMART Sustainable Mitigation and Adaptation Risk Toolkit 15. SPCR Strategic Program for Climate Resilience 16. UDP Urban Development Plan 17. WSD Water and Sanitation Division 18. WSP Water Safety Plan

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1.1. Background of Bhutan

Bhutan is located in the Eastern Himalayas with an area of 38,394 sq. km and population of

681,720 (Population and Housing Census of Bhutan, 2017). The country comprises of mostly

high mountains and steep slopes with about 70% forest cover. The altitude ranges from 200

metres in the southern region to 7000 metres in the northern parts resulting in diverse climatic

conditions and biodiversity.

The country is divided into three distinct climatic zones: alpine, temperate and subtropical. The

climate is humid and subtropical in the southern plains and foothills, temperate in the valleys of

the central regions, and cold in the north, with year-round snow on the main Himalayan range. In

the south, the temperature ranges between 15-30 °C and sometimes even reaches beyond 35° C

during the summer months.

The urban population comprises 37.8 % and the rural population constitutes 62.2% of the total

population of Bhutan. Thimphu Dzongkhag has the largest population (138,736), constituting

19.1% of the total population of the country and the least populated is Gasa Dzongkhag with

3,952 persons. Between 2005 and 2017, Bhutan’s total population had increased by 16% and the

population density has increased from 17 persons/sq.km to19 persons/sq.km. The population had

increased at the rate of 1.3% per annum. The sex ratio of the population (number of males for

every 100 females) at the national level is 110. The median age is 26.9 years, indicating that half

of Bhutan’s population is younger than 26.9 years. The total dependency ratio is 47.0, implying

that for every 100 economically active persons, there are 47.0 dependents.

1.2. Project Background

Countries all over the world are facing challenges of rapid urbanization and Bhutan is no

exception to it. Over the last few decades, Bhutan has seen unprecedented growth in its urban

population especially in bigger towns like Thimphu and Phuentsholing. While urbanization has

brought about many opportunities, there is no denying the fact that it has also brought along

various climate related issues. Over the years, the country has experienced several visible impacts

of climate change including melting glaciers, shrinking water bodies, and erratic weather pattern.

The varying climatic conditions, coupled with difficult high mountain topography, makes human

1. INTRODUCTION

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settlement planning process and construction activities difficult in the country. Bhutan is also

prone to multiple climate-induced hazards that constantly pose threats to its human lives,

property, and ecosystems.

The Government has been proactive in coming up with various adaptation and mitigation

measures across all sectors including the human settlement sector. One such initiative is to

develop a long-term strategic program to address climate-resilience. The Strategic Program for

Climate Resilience (SPCR) led by the Gross National Happiness Commission (GNHC) was

initiated under the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR). The goal of the SPCR is to

develop a programmatic framework for climate-resilience, outlining the country’s adaptation and

development priorities, and also prepare an investment concept outline.

The 12th Five Year Plan objective and three National Key Results Areas (NKRA) have been

drawn in the formulation of this project. The three NKRAs that this project will help achieve

include i) Enhanced liveability of human settlements; ii) Sustainable management of land

resources for human settlement; and iii) Enhanced effectiveness and efficiency of the municipal

services.

The SPCR is based on the following four thematic pillars:

i. Enhancing the Information Base For Hydro Met Services and Climate Resilience

ii. Preparedness, Food and Water Security

iii. Sustainable Growth and Resilient Infrastructure

iv. Strengthening Governance, Institutional Coordination and Human Resource Capacity.

Since the Department of Human Settlement (DHS) is the lead government agency mandated to

carry out human settlement planning of the country, it was given the responsibility to carry out a

technical project under Pillar (iii): Sustainable Growth and Resilient Infrastructure. As the SPCR

is focused more towards the southern part of the country considering the climate vulnerabilities of

the region, Samdrup Jongkhar town in the South Eastern part of Bhutan was identified as the

project area.

The project titled “Climate SMART Human Settlement Planning and Development in Samdrup

Jongkhar Thromde” was initiated in 2017 and it provides various recommendations to improve

the adaptive capacity of the public facilities and amenities in the Thromde by incorporating

climate resilient elements.

The project is being carried out in two phases. Phase I is the preparatory phase which will involve

preparation of the technical project documents after carrying out the required studies and phase II

is the investment phase where proposals and recommendations from phase I will be implemented. 13 | P a g e


1.3. Baseline Information on Climate SMART Planning

Climate-SMART planning for cities has now become a priority for long-term sustainability.

International level initiatives on the importance of making cities Climate-SMART, and

formulating strategies to increase the adaptive capacities are under implementation. The 100

Resilient Cities by the UN-Habitat is one such initiative which provides a platform for countries

from across the globe to come together to share their issues and experiences in planning for

climate resiliency. Similarly, climate oriented Land Use Planning (LUP) is another recent

approach towards climate resilient planning.

At the national level, some important initiatives towards adaptation and mitigation measures

include the National Adaptation Plans (NAP); National Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA II);

National Strategy and Action Plan for Low Carbon Development (2012); Nationally Appropriate

Mitigation Actions (NAMA); Low Emission Development Strategy (LEDS) for Urban and Rural

Settlements, and the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). In addition, the Constitution of

the Kingdom of Bhutan (2008) also demands that the Royal Government should protect and

conserve the environment and biodiversity and ensure that a minimum of 60 % of Bhutan’s total

land shall be maintained under forest cover for all time.

Though the climate SMART LUP is not commonly found and operationalized in Bhutan, the

human settlement plans are prepared with designated land uses which take into consideration

environmental concerns and requirements. At the Departmental level too, there have been several

initiatives for sustainable planning of urban and rural areas. Some major initiatives by the DHS

include:

i. Draft Comprehensive National Development Plan (CNDP) for Bhutan 2030: The

DHS is in the process of formulating the CNDP with the objective of addressing rural-

urban migration and promoting regionally balanced development through initiatives

such as development of special economic zones, industrial estates, hydropower

projects, tourism, farming, agro-based industries, and creation of regional centers.

ii. Draft Spatial Planning Act (2018): The act is in a bill form currently and was

formulated with the objective to provide a framework for planning the use,

development and protection of land in the present and long-term interest of the

country.

iii. Draft National Sustainable Human Settlements Policy (2018): It has been prepared

to provide a framework for planning and development of environmentally sustainable,

culturally and economically vibrant and disaster resilient human settlements.

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iv. Guideline for Planning and Development of Human Settlements in Urban and

Rural areas of Bhutan to minimize Environmental Impacts: The objective of the

guidelines is to impact design features to protect the natural environment by providing

policy and regulatory direction for environmentally sensitive development in Bhutan.

v. National Human Settlement Strategy: The objective of the strategy document is to

present studies and findings, identify potential settlement and non-settlement areas and

provide strategies. It also provides recommendations and proposals for the institutional

and legal framework and the timeframe for the implementation of the strategies.

vi. Spatial Planning Standards: It was formulated with the objective to provide for fair,

orderly, economic and sustainable use of land.

In addition, the Department is also working along with the World Bank in the preparation of

Urban Policy notes with the objective of providing policy support to the Royal Government on

some of the high priority urban issues like affordable housing. Similarly, Bhutan Green Building

Design Guideline, formulated by the Department of Engineering Services (DES), under the

MoWHS, is also in place to guide climate resilient construction.

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The preparation of the project Terms of Reference along with the Investment Concept Outline

was the first step in the report formulation. Acknowledging the need to build the capacity of the

team in the Department, a task force to carry out the project in-house was constituted comprising

of members from different fields. The members included officials from the Department of Human

Settlement (MoWHS), Water and Sanitation Division (Department of Engineering Services,

MoWHS), Environment Section (Policy and Planning Division, MoWHS), and

SamdrupJongkharThromde.

Based on the assessment of climate related issues, SamdrupJongkharThromde was identified as

the project site. The formulation of the project report involved analyses of primary and secondary

data and a series of site visits, meetings, and stake holder consultations. Capacity building was

another major component which was required to build the capacity of the taskforce and other

relevant officials to carry out the project in-house.

The Urban Development Plan (UDP) for SamdrupJongkharThromde 2013-2033 was reviewed to

identify thrust areas that could be improved for climate resiliency in phase II of the project.

Sector-wise proposals/ recommendations were also made at national and local levels.

A set of eight climate resilient planning principles for the country, which are also relevant for the

Thromde, were identified. These principles will guide the overall planning and development

processes to build climate resiliency. In addition, a Climate Resilience Framework using Climate

SMART LUP approach for the Thromde was prepared. The Framework includes critical target

areas to be improved for climate resiliency.

An implementation framework has also been prepared which includes phasing of key activities

which should be implemented in collaboration with the relevant sectors and an investment plan

indicating the amount required for the implementation of the project.

2. METHODOLOGY

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Figure 1: Methodology of the project report formulation

Note: The detailed Terms of Reference, Investment Concept Outline, and the activities

carried out have been compiled separately in Volume II of the report.

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The analytical study or the literature review was divided into the following six sections:

i) Study of international climate resilient planning principles, frameworks and

characteristics;

ii) Study of Climate SMART Land Use Planning (LUP) Concept;

iii) Review of existing relevant national and international documents with special focus on

environment and climate change;

iv) Review of human settlement planning principles followed in Bhutan; and

v) Review of planning principles and sector-based proposals in Samdrup Jongkhar UDP

(2013-2033);

3.1. Study of International Climate Resilient Planning Principles, Frameworks, and Characteristics

3.1.1. Climate Change, Climate Resilience, and Climate Adaptation

Climate change can be defined as the “change of climate that is attributed directly or indirectly

to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and that is in addition to

natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods (UNFCCC).”Emission of

greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide is perceived to be the likely

cause of climate change and some of the visible impacts could be seen in the form of melting

glaciers, rising temperatures, erratic weather patterns, alteration in hydrological systems,

decreasing crop yield, and rising sea levels (IPCC, 2014). Further, climate change impacts are

predicted to slow down economic growth, affect food security, and increase displacement of

people (IPCC, 2014).

These effects of climate change are likely to continue for a long time. IPCC states that proper

mitigation measures in place can reduce climate change impacts substantially towards the end of

the 21stcentury and beyond while adaptation measures will continue to address both current and

future risks.

Mitigation and adaptation are approaches used to reduce the risks of climate change. While

mitigation addresses the cause of climate change which is the emission of greenhouse gases,

adaptation measures are adopted to reduce the risks of climate change impacts (IPCC).

3. ANALYTICAL STUDIES AND REVIEWS

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Likewise, climate resilience and climate vulnerability are some of the terminologies associated

with climate change. Often, climate resilience and climate adaptation are used interchangeably

to explain the process of adapting to stresses caused by climate change. However, it should be

noted that though they are interconnected, these concepts are different. Climate resiliency is the

capacity of a system to absorb stresses caused by climate change but still continue to function

while reorganizing itself to evolve into a better one. It is a combined result of both adaptation

and mitigation measures.On the other hand, climate adaptation means processes and actions that

help a system in absorbing changes that have either occurred or are predicted to occur in future.

The figure below shows how climate resiliency is built through adaptation and mitigation

measures:

Figure 2: Building Resilience through Adaptation and Mitigation(Source: Calgary’s Climate Program. Extracted from https://www.calgary.ca/UEP/ESM/Pages/Energy-Savings/Climate-Change.aspx)

The interconnectivity of climate change, climate resilience, and climate adaptation can be

explained as shown in Figure 3 below:

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Figure 3: Interconnectivity between Climate Change, Resilience, Adaptation and Vulnerability (Source: By Quokka-roo, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. created on 7 May 2014. Extracted from Sheyna Gifford’s homepage: Mission Control for Science, Education, Outreach, and Advocacy)

3.1.2. Hazard, Disaster, Risk and Vulnerability There are several other paradigms like risks, hazards, disaster and vulnerability which are also

associated with climate change. These terminologies are often used synonymously but it is

important to note that they have different definitions. Table 1 highlights the specific difference in

these four concepts:

Hazard Disaster Risk Vulnerability

“A process,

phenomenon or human

activity that may cause

loss of life, injury or

other health impacts,

property damage,

social and economic

disruption or

environmental

degradation. Hazards

may be natural,

anthropogenic or

socio-natural in

origin.”

“A serious disruption

of the functioning of a

community or a

society at any scale

due to hazardous

events interacting with

conditions of

exposure, vulnerability

and capacity, leading

to one or more of the

following: human,

material, economic

and environmental

losses and impacts.

“The potential loss of

life, injury, or

destroyed or damaged

assets which could

occur to a system,

society or a

community in a

specific period of

time, determined

probabilistically as a

function of hazard,

exposure,

vulnerability and

capacity.”

“The conditions

determined by

physical, social,

economic and

environmental factors

or processes which

increase the

susceptibility of an

individual, a

community, assets or

systems to the impacts

of hazards.”

Table 1: Difference between Hazard, Disaster, Risk and Vulnerability (Source: UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction)

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Figure 4: Interconnectivity between Hazards, Risks and Vulnerability (Source: ITC, University of Twente)

From the above pictorial representation, it is evident that risks can occur due to climatic hazards

which will ultimately lead to disaster and the most affected ones will be the vulnerable society.

3.1.3. Climate Resilient City Concept The Resilient City Concept has been gaining popularity in the recent years with nations coming

together to work towards addressing adverse impacts of climate change in their cities. Countries

are, now, shifting their focus towards planning for climate resiliency from climate adaptation.

Making communities resilient would be more sustainable in the long run as the impacts of climate

change worsen in decades to come. Creating resilient infrastructure, services, communities and

economy would be more impactful than just focussing on mere adaptation.

Resilient city has been defined in various ways by various institutions. However, the fundamental

concept of the term remains the same in all definitions. Some of the widely used definitions of a

resilient city are:

Institutions Definition of a Resilient City

Rockfeller

Foundation

It is the capacity of individuals, communities, institutions, businesses, and systems

within a city to survive, adapt, and grow no matter what kinds of chronic stresses and

acute shocks they experience.

ResilientCity.org A Resilient City is one that has developed capacities to help absorb future shocks and

stresses to its social, economic, and technical systems and infrastructure so as to still

be able to maintain essentially the same functions, structures, systems, and identity.

Un-Habitat A Resilient City is one that assesses, plans and acts to prepare for and respond to all

hazards, either sudden or slow on-set, expected or unexpected.

Table 2: Definition of a Resilient City (Source:100 Resilient Cities, UN-Habitat and ResilientCity.org)

21 | P a g e


For this project, all three definitions seem appropriate since they have the same underlying

concept which is to build the capacity of the city to adapt to external stresses and still continue to

function. Therefore, the planning principles for climate resiliency for Bhutan, that have been

proposed as one of the strategies in this project have been drawn based on the above three

definitions.

To better understand the concept of climate resiliency, a review of some of the internationally

adopted climate resilient planning principles and frameworks was carried out. The objective of the

review was to comprehend the concepts followed by other countries and identify those that would

be relevant to Bhutan. Some of the widely adopted climate resilient planning principles and

frameworks reviewed were:

3.1.3.1. The 100 Resilient Cities (100 RC) Framework The 100 Resilient Cities framework was pioneered by the Rockfeller Foundation and developed

by ARUP, a multinational professional services firm with its headquarter in London. The 100 RC

is dedicated to assist cities around the world to develop resilience to social, physical and

economic challenges. It helps cities to address both the shocks and the stresses like

unemployment, food and water shortages etc. to enable these cities to effectively respond to

adverse events.

It provides the cities in its network with the required resources to develop a roadmap to resilience.

The support is given along the following main pathways:

i. By providing financial and logistical guidance to create the post of a Chief Resilience

Officer in the local government office to spearhead the city’s resilience efforts;

ii. By assisting in the formulation of a robust Resilience Strategy;

iii. By assisting in the implementation of the cities’ Resilience Strategies by providing

access to solutions, service providers, and partners from the private, public and NGO

sectors; and

iv. By providing membership to a global network of member cities which facilitates the

cities to learn from each other and share their experiences.

The 100RC measures the impacts of its assistance through i) External research where its

partnership with the cities is evaluated by the Urban Institute and other global partners, ii) Internal

monitoring by keeping track of the programs, and iii) City reporting where there is regular

reporting directly from the cities.

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The framework comprises of the following 4 dimensions, 12 drivers and 7 qualities:

Dimensions Drivers

Health and

Wellbeing

i . Meets Basic Needs: Provision of essential resources required to meet a person’s

basic physiological needs. i i . Supports Livelihoods and Employment: Livelihood opportunities & support that

enable people to secure their basic needs. Opportunities might include jobs, skills

training, or responsible grants & loans.

i i i . Ensures Public Health Services: Integrated health facilities & services, &

responsive emergency services. Includes physical & mental health, health

monitoring & awareness of healthy living & sanitation.

Economy and

Society

i. Promotes Cohesive and Engaged Communities: Reinforce collective ability to

improve the community & require processes that encourage civic engagement in

planning & decision-making.

ii. Ensures Social Stability, Security and Justice: Law enforcement, crime prevention,

justice, & emergency management.

iii. Fosters Economic Prosperity: Important economic factors include contingency

planning, sound management of city finances, the ability to attract business

investment, a diverse economic profile & wider linkages.

Infrastructure

and

Environment

i. Enhances and Provides Protective Natural & Man-Made Assets: Environmental

stewardship, appropriate infrastructure, effective land use planning & enforcing

regulations.

ii. Ensures Continuity of Critical Services: Diversity of provision, redundancy, active

management & maintenance of ecosystems & infrastructure, & contingency

planning.

iii. Provides Reliable Communication and Mobility: Diverse & affordable multi- modal

transport networks & systems, ICT & contingency planning

Leadership and

Strategy

i. Promotes Leadership and Effective Management: Relating to government, business

& civil society. This is recognisable in trusted individuals, multi-stakeholder

consultation, & evidence based decision-making.

ii. Empowers a Broad Range of Stakeholders: Education for all, access to up-to-date

information, & knowledge to enable people & organizations to take appropriate

action.

iii. Fosters Long-Term and Integrated Planning: Holistic vision, informed by data.

Strategies/plans should be integrated across sectors & land-use plans should consider

& include different departments, users & uses. Building codes should create safety &

remove negative impacts.

Table 3: Dimensions and Drivers of a Resilient City (Source: 100 Resilient City Website)

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The seven qualities of a resilient city are:

i. Resourceful: To prepare a city to respond quickly to extreme events, modifying

organizations or procedures as needed.

ii. Robust: Any design should be well-conceived, constructed and managed. It should

have provision to ensure failure is predictable and safe.

iii. Integrated: All systems and institutions should work together and reap benefits from

shared resources like having an integrated city plan.

iv. Flexible: The system should have the willingness and ability to adopt alternative

strategies in response to changing circumstances or sudden crises.

v. Redundant: It includes diversity where there are multiple ways to achieve a given

need. For e.g. alternate sources of power supply, or roads etc.

vi. Reflective: Use past experience to inform future decisions, and will modify standards

and behaviours accordingly.

vii. Inclusive: There should be broad consultations and ‘many seats at the table’ to create a

sense of shared ownership or a joint vision to build city resilience.

3.1.3.2. The Dynamic Resilience Wheel (DReW) Framework The second RC framework studied was the Dynamic Resilience Wheel Framework prepared by

the Lutheran World Relief, founded by the Lutherans in the United States. It has been designed to

build the technical capacity of the resilience project stakeholders and enable them through past

reflections.

It is used during the following stages of the project:

i) Project Design and Planning: Resilience concepts are integrated during the design phase

and it also ensures that the stakeholders can comprehend and apply these concepts;

ii) Project Implementation: It is used to assess the progress of the project mid-way and

foster knowledge and information sharing among the stakeholders; and o

iii) Project Finalization: It assesses the impacts of the project at different levels and guides

the practitioners in strategizing future shocks and stressors.

It can be used to address the questions of i) Resilience Where (geographic setting and key

stakeholders at different levels), ii) Resilience of Whom (individual, household,

community/institutions, and project beneficiaries), iii) Resilience How (resilience attributes that

are available and lacking and need to be addressed, and resilience capacities that need to be

strengthened), iv) Resilience for What (goal of the project), and v)Resilience to What (key shocks

and stresses and their impacts).

24 | P a g e


It comprises of the following layers:

Layer 1 System of Focus: individual, household, community and institution.

Level of Analysis: local, regional, national and international.

Gender Aspects: men, women, boys and girls.

Layer 2 Livelihood Capitals: social, economic, human, physical and natural.

Layer 3 Resilience Attributes: robustness, self-organization, learning, redundancy, scale,

rapidity, flexibility and diversity and equality.

Layer 4 Resilience Capacities: absorptive, adaptive and transformative.

Layer 5 Development Outcomes: inclusive growth, food security, well-being, quality of life

and sustainable livelihoods.

Layer 6 Shocks and Stressors: market downturn, climate change, food insecurity, natural

disasters and conflict. Table 4: Layers of DReW (Source:www.lwr.org/resiliencewheel )

Resilient

Attributes

Description

Robustness Ability of the community to maintain its characteristics, and continue to function

despite the impact of shocks and stressors.

Redundancy Availability of additional resources that can be accessed to respond to shocks and

stressors and that are substitutable.

Self-organization Ability of the community to independently re-arrange its functions and processes.

Learning Capacity of the community to gain or create knowledge, and strengthen the skills and

capacities of its members.

Rapidity Speed at which assets can be accessed or mobilized by the community to achieve goals

in an efficient manner.

Scale Breadth of resources (e.g. at the regional, national or international levels) that a

community can access to effectively overcome or adapt to the effects of shocks and

stressors.

Diversity and

Flexibility

Ability of the community to undertake different courses of actions with available

resources, enabling them to explore different options, innovate, and benefit from

emerging opportunities.

Equity Extent to which the community provides equal access to rights, resources and

opportunities to its members.

Table 5: Resilient Attributes of DReW ((Source:www.lwr.org/resiliencewheel)

25 | P a g e

http://www.lwr.org/resiliencewheel

http://www.lwr.org/resiliencewheel


Figure 5: Dynamic Resilience Wheel (Source: Ospina, A.V. (2013), PhD thesis, IDPM, University of Manchester, UK

3.1.3.3. Framework to Resilience Planning: Institute for Social and Environmental Transition, USA The Rockefeller Foundation in 2008 identified 10 cities in Asia to assist them in planning and

implementing climate change adaptation measures. Considering the fact that Asia has a major

chunk of urban population, there was a need for immediate adaptation measures. So a programme

called the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN) was initiated in India,

Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. A framework for resilience planning was developed by the

Institute for Social and Environmental Transition, USA to assist in planning for climate resiliency

in these cities.

Stephen Tyler & Marcus Moench (2012) in their research titled “A framework for urban climate

resilience, Climate and Development” have explicitly explained the framework and how each

component functions. The framework comprises of three elements of urban resilience viz.

Systems, Agents, and Institutions:

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i) Systems: Cities should have high level of infrastructure to deliver high level of services.

Therefore, Systems should be flexible & diverse where a variety of tasks can be performed

under any condition. Systems should also have the resilience qualities of modularity and

redundancy where one component should be able to replace the other in case of failure and

there should be alternate options or back up to still continue functioning despite of the

failure in a system. Another resilient quality of the Systems is safe failure where there

should be no cascading effect on the other systems if one fails.

ii) Agents: Agents include individuals, households, private and public sector organizations.

For agents to function effectively, they should have the resilience qualities of

responsiveness, resourcefulness, and the capacity to learn.

iii) Institutions: Institutions include governance system which is an important element of

resiliency and should be able to link Agents and Systems together. Institutions should

ensure that everyone has equal access to the resources, systems and information, the

decision making processes are fair and transparent, and should facilitate the generation,

exchange and application of new knowledge.

Figure 6: Framework for Resilience Planning (Source: ISET-International, Available at http://michelleffox.com/portfolio/climate-resilience-framework-2/)

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3.1.3.4. Climate Resilient Characteristics from Literature The University of Michigan has published a research paper titled “Comparing Conceptualizations

of Urban Climate Resilience in Theory and Practice” by Meerow and Stults where sixteen climate

resilient planning characteristics have been identified. The compilation of the climate resilient

characteristics has been done from the review of several international practices and some of the

characteristics also feature in the preceding reviews of this report.

The climate resilience principles, frameworks and characteristics reviewed above were then

grouped under the four pillars of Gross National Happiness (GNH) viz. Sustainable Socio-

Economic Development, Good Governance, Preservation and Promotion of Culture, and

Environmental Conservation to see how relevant they are for Bhutan. The analysis showed that

while all four had elements of Sustainable Socio-Economic Development, Good Governance,

Preservation and Promotion of Culture, only the characteristics from the literature covered

Table 6: List of Climate Resilient Characteristics from Literature (Source: Sustainability 2016, 8, 701; doi:10.3390/su8070701)

Sl.no Climate Resilient

Planning Principles

Description

1 Robustness Ensuring municipal-wide infrastructure and organizations can withstand

shock and return to its normal operational state.

2 Redundancy Having back-up systems, infrastructure.

3 Diversity Ensuring diverse economy, infrastructure, and resource base.

4 Integration Plans and actions are integrated across multiple departments and external

organizations.

5 Inclusivity Ensuring that all residents have access to the infrastructure and services and

involve all citizens in the decision making processes.

6 Equity Ensuring equal distribution of benefits across the society.

7 Iterative Process Feedbacks and lessons learnt are continuously used in decision making.

8 Decentralization Decentralizing services, resources and governance.

9 Feedback Information is rapidly fed back to the decision makers or system operators.

10 Environmental Protecting natural system or assets.

11 Transparency Ensuring that all processes are open and transparent.

12 Flexibility Making municipal plans flexible and open to change when needed.

13 Forward-thinking Integrating information about future conditions into community planning

and decision making.

14 Adaptive Capacity Ensuring that all residents have the capacity to adapt to climate change.

15 Predictable Ensuring that systems are designed to fail in predictable and safe ways.

16 Efficiency Enhancing the efficiency of governance and external operations.

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environmental conservation. The other three frameworks do not cover environmental conservation

elaborately though characteristic like resourcefulness under the 100 RC and ISET Frameworks

could also mean using resources wisely to minimize harm to the environment.

Principles/Characteristics relevant to GNH Principles Remarks

GNH Pillars 100 RC

Framework

DReW

Framework

ISET

Framework

Research Paper

Sustainable

Socio-

Economic

Development

Redundant,

Resourceful,

Flexible, and

Robust

Robustness,

Self-

organization,

Learning,

Redundancy,

Diversity, and

Flexibility

Flexibility,

Modularity, Safe

Failure,

Redundancy

Capacity to learn

Diversity,

Application of

new knowledge,

Resourcefulness,

Robustness,

Redundancy

Diversity,

Predictable,

Adaptive

capacity, Forward

Thinking, and

Flexibility

All four frameworks are

geared towards

sustainable socio-

economic

development

Good

Governance

Integrated &

Reflective

Rapidity &Scale Information &

Decision making

Inclusivity,

Integration,

Iterative Process,

Decentralization ,

Feedback,

Transparency,

and Efficiency.

All four have

components of good

governance.

Preservation

and

Promotion of

Culture

Inclusive Equity Rights and

Entitlements

Equity All four cover

integration of cultural

aspects to some extent.

Characteristics like

equity, inclusive, and

rights &entitlements

are geared towards

including all groups of

people and cultural

diversity. Environmental

Conservation

Environmental 100 RC, ISET and

DReW Frameworks do

not cover

environmental Table 7: Relevancy to GNH Principles

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3.2. Study of Climate SMART Land Use Planning (LUP) Concept The approach to plan for climate resiliency in this project is by adopting the Climate SMART

Land Use Planning (LUP) method. In recent years, the Climate SMART LUP approach is being

explicitly considered in proposed policies, plans, programs and projects in many countries. It not

only helps in combating climate change but also has added benefits of building prosperity and

addressing poverty.

It helps in urban adaptation to address many climate related issues like urban heat island stress,

flooding, water scarcity etc. through better planning, design interventions, and informed decision

making.

Figure 7: Climate SMART Development (Source: Climate Works Foundation and World Bank Group)

In this project, SMART means Sustainable Mitigation and Adaptation Risk Toolkit. Generally

SMART comprises of the following tools:

i) Risk Management Tool: It is used to assess the likely impact of climate change on the

physical and environmental assets.

ii) Cost/Benefit Assessment Tool: It acts as a guide to for the decision makers to evaluate

the economic costs against the proposed climate adaptation activities.

iii) Community-Based Vulnerability Assessment Tool: It is used to evaluate the

anticipated climate vulnerabilities of the community.

iv) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Tool: It is used to assess the impacts of the

project on the environment.

v) Communications & Outreach Tool: It comprises of several communications and

outreach approaches basically for the vulnerable groups during times of risks.30 | P a g e


Of the five tools, Risk Management and Community-Based Vulnerability Assessment tools

have been used extensively for this project as shown in Table 8. The Risk Management Tool

has been used to identify those disaster risks that Bhutan faces and their impacts on different

sectors. Based on the severity of the risks and the existing adaptation measures, the report has

recommendations to manage these risks for different sectors viz Infrastructure, Environment,

Social, Housing and Institutional. The Community-Based Vulnerability Tool has been used to

identify vulnerable sectors and communities in SamdrupJongkharThromde and adaptation

measures have been recommendation to enable them cope up withthestresses of climate

change.

3.2.1. Risk Assessment of the impacts of climate change on vulnerable sectors Bhutan lies in an environmentally sensitive area and is prone to multiple climate hazards which

not only have huge impact on human health and the environment but also incur substantial

amount of damage to infrastructure and services resulting in economic downturn. Therefore, a

framework to have a better understanding of the extent of resiliency in both urban and rural areas

is essential. To come up with a framework, it is important to assess all climate related disaster

risks that Bhutan faces and their possible impacts on various public facilities, amenities and other

services. This is essential because broader resilient measures would be required for the entire

country first before specific ones are proposed for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde.

Figure 8: Impacts of climate change on vulnerable sectors in Bhutan (Source: National Environment Commission)

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Table 8: Risk assessment of the impacts of climate change on vulnerable sectors in Bhutan

Climate Risks Infrastructure Impacted

Overall Impacts Existing Issues

Heat Stress

Floods

Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF)

Landslide

Infectious diseases

Cyclone

Windstorm

Drought

Fire

Buildings

Roads and footpaths

Drains

Water supply source and system

Waste disposal system

Sewerage Networks

Service related infrastructure: Hospitals, rescue operations, power supply, telecommunication networks, and television network.

Irrigation canals/channels.

Social Impacts Damage to lives.

Disruption in services.

Affects human health.

Displacement of people.

Results in trauma.

Affects services like telecom, power supply, phone lines, rescue operations, television lines, and medical services.

Environmental Impacts Affects flora and fauna.

Affects water bodies and aquatic lives.

Reduction in water supply.

Clogs drains and sewer system.

Results in ground water depletion.

Affects watershed.

Economic Impacts Damage to properties.

Reduction in crop yields.

Power supply failure.

Affects tourism.

Affects the economy.

Flooding of infrastructure and agricultural fields.

Increases the demand for energy.

No comprehensive National disaster management/ contingency plan.

No comprehensive climate resilient/smart land use plans.

Need for more community awareness programs.

Lack of climate resilient building codes.

Weak coordination amongst various sectors.

Lacks comprehensive research and design.

Negligible involvement of academia in planning.

Lack of affordable housing facilities for the low income group.

Negligible use of GIS and satellite data in planning.

Lack of use of space applications to monitor pollution, urban heat island effects, air quality, water quality etc.

Lack of proper watershed management plans for urban settlements.

Lack of use of space applications to monitor haphazard development over time.

Need for increased awareness on the use of natural resource consumption and management.

Lacks experts in handling hazardous wastes and materials.

Lack of redundancy while planning.

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3.2.1.1. Recommendations to address the impacts of climate change on vulnerable sectors in Bhutan Based on the assessment of the existing climate scenario of Bhutan, this project has made some

recommendations to address some of the impacts of climate change on the vulnerable sectors in

the country. Most of the strategies are already in place but need to be enforced strictly.

Sl.no Sector Recommendations

1 Environment

Sector i. Protect ecosystems and buffers;

ii. Currently there is a National Integrated Water Resources

Management Plan for Bhutan. However, there is a need to

declare the watersheds that cater to drinking water supplies for

major urban settlements for protection of the watershed;

iii. Declare and protect significant wetlands (natural water

ecosystems such as marshes, ponds, lakes, streams) from being

converted to other land uses in and around urban settlements;

iv. Explore strategies for recharging ground water;

v. Explore the use of space application/GIS to create public

awareness to manage natural resources, detect changes in forest

covers and other disturbances; and

vi. Provide incentives to encourage the use of renewable energy;

2 Social Sector i. Create more awareness campaigns on the importance of disaster

management and resilient planning for the community;

ii. Strengthen or explore the use of satellite data to protect and

preserve cultural and natural heritage;

iii. Prepare natural heritage protection plans;

iv. Carry out economic mapping of the vulnerable groups to study

the impacts of climate related events; and

v. Prepare plans, programs and policies that are gender responsive

and consider the needs of all sections of the society.

3 Housing

Sector i. Construction of affordable housing/promoting home ownership

for low and middle income groups;

ii. Strict enforcement to demolish/retrofit weak structures;

iii. Explore possibilities of assessing home loans at low interest rates

to enable the low and middle income groups to own homes; and

iv. Promote climate resilient planning and design of housing

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colonies.

4 Economic

Sector i. Empower the local governments to generate their own revenues

and decrease dependency on the central government/donors for

funds;

ii. Build capacity to use satellite data for agro ecosystem resilience

to improve livestock farming, aquaculture, fisheries etc;

iii. Explore possibilities of improving crop productivity using agro-

met information; and

iv. Promote environmentally friendly tourism and services.

5 Infrastructure

Sector i. Invest in those critical infrastructure that help in reducing

disaster risks like flood protection works and Early Warning

Systems;

ii. Need for a comprehensive waste management plan for every

Dzongkhag and Thromde;

iii. Need for a comprehensive storm water master plan for every


iv. Need for a comprehensive water management plan for every


v. Need for a comprehensive waste water plan for every


vi. Need for improved climate resilient design and implementation

of public facilities and amenities; and

vii. Strengthen ICT tools to enable knowledge sharing online and

also enable functioning during times of disasters.

6 Institutional

Sector i. Promote research and design in planning for climate resiliency;

ii. Promote research to minimize the spread of health epidemics

through GIS and satellite communications including monitoring

health impacts of livestock, plants and aquatic lives;

iii. Formulate climate resilient building codes for the country;

iv. Further strengthen integration of climate change concerns in

plans, policies and programs;

v. Prepare land use plans that are responsive to climate resilience

by integrating Climate SMART LUP principles.;

vi. Prepare comprehensive risk reduction and response plans for

every Dzongkhag and Thromde;

vii. Strengthen the existing intergovernmental mechanisms to foster

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better coordination amongst various sectors;

viii. Invest in training people as Hygienists, Toxicologists and other

experts to handle hazardous wastes and materials;

ix. Further strengthen participatory approach to include all sections

of the society during discussions;

x. Maintain a strong baseline data of all infrastructure, service,

population, and housing for preparedness;

xi. Encourage innovation in every sector to come up with climate

resilient strategies;

xii. Incorporate climate change as a compulsory module in schools

and higher educational institutions including the monastic

bodies; and

xiii. Enhance capacity building of both government and private

sectors in both adaptation and mitigation components.Table 9: Recommendations to address climate risks in various sectors

3.3. Review of existing relevant national and international documents with special focus on Environment and Climate Change

This section comprises of the review of acts, policies, rules, regulations, guidelines, strategies

and other documents that are in place to guide environmental conservation as well as preparation

of human settlement plans in the country.

Most of the documents prepared in the early years when climate change concern was not

required to be incorporated in the plans, program and policies, have included environmental

protection and conservation only and there was not much focus on planning for climate

resiliency as such. However, the recent documents have incorporated climate change adaptation

and mitigation measures as integral inputs to holistic development. Planning for climate

resiliency, as such, is still hardly evident in the documents reviewed.

The objectives and provisions related to climate resiliency or environmental protection of some of

the relevant documents have been briefly outlined below:

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Sl.No

Documents Objectives Provisions relevant to

SPCR

Analysis in

relation to climate

resiliency

1 Bhutan 2020: A

Vision for Peace,

Prosperity and

Happiness

A vision for peace,

prosperity and

happiness prioritizes

the future and sets out

the main directions to

enable the nation to

maintain its distinctive

path of development in

the next century

Outlines the country’s

development goals,

objectives and targets with

a twenty- year perspective

to maximize Gross

National Happiness

(GNH). Even before the

inception of SDGs, Vision

2020 enunciated Bhutan’s

development pursuits to be

carried out within the limits

of environmental

sustainability and without

impairing the ecological

productivity and natural

diversity, providing the

policy context for

sustainable development –

implicitly encompassing a

path that is resilient to and

mitigates climate change.

The vision

document guides

the development

activities by

following a path

that is resilient to

and mitigates

climate change.

2 Draft

Comprehensive

National

Development

Plan for Bhutan

2030

To promote a

regionally balanced

development of urban

and rural areas across

the entire country

through the

implementation of the

CNDP. This vision for

the sustainable

development of Bhutan

will contribute to the

maximization of GNH

The CNDP has detailed

analysis of Strategic

Environmental Assessment

(SEA) which is used a tool

for assessing the

environmental and social

implications. This is

particularly important to

minimize any significant

negative impacts that the

implementation of the

development plan may

The CNDP has

given due

considerations to

the environmental

assessment for the

development plans.

It also recommends

the strategies in the

event of natural

disaster and

emphasizes on the

creation of a

36 | P a g e


have on the environment

and climate change.

It further emphasizes on

creation of Resilient

National Spatial Structures

Against Natural Disaster.

The nationwide disaster

risks are also analyzed in

detail based on topographic

and geological features and

the past events.

resilient national

spatial structure

against disasters.

3 Bhutan National

Urbanization

Strategy (2008)

To improve efficiency

and impact of urban

growth on the well-

being of poor urban

citizens and develop a

policy framework and

guidelines for urban

growth.

The BNUS emphasizes on

developing urban centres in

a more sustainable manner.

It focuses on preservation

of environment as one of

the major interventions for

tackling issues with climate

change and efficient

growth of urban centres.

It considers

environmental

preservation as one

of the approaches

to combat climate

change. However,

there is no focus on

climate resilient

planning as such.

4 Forest and

Nature

Conservation Act

of Bhutan 1995

and; Forest and

Nature

Conservation

Rules and

Regulations of

Bhutan 2017

To provide for the

protection and

sustainable use of

forests, wildlife and

related natural

resources of Bhutan

for the benefit of

present and future

generations.

The Act requires any

individual or agency to

prepare management plans

to assess the environmental

and socio-economic impact

of production, protection,

transport and trade of

timber, other forest

produce and wildlife. It

also requires to assess their

role in the biological

diversity of Bhutan

Forest conservation

is mandatory as per

the Constitution.

Conservation and

preservation of

forests are

important to

enhance climate

resiliency.

5 National Forest

Policy of Bhutan

2010

To provide a long term

goal and major policy

objectives and specific

statements to

One of the features of

National Forestry Policy

includes Integration of

climate change, disaster

The Policy

emphasizes on

adequate adaptation

and mitigation

37 | P a g e


enable various aspects

of forest production,

use and management.

management and new

challenges and

opportunities in forest

governance and

management. The measures

to minimize or reduce

impact of climate change

on sustainable forest

management and

development through

appropriate adaptation and

mitigation measures are

also to be pursued.

measures for

sustainable forest

management which

is important for

climate resiliency.

6 The Land Act of

Bhutan 2007

To manage, regulate

and administer the

ownership and use of

land for socioeconomic

development and

environmental well-

being of the country

through efficient and

effective land

administration;

security of land tenure;

equal opportunity to

and facilitation of

operation of land

market; effective use

of land resources; and

conservation of the

ecosystem.

Effective and sustainable

land management.

Sustainable land

management is an

important aspect of

a climate resilient

city and Act covers

it extensively.

7 Bhutanese

Architecture

Guidelines

(2014)

To ensure the

sustainable

development of the

built environment in

Bhutan without

The BAG 2014 encourages

use of local materials over

imported materials, not

only to promote local

economy but also as energy

The BAG 2014 is

only intended to be

used as a referral

document while

designing and

38 | P a g e


sacrificing local

cultural

heritage traditions and

values.

efficient measures. constructing

Bhutanese

structures and does

not provide

guidance on how to

plan a building for

climate resiliency.

8 The Spatial

Planning Bill of

Bhutan 2018

To establish a

framework for

planning the use,

development and

protection of land in

the kingdom of

Bhutan.

Article 34 states that

“Spatial Plans shall be

prepared on the basis of

study and consideration of

all matters relevant to their

contents, including but not

limited to:

environment, ecosystems,

biodiversity, sensitive and

fragile areas; cultural sites

and landscapes; existing

human settlements;

existing infrastructural

networks; natural hazards

and measures to mitigate

risks; and geomorphology,

hydrography, geology and

soil investigations as

appropriate.

It includes aspects

of climate resilient

planning through

the consideration of

environment,

ecosystems,

biodiversity,,

natural hazards and

existing

infrastructural

networks.

9 National

Environment

Protection Act

(NEPA), 2007

To establish an

effective system to

conserve and protect

environment through

the National

Environment

Commission or its

successors, designation

of competent

authorities and

Article 4 states that “ The

people and the

Government in succession

shall perpetually strive to

consider and adopt its

developmental policies,

plans and programs in

harmony with the

following environmental

principles.”

The Act covers

several elements of

climate resiliency

like environmental

protection,

sustainable use of

natural resources,

environmental

planning,

promotion of

39 | P a g e


constitution of other

advisory committees,

so as to independently

regulate and promote

sustainable

development in

anequitable

manner.

The subsequent articles

cover the ten principles

which include Fundamental

right and duty; Inter-

generational equity; Middle

Path Strategy;

Precautionary Principles;

Principle of 3Rs; Polluter

pays Principle; Right to

Information; Access to

Justice; Sovereign rights

Principle; and Principle of

Payments for

environmental services.

environmentally

friendly

technologies, and

waste management.

However, it does

not cover climate

resilient services

and infrastructure

or climate smart

land use planning.

10 National Strategy

and Action Plan

for Low Carbon

Development

(2012)

Background

Prepared in

support of the

carbon neutral

declaration in

mid-2011. Has

long term and

short term action

plans. The

strategy

comprises of

various scenarios

analyzing

development

paths from

2005till

2040.

The National Strategy

and Action Plan for

Low Carbon

Development was

prepared to enable

Bhutan to fulfill its

commitment of

remaining carbon

neutral.

i. Energy Intensive

Industry

ii. Crop Production

iii. Livestock raising

iv. Municipal solid

waste

v. Road Transport

vi. Residential Sector

vii. Data on

sequestration

viii. Data on carbon

footprint

The strategy

focuses mostly on

municipal solid

waste and transport

sector. Other

aspects of climate

resilient city like

water management,

sewerage

management, green

buildings and other

forms of waste

management are

not covered.

40 | P a g e


11 Economic

Development

Policy (2017)

To achieve economic

self- reliance by 2020

and sustain full

employment (97.5%).

To achieve a minimum

average economic

growth rate of 10%

and strive to be a

middle-income nation

by 2020.

Diversify the economic

base with minimal

ecological footprint;

Harness and add value to

natural resources in a

sustainable manner;

Reduce dependency on

fossil fuel especially in

respect to transportation.

The Policy takes

into account

environment

mainstreaming in a

phased manner that

allows for

industries to grow

as well as engage in

cleaner production.

It provides for

incentives to

promote green

technology, micro-

hydro projects,

solar, wind,

biomass and energy

efficiency and

conservation

programmes. The

country’s

environment

conservation effort

is targeted to be

one of the main

drivers for

developing the

“Brand Bhutan”

theme.

Areas of economic

opportunities

identified include

high quality green

services, organic

farming, clean

energy, green

transportation,

41 | P a g e


green construction

technology, and

waste management.

12 Bhutan Water

Policy, 2003

To guide the

development

and management of

water resources

through national

conservation and

sustainable

development policy.

To guide the relevant

sector, which use water

as main resources in

fulfilling this important

national objective of

socio-economic

development.

Integrated water resources

development, management

and conservation to

maintain the safe yield of

water sources, to prevent

water pollution, to reduce

the risks of flood and

landslide damage and to

promote the active

participation of all

stakeholders.

It adopts an

integrated approach

for water

management which

is important for a

climate resilient

city.

13 Regulation for

the

Environmental

Clearance of

Projects 2016

To provide meaningful

opportunities for

public review of

potential

environmental impacts

of projects;

To ensure that all

projects are

implemented in line

with the sustainable

development policy of

the Royal

Government;

To ensure that

foreseeable impacts on

Section 13 states that when

the location of a proposed

project falls within 50

meters distance of a public

park, hospital, school or a

sacred landscape or site,

the applicant shall acquire

the official clearance of

concerned agencies before

submitting the application.

Notwithstanding, the

Secretariat or the

Competent Authority may

require the applicant to

obtain official clearance of

concerned agencies outside

50 meters distance

This regulation

only covers the

projects which may

have huge impacts

on the environment.

42 | P a g e


the environment,

including cumulative

effects are considered

prior to any

irrevocable

commitments of

resources or funds;

To ensure that feasible

alternatives are

considered;

To ensure that feasible

means to avoid or

mitigate damage to the

environment are

implemented;

To encourage the use

of renewable resources

and clean technologies;

and

To provide information

on environmental

clearance towards

uniform,

comprehensive

database on the

environmental and

cultural conditions and

assets in Bhutan.

depending on the nature of

the project.

14 Green Transport

City Program for

Thimphu 2019

To have a master plan

for low emissions

transport, investments

in sustainable public

i. Low emission

transport

ii. BRT

iii. Parking

It covers green

transportation

which is important

for a climate

43 | P a g e


and non-motorized

transport services,

green transport

systems, and

knowledge

development and

transfer

Management

iv. Pedestrianization

and other non -

motorized transport

infrastructure

works.

resilient city.

15 National

Sanitation and

Hygiene Policy

(2017)

To achieve universal

coverage and access to

safe sanitation and

hygiene services for a

healthy, happy and

productive society.

i. Technology

development and

management;

ii. Governance and

Institutional

mechanisms;

iii. Financing

mechanism;

iv. Capacity

development and

behavioral change;

v. Compliance and

monitoring;

The policy covers

safe sanitation and

hygiene practices

which are

important for a

climate resilient

city.

16 Alternative

Renewable

Energy Policy

2013

Aims to promote the

following clean

renewable energy

technologies

i. Buildings,

Transport, Waste

ii. Promote solar PV

and thermal, wind,

bio-energy and geo-

thermal,

pico/micro/mini/sm

all hydro, and waste

to energy (WTE).

The policy is

comprehensive in

its proposals for

energy efficiency

which is important

for a climate

resilient city.

17

Urban and Rural

Settlements in

Bhutan: A Low

Emission

Development

Strategy (2017)

Background

To set out the main

mitigation measures in

sectors that are

relevant for human

settlements and seeks

to integrate LEDS and

NAMAs.

i. Waste composting

ii. Energy efficient

buildings

iii. 3Rs

iv. Energy efficient

street lighting

v. Electric mass public

It covers mitigation

measures various

sectors that are

crucial for a

resilient city.

However,

adaptation

44 | P a g e


Prepared under

the UNDP Low

Emission

Capacity

Building (LECB)

Programme.

Prioritizes 13

options to reduce

GHG emissions

based upon

mitigation

potential, costs,

and sustainable

development

benefits

transport

vi. Waste water

management

vii. Cable cars

viii. Energy efficient

appliances,

ix. Electric vehicles

x. Solar PV

xi. Non-motorized

transport

xii. Biofuels

xiii. Landfills gas

flaring.

measures are not

included and

important

components like

drinking water and

storm water

management have

not been

considered.

18 Bhutan Water

Vision 2025

(NEC)

To meet the increasing

demands

To assure access to

adequate, safe and

affordable water to

maintain and enhance

the quality of the lives

and the integrity of

natural eco-systems in

the present and for

future generations.

To conserve

watersheds, monitoring

water quality and

awareness on water

resources.

i. Environmental

Conservation

ii. Integrated water

resources

management

iii. Sustainable use of

water resources

Covers the future

aspects and needs

with regard to

Water.

19 Nationally

Determined

Contribution

(2015): Includes

an adaptation

To remain carbon-

neutral and

to undertake mitigation

actions between 2020

and 2030, conditional

1. Mitigation

Measures:

Sustainable Forest

management;

promotion of low

The NDC covers

most of the

elements of climate

resiliency for both

urban and rural

45 | P a g e


component,

identifying ten

priority

adaptation needs

based on the

NAPA and the

vulnerability

assessment of the

Second National

Communication

(2011).

on the provision of

international support.

carbon transport

system; sustainable

waste management;

promote a green and

self- reliant economy;

promote clean and

renewable energy;

climate smart livestock

farming; climate smart

agriculture; energy

management; and

integrating low

emission strategies.

2. Adaptation Measures:

Integrated water

resource management;

climate resilient

agriculture; sustainable

forest management;

resilience against

climate hazards;

minimize climate

health risks; climate

proof transport

infrastructure; promote

climate resilient

livestock farming;

enhance climate

information services;

diversified energy

generation; and

resilient urban and rural

settlements.

settlements.

20 National

Adaptation

Program of

To address the urgent

and immediate

adaptation needs of the

The priority projects

include landslide

management and flood

It proposes for

adaptation options

for various climate

46 | P a g e


Action (NAPA,

2012): First

prepared in 2006

to address urgent

and immediate

adaptation needs.

Prepared in

response to the

decision by the

COP7 of the

UNFCCC “Least

Developed

Countries Work

Program”.

country.

To serve as a platform

for developing an

overall adaptation

policy framework and

as a guidance to NAPs.

prevention; disaster risk

reduction and management;

application of

Environmentally Friendly

Road Construction

(EFRC); community based

food security and climate

resilience; Flood protection

of downstream industrial

and agricultural area; and

rain water harvesting.

related hazards and

has prioritized

projects.

21 Bhutan Green

Transport and

Electric Vehicle

Initiative (EVI),

2014

To address

environmental issues

and reduce dependency

on fossil fuel

Shift from use of fossil fuel

to clean hydro-power

generated electricity is

encouraged through

implementation of tax

exemption on electric

vehicles.

It promotes green

transport which is

important for a

climate resilient

city.

22

Bhutan Green

Building Design

Guidelines

(2013)

To minimize negative

impacts of buildings

and encourage

practices for green and

sustainable

construction.

i. Design of building

ii. Energy Saving and

energy efficient

lighting

iii. Land use

iv. Site analysis

v. Sustainable

landscaping design

vi. Sustainable parking

design

vii. Storm water

management

viii. Sustainable

building materials

ix. Water management

The Guidelines

cover various

aspects of a green

building that are

important for

climate resiliency.

However, the focus

is only on the

management of

construction waste

and it does not

cover other forms

of waste

management.

47 | P a g e


x. Air quality

xi. Construction waste

management

23 Guidelines for

Planning and

Development of

Human

Settlements in

Urban and Rural

Areas of Bhutan

to minimize

environmental

impacts (2013)

Develop a framework

of guidelines for

human settlement in

both urban and rural

areas by

mainstreaming

Environment, Climate

Change and Poverty

(ECP).

i. Sustainable

settlement

environmental

planning;

ii. Transport;

iii. Energy systems;

iv. Energy efficient

street lightings;

v. Water and waste

water management;

vi. Solid waste

management;

vii. Risk mitigation and

adaptation;

viii. Climate change;

and

ix. Building materials

and construction

technologies.

It outlines various

ways to implement

climate smart

strategies for both

urban and rural

areas.

24 Carbon Neutral

Declaration

(2009)

To remain Carbon

Neutral at all times

Combat climate change by

ensuring that the emissions

of GHGs do not exceed the

sequestration capacity of

the country’s forests.

25 National Energy

Efficiency and

Conservation

Policy (2017)

To create the

framework to promote,

incentivize, govern and

monitor various

actions and behavior

on EE&C front.

i. Energy efficiency

in appliances sector,

building sector,

industry sector, and

transport sector;

ii. Integrated and

green urban

planning;

iii. Formulate energy

The policy outlines

the roles and

responsibilities of

various agencies in

the promotion of

EE&C measures. It

mandates the

MoWHS to

formulate and

48 | P a g e


efficiency building

codes; and

iv. Sustainable

transport.

implement Energy

Efficiency Building

Codes for both new

constructions and

retrofit in old

buildings.

26 National Strategy

for Integrated

Solid Waste

Management

(2014)

To contribute to reach

the objective “In line

with the GNH

philosophy of His

Majesty the King, the

ultimate aim of the

Royal Government of

Bhutan is to improve

the health and

wellbeing of the

population, create

cleaner and more

livable environments,

and to develop a model

of sustainable solid

waste management in

the Kingdom.”

i. Ensure that waste

producers become

responsible;

ii. Address the root

cause by reducing

waste to a

minimum;

iii. Gain control over

waste related

pollution.;

iv. Establish a well

trained work force;

v. Proposed action

areas :

Reduce/Reuse/Recy

cle. Solid waste

collection Solid

waste disposal;

vi. Hazardous waste

handling.

Composting;

vii. Public/private

partnership.;

viii. Tariff system;

ix. Monitoring;

x. Enforcement

mechanism; and

xi. Institutional

arrangements.

The strategy covers

the action plan for

the management of

solid waste along

with delegating

responsibility to the

relevant agencies.

The action plans

are simple and

implementable.

49 | P a g e


27 Nationally

Appropriate

Mitigation

Actions(NAMA):

New mechanism

under the

UNFCCC/

Framework

NAMAs are

interventions that

target specific sectors

with carefully selected

policy and project

measures to reduce

GHG emissions. They

can be embedded in

LEDS, which are

broader strategies that

address one or several

sectors.

i. Waste

ii. Buildings

iii. Transport

It covers some of

the aspects of

climate resilient

city like waste

management,

buildings and

transport.

28 Environmental

Code of Practice

for Storm Water

Drainage System

(2004)

To establish codes for

basic storm water

drainage requirements

in urban areas.

1. Codes for the survey

phase, design, construction

and maintenance of storm

water drains

It includes codes

for the survey

phase, design,

construction and

maintenance of

storm water drains

which are

important for

proper management

of storm water run-

off. However, the

code is not climate

resilient.

29 Bhutan Transport

2040: Integrated

Strategic Vision

(2013)

To provide the entire

population with a safe,

reliable, affordable,

convenient, cost-

effective and

environment- friendly

transport system in

support of strategies

for socioeconomic

development.

The nine transport

strategies include:

i. Road network

including rural road

network;

ii. Civil aviation;

iii. Intercity passenger

transport;

iv. Freight transport;

v. Regional

connectivity;

The strategy covers

all aspects of

transport sector

management

including

management of

rural road

networks.

However, there is

no clear

designation of a

50 | P a g e


vi. Urban transport;

vii. Road safety;

viii. Road transport

regulation; and

ix. Transport sector

management.

central agency to

manage the

transport sector.

The mandates of

transportation

planning and

designing lie with

the MoWHS but

the MoIC is the

agency responsible

for policy

decisions.

30 Waste Prevention

and Management

Act (2009)

To protect and sustain

human health through

protection of the

environment by proper

waste management.

i. Non-hazardous

wastes;

ii. Hazardous wastes;

iii. Medical wastes;

iv. E-wastes; and

v. Other waste

categories

(industrial wastes,

municipal waste,

agricultural waste

and others).

It lists down the

roles and

responsibilities of

all relevant

agencies in waste

management and

enumerates all

mechanisms

required for waste

management.

31 The Local

Government Act

of Bhutan (2009)

and The Local

Government

(Amendment)

Act of Bhutan

(2014)

To provides for direct

participation of the

people in the

development and

management of their

own social, economic

and environmental

wellbeing through

decentralization and

devolution of power

and authority

Article 48 (d) states that

“Within the overall policy

and legal framework, Local

Government shall preserve

and promote culture and

tradition; ensure the

provision of such social

and economic services for

the general wellbeing of

the residents of the

communities in a

sustainable and equitable

manner; and promote

The Act covers few

elements of climate

resiliency like

environmental

protection,

sustainable land

management, water

and air pollution

and regulation of

land uses.

51 | P a g e


holistic and integrated area-

based development

planning.’’

Article 50 (b) states that the

“Dzongkhag Tshogdu shall

regulate water, air and

noise pollution and other

environmental degradation

in accordance with the

law.”

Article 53 (b) states that the

“Gewog Tshogde shall

regulate and allocate safe

and clean drinking water

from water supply

schemes.”

Article 54 states that “the

GewogTshogde shall

promote area-based

development planning;

conserve and protect water

sources, lakes, springs,

streams, and rivers; and

prevent the depredation of

crops by livestock and

wildlife in accordance with

the provisions of the Forest

and Nature Conservation

Act of Bhutan.”


Thromde Tshogde shall

frame and enforce rules for

52 | P a g e


protecting the health, safety

and well - being of the

residents, preserving and

promoting the quality of

the Thromde environment;

prepare urban development

plans or amend an

approved urban

development plan to

regulate and enforce land

use and building activity in

the DzongkhagThromde;

regulate and enforce

appropriate land uses

including non-conforming

land uses and vehicle repair

workshops, and building

activities in the Thromde;

and control squatter and

illegal settlements, and

regulate commercial

activities.’’


Dzongdag shall organize

relief measures for natural

disasters and emergencies

in coordination with the

Department of Disaster

Management and Local

Government.’’


Thromde Administration

Promote planned

development and

53 | P a g e


appropriate land use,

control of squatter and

illegal settlements and

regulation of commercial

activities.

32 Regulation on

Strategic

Environmental

Assessment,

2002

To ensure that

environmental

concerns are fully

taken into account by

all government

agencies when

formulating, renewing,

modifying or

implementing

any policy, plan or

program, including

Five-Year

developmental plans

under Articles 7 and

32.2 of the

Environmental

Assessment Act, 2000;

To ensure that the

cumulative and large

scale environmental

effects are taken into

consideration while

formulating, renewing,

modifying or

implementing any

policy, plan or

program;

To complement project

specific environmental

i. Early identification

and integration of

environmental

concerns and goals

in governmental

planning and

decision-making;

ii. Openness and

transparency in

Government

decision-making;

and

iii. The anticipated

adverse

environmental

effects of the

proposal, including

direct, indirect and

cumulative effects.

This regulation

serves as a broad

guideline to be

followed by all

governmental

agencies while

formulating,

renewing,

modifying or

implementing any

policies, plans,

programmes and

Five-Year

developmental

plans, which may

have significant

impacts on the

environment.

54 | P a g e


reviews as per the

Regulation

for the Environmental

Clearance of Projects

and to encourage early

identification of

environmental

objectives and impacts

of all governmental

proposals at

appropriate planning

levels;

To promote the design

of environmentally

sustainable proposals

that encourage the use

of renewable resources

and clean technologies

and practices; and

To promote and

encourage the

development of

comprehensive natural

resource and land use

plans at the local,

Dzongkhag and

national levels.

33 The Water

Regulation of

Bhutan 2014,

NEC

This Regulation is

promulgated to enforce

the objectives and

purposes of the Water

Act;

(b) effectively

implement and enforce

Water Pollution Control

Section 57 states that “in

the absence of an effluent

discharge standard for rural

community application,

the outlets from toilet and

spillage from septic tanks

The Regulation

covers all the

concerns relating to

water resources and

their management

under the Water

Act which is

55 | P a g e


the Water Act by the

Competent

Authorities;

and (c) identify roles

and responsibilities of

designated Competent

Authorities and other

relevant organizations

of each house will be

monitored by village health

workers or sanitary

inspector as designated by

the Dzongkhag

Administration and report

to the Gup with a copy to

the Dzongdag.

Water Harvesting

Section 60 states that

where there is a water

shortage, the concerned

Competent Authorities will

conduct feasibility studies

to harvest rainwater,

runoffs and other surface

water.

Groundwater Abstraction

Based on criteria set by the

Commission, groundwater

abstraction maybe

considered permissible

where there is no other

alternative surface water

source.

Minimum Environmental

Flow

The minimum

environmental flow to be

maintained in a

watercourse to sustain its

water ecology and

environment will be based

on the EIA report. Where

scientific study reports are

unable to determine the

important for

climate resiliency.

56 | P a g e


minimum environmental

flow to be maintained in a

watercourse, at least 30

% of lean season flow shall

be maintained.

Maintenance of Natural

Courses of Rivers and

Streams


“except in accordance with

an Environmental

Clearance, rivers and

streams shall be maintained

in their own natural courses

in order to:

Attenuate floods by means

of the natural dissipation of

river forces; Filter

pollutions from runoffs it

receives; Allow public

access and their

enjoyments; and Maintain

river ecosystems to sustain

biodiversity.

Buffer Zones

Section 66 states that “no

development activities

shall be allowed within a

buffer zone of one

hundred(100) feet,

measured from the

determinable high

flood level of either side, of

any water body without an

Environmental Clearance.

57 | P a g e


34

National

Adaptation Plan

(NAP)

Background

The Conference

of Parties (COP)

to the United

Nations

Framework

Convention on

Climate Change

(UNFCCC)

established the

National

Adaptation Plan

(NAP) process in

2010, to enhance

country-led

planning and

preparedness for

climate change

adaptation (CCA)

in the medium

andlong-term.

NAP process

builds on the on-

going work in

country at policy,

planning and

implementation

level, including

the NAPA (2006;

update 2012) and

related projects,

and the NDC.

To reduce vulnerability

to the impacts of

climate change and to

integrate adaptation

into all levels of

development planning.

i. Enhancing climate

information;

ii. Addressing climate

risk management;

iii. Strengthening

prioritization and

appraisal of

adaptation

investments; and

iv. Building monitoring

and evaluation

systems to strengthen

learning and evidence

on adaptation.

It aims to address

climate risk

management in line

with NDC

adaptation priorities

where all aspects of

climate SMART

human settlements

are included.

58 | P a g e


NDC recognized

the importance of

formulating a

National

Adaptation Plan

(NAP).

35 Waste Prevention

and Management

Regulation, 2012

and Amendment

2016

1. To establish

procedures to

implement the purpose

of the Waste

Prevention and

Management Act,

2009.

2. To establish a sound

waste management

system, including

monitoring procedures

at every organization

level, through efficient

collection, segregation,

treatment, storage,

transportation,

reduction, reuse,

recycling and safe

disposal of solid, liquid

and gaseous wastes.

i. Medical waste

management;

ii. Municipal waste

management;

iii. Industrial waste

management;

iv. E-waste

It highlights the

roles and

responsibilities of

all relevant

agencies in waste

management and

covers

management of

different forms of

wastes.

36 Strategic

Environment

Assessment for

Thimphu

Structure Plan

2018

Assess policies, plans

&programmes of the

Thimphu Structure

Plan and identify

critical environmental

and social issues and

provide appropriate

recommendations and

mitigation action plan.

2. Guide and support

i. Housing;

ii. Quality of

infrastructure;

iii. Water;

iv. Wastewater;

v. Solid waste;

vi. Land use; and

vii. Urban governance

It covers several

critical components

of a climate

resilient city .

59 | P a g e


the development of,

and decision-making

related to, policies,

plans, programmes

(PPPs), which will

enable sustainable

development in

keeping with the Gross

National Happiness

(GNH) principles.

37 Strategy for Low

Carbon

Commercial

Vehicles in

Bhutan 2017

To come up with a

vehicle emission

control strategy and a

vehicle emission

roadmap

Selecting commercial

vehicles for a low carbon

vehicle strategy due to the

potential emission impact.

It outlines

advantages and

methods of how to

slowly shift to low

carbon vehicles.

However, financing

and maintenance

aspects are not

covered.

38 Strategy for Air

Quality

Management and

Assessment in

Bhutan (2010)

The purpose of

national ambient air

quality standards is to

establish upper limits

on the concentration of

air pollutants in

outdoor air for the

protection of human

health, agricultural and

natural vegetation and

ecosystems, and the

environment in

general.

i. Monitor particulate

matter, N02 and

other pollutants;

ii. Quality assurance;

iii. Reporting and

public information;

iv. Staffing

requirements;

v. Operation and

implementation;

vi. Vehicle emission

standards;

vii. Industrial emission

standards; and

viii. Air quality

management.

The strategy covers

all aspects of air

quality

management

including road

traffic and urban

planning. It also

highlights the

implications of lack

of proper

transportation

planning and also

lists down few

effective ways to

consider locations

of road network in

urban development

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plans.

39 Draft National

Sustainable

Human

Settlements

Policy of Bhutan

(2018)

To provide a

framework for

planning and

development of

environmentally

sustainable, culturally

and economically

vibrant and disaster

resilient human

settlements.

1. Chapter 3: Environment,

Climate Change and

Disaster , Water Resource

Management

Policy Objective: Preserve

watershed and promote

efficient use of water

resources

Policy statement 3.2.3

“Water sensitive urban

design concepts and eco-

efficient water

infrastructure shall be

promoted.”

The policy gives

the legal

instruments to the

decision makers,

planners, designers

and implementers

to plan and

implement

sustainable human

settlements through

various policy

objectives.

The policy covers

water management

and waste

management but

there is no specific

provision for storm

water management.

40 Building Code of

Bhutan (2018)

To set out

requirements which

apply to the

construction of

buildings in Bhutan

i. Light and

ventilation

requirements;

ii. Water supply and

sanitary control;

iii. Escape routes and

exits requirements;

iv. Parking

requirements; and

v. Design

considerations for

differently-abled

people.

It promotes the

Bhutan Green

Design Guidelines

2013 which is

important for a

climate resilient

city. In addition, it

has several other

elements of climate

resilient city.

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41 The Water Act of

Bhutan (2011)

The purpose of this

Act is to ensure that

the water resources are

protected, conserved

and/or managed in an

economically

efficient, socially

equitable and

environmentally

sustainable manner;

and to establish

suitable institutions.

Community Based Water

Resources Management

It states that “communities

shall participate in the

integrated management of

water resource pursuant to

this Act, and beneficiaries

and stakeholders shall be

consulted in the manner set

out in this Act.”

Protection of Water

Catchments

It states that “all persons

shall cooperate in the

conservation, protection

and management of the

water catchments areas.

The right and responsibility

to cooperate shall extend to

all aspects of achieving the

purpose of the Act.”

Polluter Pays Principle

It states that “a person

polluting water resources

shall be responsible for the

cost of containment,

avoidance, abatement,

mitigation, remediation,

restoration and

compensation for any loss,

damage or injury.”

Awareness and Outreach

It states that “the

Competent Authorities

shall inform the public on

sustainable use of water

The Act covers all

the aspects related

to water including

the financial

provisions,

offences and

penalties, and

monitoring and

enforcement.

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resources through

education, training,

awareness and outreach

advocacy programs.”

Research Mechanisms

It states that “the

Competent Authorities

shall encourage or conduct

research activities on water

conservation, management

and development, including

methods to reduce water

consumption and wastage

and to promote sustainable

water use.”

Application for an

Environment Clearance

It states that “a person who

wishes to abstract water

shall apply to the

Commission and/or

Competent Authorities for

an Environmental

Clearance as per the

Environmental Assessment

Act.”

Harvesting of Water

Resources

It states that “the relevant

Competent Authority shall

facilitate harvesting of

ground water, rain water,

fog and any other

sources to prevent local

and seasonal water

scarcity.”

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42 Bhutan Building

Regulations

(2018)

To establish standards

for the construction of

buildings which are

responsive to the needs

of the people of

Bhutan and consistent

with the traditions of

Bhutan;

To ensure that

buildings are safe and

accessible;

To provide for the

making of the Building

Code of Bhutan;

To recognize diversity

in the needs of the

people of Bhutan by

making special

provision for the rural

areas of Bhutan;

To establish

procedures and

requirements for the

effective, transparent

and efficient

regulation of the

construction,

maintenance and

demolition of

buildings, including

issuing building

permits, monitoring


“construction shall not be

permitted in an

environmentally sensitive

area, or along or

obstructing a water course

or natural drainage; within

15 metres of the edge of a

major stream or within 30

metres of the bank or the

edge of a river, measured

from the highest recorded

water level; if it would

have an adverse impact on

the scenic views, the

historical and cultural

significant attributes of the

area or the overall

ambience of the traditional

settlement.

Water supply and use

If a proposal for

development or

construction would require

the use of water,

preliminary assessment

shall be made for existence,

feasibility and adequacy of

water supply. The

preliminary assessment

shall be in accordance with

The Water Act of Bhutan.

The Regulation

serves the

combined purpose

of Bhutan Building

Rule 2002 and

Rural Construction

Rules 2013 to guide

orderly planning

and development .

It does not include

all elements of

climate resilient

components except

for waste handling.

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building construction

and issuing occupation

certificates; and

To provide for,

encourage and

facilitate energy

efficient housing

which is

environmentally

friendly

Waste collection and

disposal

A preliminary study for

waste collection and

disposal, including the

storm water drainage

system, shall be carried out

prior to approval of an

application.

Recreational facilities

The local government shall

ensure that existing

recreational or open spaces

are protected.

43 Draft National

Waste

Management

Strategy 2019

Inculcate a deeper

sense of environmental

responsibility by

consuming less

material;

Reduction of waste

generation from goods

and services by

choosing the more

natural and less

wasteful options;

Effectively manage

waste following

integrated concept to

ensure maximum

material recovery and

minimize quantity of

waste to be disposed;

To promote

i. Sustainable

financing;

ii. Technology

development;

iii. Capacity

development;

iv. Voluntary

agreement;

v. Communities

and school

waste banks;

vi. Behavioral

change;

vii. Mandatory

budget head

creation for all

LGs; and

viii. Data and

information

collection.

The strategy

provides general

guidance on how to

manage wastes. It

also has several

short and long term

implementable

recommendations.

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participation of all

stakeholders in waste

management in order

to achieve targets set

for material recovery;

Improve waste

management service

delivery;

Ensure proper

treatment of all types

of waste.

International Agreements and Protocol

1 UN Framework

Convention on

Climate Change

(1992)

To stabilize greenhouse

gas concentrations in

the atmosphere at a

level that would prevent

dangerous

anthropogenic

interference with the

climate system.

To protect the climate

system; and Precautionary

measures to anticipate,

prevent or minimize the

causes of climate change

and mitigate its adverse

effects.

2 The Kyoto

Protocol to the

UNFCCC

(Adopted in

Kyoto, Japan in

1997 and

ratified in 2005)

To assist countries in

adapting to the

inevitable effects of

climate change and

facilitates the

development of

techniques that can help

increase resilience to

climate change impacts.

Reduction in greenhouse

gases through Clean

Development Mechanism,

Emission Trading, and

Joint implementation.

3 Paris Agreement

2015

To strengthen the global

response to the threat of

climate change, in the

context of sustainable

Containing the increase in

the global average

temperature to well below

2°C above pre-industrial

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development and efforts

to eradicate poverty,

levels and pursuing efforts

to limit the temperature

increase to 1.5°C above

pre-industrial levels;

Reduction in greenhouse

gas emissions; and

Increasing the ability to

adapt to the adverse

impacts of climate change

and foster climate

resilience.

4 Paris Agreement

to the UNFCCC

(ratified

September 22,

2017)

To combat climate

change and to

accelerate and intensify

the actions and

investments needed for

a sustainable low

carbon future.

Reduce or control growth

in GHG emissions through

Nationally Determined

Contributions (NDC); and

Mechanisms for forest sink

management though the

REDD+ mechanism.

5 UN Convention

to Combat

Desertification

(acceded 2004)

To promote a fresh new

approach to manage dry

land ecosystems and to

manage development

aid flows.

Combat desertification

through National Action

Programmes (NAP)

6 Malé

Declaration on

Control and

Prevention of

Air Pollution

and its likely

trans boundary

effects for

South Asia,

1998-2013

To aid the process of

providing a clean

environment through

clean air.

Handle trans-boundary air

pollution in the region.

7 Rio Declaration

on Environment

and

To establish a new and

equitable global

partnership through the

Healthy Life in harmony

with nature;

No damage to the

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Development

(1992):

The Declaration

reaffirms the

declaration of

the United

Nations

Conference on

the Human

Environment,

adopted at

Stockholm on

16 June 1972.

creation of

new levels of co-

operation

environment of other States

or of areas beyond the

limits of national

jurisdiction;

3. Pollution and polluter

pay principle; resource

extraction; sustainable

development; resource

management; poverty

reduction; environmental

protection; trans-boundary

environmental

management; management

of hazardous substances;

sustainable livelihoods;

indigenous peoples; and

inclusion of gender

and youth.

8 Ramsar

Convention on

Wetlands, 1971

To stem the progressive

encroachment on and

loss of wetlands now

and in the future.

Management of wetland

9 United Nations

Conference on

Housing and

Sustainable

Urban

Development,

October 2016

To reinvigorate the

global commitment to

sustainable

urbanization, to focus

on the implementation

of a “New Urban

Agenda”, building on

the Habitat Agenda of

Istanbul in

1996.

Housing and urban

development

10 Basel

Convention on

the Control of

Trans boundary

To reduce the

movements of

hazardous waste

between nations and,

Management of hazardous

waste (municipal, e-waste,

medical, pesticides,

fertilizers etc.).

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Movements of

Hazardous

Wastes and their

Disposal

(acceded 2004)

more importantly, to

prevent the transfer of

hazardous waste from

developed to less

developed countries.

11 Rotterdam

Convention on

the Prior

Informed

Consent

Procedure for

Certain

Hazardous

Chemicals and

Pesticides in

International

Trade 1998

To promote shared

responsibility and

cooperative efforts

among Parties in the

international trade of

certain hazardous

chemicals in order to

protect human health

and the environment

from potential harm;

To contribute to the

environmentally sound

use of those hazardous

chemicals, by

facilitating information

exchange about their

characteristics, by

providing for a national

decision-making

process on their import

and export and by

disseminating these

decisions to Parties.

Control of pesticides and

industrial chemicals that

have been banned or

restricted for health or

environmental reasons by

the parties eg. Lead.

12 UN Convention

to Combat

Desertification

in Countries

Experiencing

Serious Drought

and/or

To combat

desertification and

mitigate the effects of

drought in countries

experiencing serious

drought and/or

desertification,

Long-term integrated

strategies to improve

productivity of land, and

the rehabilitation,

conservation and

sustainable management of

land and water resources.

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Desertification,

Particularly in

Africa

(UNCCD, 1994)

particularly in Africa,

through effective action

at all levels, supported

by international

cooperation and

partnership

arrangements, in the

framework of an

integrated approach

which is consistent with

Agenda 21, with a view

to contributing to the

achievement of

sustainable

development in

affected areas.

13 UNESCO

World Heritage

Convention

ratified the

Convention on

22 October,

2001

To adopt new

provisions in the

form of a convention

establishing an effective

system of collective

protection of the

cultural and natural

heritage of outstanding

universal value,

organized on a

permanent basis and in

accordance with

modern

scientific methods.

Preservation of cultural and

natural heritage.

14 Vienna

Convention on

Protection of the

Ozone layer

(1985) and the

Montreal

To protect human

health and the

environment against

adverse effects resulting

from modifications of

the ozone layer.

Protection of ozone layer

through systematic

observations, research and

information exchange;

adopting appropriate

legislative or

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Protocol on

Substances that

Deplete the

Ozone Layer

administrative measures;

co- operating in the

formulation of agreed

measures, procedures and

standards; and

co-operating with

competent international

bodies to implement

effectively the Convention.

15 UN Convention

on Biological

Diversity (CBD,

1992)

Conservation of

biological diversity, the

sustainable use of its

components and the fair

and equitable sharing of

the benefits arising out

of the utilization of

genetic resources,

including by

appropriate access to

genetic resources and

by appropriate transfer

of relevant

technologies, taking

into account all rights

over those resources

and to technologies,

and by appropriate

funding.

To conserve biodiversity;

sustainable use of

biodiversity; habitat

protection; protect

biodiversity resources from

development activities.

16 UN

International

Forest Policy

(2007)

To enable forests to

contribute to the overall

development of society

by fostering integrated

approaches,

collaboration and

partnership among all

stakeholders at all

Management of forest

resources.

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levels.

17 Cartagena

Protocol on

Biosafety to the

Convention on

Biological

Diversity

(acceded 2002)

To contribute to

ensuring an adequate

level of protection in

the field of the safe

transfer, handling and

use of living modified

organisms resulting

from modern

biotechnology that may

have adverse effects on

the conservation and

sustainable use of

biological diversity,

taking also into account

risks to human health,

and specifically

focusing on trans

boundary movements.

Protection of human health

and the environment from

the possible adverse effects

of the products of modern

biotechnology.

Table 10: National and international documents relevant to SPCR

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3.4. Review of human settlement planning principles followed in Bhutan Since, planning for climate resiliency has become an integral part to be considered in any human

settlement plan, the need to identify a set of overarching climate resilient planning principles for

the entire country was felt necessary. In Bhutan, different planning principles are widely used

while preparing human settlement plans. The most commonly ones adopted are the Smart Growth

Principles, Principles of New Urbanism, Principles of Intelligent Urbanism, Smart City Principles

and Eco-City concepts.

Sl.no SMART Growth New Urbanism Intelligent

Urbanism

Smart City Eco-City

1 Mixed Land

Uses: Various

land uses in a

neighbourhood or

even a building.

Mixed-Use &

Diversity: There should

be a mix of shops,

offices, apartments, and

homes on site with

diversity of people-of all

ages, income levels,

cultures, and races.

Efficiency: It

promotes balance

between

performance and

consumption, and

efficiency in

carrying out

functions in a cost

effective manner.

Smart

Governance:

Smart

Governance

includes changes

in governance and

coordination

approaches along

with promoting

public

participation in

planning

processes. It

includes public

and social

services;

transparent

governance; and

political strategies

and perspectives

Restore

Degraded

Land: To use

urban

development to

restore the

health of the

land.

2 Compact design:

Making more

efficient use of

land that has

already been

developed like

infill development

to utilize lots that

are underutilized.

Increased Density: It

encourages more

buildings, residences,

shops, and services

closer together for ease

of walking, to enable a

more efficient use of

services and resources,

and to create a more

A Balance with

tradition: Every

culture and every

society has its

iconography, its

signs and its

symbols. It

promotes their

incorporation into

Smart Economy:

It focuses on

growth and

competitiveness.

It includes

Innovative spirit;

Entrepreneurship;

Economic image

and trademarks;

Fit the

Bioregion: By

creating human

settlements in

sync with the

natural cycles

like built forms,

maintaining

water cycles

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convenient, enjoyable

place to live.

the spatial order of

urban settings.

Productivity;

Economic image

and trademarks;

Productivity;

Flexibility of

labour market;

International

embeddedness;

and Ability to

transform.

etc.

3 Range of housing

opportunities and

choices: Building

quality houses for

people of all

income levels.

Mixed Housing: New

Urbanism promotes a

range of types, sizes and

prices in closer

proximity.

Opportunity

Matrix: Intelligent

Urbanism views

the city as an

opportunity

system. It sees the

city as playing an

equalizing role

allowing citizens

to grow according

to their own

essential

capabilities and

efforts

Smart People: It

includes:

Level of

qualification;

Affinity to

lifelong learning;

Social and ethnic

plurality;

Flexibility;

Creativity;

Cosmopolitanism;

and

Participation in

public life.

Balance

Development:

Understand the

carrying

capacity of the

land.

4 Walkable

Neighbourhood:

Create safe

walkable

neighbourhood

through Smart

street design.

Walkability: Most

things should be within a

10 minute walk from

home or work and

should be pedestrian

friendly.

Appropriate

Technology: It

focuses on

implementation of

building materials,

construction

techniques,

infrastructural

systems and

project

management

which are

consistent with

local contexts. For

every problem

there is a range of

Smart

Environment: It

includes:

Attractivity of

natural

conditions;

Pollution;

Environmental

protection; and

Sustainable

resource

management.

Create

Compact

Cities:

Reversing

sprawl and

preventing ad-

hoc

development.

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potential

technologies,

which can be

applied, and an

appropriate fit

between

technology and

other resources

must be

established.

5 Foster distinctive,

attractive

communities with

a strong sense of

place: Projects

and

neighbourhood

that incorporate

natural features,

historic structures,

place making etc

attract new

residents and

visitors and make

the community

vibrant.

Quality Architecture &

Urban Design:

Emphasis on beauty,

aesthetics, human

comfort, and creating a

sense of place with

human scale

architecture& beautiful

surroundings

Human Scale:

Promotion of

people friendly

places, pedestrian

walkways and

public domains

where people can

meet.

Smart Living: It

focuses on quality

of life. It

includes:

Cultural facilities;

Health

conditions;

Individual safety;

Housing quality;

Educational

facilities;

Touristic

attractivity;

Social cohesion

Optimize

Energy

Performance:

Generate

and use energy

efficiently and

reduce the

consumption of

fossil fuels.

6 Preserve Open

Space, Farmland,

Natural Beauty

and

Critical

Environmental

Areas: It makes

communities more

resilient, protects

from natural

disasters, combats

air pollution,

protects water

quality and

supports habitat.

Traditional

Neighborhood

Structure: It promotes

public space at center,

contains a range of uses

and densities within

10minute walk, Transect

planning with highest

densities at town center

and progressively less

dense towards the edge.

A Balance with

nature: There

should be a

balance between

nature and human

endeavour. We

must understand

the difference

between exploiting

nature and

utilizing nature.

.

Smart Mobility:

A Smart City

transport

infrastructure

aims to optimize

those journeys

that take place

within a city, save

energy and reduce

carbon emissions.

It also includes

availability of

ICT

infrastructure.

Contribute to

the Economy:

By creating

employment

opportunities

and promoting

economic

activities.

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7 Direct

Development

towards Existing

Communities:

Developing within

existing

communities

makes the most of

what has already

been invested.

Connectivity: There

should be interconnected

street grid network, a

hierarchy of streets,

boulevards, and alleys

and high quality

pedestrian network and

public realm.

Regional

Integration:

Intelligent

Urbanism sees the

city as part of a

larger social,

economic and

geographical

organism…the

region. Likewise,

it sees the region

as an integral part

of the city.

Provide

Health and

Security: By

creating healthy

and safe

environments

for all.

8 Provide a Variety

of

Transportation

Choices:

Providing high

quality and safe

public

transportation,

biking and

walkingand well

maintained

infrastructure will

improve the

quality

of life of the

residents.

Green Transportation:

It encourages a network

of high-quality public

transportation,

pedestrian-friendly

design for bicycles,

rollerblades, scooters,

and walking as daily

transportation.

Balanced

Movement:

Intelligent

Urbanism sees

movement and

transport in the

city, and in the city

region, as a

balanced group of

systems that are

integrated with one

another.

Encourage

Community:

Promote

strong citizen

involvement.

Any

development

should be a

community

driven process.

9 Make

Development

Decisions

Predictable, Fair

and Cost

Effective:

Municipalities

should support

development

through private

sectorsby

streamlining the

Sustainability: There

should be minimal

environmental impact of

development and its

operations, more eco-

friendly technologies,

energy efficiency, less

use of finite fuels, more

local production, more

walking and less

driving.

Institutional

Integrity:

Intelligent

Urbanism

recognizes that

none of the

principles, or good

practices, it

promotes can be

implemented

unless there is a

strong and rational

Promote

Social Justice

and Equity:

Everyone

should have

equal rights and

access to

services,

facilities and

information.

All levels of

people should

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project permitting

and approval

process so that

development

decisions are more

timely, cost-

effective and

predictable for the

developers.

institutional

framework to

define, channel

and legalize urban

development, in all

of its aspects.

be involved in

the decision

making process

and everyone

should have

access to

affordable

housing.

10 Encourage

Community and

Stakeholder

Collaboration in

Development

Decision: Every

community has

different needs

which need to

addressed with

different

approaches. So

involvement of

every individual in

decision making is

crucial for Smart

Growth.

Quality of Life: All the

above principles

together improve

quality of life well worth

living, and create places

that enrich, uplift, and

inspire the human spirit.

Conviviality:

Interactive,

socially engaging

and offering

numerous

opportunities for

gathering. There

should be a place

for an Individual, a

place for

Friendship, a place

for Householders,

a place for the

Neighbourhood, a

place for

Communities and

a place for the

Public Domain.

Enrich History

and Culture:

Always respect

the past while

planning the

future. Restore

and preserve

historical

places and

encourage

cultural

diversity.

These principles were further analyzed to find out what were the similarities and differences in

relation to climate resiliency. The analysis showed that all five principles have many essential

qualities that are required to build climate resiliency. However, cultural preservation and good

governance which are important pillars in Bhutan were missing in some of the principles.

Based on the review of the existing principles, a set of overarching climate resilient principles for

Bhutan and specific ones for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde were identified.

Table 11: Planning principles adopted in Bhutan for the preparation of human settlement plans

77 | P a g e


Sl.

no

Planning

Principles

Similarities Differences

1 Smart

Growth

The principle of Mixed land uses, compact Design, Range

of Housing Opportunity and choices, Walkable

Neighbourhood, and Foster distinctive, attractive

communities with a strong sense of place.

1. Promotion and preservation of

cultural heritage and tradition is not

reflected strongly which is one of the

main pillars in Bhutan’s development

philosophy.

2. It does not consider green

buildings or other green infrastructure

apart from green transportation.

2 New

Urbanism

There are several principles focusing on climate

resiliency which include the principles of Mixed Use

and Diversity, Increased density, Walkability, Quality

Architecture and Urban Design, Green Transportation,

and Sustainability.

Smart governance is an indispensable

component of any climate resilient city.

However the principle of New Urbanism

does not talk about having a smart

governance structure for effective

planning and implementation.

3 Intelligent

Urbanism

It has several components of climate resilient planning

viz Efficiency, A Balance with nature, Balanced

Movement, and Institutional Integrity.

Only few principles are directly relevant

to climate resiliency whereas the rest of

the principles are more general and

geared towards holistic development.

4 Smart City The principle of Smart city covers all the essential

requirements of a climate resilient city. The principles of

Smart Governance, Smart Economy, Smart Environment,

Smart Living, and Smart Mobility takes into consideration

all aspects climate resilient planning and resilient. It also

focuses on cultural vibrancy which is important in the

Bhutanese planning context.

It covers most of the components of a

climate resilient city.

5 Eco-City The principles focusing on climate resiliency include

the principles of Restoring Degraded Land, Fit the

Bioregion , Balance Development, Create Compact

Cities, Optimize Energy Performance, Contribute to

the Economy, Provide Health and Security,

Encourage Community Involvement, Promote Social

Justice and Equity, and Enrich History and Culture are

all essential components of a climate Smart city.

There is very less focus on smart

governance except for information

and facilities sharing.

Table 12: Analysis in relation to climate resiliency

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3.5. Review of planning principles and sector-based proposals inthe Urban Development Plan (UDP) for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde (2013-2013)

The vision of the UDP for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde is based on linking the three realms of

Environment, Economy and Society and creating a balance between them in line with the Gross

National Happiness concept of Bhutan. It aims to link the region with the Thromde and two

settlements of Samdrup Jongkhar and Dewathang while at the same time achieving equilibrium

amongst the three elements of the environment, economy and society.

Figure 9: Planning Principles in the UDP ( Source: S/Jongkhar UDP, 2013-2033)

The UDP is guided by a set of five planning principles as described below:

i. Holistic Habitat Framework: The Thromde consists of different entities viz. the two

Thromde areas, a highway corridor in between and the surrounding settlements along the

highway. Therefore, the principle seeks to respond to the dynamic interplay between the

different parts of the system and evolve strategies addressing the system as a whole and

not in isolation.

ii. Local Economy as a Propeller of Urban Development: Since urban development is a

physical manifestation of the economic robustness of a community, the principle aims to

boost the economic growth of the Thromde by harnessing the local resource.

iii. Resource Optimization: The principle aims to optimize the utilization of available

resources as an underlying axiom of development. Judicious use of land, ensuring

adequate water supply, delineation of buffer zone to prevent sprawl and preserving

agricultural and forests land are some of the strategies.

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iv. Efficiency in Linkages: The principle aims to develop an efficient system of networks

through efficient planning of services and utility.

v. A City for its People: The principle aims to include people in all its realms of

development from the planning phase to its implementation and also in the formulation of

appropriate governance and management framework, where people can participate in

realizing their aspirations.

In order to achieve the objectives of the plan in line with the five principles outlined above, the

following strategies have been adopted in the Plan:

i. Protection and enhancement of Natural Environment:

Redefining the role of river as a link and not a barrier;

Protection of Forests as assets for visual and passive recreation;

Optimum utilization of land suitable for development works (re-densification

of existing zones); and

Optimum utilization of water resources in the Thromde and the hinterland

around.

ii. Enhancement of the quality of life for residents

Creation of public realms for people to gather and meet;

Pedestrian networks for safe movement;

Self -contained work-home enclaves with basic amenities;

Better quality infrastructure; and

Reducing air pollution.

iii. Strengthening the Economy of the town and region

Leveraging on Location and climate of Dewathang as an opportunity for

developing integrated eco- tourism, horticulture and farming projects as

economy boosters;

Creation of cultural centre for revival of traditional arts and culture; and

Provision of better social amenities to attract and retain quality manpower in

the administrative offices of the region, enhancing its role as an administrative

centre.

A review of planning principles in the UDP was carried out to see if they incorporated any aspect

of climate resiliency or not. It could be deduced that there are many strategies, which if

implemented, could help in improving the resiliency of the Thromde to a great extent. Principles

like holistic development, economic growth, preservation of forests, re-densification of vacant

land, and engagement of residents are some approaches to build resiliency. The strengths and gap

analysis in relation to climate resiliency have been tabulated below:

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Strengths Weaknesses

i. It promotes holistic development by

linking all three areas of the Thromde. It

is important because the three areas need

to be planned in an integrated way.

ii. It promotes economic robustness through

various measures like enhancing

tourism, footloose industries, agriculture,

horticulture, livestock farming, and

forestry. Having a robust economy is

crucial to build resiliency. Also, food

self-sufficiency is crucial especially

when there is a disaster risk and the food

available is not adequate to meet the

needs of the people.

iii. It emphasizes the need to utilize land

judiciously by carrying out land

suitability analysis and proper land use

planning. It also highlights the

importance to plan for sustainable use of

water.

iv. It also promotes efficient linkages by

linking work to home, recreation and

work, and child and elder.It emphasizes

on the need to carry out efficient

planning of services and utility networks.

Efficient linkages of various systems,

services and utility networks are

important for building resiliency.

v. The principle of city for its people

promotes involvement of all sections of

the society and consultations at different

levels. This is required because to build

resiliency, needs of different groups of

people are required to be considered.

1. The UDP principles do not

incorporate the preservation and

promotion of culture facets which are

crucial for the development

philosophy of Bhutan;

2. Smart governance, which is a vital

component of a climate resilient city,

is not reflected adequately in the

principles.

3. One of the principles talks about

using land judiciously, but there it not

cover any aspect of climate SMART

LUP approach.

4. While the principle of efficient

linkages talks about linking various

services and utility networks, it does

not talk about how to make them

climate resilient.

Table 13: Strengths and gap analyses of the S/Jongkhar UDP principles

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The sector-based strategies in the UDP were also reviewed to see if they were planned for climate

resiliency or not. The existing scenario of different public facilities, amenities and services and

provisions for their improvement in the UDP were studied.

Based on detailed study at site and review of the UDP, the sectors identified for improvement

were : i) Waste management, ii) Drinking water management, iii) Wastewater management, iv)

Storm water management, v) Energy management focussing on street lighting and home lighting,

vi) Transportation system and parking management, vii) Buildings, viii)Cultural heritage, green

areas, open spaces, parks and recreational areas, ix) Disaster management , and x) Urban

governance, economy and gender integration.

Sl.

no

Areas Existing Conditions Strategies for improvement in the UDP

1 Waste

management

Presently a system of

solid waste disposal by

dumping in a land fill site

is being followed.

Waste is segregated at

source and collected by

dump trucks.

The land fill would continue as one of

the options of solid waste disposal.

Another landfill site to be identified

near Dewathang outside the Thromde

boundary.

Solid waste generated from industries

and house level solid waste will be

segregated at source.

Transport of segregated waste from

source to bin will be done by small

hand carts or by individuals on daily

basis.

Biodegradable waste will be sent to

vermin composting sites at locations

identified in the plan and non –

biodegradable wastes recycled as well

and used as a filler material

embedded in construction blocks after

compacting.

Recycling plants to be set up for

recycling wastes.

One garbage receptacle for every 800

mt. of each physically separated

public should be provided.

2 Drinking

water

Dungsam Chhu and

Rikke Chhu are the main

Improve and augment the existing

water supply system; and

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management sources of water supply.

Some use water from

artificial pond or tube

well.

Existing waster

distribution system is

unreliable and inadequate

to cater to future

population.

Some houses have piped

water inside the house

and some have piped

water outside the house.

The water supply system

is not climate resilient.

Integrated water supply system to be

constructed. An integrated water

supply system funded by the ADB is

currently underway.

3 Wastewater

Management

All houses are connected

to individual septic tanks

and pits.

Community septic tanks

are present in some

locations.

Sewerage networks have

been laid in some parts of

the town.

A Sewerage Treatment

Plant has been

constructed at southern

most part of the town.

The city will be divided into 4 zones,

each with one Sewage Treatment

Plant located according to the slope

and gradient of land and the

availability of plots for utility

services. The construction of a

treatment plant has been initiated

which will cover the entire LAP II

and half of LAP III.

Eco Line technology has been

proposed for the Thromde and treated

water will be discharged into the

Dungsam Chhu.

4 Storm Water

Management

The town has a

combination of natural

drainage system, open

concrete drains and

covered drains.

Some of the drains carry

both storm water and

grey water.

Some drains have outlets

going into the Dungsam

All drains along the primary and

secondary roads to be covered with

prefabricated concrete removable

slabs. Some of the drains have been

covered by concrete slabs.

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Chhu or the irrigation

canal passing through the

town.

5 Energy

Management

(Street and

home

lighting)

Street lights have been

installed in some areas.

Not all street lights and

home lighting used are

energy efficient. Few

houses use LEDs and

CFL and few street lights

in the core town use

LEDS.

The lines are overhead

lines which run over the

town creating an

unpleasant sight.

Main sources of lighting

are electricity, kerosene,

firewood, and solar.

The main sources of

energy for cooking are

LPG, electricity,

firewood and biogas.

All new roads will have street lighting

and 40% of old roads will have new

street lighting.

6 Transportation

system and

parking

management

A central road passes

through the heart of the

town which also includes

freight traffic which has

added to traffic

congestion.

Roads are either paved

with bitumen or unpaved.

There are no electric

vehicles and other forms

of green transportation

like public buses, and

cycling are not very

popular.

The town lacks adequate

parking spaces and

A by-bass road beyond the Thromde

has been proposed for freight vehicles

and to connect to the Matanga

Industrial Estate.

Enhanced connectivity within the

Thromde and with the hinterland.

Public transport with small fleet of

vehicles like maxi cabs.

Bus terminus, major taxi stand and

public transport terminal at the

existing bus and truck terminus to

promote modal interchange at the

transport hub.

Pedestrian pathways are proposed,

connecting the main public realms in

the city.

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bicycle lanes.

7 Buildings Around 90 % of the

houses are permanent

and the rest are either

semi- permanent or

temporary.

Construction materials

used are mostly bricks,

wood, rammed earth and

RCC.

None of the buildings are

green buildings.

All government and public buildings

will be made accessible to all groups

of people.

8 Cultural

heritage,

green areas,

park, open

spaces , and

recreational

areas

There are two existing

parks in the town but

they are not maintained

properly and do not

incorporate any climate

resilient designs.

There is only one football

ground for the whole

town and not many

recreational areas for the

residents.

There is one temple

precinct surrounded by

roads on all sides making

it pedestrian unfriendly.

The town is not culturally

vibrant simply because it

lacks adequate areas

where people can gather

and interact.

The open spaces are few

in number and not

maintained properly.

The town needs more

vegetation.

The important proposals are Sports

Complex, Stadium, Thromde Office,

Town Hall housing a Public Library,

Cineplex, Open Air Theatre, and river

front development. The construction

of the Thromde office has been

completed and the construction of the

sports complex and stadium is

underway.

A Cultural Centre has also been

proposed in the present jail area and

the prison will be relocated in the

outskirts.

Ropeway has been proposed between

Samdrup Jongkhar Town and

Dewathang to enhance tourism.

Tourism resorts which promote eco-

tourism, cultural tourism and

adventure tourism will be located in

rural areas beyond the Thromde

boundary.

One tree for every 200 mt. of required

open space to be planted.

At least 1⁄4th of the open space of the

town should be either provided as

water or landscaped with

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groundcover, shrubs or flowers.

9 Disaster Risk

Reduction

(Geotechnical

hazards and

flood

management)

No detailed geo-technical

study has been carried

out for the Thromde.

The Thromde is prone to

multiple hazards like

flash floods, air

pollution, erosion,

landslides, and

earthquake.

The Thromde has

appointed a disaster focal

person but there is no

coordination between

other agencies in case of

disaster management.

There is no evacuation

centre identified by the

Thromde in case of a

disaster. Evacuation

drills have not been

conducted so far for the

residents. Only the

schools and the hospital

have identified their

evacuation centres.

The existing hospital in

the Thromde is not

adequate to cater to the

needs of the people

especially if there is a

disaster.

A detailed flood study

has been carried out by

the DES, MoWHS with

several recommendations

to manage flood risks.

The plan has recommended that a

detailed geotechnical study for the

Thromde be carried out.

The UDP has recommended

vulnerability assessment and

climate sensitivity screening to

address climate change impacts.

River bank protection works have

also been recommended in the UDP.

The UDP recommends each

Neighbourhood Node to have one

dispensary or Satellite Clinic within

the building to cater to the residential

neighbourhoods around.

The army hospital in Dewathang

could serve the army and as well as

the civilian population so as to

optimally utilize the facilities in the

Thromde .

10 Urban Urban Governance The UDP has highlighted economy as a

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Governance,

Agriculture ,

Economy and

Gender

Integration

The Thromde has a Structure

Plan and four Local Area

Plans (LAPs) prepared from

2013-2033 to guide the

development activities.

The Development Control

Regulations of the UDP

/Structure Plan and existing

national legislations guide the

developmental activities in

the Thromde.

The Weak Liveability

Quotient of the Thromde

which is determined by its

physical characteristics and

liveability is a concern as

highlighted in the UDP.

The Thromde lacks adequate

and experienced officials to

manage urban issues.

There is inadequate housing

facilityfor the low income

groups.

Economy and Agriculture

The weak economy of the

Thromde is a growing

concern as businesses have

been affected due to the

opening of Gyalpoishing-

Nganglam highway.

Commuters no longer have to

halt at Samdrup Jongkhar due

to the alternate route.

Sources of revenue like

parking fee have been waived

off due to the request from

the business groups as it was

affecting their businesses.

There are not many tourist

propeller of urban development and has

several strategies to boost economic

growth and tourism like investing in

agricultural exports like potatoes and

pulses, warehouses, horticulture,

establishing road linkages for tourist

circuits, livestock farming and forestry.

The UDP has also recommended several

critical areas to be improved for revenue

generation. Some of the financing

mechanisms recommended are to

strengthen the recovery of

underdevelopment land tax, revise water

charges, levy parking fees, increase rental

income of the properties under the

Thromde in the core area, promote Public

Private Partnerships, andadopt Tradable

Development Right to compensate for

land acquisition instead of paying cash.

For a projected population of 12251 and

2823 households till 2033, 1279

additional dwelling units have been

proposed in the UDP 2013-2033.

Urban design guidelines have also been

proposed in the UDP for efficiency and

orderly development.

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attractions and places of

cultural interests. The tourists

that visit the Thromde are

regional tourists mostly from

across the border town of

India.

Agriculture accounts for only

about 3% of the economy in

the Thromde. So food self-

sufficiency needs to be

enhanced to meet the

demands without having to

depend on imports.

Gender Integration

The current UDP does not

consider the needs of women

and children especially

during times of disasters.

Women participation in

decision making process is

also negligible.

The disaster management

approach is also not gender

responsive.Table 14: Analyses of sectoral proposals in the UDP in relation to climate resiliency

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4.1. Site selection criteria A number of factors was analysed to select a suitable site for the project. Since, one of the criteria

of the project was to focus on the southern part of the country considering its climate

vulnerabilities, Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde was considered as the most appropriate site. Apart

from its location in the southern belt of the country, the following factors were taken into

consideration to finalize the project site:

i. The Thromde is strategically located along the Indo-Bhutan border making it vulnerable to

trans-boundary climatic issues;

ii. It has poorly managed services like storm water, water, waste water and waste that have

aggravated climate related problems;

iii. It lacks experts to plan, design and implement climate resilient public facilities and

amenities;

iv. Flooding, landslides, siltation, air pollution and heat stress are some of the

recurrent climate related problems that the Thromde faces;

v. There is no comprehensive disaster management and response plans;

vi. It lacks adequate housing facilities especially for the poorer section; and

vii. It is no longer economically vibrant.

4.2. Background of the project site 4.2.1. Location, Size and Connectivity SamdrupJongkharThromde is the Dzongkhag headquarter of Samdrup Jongkhar Dzongkhag and

is located in the South Eastern part of the country. The Dzongkhag is bounded by the Indian State

of Assam in the south and east, and by the Dzongkhags of Trashigang in the north and Pema

Gatshel in the West.

The area of Samdrup Jongkhar town is 2.08 sq. km. In 2009, the Parliament redefined the

boundary of SamdrupJongkharThromde to include Dewathang town within its limits and the area

along the intermediate 18 km stretch of highway connecting Samdrup Jongkhar to Dewathang.

However, for this project, only Samdrup Jongkhar town has been included.

4. BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT SITE

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The Thromde is well connected with the rest of the Dzongkhags by road. It is also connected to

Gelephu and Phuentsholing towns in the south through India via the Asian Highway running

along the southern border. The nearest domestic airport is in Yongphula, under Trashigang

Dzongkhag, which is around 150 km away. The nearest international airport is in Guwahati, India.

Figure 10: Map showing location of S/Jongkhar Thromde ( Source: S/Jongkhar UDP, 2013-2033)

Figure 11: Map showing location of S/Jongkhar Thromde

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4.2.2. Demography According to the PHCB (2017), the population for Samdrup Jongkhar including Dewathang is

9325 with 5016 male population and 4309 female population. As per the report, the population

distribution according to the age group distribution indicated that 2489 people were between 0-14

years of age, 6561 were between15-64 and 275 were above 65 years of age. The annual

population growth rate for the town is assumed to be 2.91%. The population density is 2862

persons per sq.km with a mean household size of 3.7.

4.2.3. Climatic Conditions According to the reports of the Department of Hydro Met Services, the average monthly mean

maximum temperature ranges between 19° C in the months of winter to 27° C in the months of

summer while average monthly minimum temperature varies from 10° C during winter to 22° C

during summer. The mean monthly relative humidity recorded is highest during monsoon season

(93%) and lowest (48%) in winter. According to Annual report of daily data recorded at

Dewathang meteorological station, the annual precipitation for the period of 2008 to 2012 ranged

between 4200 mm to 6200 mm with heavy rainfall ranging from 300-1400 during months of May,

June, July, August and September. The heaviest rainfall of 1393 mm was recorded in June 2012.

Some studies have assessed that Bhutan, specially the Southeast region, will have high probability

of getting affected by climate change concerns mainly due to an increase in rainfall intensity. This

would further add to already existing problems of flash floods, water logging and landslides.

Figure 12: S/Jongkhar Town (Source: S/Jongkhar Thromde Website)

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Table 15: Rainfall data from 2008-2012 for S/Jongkhar Thromde (Source: S/Jongkhar UDP)

4.2.4. Planning Initiatives Until now, there development plans have been prepared for SamdrupJongkharThromde. The first

one was the Urban Development Plan (1986-2000) and the second was the Structure Plan (2006-

2025). With the extension of the Thromde boundary till Dewathang, the responsibilities of the

local government had also increased and along with development potentials, the Thromde faced

numerous urban issues. Owing to the redefinition of the Thromde boundary and the challenges

faced by the Thromde, the DHS initiated the review and preparation of the UDP in 2013. The plan

was once again revised and the proposed plan period is for twenty years from 2013 to 2033. The

planning boundary has been divided into four Local Area Plans (LAPs) depending on the

Month Average Monthly Rainfall ( Millimeter)

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 January 45.3 37.1 0.8 4 8 February 8.9 5.8 0 14.4 0 March 171.9 26.4 170.4 60.2 23.9 April 466.2 216.9 391.9 201.6 426.5 May 230.3 286.6 495.3 353.4 300 June 586.3 640.4 806.7 471.6 1393.1 July 805.5 917 646.7 467.3 707.4 August 1041.1 730.4 411.5 305 337.1 September 389.1 225.9 378.1 345 815.1 October 188.3 171 90.5 9 171.2 November 7.4 4 12 12.7 0 December 0 7.2 0 8.3 0 Annual 5948.3 5277.7 5413.9 4263.5 6194.3

Month Mean Monthly Maximum Temperature ( Degree Celsius)

Mean Monthly Minimum Temperature ( Degree Celsius)

Average Monthly Mean for Period of 2008 to 2012

2008

2009 2010 2011 2012 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Max Min

Jan 18.5 20.7 21.1 19 17.6 10.9 11.7 11.5 10.1 9.8 19.38 10.8 Feb 18.7 22.1 20.1 22 20.9 10.9 13.4 13 13.1 12.2 20.76 12.52 Mar 21.2 23.7 22.9 23 23.1 16.1 16.3 16.5 16.4 15.7 22.78 16.2 April 21.9 24.3 23.1 23.8 23.3 18.4 17.5 18.4 17.6 18 23.28 17.98 May 24.5 25 23.8 24.9 26.4 20 19.6 19.7 19.2 20.4 24.92 19.78 June 25.1 26.6 24.7 25.3 25.1 21.4 21 20.8 21.4 21 25.36 21.12 July 26.5 26.9 26.1 25.3 27.3 21.7 21.9 21.5 22.6 21.9 26.42 21.92 Aug 26.9 26.6 26.1 27.6 28.3 21.6 21.8 21.6 21.6 21.9 27.1 21.7 Sep 27.6 26.7 25.3 28 26.1 20.9 21.3 21.1 21.3 20.3 26.74 20.98 Oct 26 25 25.3 27.9 25.2 18.4 18.9 19 18.4 16.7 25.88 18.28 Nov 22.5 22.2 22.5 22.7 22.6 14 14.9 15.6 14.3 13.7 22.5 14.5 Dec 21.5 20.1 21 21.8 21.5 12.7 11.7 11.7 12.3 11.6 21.18 12.0

Table 16: Temperature data of S/Jongkhar Thromde from 2008-2012 (Source: S/Jongkhar UDP)

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topography and to facilitate development in a phased manner as developing the entire area at one

go would be difficult and resource intensive.

4.2.5. Current Climatic Issues Currently, the Thromde lacks adequate green spaces important for adapting to urban heat island

effect and high energy consumption during hot and humid months. The watershed areas are not

protected. The open and recreational areas in the town are not designed for climate resiliency. In

addition, the town also faces issues related to infrastructure and other services. The catchment

area around the water treatment plant is unstable and often results in flooding. The treatment plant

of 2.5MLD capacity is only used for infiltration and chlorination. Similarly, the two sewerage

treatment plants in the town are designed for a population of 8000 only and more plants will be

required for the expanding population.

Further, public transport system is not well established as yet with the town having only one city

bus to cater to the entire population. The town has over 1800 registered vehicles in addition to the

vehicles plying in and out from other neighbouring areas which add to the pollution level daily.

There is no alternative mode of green transport explored by the Thromde as yet. Air pollution is

also on the rise with the reduction in ambient air quality owing to gypsum transportation by trucks

emitting unhealthy dust particles.

The Dungsam Chhu suffers from siltation and accumulates huge debris on its bank. The flood

control embankments constructed along the river suffer from repeated damages during floods. In

addition to flooding, other disaster risks that the town often experiences are erosion, landslides

and earthquakes.

There have been efforts towards mitigating GHGs through some projects funded by GEF/SGP like

Introduction of Fuel Efficient Stoves to reduce the consumption of fuel wood and the Samdrup

Jongkhar Initiative (SJI) which aims to improve living standards by conserving natural

environment with community participation. Such projects are required for the protection of

natural vegetation to help reduce surface runoff and landslides.

The UDP has recommended vulnerability assessment and climate sensitivity screening of the

Thromde as steps towards mitigating the impacts of climate change.

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5.1. Overarching Climate Resilient Principles for Bhutan In order to adopt a holistic approach to plan for climate resiliency for Samdrup Jongkhar, it is

important to, first, identify climate resilient planning principles for the country. There should be

overarching climate resilient principles for Bhutan to guide the overall human settlement planning

in the country and then specific ones depending on the ground conditions could be adopted for

each area to be planned.

Therefore, based on the reviews and analyses of various internationally adopted climate resilient

principles and the ones in UDP and also analyzing the climate change concerns of different

sectors, a set of eight climate resilient planning principles have been identified for Bhutan. The

following eight principles have been identified with an objective to guide the human settlement

planning process in the country to make the settlements climate resilient:

i. A Balance with Nature: The principle of Intelligent Urbanism says that “we must

understand the difference between exploiting nature and utilizing nature!” Therefore, all human

settlement plans should be prepared with the objective to protect our environment through climate

resilient planning interventions so as to cause minimal harm to the environment. The Constitution

of the Kingdom of Bhutan demands that we must preserve 60% of the forest cover at all times to

come. Therefore, balancing our human settlement planning and development with protection and

preservation of the environment should be the prime objective of a climate resilient planning

approach. Open spaces, green areas and forests cover should form integral part of human

settlement plans and their integration with the built environment should be planned in such a way

that these areas could also be used during times of disasters.

ii. A Balance with Tradition and Culture: Preservation and promotion of culture and

traditional values form an integral part of any planning and development process in Bhutan.

Bhutan is known to the world for its unique architecture and tradition. In Bhutan, what sets one

place apart from the others are the religious monuments, the views and vistas, the local dialects,

local architecture, food habits, festivals etc. A place with strong cultural values and traditional

architecture will also help in boosting tourism and add to the local economy.

5. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLIMATE SMART LAND USE

PLANNING FOR SAMDRUP JONGKHAR THROMDE

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Similarly, cultural heritage and traditional values play vital roles in shaping the future form of any

place and also give a unique identity to a place. Strong cultural values help in strengthening the

bond in the community which is important in a resilient community. When there were no forms of

any modern communication facilities, the communities helped each other during times of disaster

by sharing information by word of mouth. Even now, in the event of a disaster, most of the

communication facilities may not function. However, strong bonding of the communities during

such times can help in recovery and building resiliency.

Local traditional knowledge is also important to understand how the communities have evolved

over a period of time. The traditional knowledge of local medicines, native flora and fauna,

building orientation etc. could be useful while planning for climate resiliency and also for

informed decision making.

iii. A place that is Convivial and Inclusive: The Bhutanese society is convivial and

inclusive and that is what creates a vibrant society. The Principle of Intelligent Urbanism says that

“There should be a Place for the Individual, A place for Friendship, A Place for Householders, A

Place for the Neighbourhood, A Place for the Communities, and A Place for the Public Domain.”

So, a city should comprise of different social tiers each having a “physical place” in any

settlement. There should be parks for the children, recreational areas for the youths and religious

and fitness facilities for the elderly. A convivial community is much more resilient to disaster

risks compared to a secluded society where people hardly interact.

Similarly, an inclusive society ensures that all sections of the society with cultural diversity and

ethnicity are treated as one part of a large family and are given the opportunity to access all public

facilities and amenities. When groups are formed, there are chances that the poorer and weaker

sections of the society are excluded in decision making processes. These sections are also more

vulnerable during times of disasters. In addition, an inclusive approach to planning will ensure

that all infrastructure planned are accessible by all including the different-abled and the elderly.

iv. A Place with Mixed Uses and Diversity: Mixed uses in a place ensure that an individual

need not go out of the neighbourhood for basic daily necessities. The principle of New Urbanism

promotes Mixed Uses where people can live, work and shop within buildings and blocks. For a

climate resilient community, mixed uses ensures that a person need not travel out of his/her

neighbourhood daily which reduces the use of transportation facilities and saves times as well

and ultimately enhances the quality of life of the residents

Diversity encourages inclusion of people of all income groups, ages, cultures and races thereby

promoting a sense of belongingness in a community and strengthening community bonding. It

also promotes the concept of mixed housing that are affordable for all sections of the society.

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Mixed housing facilities will ensure that that the rich and the poor can live together in a

community in a harmonious manner which is important for building resiliency.

v. A System that is Redundant, Flexible, Robust and Integrated: In Bhutan, one of the

drawbacks in the planning system is the lack of redundancy. A redundant system is important

because it ensures that there are alternatives to supplement a system when it fails. During times

of climate induced disasters, it is important to have backup systems so that a community is not

affected if a system fails. For example, a road blockage could cut the community off from

neighbouring communities if there is no alternate route planned.

A system should also be flexible enough to allow changes in the plan when required. Therefore,

human settlement plans should be flexible and open to change when needed.

Similarly, a system should be robust to withstand shocks but should be to return to its normal

operational state. Therefore, a climate resilient community should have robust public facilities and

amenities that can withstand shocks.

A system should also be integrated in the sense that plans and actions should be integrated across

multiple agencies. Integrated processes bring together systems and institutions and enable

resources sharing which will make the system sustainable and benefit larger groups. The plans

should also be integrated regionally so as to achieve greater benefits with enhanced connectivity

and it should fit in like a piece of a puzzle into the wider region.

vi. A Place with Compact Design and Balanced Movement: Compact design minimizes

carbon footprint and controls sprawl. Being compact does not necessarily mean going high rise

but many important facilities and services could be brought closer to the community and ad-hoc

development could be avoided.

Balanced Movement sees transport system as an integrated component where vehicles are not

seen as the only means of transport. A balanced movement integrates all forms of transport like

walking, cycling, automobiles and buses. Transportation sector is a major contributor to climate

change through the emission of greenhouses gases. Therefore, an integrated transportation

network with good public transport system, electric vehicles with adequate charging facilities,

smart parking facilities, pedestrian friendly walkways and cycling lanes should be promoted to

minimize pollution and build resiliency.

vii. A place with Smart Governance: Smart governance is essential for a climate resilient

community. A government that is smart will promote social justice and equity, encourage

innovation and creativity that will result in resource savings, promote capacity building, and make

development decisions that are cost effective, inclusive, and fair. A smart government will also

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explore various sources of revenue generation to become self-sufficient and decrease dependency

on external sources for funding. It will also create an enabling environment for employment

generation which will improve the economy of the community and enhance the quality of lives of

the residents. It will also be forward looking and will be able to anticipate future risks and prepare

plans that are sustainable and will cater to future needs.

viii. A place with Smart Economy: A strong economy is a must for any resilient community

because making a community resilient requires huge financial resources. Smart economy will

ensure a self-sufficient community where all development activities can be carried out effectively

without having to compromise on the quality or quantity. It will help in optimal and sustainable

use of the limited available resources and at the same time create conducive environment for

future development.

5.2. Proposed Climate Resilient Planning Principles and a Framework for Climate Resiliency for S/Jongkhar Thromde

Based on the analyses carried out in the preceding chapter on the existing climate scenario in the

Thromde and relevancy of the UDP principles to climate resilient planning, it can be deduced that

the Thromde still has a long way to go as far as building climate resiliency is concerned. Selecting

only few of the climate resilient planning principles for the Thromde from the eight overarching

principles may not be a holistic approach to build climate resiliency in the Thromde.

Therefore, the recommendation from this study is that Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde should

adopt all of the above eight principles while revising the UDP in phase II and also in

preparing any other planning documents in future.

Similarly, a framework for climate resilience for the Thromde was also prepared. The framework

includes steps that are required to be followed to build climate resiliency through the adoption of

climate SMART LUP. The four critical areas that need immediate attention to build climate

resiliency are:

i. Assessing climate risks and hazards that are likely to occur as result of climate change

impacts.

ii. Prepare action plans to identify suitable adaptation and mitigation measures. Since the

main objective of this project is to make S/Jongkhar climate resilient via Climate SMART

LUP to increase its adaptive capacity, the action plans should be aligned in line with the

specific objectives set out. These areas include Smart Governance, Climate Smart

Agriculture, Capacity Building, Smart Economy, Climate Financing, Disaster Risk

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Reduction, Climate Resilient Public Facilities & Amenities, Gender Responsive Plans,

Programs & Projects, and Public & Stakeholder Consultations.

iii. Implement these action plans by prioritizing the crucial ones first and mobilizing climate

funds.

iv. Finally, regularly monitor the implementation of the action plans to ensure that they are

being implemented in a timely manner. If it is found that implementation of some action

could be deferred or if there is resource constraint, then review or revise the action plans.

Figure 13: Climate Resilience Framework for S/Jongkhar Thromde

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5.3. Sector-based Strategies for SamdrupJongkharThromde 5.3.1. Climate Resilient Storm Water Management for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde Storm water management is a crucial component in any human settlement plan. Storm water, if

not managed adequately, can lead to flooding, erosion and even damage properties and lives. It

not only helps in creating ecological balance but also maintains the quality and quantity of water

resources by recharging ground water and preventing pollution. Storm water management also

results in numerous other benefits including economic benefits for the local community, reduced

maintenance costs, lesser requirement for new infrastructure, and prevention of damage to lives

and properties.

The volume and the rate of surface run off flow substantially increase as development occurs.

Where there is more impervious cover, the runoff rate is comparatively higher. Impervious

surfaces like the roofs, parking, and road do not allow water to percolate into the soil thereby

disrupting the natural hydrological cycle.

Studies have shown that storm water runoff is more in areas that are built up. In areas with natural

environment, surface runoff is only 10% whereas in an urban environment, surface runoff is 55%.

Since areas with more surface runoff are more susceptible to flooding and erosion, it is important

to ensure than runoff is minimized as much as possible. The temperature of storm water also

increases as it flows over hard surfaces which results in depleted oxygen level.

In addition, storm water carries numerous contents which are harmful for the environment as well

as to humans and aquatic lives. A study carried out on storm water by the Resource Conservation

and Development Council in Pocono Northeast, Pennsylvania showed that storm water carries

some of the following pollutants:

Sediments: Storm water contains sediments in large quantities especially in areas where

construction activities occur. Sediments are harmful because they affect the aquatic habitat

and increase turbidity. Sediments have also been found to reduce the capacity of

impoundments.

Bacteria: Bacteria contents in storm water usually come from animal waste, household

waste water, garbage etc. and if not managed, could pose health risks.

Organic Matter: Organic matters are found in various forms in storm water and they

deplete oxygen level which affects aquatic habitat and water quality.

Nutrients: The nutrients in storm water are nitrogen and phosphorous which enter the

storm water drains from sewers, animal wastes and places where fertilizers are used.

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Others: Other harmful pollutants that could enter a storm water system are toxic

substances, oils and grease and heavy metals from automobiles, paints, construction

materials etc.

Figure 14: Difference between Natural and Urban Environments (Source: Toronto and Region Conservation, and U.S.E.P.A, 2007)

5.3.1.1. Existing Scenario in SamdrupJongkharThromde Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde has a combination of existing natural drainage channels and open

concrete drains. Some of the drains carry both grey and storm water. Most outlets are into the

Dungsam Chhu or the irrigation channel passing through the southern part of the town. Therefore,

the storm water drains and the river, in addition to the rain water, also carry harmful pollutants

from various areas of the town.

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Figure 15: Drains in the Thromde

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5.3.1.2. International Best Practices Over the years, storm water management has been a priority for cities all across the globe. With

improved urban planning and design approaches, storm water management is no longer a difficult

task. Many cities all over the world have been effectively adopting different approaches to

manage storm water and the widely used method is the Best Management Practices (BMPs) that

was originally developed in the USA and Canada to prevent pollution from industrial and

municipal sewage through engineered systems with a special focus on storm water.

The BMPs are categorized into structural and non- structural components. Non -Structural BMPs

include planning and designing with focus on preventive measures whereas Structural BMPs

include on the-ground projects.

Figure 16: Structural and Non-Structural BMPs in Malaysia (Source: CEDSCO Training materials from Malaysia)

To get an idea of how other countries are managing storm water and also to see how effective the

Best Management Practices is, case studies of storm water management in Malaysia and the USA

were undertaken. The studies indicated that the BMPs are actually effective in managing storm

water and have benefited the communities in many ways.

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Studies have shown that RWHS has been effective in meeting water demand by up to 69% to 96%

in some residential buildings and up to 37% in commercial buildings in Australia.

CASE STUDY 1: Rain Water Harvesting System (RWHS) in Malaysia

The evolution of urban drainage management approach started in Malaysia after the major flood

that occurred across the country in 1971 and the subsequent drought in 1998 in the Klang Valley.

Malaysia experiences heavy annual rainfall and it also has a high rate of domestic water

consumption. Storm water management is a matter of concern for the country and the government

has taken proactive measures to address it. The following policies and guidelines are in place to

guide storm water management in Malaysia:

Sl.no Document Year Agency

1 Guidelines for installing a Rainwater Collection and Utilization System

1999 Ministry of Housing and Local Government.

2 RWHS: Guidebook on Planning and Design

2009 Department of Irrigation and Drainage

3 Guideline on Eco-Efficiency in Water Infrastructure for public Buildings in Malaysia

2011 National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia

4 Urban Storm water Management Manual for Malaysia, MSMA 2nd Edition

2012 Department of Irrigation and Drainage

5 Urban Storm water Management Part 6: RWHS, MS2526-6:2014

2014 Department of Standards

Table 17: Benefits of RWHS (Source: Nor Hafizi Md Lani, Zulkifli Yusop ,and Achmad Syafiuddin. Available at https://doi.org/10.3390/w10040506.)

One of the most effective methods used to manage storm water is the Rain Water Harvesting

System. The case study outlines the success story of rain water harvesting in Malaysia. The types

of RWHS that are popular in Malaysia are:

Backyard System: It is basically a collection system only, because there is no distribution

system. It is also the most popular one due to its reasonable costs and easy installation. In this

system the storage tank is either located on the ground or elevated. The elevated tank commonly

consists of three levels of tank, namely, top, middle, and lower levels. The top-level tank is

usually employed for water supply, while the middle and lower level tanks are used for storing the

collected rainwater. For this system, metal and polyethylene tanks are normally used.

Frontage System: It is also a collection system like the backyard system with similar installation

process. A modification is usually done by replacing the polyethylene tank using the reinforced

concrete tank to facilitate the maintenance work and also because concrete tank is more durable

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compared to polyethylene tank. It has also been noted that the use of concrete tank is relatively

cheaper (up to 38% compared to polyethylene tanks) according to the research report.

Underground System: In this system, the tank is located underground and requires pumping.

Figure 17: RWHS in Malaysia (Source: Water 2018, 10(4), 506; https://doi.org/10.3390/w10040506)

A research report carried out on the Review of RWHS in Malaysia by the University Technology

Malaysia (UTM) indicates that RWHS could offer various socioeconomic and environmental

benefits. The benefits are bill saving, flash flood reduction, and delaying the need for constructing

new water supply infrastructure. The study that up to 34% of domestic water use could be met and

there would be up to 10% reduction in peak discharge if all houses in the residential area are

installed with RWHS. Similarly, another study on RWHS showed that the installation of RWHS

would reduce usage of treated water by about 6500 m3 per year and save up to RM 10,460

(approx USD 2600) per year in one of the hostels.

CASE STUDY 2: Rain Gardens across Maryland

Maryland is one of the states in the United States of America that took up the initiative to create

rain gardens across the state to manage storm water. In fact it was the first state to implement the

concept of rain garden in the 1990s. Maryland has even come up with publications like,

Maryland’s Stormwater Design Manual, Rain Gardens in Maryland’s Coastal Plains and Rain

Gardens across Maryland.

The residents in Maryland who are required to install rain garden have to follow the

Environmental Site Design (ESD) criteria to meet Maryland’s minimum storm water requirement

and need approval from the local authority before installing the rain garden. However, for those

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residents who want to construct a rain garden voluntarily, there is no requirement to follow the

ESD criteria.

The document gives a detailed process of identifying the location and constructing a rain garden

in a premise. A rain garden is very basically easy to construct and requires minimum cost and

labour force. The three crucial aspects to consider while designing a rain garden are:

Location of the rain garden: It is important to understand the layout and landscape

features of the area prior to selecting a site for the rain garden. Watching the flow of storm

water and mapping it is a good idea. Usually, rain garden is constructed in low lying areas

where it has greater catchment.

Type of soil in the garden: Knowing the soil type is important to determine the drainage

pattern. Sandy soils are found to be more effective because water can drain faster as

compared to clay and silt.

Shape of the rain garden: The garden can be of any shape and the most effective ones are

crescent or kidney shaped. However, for a rain garden in between structures, a long and

narrow shaped garden is ideal.

The study shows that locating a rain garden at a distance of more than 30 feet from the house can

capture more runoff if there are more impervious surfaces as shown on the figure below.

Figure 18: Rain garden in Maryland (Source: Worcester County Department of Development Review and Permitting):

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Figure 19: Ideal location of a rain garden (Source:www.co.worcester.md.us)

5.3.1.3. Recommendations for Climate Resilient Storm Water Management in SamdrupJongkharThromde Based on the analysis of the existing storm water management practices and site conditions in the

Thromde and also learning from international good practices, the following are recommended to

effectively manage storm water in the Thromde:

i. Prepare a comprehensive drainage master plan so that the drains can be planned

and designed properly;

ii. Implement the following Non-Structural and Structural BMPs;

Non-structural BMPs

Some of the non-structural BMPs that could be adopted in SamdrupJongkharThromde are: i. To protect sensitive and special value features, protect the existing riparian areas and

natural features and utilize the existing natural flow pathways.

Figure 15: Sensitive and special value features in Malaysia(Source: Presentation by IR. Amin Ramli, 2018, Malaysia.)

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ii. Build on smaller clusters and minimize urban foot print.

Figure 16:Building on small clusters in Malaysia (Source: Presentation by IR. Amin Ramli, 2018, Malaysia)

iii. Minimize soil compaction in disturbed areas and maintain and carry out reforestationand re-vegetate using native species.

Figure 17: Planning with minimal disturbance and maintenance (Source: Presentation by IR. Amin Ramli, 2018, Malaysia)

iv. Replace impervious cover with pervious cover where possible to allow natural

drainage.

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Figure 18: Examples of Reduction of street imperviousness (Source: Presentation by IR. Amin Ramli, 2018, Malaysia)

v. Disconnect storm water drains from sewer lines to prevent pollution.

Figure 19: Figure showing disconnection of storm water drains from sewer line (Source: Presentation by IR. Amin Ramli, 2018, Malaysia)

vi. Create awareness on the importance of managing storm water and clean the streets

daily to prevent debris and wastes from going into the storm water drains.

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Figure 20: Figure showing how to control pollution of storm water drains (Source: Presentation by IR. Amin Ramli, 2018, Malaysia)

Structural BMPs

Some of the structural BMPs that could be effective in managing storm water in

SamdrupJongkharThromde are:

i. Rain Garden

A rain garden is a shallow excavated feature that holds storm water temporarily. The water is

usually retained for 24 -48 hours and it is usually constructed to manage runoff from homes. It

has been found quite effective to manage runoff from small areas like roof tops, lawns,

driveways etc.

Rain garden has various advantages because of which it is becoming increasing popular. Some

of the benefits of having a rain garden are:

It allows 100% infiltration of the storm water.

It helps to replenish ground water.

It protects landscape and structures.

It supports habitat.

It enhances the visual beauty of the garden.

It is easy to construct and maintain and is one time investment.

The water is not retained long enough to allow breeding of mosquitoes.

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ii. Bio Swale

A Bio Swale is similar to a rain garden but covers a bigger catchment. It requires engineered

soil and is much deeper than a rain garden. It is designed linearly and has a greater length than

the width. It is usually designed to capture runoff from road ways and big parking bays. It

contains vegetation that can withstand heavy downpour as well as drought.

Some of the benefits of a bio swale are:

It helps to effectively manage runoff from larger areas like the roadways;

It empties the runoff within 24 hours;

It enhances the aesthetic of the area;

It helps to improve the water quality;

It supports habitat; and

It helps to reduce the runoff to a great extent which in turn reduces impact on the

storm water infrastructure and combined sewer system.

Figure 21: Examples of gain garden (Source: www.co.worcester.md.us)

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Figure 22: Examples and cross section of Bio Swale (Source: Michigan State University, The US Nature Conservancy Website, and Illustration of bio swale by New York City Urban Green Council manual)

There are many stretches of roads and parking in SamdrupJongkharThromde where bio swales

would be effective in managing storm water. Some areas where bio swales could be installed

are the Thromde parking, the road along the vegetable market, the road along the Thromde

office building, and road along the Dantak guest house. Bio swales would not only help in

reducing flash floods that are frequent in the Thromde, but also enhance the visual

characteristic through greening and plantation.

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iii. Rain Water Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting is a method of collecting and storing rain for later use. It was initially

practiced in rural places but it is now gaining importance in urban centres as an additional

source of water. A study in South Korea showed that rain water harvesting can help to reduce

up to 10% of flood. The basic components include:

A catchment area to capture the rainfall which is the roof;

A conveyance system to move the water from the roof to an area where it is stored;

A storage system where the water is collected and stored for future use; and a

distribution system to distribute the water to where it is being used.

Some of the advantages of rain water harvesting are:

About 80% of the annual rain that falls on a catchment area can be collected;

There will be lesser usage of municipally treated water because of which water

bills will be reduced;

It helps to replenish ground water;

It can be used for various purposes like watering the garden or lawn, laundry, car

washing, flushing etc; and

It helps to reduce the amount of runoff thereby reduces impact on the storm water

infrastructure and combined sewer systems.

Figure 23: RWHS (Source:Storm water management handbook by Resource Conservation and Development Council, Pennsylvania)

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Figure 24: Installation of RWHS and filtering accessories (Source:, and RWCS, Canada)

The tank should be cleaned three times in a year, once before rainy season when the tank,

roof, gutters, filters and pipes should be cleaned, then during the rainy season to empty the

downpipe, and finally after the rainy season to close the cover properly. To prevent leaves and

other materials from entering the tank, gutter guard and downspout filter could be used as pre-

filtration devices. In order to remove the contaminants, first-flush diverters are used where only

clean water is sent to the tank and the impurities or contaminants are separated by the diverters.

Considering the huge amount of rainfall SamdrupJongkharThromde receives annually, RWH

would prove to be a viable solution to store rain water for various uses. The Thromde could

make it mandatory for all institutional buildings to install RWHS first and slowly move to the

private buildings. To encourage effective participation of the house owners, the Thromde

should take the initiative to create awareness on the benefits of RWHS and provide incentives

like providing storage tanks at discounted rates and assist with the installation and

maintenance.

iv. Wet Pond/Retention Basin

Wet pond is used to store storm water either temporarily or permanently and is designed to

control erosion and flood. It consists of an outlet structure where a permanent pool of water is

formed and pollutants are removed through sedimentation and biological processing. Some of the

benefits of a wet pond are:

It can manage large volume of storm water runoff;

It enhances the aesthetic of the area;

It provides recreational benefits;

Downspout filter Gutter Guard

First Flush Diverter

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The stored water can be also be used for various purposes like irrigation and fire

fighting;

It supports habitat; and

It improves the quality of storm water by removing pollutants.

According to the New Jersey Storm Water Best Management Practices Manual published in

September 2014, wet pond can be installed only there is a permanent pool of at least 0.25 acres

surface area and adequate drainage area of at least 20 acres. In SamdrupJongkhar , wet pond

would be an ideal option to manage large amount of surface runoff.

Figure 25: Plan and cross section of a Wet Retention Pond (Source: NJ Storm Water BMP Manual and Google)

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Figure 26: Images of retention ponds (Source: Extracted from ttps://webpages.uidaho.edu/larc380/new380/pages/retBasin.html)

v. Installing Pervious Pavements

Pervious pavement allows storm water runoff to percolate inside thereby reducing the amount

of surface runoff. It is one of the most effective ways of maintaining storm water. The use of

permeable surfaces not only helps reduce flood and recharge ground water but it is also very

effective in controlling urban heat island effect.

Samdrup Jongkhar is a hot place and the use of pervious pavements will help in reducing heat

stress. The possibility of replacing the existing on- street footpaths and parking lots with

permeable surfaces should be explored.

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vii. Street Tree Trench

It is a green infrastructure commonly used in many countries to manage storm water. It consists

of tree pits with soils and an underground storm water management system that is designed to

treat runoff entering the tree pit.

The runoff is treated by the soils before it enters a storage area, where the water is stored and

absorbed by the roots. It helps to reduce pressure on the remainder of the storm water

infrastructure by capturing, filtering and reducing runoff from adjacent impervious areas. Street

trees trenches help large canopy trees thrive, thereby improving the air quality, providing

greenery and reducing urban heat island effect.

Figure 28: Images of street tree trenches (Source: Philadelphia Water Department and www.thelinemedia.com )

Figure 27: Impervious pavements (Source: Bhutan Green Building Design Guidelines, and MIPTC, Malaysia)

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In SamdrupJongkhar, tree trenches would be effective in managing runoff from the footpaths.

Considering the heavy rainfall it receives, managing storm water along the street is currently a

problem. However, with the installation of tree trenches along the foot paths, majority of the

water flowing onto the streets would be captured.

5.3.2. Smart Lighting System for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde Smart lighting is a system, which incorporates numerous technologies to increase the efficiency

by adopting light intensity according to various parameters (natural light, occupancy, etc.).

Smart lighting could be achieved through different means like high efficiency fixtures,

automated controls that make adjustments based on conditions such as occupancy or daylight

availability, and utilizing natural light from the sun to reduce the use of man-made lighting.

Smart lighting networks vary drastically, but generally, their lights can either work

independently or together when connected. There are two main types of smart lights viz. sensor

integrated and non-sensor integrated. In the sensor-integrated lights, sensors are used to

recognize people and daylight, among other things. Data is sent to the smart lighting network,

which sets specific parameters for each light. It can also be controlled manually. On the other

hand, the non-sensor integrated lights can be programmed and used. Smart lights are usually

controlled by control hubs and smart devices.

Advantages of smart lighting

Smart lights are gaining popularity because of the following reasons:

Cost efficiency on utilities bill: Though Light Emitting Diode (LED) requires higher

investment in the beginning, it has a longer life span and lesser operating cost than an

incandescent bulb and a Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL);

Energy efficient;

User friendly;

Can be controlled from anywhere and thus, simplifies daily functioning;

Reduces light pollution: Reducing light pollution implies many things, such as reducing

sky glow, reducing glare, reducing light trespass, and reducing clutter.

Reduces effects on human health and psychology;

Reduces disruption of ecosystems; and

It is directed only where it is needed and minimizes wastage.

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5.3.2.1. Existing Scenario in Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde The current lighting system in the Thromde is not energy efficient. However there are few

private homes and institutional buildings where CFLs are being used. LEDS are also being

used in some of the street lights in the core town area.

Overhead electric lines can also be seen running throughout the town which are not only unsafe

for people in case ofa fire breakout but they also spoil the aesthetic of the area.

For this project, the smart lighting focus will be on making the existing street lighting energy

efficient by replacing the existing bulbs with LEDs. Smart street light adapts to the movement

on the street dimming when no activity is detected, but brightening when movement is

detected. Street lights can be made smart by placing cameras or other kind of sensors on them,

which enable them to detect movement. The lighting network enables the lights to

communicate with one another and when movement is detected by the camera or the sensor, it

communicates to the neighbouring street light causing it to brighten.

5.3.2.2. International Best Practices Case studies on smart street lighting in Detroit in Michigan and Melaka in Malaysia were

carried out to see what other countries are doing to make the lighting system energy efficient.

Case Study 1: Smart Street Lighting in Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is one of the most populous cities in the United States with a population of over 600,000.

Due to various issues like theft and misuse of infrastructure, the Public Lighting Authority

initiated a project on smart street lighting in 2013. The mission of the project was to “Improve,

modernize, and maintain all street lights in the City of Detroit with brighter, more reliable, more

energy-efficient lights” (Public Lighting Authority, 2015).

A new circuit system with multiple series circuit was installed in which the other lights are not

affected even if one does not function. The sodium lights that were being used prior to the

project were replaced with LED bulbs. The result was that the illumination improved, there

was huge saving in energy as well as increase in the revenues.

According to a research carried out by the Ohio State University, the project was carried out in

phases and 59,000 LED lights were installed in a period of two years as a pilot project. After

the success of the project of the pilots, a total of 65000 LED lights were installed throughout

Greater Detroit in 2015. The make takeaways from the project, as per the research publication,

were that the carbon emissions decreased by 40,000 tons a year, the city was able to save about

$2.5 million per year in electric bills, and the business revenues after 5:00 PM increased by

15%. Additionally, the safety of the city especially for the school children increased.

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Case Study II: Smart Lighting in Melaka, Malaysia

During the study visit in Malaysia, the project team member of this project visited Melaka and

a presentation was made to the team by the officials of the Melaka Historic City Council. As

per the presentation, the City of Melaka has also initiated the use of smart street lighting and

1664 LED lights have been installed around the Melaka City area so far. After the installation

of the smart lighting system, it was found that the savings in the energy due to the use of

motion sensors that dim lights when there is less activity was 40 to 70 %. The other benefits of

the smart lighting project were increased efficiency, reduced operation costs and enhanced

services.

The smart lighting is operated from the City Council office through a Street Lighting Software

Management Platform called City Touch. The software has an energy saving calendar where

the savings from the use of smart lightings are recorded for different months as shown in the

figure below.

Figure 29: Smart lighting system and City Touch Software in Melaka (Source: Melaka City Council)

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5.3.2.3. Recommendations for smart lighting in Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde Some of the recommendations for making the existing lighting system in the Thromde energy

efficient are:

i) The existing lighting plans should be evaluated and redesigned if required.

ii) Since, Samdrup Jongkhar is on a flat terrain and the roads are planned in a grid iron

pattern, the following types of smart lighting could be used:

Lamp unit: It consists of power-adjustable LED array, a brightness sensor, a motion

sensor, a communication device, and a controller. It turns on when motion is detected

and turns off when there is no motion.

Sensor unit: It consists of a motion sensor, a communication device and a controller. It

sends out message to other units when motion is detected. It can be placed on electric

poles, gates, fences or even doors. Solar battery can be used as one of the options for

power supply in such sensors.

Access point: It consists of a communication device and a controller. It is used where

the distance between the lamp units and the sensor units are is too large to communicate

with each other. As for the communication devices, a power-saving short distance

device, such as ZigBee, is appropriate for the Thromde.

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Figure 30: Smart lighting units and Smart lighting layout plan (Source: www.researchgate.com)

iii) The Thromde should initiate smart lighting by replacing the existing street light bulbs

with LEDS and making it mandatory for institutional buildings to use LEDS. Slowly,

the Thromde should make it mandatory for all private buildings to use LEDS.

iv) Create awareness on the use and benefits of smart lightings.

v) Encourage the use of LEDS by providing incentives like distributing LEDS at

reasonable rates, assisting with maintenance if required etc.

vi) Some critical areas where smart lighting could be installed are the core town areas,

areas around the main entrance to the Thromde from India, government housing

colonies, both children’s parks, and institutional areas.

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http://www.researchgate.com/


Figure 31: Some areas in S/Jongkhar Thromde where smart street lights could be installed

5.3.3. Climate Resilient Waste Management Practices for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde

One of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions from human settlement is wastes (NDC,

Low Emission Strategies for Urban and Human settlement, 2017). Rising levels of greenhouse

gases in the earth’s atmosphere are causing changes in our climate and some of these changes

can be traced to solid waste. Proper management of wastes is becoming an increasing concern

everywhere. Open dumping of wastes in landfills that are not managed properly can lead to

issues like health risks, ground water contamination etc. It is also important to minimize waste

reduction because even the dump truck generates 10.03 kg of CO2 via diesel use for every 1km

trip (DEFRA, USA).

5.3.3.1. Existing Scenario in the Thromde Management of waste is becoming a concern for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde. It generates about

2 to 2.5 tonnes of waste per day waste which has a mixture of bio degradable and non-bio

degradable wastes. The bio degradable wastes constitute a major portion of the waste generated.

The lack of civic sense and inadequate awareness are considered the main reasons for increased

generation and dumping of wastes. Moreover, there is no documentation on solid waste

management for the Thromde which is a challenge while proposing for facilities and services.

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Currently, the Thromde has installed waste bins at various locations around the Thromde and the

waste is collected on a regular basis by a dump truck and disposed of in a landfill site about 1.5

kms away from the town. As there is no waste disposal site for Dewathang urban areas, the

waste from Dewathang is also taken to the same landfill site. The landfill is an open waste

disposal site which is poorly managed and is likely to pose health risks especially for the people

residing nearby. It is also likely to cause ground and surface water contamination from untreated

leachate. Some of the liquid wastes are thrown into the Dungsam Chhu polluting the river water

downstream.

Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative, a Dewathang based non-government organization, is working

towards reducing waste in the Samdrup Jongkhar area. The NGO has managed to reduce about

50% of the solid waste and about 600 kgs of plastic waste.

Figure 33: Waste segregation initiatives in some areas of S/Jongkhar Thromde

Medical Wastes

Disposal of medical wastes is another challenge for the Thromde. The types of different medical

wastes generated are as shown in the table below:

Figure 32: Landfill site with composting and dry waste segregating system in S/JongkharThromde

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Table 18: Medical waste data of S/Jongkhar Hospital in 2017 (Source: S/Jongkhar Hospital)

The above wastes are segregated at source into different colour coded bin/container (Blue- food;

Red- infectious/pathological; Brown- pharmaceuticals; Yellow/White- sharps; Green- general

wastes & none for radioactive/pressurized wastes). The food, general and pressurized wastes are

disposed into municipal landfill while pathological wastes are disposed into deep pit burial but

without any treatment. The infectious wastes and sharps are first treated with 0.5% bleaching

solution and disposed into municipal landfill and deep pit burial respectively. The

pharmaceuticals wastes are dissolved in water and radioactive wastes are diluted in water in a

ratio of 1:1 and both are disposed into the storm water drains and sewerage system.

Currently, there is no autoclaving machine for wastes treatment in the hospitals and there is

inadequate storage and treatment facility. Also, there are no proper deep burial pit for sharps and

pathological wastes and no treatment for liquid, pharmaceutical and radioactive wastes. The

hospital staff and waste handlers are also not provided with regular trainings on medical waste

management.

Electronic Wastes (E-Waste0

The Thromde also has issues with the management of E-wastes. There is no separate E-wastes

collection system and everything is dumped together with the solid wastes in the landfill site.

5.3.3.2. International Best Practices To get an insight into how waste is managed in other countries, three case studies on solid waste

management, medical waste management and e-waste management were carried out. The

takeaways from the case studies were that not all wastes produced at the source have to go to the

landfill site and the wastes can also contribute to the local economy through recycling and

innovation.

Case Study I: Hospital Pollution Prevention (P-2) Strategies, California

This case study has been extracted from the hospital pollution prevention strategies initiated by

the California Department of Health Services. A P-2 team was formed with representation from

disciples such as Environmental Services/Housekeeping, Infection Control Nursing, Health and

Safety/Hazardous Materials, Risk Management, and Purchasing.

Types of waste

Food Infectious Pharmaceutical Sharps Radioactive Pathological Pressurized General

Total Amount

Neglig- ible

2320 kg Negligible 382.05 kg

520litres 97kg Negligible 4964.9 kg

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The project categorized the waste management strategies into four activities: i) Prevent waste

generation, ii) Reduce waste generation, iii) Reuse waste, and iv) Recycle waste. Some of the

major activities carried out in the project were:

Buying recycled products that helped to minimize waste generation;

Taking the suppliers on board which was beneficial as the suppliers brought in latest

technologies resulting in cost efficiency. For example, the suppliers who supplied

mercury-containing sphygmomanometers to the hospital took back the product for

recycling when mercury-free aneroid sphygmomanometers were purchased from

them. The suppliers also provided trainings on the use of the equipment brought

from them.

Using electronic data storage methods to store records for patients which helped in

reducing waste generation and speeding access to the records;

Replacing cardboard containers with plastic totes for shipping supplies to the

hospital. The empty plastic totes were then sent back to the warehouse for reuse;

Composting yard and food wastes which are then used as mulch;

Using Bio Elite bags which are using at least 30 per cent recycled plastics for

medical wastes, laundry and solid waste. These bags have lesser weight and are

stronger as compared to other plastic bags. The result was that there was additional

savings and cost reduction by avoiding cleaning due to spillage;

Strengthening waste data to document the difference in the wastes generated at the

end of the project;

B-5 fixatives which are compounds used in the laboratories and contain mercury

were replaced with compounds with zinc chloride;

Mercury free cleaning products were introduced in the hospitals;

All mercury containing equipment were disposed of separately and never mixed with

other medical wastes or sharps;

Individuals were trained to clean spills and on the use of spill kits;

Computerized inventory was initiated that facilitated sharing of materials among

Departments to avoid duplication and resource wastage;

A Micro Scrub Mop system was introduced where a new piece of cloth was used per

room and at the end of the day all dirty clothes were collected and washed. The

Micro Scrub mops have been used for at least three years before replacing and they

are lighter and easier to use than other mops;

Recycling most solid wastes produced like cardboards, plastic totes, blue wraps used

for wrapping surgery equipment.

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Introduction of chemical dispensing unit where human factor while measuring

chemicals was eliminated ; and

Replacing traditional wet cell lead-acid batteries with gelled electrolyte lead-acid

batteries that produces water to replenish the moisture in the battery, prevents battery

acid spillage and recharges without producing fumes;

Figure 34: Some initiatives on medical waste management (Source: Dept. of Health Services, California)

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Case Study 2: Municipal Solid Waste Management in Mumbai, India The case study is about the initiative taken up by a resident of Devangini Society, Vile Parle in

Mumbai. The resident has not sent his kitchen waste to the landfill site in the last 20 years. In

2013, he initiated a waste management plan for his society with 30 flats along with four more

people. A vermicomposting system was built and three spots were identified which serve the

society for four months each.

Everyone in the society strictly adheres to the system of waste collection. Dry wastes like dirty

plastic, glass, metal, dust, etc. is collected on Tuesday and Friday only and wet waste is kept on

the respective floor bins and handed over to the staff every day for composting. The wastes that

are not collected like electronic wastes are given to the cleaner who makes profit by selling them.

The system has been displayed at the entrance of the society for everyone to see and learn. The

amount of dry waste managed is updated on the scoreboard and a pollution chart is also there. The

team updates the scoreboard on how many kilos of dry waste it has managed to store. This system

needs minimal supervision and investment was only during the purchase of the dust bins.

Figure 35: Waste management system in Devangini society, Mumbai (Source: International conference on SWM, Mumbai)

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Case Study 3: E-Waste Management in Singapore

The management of E-wastes is becoming a growing concern for every country. E-wastes consists

of toxic metals and chemicals that are harmful for the people as well as for the environment.

Improper handling of E-wastes like using improper incineration methods and dumping could

further aggravate environmental pollution and also contaminate ground water table. Therefore,

proper management of E-wastes is should be a priority for any waste management programme.

This case study is about the SingTel and SingPost E-waste Recycling Programme that was

initiated in Singapore. It is a collaboration between two leading ICT and postal companies and

was launched on World Environment Day in June 2017. The programme is called ReCYCLE and

it was initiated as part of their sustainability efforts to preserve the environment.

Under the programme, people can dispose of their e-wastes like mobile phones, laptops, chargers,

batteries etc. in bins that have been provided at selected Singtel Shop and Singtel Exclusive

Retailer outlets and Post Offices. People can also get a ReCYCLE envelope from their outlets and

post offices to mail mobile device and accessories free of cost. The mouth of a standard bin is 220

x 80 mm and the bigger bin is of 660 litres.

The main objective of the programme is to ensure that the useful metals and other components are

recovered and reused so that there is minimal waste and reduced impact on the environment.

Under the programme, almost 100% of the materials from mobile phone is recovered and recycled

to generate energy or make new products, such as plastic products, electronics or even jewellery.

Similarly, useful materials from other e-wastes are also extracted and reused.

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HOW THE RECYCLING PROCESS WORKS

All storage media devices like SIM cards, memory cards, USB flash drives and hard disks will be consolidated until a substantial volume is collected. They will then go through a crushing process for secure destruction.

Figure 36: Recycling process of E-waste (Source: Singtel&Singpost. Singapore)

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5.3.3.3. Recommendations for Climate Resilient Waste Management Practices for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde

Some of the recommendations to manage wastes in the Thromde are:

i. To do a study on the sources and types of waste generated and assess the existing waste

generation system ;

ii. Promote options like vermin composting plants at building level so that at least the food

wastes are managed within the community itself;

iii. Promote segregation of waste at source followed by separate collection and sorting

procedures;

iv. Promote 4 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and responsibility): Reducing the quantity of

waste at the source, by separate collection and sorting procedures to encourage recycling

and reuse, and working with SJI in recycling and explore other recovery technologies.

Food waste can reduced by composting which can be used as manure in gardens and

agricultural field or even sold;

v. There is a need to make the land fill safe and secure and rehabilitate and promote the

extraction of the reusable waste for recycling purpose.

vi. As the quantity of wastes generated currently is manageable, the Thromde could explore

the possibility of installing small incinerators at few locations. These incinerators which

are emission free and easily manageable could be effective in managing wastes at the

community level and the wastes need not be transported all the way to the landfill site.

The Thromde could liaise with Clean Bhutan, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) that

has already initiated the installation of incinerators in five schools across the country for

the proper and safe disposal of sanitary pads.

vii. A sanitary land fill may be required in the future when the amount of wastes generated is

unmanageable at the town level. A common landfill site needs to be constructed for both

Samdrup Jongkhar and Dewathang to reduce the transportation cost of dumping the

wastes and also because a sanitary land fill is more environmentally friendly than an

ordinary, open landfill site. A properly maintained and a covered land fill site prevents

breeding of animals and insects especially those that carry diseases, prevents ground

water contamination and enables collection of biogas for further use.If the Thromde has

the financial resources and the capacity, then it could even explore the possibility of

constructing an Anaerobic Bioreactor Landfill in the future. However, a sanitary landfill

site is expensive and should be planned only if it is absolute necessary. As far as

possible, the Thromde should try to minimize the quantity of wastes to be taken to the

landfill by managing at the household level.

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viii. The current management system subsidized by the government and is not sustainable in

the long run. As a result, waste management is a major liability for the Thromde. Solid

waste management service fee could be introduced in consultation with the public or the

Thromde could look for options of how to involve private sector in waste management;

ix. To promote public private partnerships to serve as the key vehicles for waste

management;

x. To encourage, build capacity and provide incentive systems for the scrap dealers and the

informal sectors and also build the capacity of the relevant local government officials on

waste management;

xi. To identify the key sectors and to involve them in waste management for effective

functioning and coordination among the implementing agencies like hospitals,

automobile workshop owners , SJI, RBA, RBP, Dratshang, schools and the public;

xii. To explore and promote waste to craft activities and to set up more craft shops in the

Thromde. It will not only address waste problems but also generate employment for

many;

xiii. To pilot community based waste management within the housing colonies giving them

the ownership for waste management within their vicinity (include incentives and

competition etc.);

xiv. To explore mechanisms to provide and distribute information to improve community

participation in waste management;

xv. To effectively implement the existing acts, rules and regulations on waste management

to control haphazard dumping and uncontrolled burning of waste which exacerbate

current pollution issues;

xvi. To promote polluter pay concept promoting sustainable waste management system;

xvii. SOPs on different hospital wastes management could be developed by concerned

agencies/program and circulated to the hospitals;

xviii. Regular training for different categories of health staffs on wastes handling and

management should be initiated and the hospitals should invest on training people as

toxicologists;

xix. Relevant strategies as listed in the case studies in this report could be adopted to manage

medical waste;

xx. Minimize the use of harmful metals like lead which is extensively used in parks and

artisan’s shops. The increase in health risks due to the use of lead is becoming a concern.

It not only affects the workers involved directly in using it but it could also affect the

health of people residing within the vicinity of such places like the artisans shops and

children’s parks where lead is used;

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xxi. Due to increase in the population, the amount of biomedical waste generated also has

increased and needs immediate attention in Thromdes like Samdrup Jongkhar. Within the

domain of municipal solid waste, the biomedical waste acquires special dimension since

it is infectious and hazardous. It can spread diseases or cause harm to the general

population and animals. Appropriate treatment and disposal can avert the transmission of

disease like Tuberculosis, Hepatitis, Enteric diseases, HIV etc. Therefore, the Thromde

should explore the possibility of constructing a different sanitary land fill site for medical

wastes;

xxii. Methods like Incineration, Autoclaving, and Shredding are inevitable for the treatment

and disposal of biomedical wastes and hospitals should invest in such treatment methods.

The installation of individual treatment facilities by hospitals require high capital

investment, however it is worth the investment as it will protect the health of the people

through appropriate management of biomedical wastes;

xxiii. To manage E-wastes, install bins at appropriate locations or initiate collection of E-

wastes from homes, institutions, shops etc. regularly to recycle and dispose of in an

appropriate manner; and

xxiv. Create awareness programmes on the importance of proper waste management so that

people understand the implications of waste on their health and the environment.

xxv. The National Waste Management Strategy 2019 has several implementable

recommendations that the Thromde could take up like initiating waste banks in schools,

creating awareness on waste management, and setting up of waste funds.

5.3.4. Drinking Water and Waste Water Management in SamdrupJongkharThromde Water resources are important to both society and ecosystems. However, the future effects of

climate change pose a significant challenge for planners and managers of services and utilities

like water supply. Water is the primary medium through which we will feel the effects of climate

change. Water availability is becoming less predictable in many places, and increased incidences

of flooding threaten to destroy water points and contaminate water sources. In some regions,

droughts are exacerbating water scarcity and thereby negatively impacting people’s health and

productivity.

Similarly, literature states that urban sanitation contributes significantly to climate change by

emission of greenhouse gases through faeces and using energy intensive mechanized system ,

and by releasing methane from septic tanks that are not regularly emptied (SNV& UTS,

2019).Alternatively, climate induced risks like floods also exacerbate sanitation issues especially

in the urban areas causing contamination of water bodies and outbreak of infectious diseases.

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Therefore, ensuring that everyone has access to sustainable water and sanitation services is a

critical strategy for the years ahead while planning for climate resiliency. In order to ensure

sustainability of safe drinking-water supplies and safe sanitation facilities, it is important to

ensure that the water supply systems and sewerage treatment plants are resilient to both current

levels of climatic changes and the future impacts of climate variability.

5.3.4.1. Existing Scenario in SamdrupJongkharThromde i. Water Supply System

The water supply for Samdrup Jongkhar is presently catered from Rikke Chhu, a surface water

source, Dungsam Chhu and three bore wells located in the core area. The intake point from the

Rikke Chhu is about 1.5 km upstream from the existing reservoir of 250 m3 capacity. The raw

water is filtered through a slow sand filter and chlorinated prior to distribution through gravity.

During monsoon, flooding and landslides along the pipe alignment is a major issue.

The infiltration gallery is located about 4 kms from the town on the bank of Dungsam Chhu. The

infiltrated water is pumped to a reservoir of 400 m3capacity, located on the western side within

the Thromde boundary. The infiltration gallery is more than 30 years old and as such the

infrastructure has all aged. The actual water drawn currently is around 0.5 MLD only which is

half of the assessed water drawing capacity of 1 MLD. The distribution to the town is through

gravity flow from the reservoir. Regulatory valves are installed on the network to regulate the

flow of water along specified circuits of town.

The town also uses bore wells to supplement the supply from Rikke Chu and Dungsam Chhu.

However, no studies on ground water availability and exploration have been carried out till date.

The existing distribution system is old and has leakages in a number of places. As such, the Non-

Revenue Water (NRW) is also probably very high. The Thromde currently does not have a system

for measuring the NRW.

Currently the Thromde is implementing a Asian Development Bank (ADB) project, under which

improvement of water supply is one of the major components. This project is expected to address

the current issues related to water supply. Some of the activities being implemented for the

Thromde are;

Construction of intake (mini dam) at Rikke Chhu : The intake (mini dam) which is being

constructed downstream of the previous intake will not only avoid the pipe alignment from

running through the landslide prone areas but will also act as a water impounding reservoir

where water will be stored for dry seasons. The intake is being constructed using

reinforced cement concrete (RCC) which will increase its structural stability.

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Construction of 2MLD water treatment plant: The water treatment plant is designed to

treat water for around 10,000 population and has flocculation and coagulation,

sedimentation, filtration and disinfection units which are capable of removing

contaminants such as turbidity and bacteriological parameters.

Construction of distribution network: This will result in an efficient water distribution

system for the Thromde and also reduce the NRW.

ii.Sewerage Management

As per PHCB 2017, only 85.5% of the population has access to improved sanitation facilities.

Currently the Thromde has a sewerage system for the core town area which was constructed in

2012. The sewerage treatment plant (STP) which is an Eco line system is located near the

weekend vegetable market and has the capacity of 1 MLD. The STP caters to about fifty per cent

of the existing population of 9327.The effluent from the STP is discharged into the Dungsam

Chhu. However, no laboratory is set up till date to check on the effluent standards discharged into

the river. It is also known how many buildings in the town core area are connected to the

sewerage system till date.

The Eco line is a separate system which collects wastewater only and no rain water or storm water

is included. As the pace of development reaches a level where almost all the surfaces of the towns

and cities are fully paved with hard surfaces, when all areas are fully developed that no infiltration

of storm water takes place and when the amount of storm water becomes so huge that it floods the

city, then in such a case, combined sewerage system is usually adopted. In the near future, when

the place is fully developed, all areas may be required to have sewerage facilities not only to cater

to domestic wastewater but also to cater to the industrial wastes or chemical wastes. When more

Figure 37: On-going water supply project in S/JongkharThromde

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industries and factories come up, more advanced STPs that are compact, odour free and efficient

will be required as land is a scare a resource in the Thromde.

Due to the undulated terrain, a centralized sewerage system for the entire Thromde area is

difficult to be implemented. So, the Thromde is in the process of implementing a ADB funded

sewerage project which will cover 100% of LAP II and 50% of LAP III. The project has three

components namely the rehabilitation of SJT water supply system, sewerage project for LAP II

and III and Dewathang water supply augmentation project. All three projects are expected to be

completed by December 2023.

5.3.5.2. International Best Practices One of the most effective ways to increase the resiliency of water infrastructure to the impacts of

climate change is by integrating climate change components in the regular Water Safety Plans

(WSPs). A WSP is “a way of ensuring the safety of drinking water, through the use of a

comprehensive risk assessment and risk management approach that covers all steps in water

supply from catchment to consumer” (World Health Organization). A case study on how

Ethopia has successfully adopted a climate resilient WSP was undertaken to see the benefits of

such initiatives. It can be deduced that if implemented properly, a climate resilient WSP could

help address the issue of shortage of drinking water and also ensure that people have access to

safe drinking water irrespective of climate variability in the future.

Similarly, the second study is on how New York City’s has adapted its wastewater treatment

systems to climate change.

Case Study I: Climate Resilient Water Safety Plan (CR-WSP) Implementation, Ethiopa

The Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy (MoWIE) of Ethiopia, has formulated the

Guidelines for Community Managed Rural Drinking Water Supplies with support from the

World Health Organization. The Guidelines provide strategies on how to develop, implement,

monitor, and review the rural community managed water safety plans. The CR-WSP has six

tasks which are required to be completed to effectively implement the WSP. The six tasks are as

shown in the figure below:

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Figure 38: Steps in Climate Resilient Water Safety Plan (Source: MoWIE, Ethopia)

An important component of the WSP was the capacity building of the WSP team members. Some

of key topics covered in the training were:

Climate change/weather variability and its effect on the drinking water supplies ;

Concepts, principles and tasks of climate resilient water safety plan;

How to support water committee or water board in developing CR-WSPs;

How to describe water supply systems;

How to identify hazardous events and hazards to water quality and quantity and

reliability of existing water supply system;

How to identify and validate effectiveness of the existing control measures;

How to assess risks; and

Orientation on how to use the sanitary survey and household level hazardous events and

hazard assessment tools/instruments and field exercises;

The WSP requires all water data to be mapped, all stakeholders to be taken on board, hazards to

be assessed, risk analysis to be carried out, develop an incremental improvement plan, monitor

control measures, and review the CR-WSP regularly.

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Figure 39: Verification process of the WSP (Source: MoWIE, Ethopia)

Case Study II: Literature Review of the learning paper “Considering climate change in urban sanitation: Conceptual approaches and practical implications”

The case study has been extracted from a paper published by the SNV and the Institute for

Sustainable Futures (ISF) Sydney. The literature has identified hazards like flooding, increasing

precipitation, drier conditions, sea level rise, temperature rise, increased frequency of cyclones

and storms as having huge impacts on sanitation system. The literature also highlights two areas

in which urban sanitation can contribute to climate change through the emission of greenhouse

gases like methane from fecal waste and by using energy intensive mechanized pumps. Therefore,

it is important to have a proper sewerage system and network in place for climate resiliency.

The literature recommends some of the following approaches to increase climate resiliency of the

urban sanitation system:

Building climate change literacy to create awareness of the impacts of climate change on

sanitation facilities and vice versa

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Planning for varied climate variability so that the system can resist all levels of weather

events from flooding to drought;

Making climate resilience an objective in decision making;

Prioritizing infrastructure options that meet immediate needs and can achieve long-term

sustainability;

Promoting adaptive management where a management functions by leaning continuously

through experimentation and innovation;

Improving disaster responsiveness; and

Prioritizing flexible technical and service solutions.

5.3.5.3. Recommendations for Drinking Water and Waste Water Management for SamdrupJongkharThromde

Based on the analysis of the existing drinking water supply and sanitation issues in the Thromde

and learning from the experiences of other countries, the following recommendations have been

proposed to effectively manage drinking water and waste water in the Thromde:

Drinking Water Management

i. Integrated Water Supply System

The on-going ADB project upon completion will address some of the climate change related

issues for the Thromde such as water scarcity, water quality, damages from landslides and

flooding of pipelines. However, for Dewathang, there is a need for a feasibility study on

integrating the water supply plan under the project with the rural hinterland. Integrating the

water supply plan will not improve the water services provided to the rural hinterland but will

also minimize the impact on the water resources and ensure water security. In addition, the

sensitivity of the materials used for the construction of water infrastructure to climate change

also needs to be considered. For example, RCC structures have higher structural stability (higher

resistance during extreme weather conditions) as compared to masonry or wooden structures.

Also, all the pipelines must be buried wherever possible to minimize impacts from extreme

climate conditions.

ii. Rain Water Harvesting

Considering the amount of rainfall SamdrupJongkharThromde receives annually, rain water

harvesting should be encouraged and given high priority in both Samdrup Jongkhar and

Dewathang. It is proposed to make it mandatory for all the public buildings to install rain water

harvesting systems in order to supplement the municipal supply. However, appropriate methods

oriented towards harvesting rain water needs to be studied further and implemented. Public

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awareness and participation should also be sought. If adopted, RWH can reduce the pressure on

drinking water supplies to a great extent.

iii. Climate Resilient Water Safety Plan

In line with the Water Regulation of Bhutan 2014, SamdrupJongkharThromde has developed

and started implementing WSP since 2015. This WSP process should now be enhanced to a

climate resilient WSP by considering the risks in provision of safe water in sufficient quantity

under changing future conditions and extreme weather events that may become more frequent

and severe as the climate changes. The WSP Framework below, drawn by the WHO could serve

as a guide for the up gradation of the existing WSP by the Thromde.

Figure 40: Climate Resilient WSP Framework (Source: WHO)

iv. Water Demand Management

An effective strategy necessary to increase available water supply is Water Demand

Management (WDM), which involves water conservation, and increased water use efficiency.

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This strategy requires a major paradigm shift from conventional supply management to the

management of demand. This shift produces additional quantities of water for the immediate

needs of society by creating virtual quantities of water through conservation. Demand

management involves a wide range of demand management measures including cost-reflective

pricing, universal customer metering, leakage detection and repair programs, a communication

strategy, including community education campaign, customer advisory services, the use of

incentives for installation and/or retrofitting of water efficient equipment, use of reclaimed water

(e.g. waste water/grey water) to reduce the need for fresh water supplies.

One of the most neglected aspects of Water Demand Management is water conservation at

consumer end. Large inequalities in water supply and low tariffs have led to a situation wherein

there is a big difference in the way water is used in different households. Some water

conservation measures on the consumer end include:

Dual flush toilets use up to 67% less water than conventional toilets. Ultralow flow

toilets also consume as little as 1/5 to 1/7 of what traditional toilets consume;

Using water of lower quality such as grey water, rain water or runoff from ground

surfaces for toilet flushing/gardening/car washing;

Commercial appliances used in kitchens and lavatories should also be water-savings

models;

Adopt Water Sensitive Urban Design approach where the wastage of water is minimized

greatly by adopting water saving techniques like using water sensor taps, permeable

pavements that help to percolate runoff and recharge ground water table etc.;

Water can also be conserved by landscaping with native plants;

Demand management measures should therefore be encouraged at all levels

(Government offices/institutions/private homes) in order to increase the water

availability and water use efficiency.

Carry out water audit regularly and levy water charges in all areas to minimize wastage

of water.

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Figure 41: Water Conservation Measures (Source: CEDSCO training materials from Malaysia )

v. Watershed Management

An optimally functioning watershed holds a great deal of rain water, minimizing the run off.

When the entire watershed begins to dysfunction and overflow, flooding is inevitable. Thus,

various measures need to be taken to avoid this disastrous process, which is amplified by

indiscriminate tree cutting and irresponsible new developmental activities. Most of the streams

and rivers flowing into Samdrup Jongkhar and Dewathang have their watershed areas in the

mountains to the north of the town. The watershed should be demarcated and a watershed

management plan should be developed and implemented in coordination with the relevant

agency so as to protect the natural drainage network and other natural sources of the rivers and

streams, which includes slopes, vegetation, soil and the ecology in the watershed area.

In addition, a study on the availability of groundwater within the Thromde is proposed. The

extent of land which has potential groundwater resource within the municipal limits should be

demarcated and protected.

Waste Water Management

i. Invest in climate resilient sanitation facilities by exploring ways to use better treatment

facilities and providing safe sanitation facilities to 100 % of the population in the

Thromde.

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ii. Plan public toilets at appropriate locations for the residents and also for the tourists. Invest

in making these facilities smart like using automatic water taps, smart lights, water saving

flush etc.

iii. Promote safe sanitation hygiene and continue working with WaSH for improved

sanitation.

5.3.5. Green Building Design for Samdrup Jongkhar ThromdeGreen building is a practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally

responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle which includes design,

construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition. The way our communities

develop has a huge impact on our natural environment. Globally, buildings account for 39% of

total energy use, 68% of total electricity consumption, 30% of landfill waste, 38% of carbon

dioxide emissions and 12% of total water consumption.

Thus, with the ever-growing economy and globalization, it is expected that this contribution will

only increase in the coming years and it is high time to rethink on the way we build to minimize

environmental impacts.

Generally, the green building concept works on the following principles:

i) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: Energy efficiency is one of the key

factors of a green building. It helps to reduce energy costs and carbon footprint. It can

be achieved through passive solar design which reduces the heating and cooling costs

of a building with high levels of insulation and energy-efficient ventilations. Some of

the benefits of a building designed with passive solar systems are:

It is not affected by the rise in fuel costs and is cost efficient in the long run;

It has a high resale value;

It has an attractive and comfortable living environment with large windows, right

temperature and open floor plans;

Maintenance cost will be reduced as it is durable and requires less maintenance; and

It is environmentally friendly.

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Figure 42: Passive solar design in a building (Source: Construction Links Network @ https://constructionlinks.ca/news/and Evolution: Energy Efficient Homes @ https://www.evolutionseries.co.nz/)

ii. Water Efficiency: Efficient use of water and conservation of water is another

important feature of a green building. Minimizing water use is achieved by

installing grey water and rainwater catchment systems that recycle water for

irrigation or toilet flushing; water-efficient appliances, such as low flow

showerheads, self-closing or spray taps; low-flush toilets, or waterless composting

toilets.

iii. Environmentally friendly building materials: Green buildings use materials that

do not emit toxic gases and do not contain toxic chemical thus ensuring healthy

environment of the occupants and also maintaining good indoor air quality. Many

building materials and cleaning/maintenance products emit toxic gases, such as

volatile organic compounds (VOC) and formaldehyde. Materials in green buildings

are assessed using green specifications that look at their Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)

in terms of their embodied energy, durability, recycled content, waste minimization,

and their ability to be reused or recycled.

iv. Waste Reduction: A green building design incorporates efficient waste

management facilities, such as composting bins and also aims to reduce waste in

any other forms, such as energy, water, and materials, during construction,

operation, and maintenance stages.

5.3.5.1. Existing Scenario of building construction practices in SamdrupJongkharThromde Samdrup Jongkhar is one of the oldest towns of Bhutan and the existing buildings lack elements

of a green building. Most of the construction proposals submitted to Thromde do not

incorporate any green building initiatives which could be due to lack of technical capacity of the

architect and engineer, lack of adequate awareness of the benefits of green buildings or

anticipation of additional cost to incorporate such features. The situation is further aggravated

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https://constructionlinks.ca/news/


by the lack of strong policies and regulations to enforce such practices from the government.

Moreover, the Thromde as a Local Government body has minimal role pertaining to policy

matters.

The development activities in the Thromde are regulated by the Development Control

Regulation in the S/Jongkhar UDP and other existing regulations and guidelines. However, most

of the documents lack green building components and the only guiding document on green

building in the country i.e. the Bhutan Green Building Guidelines is not being implemented

strictly. Even with the launching of the green building guidelines by the MoWHS, there is no

shift of construction practices by the designers and builders. The institutions and government

offices have also adopted conventional construction practices and no green building initiatives

are being incorporated. Most of the construction materials are imported from across the border

as the materials are easily available and cheaper too. Hence, there is a need to set clear policy

direction in terms of green building practices.

While green constructions practices are prevalent in rural areas where locally available materials

are used for construction, no proper assessment has being done to establish the fact of these

buildings being green.

5.3.5.2. International Best Practices With increased awareness on the negative impacts of many of the construction materials being

used and to ensure sustainability in the construction sector, many countries are nowmoving

towards green construction practices. With similar objectives for S/JongkharThromde, case

studies on how effectively green buildings can be constructed without huge investments were

carried out.

The case study on a green building in India showed that that by incorporating simple green

building elements in the design, affordable green buildings can be constructed. On the other

hand, the case study of a green building in Ireland showed that with a little higher initial

investment, a green building with a much higher long term benefit can be constructed.

Case Study 1: Green Zed Earth Villa in Bengaluru

The Zed Earth Villa is located in Bengalaru in India and has a site area of 290sq.mand a built up

area of 270 Sq.m. It is a residential building and had obtained a 5 star rating from the Small

Versatile Affordable Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (SVA GRIHA) which was

jointly developed by GRIHA Council and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). The

project was implemented by the Biodiversity Conservation India Ltd, Bengaluru.

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The strategies adopted to minimize the environmental impact in the building were:

i. Landscape: Around 70% of the site area has permeable pavement and shaded with

trees and native trees were also planted.

ii. Energy Efficiency: Fenestrations and floor plan layout facilitated adequate natural ventilation. It

reduced the direct penetration heat by about 38% as compared to another building

in Bengaluru.

Around 88% of the area was planned under day lit zone;

The lighting power density was 4.78W/Sq.m and the thermal efficiency of the

project was 289.82/sq.ft;

Solar photovoltaic panels of 1.4kWp and solar water heater of 150 lpd capacity

were installed; and

All air conditioning systems, fans and geysers were Bureau of Energy Efficiency

(BEE) 5 star rated.

iii. Water and Waste: Low flow fixtures were used which reduced the building water demand by almost

74% as compared to the other green SVAGRIHA building;

Rainwater storage tank of 1500 l was installed to store rain water; and

Organic kitchen waste was converted into manure.

iv. Materials: Hollow concrete blocks were used which reduced the embodied energy by about

40%;

Indoor quality was improved by using lead free paints and low volatile organic

compounds; and

More than 70% of the indoor finishes include components like bamboo flooring,

v. Lifestyle:

Basic amenities like grocery store, pharmacy are located within the campus; and

Each villa has a kitchen garden and a brochure for environmental awareness

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Figure 43: Zed Earth Villa in Bengaluru (Source: SVA GRIHA, India)

Case Study 2: Bio Sciences Research Building in Ireland

The Biosciences Research Building (BRB) in Ireland provides high technology science research

space dedicated to various research activities and is one of the most energy efficient research

buildings in the world. It was also constructed at an extremely low cost of US$ 413/Sq.ft as

compared to similar facilities, which typically cost about US$600-800/Sq.ft.

The building block is a “layered lab” concept with a high/low energy strategy. The most

mechanically intensive spaces such as tissue culture and imaging suites are placed into a zone

adjacent to the open lab space. Low energy use spaces like offices and interaction spaces are

along the edges to lower ventilation rates and optimize the opportunity for ample natural

ventilation and day lighting. Due to this approach, 45% of this intensive research building is able

to function without mechanical ventilation. Because of the mechanical intensity of the BRB, the

energy saved in comparison prevailing baseline is equivalent to the energy use of 400 houses per

year in Ireland.

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Figure 44: BioSciences Research Building , Ireland (Sources: The Journal of the Research Institute of Architects, 2016)

Figure 45: Biosciences Research Building in Ireland (Source: The Journal of the Research Institute of Architect, 2016)

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The building was designed above known flood levels and is future-proofed in the event of

flooding in the region.

Some important features of the building are:

Land use and site ecology: The campus has plantations comprising of native grasses and

trees. In addition, it includes other climate resilient features like bioswales, rainwater

harvesting system, open spaces, compact building footprint, and pervious pavements.

The rainwater is also used for the flush fixture and other building uses, meeting 100% of

the flush fixture demand. Dual-flush toilets and low flow fixtures are used because of

which the building uses 75% less water than the LEED 2009 baseline (annual savings is

equivalent to 9,700 bathtubs of water). By using various water saving strategies, there

has been a 75% reduction in the potable water demand.

The campus has a park and ride facility and is mostly accessed by bicycle, foot or with

the University bus system. About 70% of building occupants use alternative

transportation to reach the building, resulting in 280 fewer cars on the road per day.

Materials and construction: Theproject has minimized the environmental impact of

materials and improved building performance and comfort. Most of the materials were

locally sourced. The superstructure is pre-fabricated to reduce carbon footprint and

minimize construction waste. Finishes were selected to minimize the amount of

energy/pollution required to manufacture, ship and erect. Similarly, the façade systems

were designed to achieve a U-value of 0.32 for glazing and a R-value of 28 for the walls.

The precast concrete superstructure contains 30% of ground granulated blast-furnace slag

resulting in a saving of 3,221 gigajoules of embodied energy.

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Figure 46: Climate resilient elements in the building (source: BRB website)

5.3.5.3. Recommendations for promoting green building for Samdrup JongkharThromde The green buildings are not always expensive as perceived by most of the people and with proper

understanding of the concept, the long-term benefits are manifold. Therefore, the Thromde should

initiate the promotion of green building components. Some recommendations for green buildings

are as follows:

i. Government must set strong policies and strategies to spearhead the green building

movement;

ii. There is a need to introduce incentives for green buildings like lesser time for

approval process, tax holiday, or cost sharing;

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iii. There is a need for increased awareness and trainings to promote green construction.

The Thromde should explain the benefits of green buildings and the positive impacts

it will have on the environment;

iv. Research institutes and lab to study green building a develop tool kit to certify the

green building projects should be promoted.

v. Promote energy efficient appliances that use less energy by providing incentives like

tax free import, free installation etc.

vi. Building capability in the construction industry especially on green building

construction should be enhanced.

vii. The concept of climate smart planning and development and the importance of green

infrastructure should be incorporated in the educational system to educate the

children from a very early age.

viii. Means to reach the public to create consumer driven demand should be explored.

ix. All government and corporate institutions in the Thromde should lead by example by

initiating green building construction in their own premises.

5.3.6. Cultural Heritage, Green Areas, Parks, Open Spaces, and Recreational Areas in SamdrupJongkharThromde

Tradition and culture form an integral part of any developmental process in Bhutan. While

integrating culture into climate resilient planning process looks difficult and some may argue

that it is not directly relevant to climate resilient planning, this study takes into the account the

current scenario in Samdrup Jongkhar and explores variety of complementary and overlapping

functions of culture, open spaces, parks and recreational areas in terms of environmental,

economic and societal aspects.

Cultural heritage had always formed an integral element of sustainable development and

community resiliency. Integrating culture into planning climate resilient cities was one of the

topics under discussion in the ninth session of the World Urban Forum 9 (WUF9) held in

February 2018 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The forum which was convened by the UN Human

Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) deliberated on how diversity and culture can be leveraged

to create resilient cities.

Cultural vibrancy and social interactions not only help in bringing different communities

together but also help in disseminating information and preparedness in times of disaster risks.

Similarly, indigenous knowledge helps in informed decision making and can avoid decisions

based on uncertainties.

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Bhutan has always accorded highest priority to the preservation and promotion of culture and it

can be seen in various forms in the country like public plaza, cultural centres, monasteries,

temples etc. Creating a public realm to promote social interaction is an important part of any

development plan in Bhutan. Therefore, incorporation of cultural elements in planning and

development helps in building climate resiliency.

Figure 47: Clock tower areain Thimphu and the Temple square in S/Jongkhar Thromde

Similarly, parks, open spaces and recreational areas have long been regarded as mere

recreational and leisure facilities. However, with increasing urban related problem such as global

warming, environmental degradation, poor quality of life etc, these spaces are now viewed as an

important part of a human settlement plan.

In light of the challenges of climate change, the parks, open spaces and recreational areas must

be utilized in an optimal way and not for mere visual enhancement of the place. Parks and open

spaces are already being used as refugee camps and distribution centres in times of disasters in

many countries.

The adaptation of urban green spaces and open spaces to climate change and its impacts, and

their spatial interconnection, enlargement and functional expansion is a task that must be tackled

by the society as a whole, and it can only be successfully implemented using an integrated

approach. In this respect, the design or transformation of these spaces must always be

incorporated into larger strategies of integrated urban development policy.

5.3.6.1. Existing Scenario of in SamdrupJongkharThromde Currently, the Thromde lacks cultural vibrancy mainly because there are no planned public realms

where people can gather, talk and relax. There are no important cultural heritage sites that could

have given the Thromde a unique identity and also boost tourism.

Similarly, there is lack of planned landscaping initiatives in the Thromde even though there is a

high level of suspended dust. The river is treated only as a menace flooding its two banks and the

premises adjacent to the river edge treat it as their backyard rather than opening up on it. The

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roads lack street furniture and pedestrian links and facilities along them. Even recreational

facilities and green areas for the residents and play grounds for children are inadequate.

However, the Thromde has recently initiated few landscaping projects which might help reduce

air pollution to a great extent. The UDP also has several proposals pertaining to parks and

recreational services some of which have already been implemented. Some of the proposals are

construction of a stadium and sports complex, cultural centre to boost tourism activities and

revive the cultural heritage, a town hall housing a public library, a Cineplex abutting an open air

theatre, a war memorial in Dewathang to commemorate the historic significance of Dewathang

in the military history of Bhutan, and a hierarchy of recreational spaces.

A number of children’s parks and riverfront development works have also been proposed. The

riverfront is proposed to be developed as an active edge with pedestrian pathways, kiosks,

bicycle tracks and other public amenities. The temple square in the present LAP-1 is proposed to

be made pedestrian for most parts of the day with introduction of street furniture and paving to

enhance the quality of the only public realm in a congested part of town.

A major concern of the town and its residents is an absence of safe pedestrian walkways in the

town. There is a lot of intermingling of vehicular and pedestrian traffic in most parts of the city.

A network of pedestrian pathways connecting the social amenities to the surrounding residential

quarters is proposed at the neighbourhood level in each precinct. At the town level, a pedestrian

and cycle network connects recreational areas and the river front and also crosses the river and

binds the two sides of the river making the river edge active as well.

A by-pass road branching off from the central spine is proposed to decongest it by diverting the

through traffic. Also a considerable stretch of the bypass is proposed on the west bank of the

river, thus opening up developable land on the other bank. An archery ground is proposed on the

western bank of the river near the new urban periphery development, keeping in mind safety

norms of the game.

Envisaging an increased role of the Thromde as an international tourist entry point, it is

proposed to have a quarantine zone adjacent to the entry gate on available institutional land in

future, in accordance to international tourism practices.

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Figure 48: Recommendations for recreational activities in the S/Jongkhar UDP (Source: UDP, S/Jongkhar Thromde, 2013)

5.3.6.2. International Best Practices To get a better understanding of the roles of open spaces and parks in times of disaster risks,

case studies of japan and Nepal were carried out. These spaces have been found to play

significant roles when these countries experienced tremendous loss of lives and properties due to

the earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015 and the Tsunami that occurred in Japan in 2011.

The case study of Japan shows how a park could be designed so that it can function as a

recreation centre as well as double up as shelter during times of disasters. Similarly, the case

study of Nepal shows how open spaces and recreational areas like foot ball fields could be to

pitch camps during disaster risks.

Case Study 1: Multifunctional Park in Japan

Most of the parks in Japan are not meant for mere recreational activities. The parks are designed

to house people in times of disasters and function as refuge parks. One of the examples of a

multifunctional park is the Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park in Tokyo.

The Park acts as a central base of operations for disaster prevention in the Tokyo Metropolitan

Area. It houses emergency response facilities including local disaster management headquarters.

The park has solar-powered charging stations for electric bicycles and smart phones in case of

electrical failure and manholes that are used as emergency toilets. Food and other necessary

supplies like water reservoirs are stored in the parks to cater to the entire districts to survive the

critically important first 72 hours following a disaster. The benches double as cooking stoves

and emergency food and water for entire districts are stored in underground stores.

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Figure 49: Plan of the Rinkai Disaster Park in Japan (Source: Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park, Japan)

Figure 50: A Kamado bench and manhole connected to sewage pipe in a multifunctional parksin Japan (Source: A Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park, Tokyo)

Case Study 2: How open spaces in Nepal were used during disaster risks?

Nepal lies in one of the most seismically active earthquake zones of the Himalayas and

experiences earthquakes frequently. An assessment on the vulnerability of Kathmandu valley

was carried out by the Nepal Risk Reduction Consortium (NRRC) which is a unique

arrangement where humanitarian and development partners along with the Government of Nepal

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work with financial institutions towards reducing the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters.

The assessment indicated that if an earthquake of magnitude 8.0 strikes the valley, there would

be at least at 100,000 deaths, 300,000 injured, and over 1 million persons displaced.

Additionally, many critical infrastructure like the only international airport, would be severely

affected isolating the valley totally.

Under the NRRC, one of the flagship programmes is Emergency Preparedness and Response

and one of the priority areas in the program is the identification, allocation and planning of open

spaces. The Cabinet has already approved and secured 83 open spaces in the Kathmandu Valley

equivalent to nearly 4,000,000sq.m of land. These spaces are currently being prepared for

emergencies with all stakeholders’ collaboration.

Figure 51: Open spaces used as camps in Nepal during disaster (Source:NRRC, Nepal)

5.3.6.3. Recommendations for Integrating Cultural Heritage, Open Spaces, Parks and Recreational Areas in Building Climate Resiliency in SamdrupJongkharThromde

It is evident from the case studies that open spaces, parks and recreational areas play critical roles

in building climate resiliency and therefore, it is important that the integration of these spaces in

human settlement plans be accorded high priority. Likewise, preservation of cultural heritage and

its incorporation in human settlement plan also help in building resiliency as discussed in the

preceding section. Therefore, some of the recommendations for the Thromde to integrate these

elements in its development plans and policies to build climate resiliency are:

i. The Thromde should identify open spaces that can function as camps in time of

emergencies;

ii. The Thromde should recognize and expand the multi-functionality of parks and open

spaces to accommodate multi functions such as constructing benches that could be used

as beds and also for cooking during times of disasters. The open spaces can also be

designed to function as retention areas for the interim storage of large volumes of water

in light of the increasing frequency of heavy rains and risk of flood damage. The

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existing two children’s park should be redesigned to make them multifunctional with

benches which can be used as beds, underground storage and toilets;

iii. The parks and recreational activities should be accordingly designed to adapt to

adverse effect of climate change. The Thromde is located in one of the hottest places in

Bhutan and therefore, one of the primary tasks is to plan and design infrastructure in

such a way that the effect of Urban Heat Island (UHI) is reduced. UHI poses health

risks for its residents due to increased heat stress.

The design and construction of parks and recreational areas plays a vital role in

ensuring that it is low carbon and climate resilient. Therefore, it is important to

incorporate elements like permeable pavements, plantations, rain garden and bio swales

in the existing parks to make them climate resilient;

iv. Strengthening green space maintenance under local governance and societal task is

very much needed in the Thromde. The maintenance of public parks and recreational

areas has been one of the major challenges in Bhutan and considering the impacts of

changing climatic conditions, the sustainable development and maintenance of public

green spaces should remain a collective effort of both local government and the

community. A strong management system in place by the local government will go a

long way in ensuring that these spaces are sustainable and green;

v. In order to promote cultural vibrancy, the Thromde should speed up the

implementation of the proposals outlined in the UDP and initiate programmes like

community cleaning campaigns, concerts, plantations etc. that will bring communities

together and a strong bond can be developed; and

vi. During the household surveys conducted in the Thromde, many residents

suggested that more parks are required especially for the elderly population as the

existing ones are only meant for the children. Therefore, the Thromde should explore

the possibility of constructing more parks which are multifunctional for the elderly

and the differently-abled population. More number of parks will also help to house

more number of affected populations in times of disasters.

5.3.7. Climate Resilient Transportation System and Smart Parking Transport infrastructure and services are critical for development as they facilitate the

distribution of goods and services within or between places. They also facilitate access to other

public facilities and amenities. With rapid urbanization, increasing population size and more

developmental activities, there is a need for greater connectivity. However, the concern is that

how can the connectivity be enhanced and the mobility needs be met in a sustainable manner?

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Transport sector is one of the major contributors to the adverse effects of climate change through

the emission of greenhouse gases. However, it is a critical facility and therefore, there is need to

come up with sustainable transport system that is also climate resilient. A transport system that

has low resilience can impose high costs for maintenance and repair. For example, with more

intense and frequent precipitation, roads may deteriorate faster or bridges may collapse. And

such vulnerability can have far-reaching social, fiscal and economic consequences, impairing

people’s ability to access jobs, markets, schools, and hospitals. Therefore, a climate resilient

transportation system is crucial not only for the social and economic benefits of the community

but also to ensure sustainability of the environment in the long run.

Some of the impacts of weather events caused by climate change on transport systems is outlined

in the table below:

Sl no. Climate hazard Potential impacts

1 Increasing precipitation intensity

• Flooding of roads;

• Slope failures and landslides;

• Washout of earth roads;

• Erosion and scouring or washout of bridges andwaterway crossings;

• Increased sediment loading of drainage works;

2 Extreme heat • Increased pavement deterioration, softening;

• Thermal expansion of bridge joints;

• Increased energy consumption due to refrigeration of

transported goods and use of air conditioning.Table 19: Climate hazards and potential impacts on roads

In addition to the need to have a climate resilient transportation system, the need to have a smart

parking for any city in today’s world is equally important. Smart parking system uses different

technologies and components to enhance the efficiency of parking. It comprises of sensors

buried under the road, cameras for smart parking inspection activities on each parking bay, a

parking meter to provide real time information to the system, enables payment of parking fees

and guides the driver to a free parking space, a server where data collected from the sensors are

sent through a radio communication network, and a software for data management.

Cities with smart parking system has benefited as compared to the cities with normal parking

systems in terms of efficiency, reduction in GHG emissions due to shorter travel distance, and

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reduced traffic congestions. Therefore, a climate resilient transportation system would be

incomplete without a smart parking component embedded in it.

5.3.7.1. Existing Scenario of Transportation System and Parking Management in SamdrupJongkharThromde In Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde, the roads are the main transport infrastructure enabling trade,

public services delivery, governance, tourism, and so on. The Thromde is the gateway entry

from India to eastern Bhutan and the transport infrastructure not only serves the people of the

town but also serves some 100,000 people living in the eastern region.

However, the existing transportation system is not climate resilient at all. The roads are

constructed with bitumen which needs regular maintenance, the footpaths are not pedestrian

friendly, and there are no green transport systems like electric vehicles. Because of the hot

weather, people hardly use bicycles except for the day workers who come to the Thromde from

India.

Some of the recurrent issues with the existing mobility network and parking system in the

Thromde are:

Formation of potholes: Almost every road has pot holes formed on its surface. One

reason may be due to poor roadside drainage and over flowing of rain-water carrying

debris on road. The Thromde does not have a comprehensive urban design and drainage

master plan document;

Landslides: The increased in intensity of rainfall has led to landslides on instable slopes

causing roadblocks and erosion of roads;

Flooding: Due to lack of adequate storm water drains along the roadsides, often the

roads are flooded with rain water carrying the debris. The flooding due to overflow of

Dungsam Chhu occurs due to poor bank protection;

Scouring of Bridge foundations: The foundation of bridges is often scoured by water.

The bridges are critical waterway crossings for connectivity both within the town and

region;

Lack of shades along pedestrian paths: Though there is enough footpath connectivity

all over the town, the footpaths cannot be utilized at its optimum capacity especially on

sunny days. There are no trees or sheds to provide shade over the footpath. Moreover,

the footpaths are not pedestrian friendly as it lacks wheel chair friendly design, tactile

flooring to guide the blind, and has openings after every few meters which causes

obstruction while walking;

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Lack of adequate parking spaces: There are inadequate parking spaces especially for

two wheelers and bicycles and the existing ones are not managed properly; and

Safety Issues: There is no proper surveillance system to monitor the movement of

vehicles and pedestrians.

Figure 52: Existing road and parking condition in S/Jongkhar Thromde)

5.3.7.2. International Best Practices As per the Low Carbon Cities Framework, one hectare with 0.1 m thickness of asphalt emits

70,150 kg of CO2 /year and 1 hectare with 0.1 m thickness of concrete pavement emits 15,800

kg of CO2 /year. Therefore, case studies on concrete pavement and smart parking were carried

out to see what strategies other countries have adopted to make their transportation system

climate resilient.

Case Study 1: Use of Concrete pavement in Roads in the USA

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Concrete pavement in the USA has been used ever since 1891 and the first concrete pavement in

Ohio is still functioning. Concrete pavements or rigid pavements are more durable and

sustainable as compared to flexible pavements. Rigid pavement provides a structural cement

concrete slab of enough strength to resist the loads from traffic. The rigid pavement has rigidity

and high modulus of elasticity to distribute the load over a wider area.

Figure 53: Rigid and Flexible pavements (Source: 1999 Encyclopedia Britannica, Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLCw9coHX1s)

Some of the benefits of using a concrete pavement in the USA have been briefly outlined below:

It has a long life of 30 to 50 years as it can achieve the desired design life with minimal

future preservation activities and also had reduced associated costs;

Concrete is a mix of easily available resources like water, sand, aggregate, cement, and

air. Since these resources are available locally, there will be reduced transportation costs

and fuel consumption for delivery unlike asphalt (bitumen) which is produced from

imported petroleum;

Motorists experience a comfortable ride with minimal drag, visible surface pavement,

maximum skid resistance;

Increased use of industrial residuals and reduced use of non-renewable resources;

Concrete is 100% recyclable and can be used again in new pavement, or for other

construction purposes;

Though the initial cost of construction is high, it is cost effective in the long run;

It has minimal impact on the surrounding environment and is also not adversely affected

by atmospheric conditions;

It causes minimal traffic disruption during construction and preservation activities;

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It is aesthetically pleasing with appropriately textured light colored surfaces;

It reduces ambient noise, emissions, surface run-off, urban heat, and artificial lighting

needs;

It also reduces fuel consumption by 15-20% as compared to asphalt roads. This is

because of the fact that a concrete road does not get deflected under the wheels of loaded

trucks and also it requires less fuel to operate the construction equipments. The average

fuel savings per tractor trailer has been found to be 3.85% per year;

It has high resistance to automobile fuel spillage and extreme weather and does not get

damaged like asphalt roads;

Concrete does not produce highly polluting gases like asphalt does at the time of melting

it for paving;

It has found to reduce up to 35% of embodied primary energy and up to 45% of

greenhouse gases;

Energy costs are around 33% lesser to illuminate concrete roadways; and

It helps in addressing urban heat island effect as it reflects solar energy since its colour is

white and it reflects heat rather than absorbing it.

Figure 54: Climate resilient qualities of concrete pavement (Source: Google)

Case Study 2: Smart Parking Solutions in the City of Gliwice, Poland

With around 200,000 inhabitants and growing vehicle fleet, the City of Gliwice in Poland faced

severe parking issues once. In order to address the problem, the municipal authorities initiated

the smart parking solutions and roped in the City Parking Group to operate the city’s regulated

parking spaces. Emulating the successful implementation smart parking strategy of the

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neighbouring city of Lodz, the company once again used the Fastpark application in Gliwice.

The application comprised of 300 sensors that were installed in the regulated parking spaces,

electronic panels that direct drivers to free spaces and an app that enables them to pay for

parking as well as extend their parking time. A management platform provides real-time

information on the occupation of the city’s parking spaces.

The installation of the smart parking system resulted in the following benefits for the city:

There was reduction of time spent in looking for a parking space thereby reducing

fuel consumption and congestion ;

An App that enables parking to be paid and renewed by mobile phone increased the

efficiency of parking management system;

Real-time overview of parking space occupation;

Dynamic management of parking charges where parking fares were increased or

lowered at certain times; and

It enabled the authorities to detect those vehicles that do not pay for parking.

Figure 55: Smart parking solutions in Gliwice, Poland (source: City parking Group, Poland)

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5.3.7.3. Recommendations for Climate Resilient Transportation System for SamdrupJongkharThromde

Considering the climate vulnerabilities of the existing transportation system in the Thromde and

also learning from international best practices, the Thromde could adopt the following ways to

make its transport sector climate resilient:

i. Prepare a comprehensive transport plan and drainage system for the Thromde with

alternative road layouts that could be used during emergencies so that the network is not

disrupted;

ii. Study the existing road networks and carry out a vulnerability assessment against

climate change and propose recommendations for the roads/stretch of road that is

vulnerable to climate change;

iii. Explore the use of road pavements like concrete that are durable, and can resist

extreme heat and intensive rainfall. Also, pavements that reflect heat adds to the Urban

Heat Island effect thereby increasing the temperature of the area. So, selection of

pavement for the road, footpaths and parking may require further studies;

iv. An assessment of existing bridges may be required. Check dams may be proposed

upstream of the bridge so that velocity of river is reduced and potential threat of

scouring of the foundation is minimized;

v. Slope stabilization structures such as dry-stone wall, gabion wall, jute bag wall

and bioengineering may be proposed. Bio -engineering involves the use of vegetation,

either alone or in conjunction with civil engineering structures such as small dams, wall

and drains to manage water and debris thereby reducing instability and erosion on

slopes;

vi. Proper alignment of new roads should be explored to avoid vegetative loss;

vii. Tree planting along the footpaths , proper landscaping and street furniture are

required to provide shade to the pedestrians and encourage people to walk;

viii. Promote the use of electric vehicles through incentives like tax reduction, free

parking for certain time period, adequate charging facilities etc.

ix. Construct safe parking bays for bicycles and two wheelers so that people are

encouraged to use such facilities;

x. Make the existing and new footpaths pedestrian friendly including incorporating

designs for the differently-abled and the elderly and providing shades along the

pathways so that people can walk even when it is hot;

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xi. Promote the use of smart parking that has already been initiated in the Thromde.

Smart parking sensors could be implemented in the core town area first to see how

effective it is; and

xii. As per the Low Carbon Cities Framework (LCCF) calculation, an average 64.4

km/car/day emits 17.6 kg of CO2 and an average 64.4 km/bus/day emits 1.6 kg of CO2.

Therefore, explore the possibility of using small electric buses or mini-buses with

comfort conditions operating with increased frequency within the town to reduce single

occupancy car usage. Additionally, the use of cable car as recommended in the UDP

between the S/Jongkhar town and Dewathang couldalsobe explored.

xiii. Explore the use of providing reliable and comfortable public transport facilities or

carpooling incentives for office goers to encourage using mass transit.

5.3.8. Disaster Risk Reduction for Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde A proper disaster management plan is crucial for any place especially in times of climate induced

disasters. Disaster response and adaptation including mobilizing supplies, fund and relocating the

affected people become difficult if there is no comprehensive disaster management and response

plan in place.

Climate induced risks like flooding, landslides and erosion occur frequently in

SamdrupJongkharThromde. In addition, the Thromde is also prone to frequent earthquakes.

Therefore, it is important to incorporate disaster management aspects in the plans and

programmes of the Thromdes.

Samdrup Jongkhar falls in the Siwalik ranges of the Himalayas. This area mostly comprises of

green to grey massive-weathering siltstone and shale. It is formed of green and grey clay stones

embedded with medium grained indurated micaceous sandstones. The clay stones contain fossil

impression of leaves with mid rib. The soil consists of cementous clay, which is highly prone to

erosion. The topography of the town gradually slopes down towards the Dungsam Chhu. The

lowest elevation in the town is towards the south at about 200 m while the highest elevation

level is in the northeast of the town at about 300m.

As the Thromde is prone to multiple climate hazards, the current UDP has recommended that a

geotechnical study for SamdrupJongkharThromde be carried out. A detailed geotechnical study

was not done during the preparation of the plan for Samdrup Jongkhar town but data from the

geotechnical study carried out for Dewathang was used as the basis for coming up with

development proposals. Though slope analysis was carried out for the town, it only gives an idea

of what parcel of land is developable but does not include hazards and mitigation measures

which are included in detailed geotechnical studies.

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As part of feasibility study for the preparation of any human settlement plans, geotechnical

studies are a must. Geotechnical studies involve thorough data collection encompassing geology,

topography, hydrology, flood, land use and any other geotechnical aspects that impose risk to

developmental activities and environment. The findings and recommendations of the

geotechnical assessment are incorporated while preparing the plans.

The studies include identification of high risk areas of the proposed development area as well as

the areas that are already developed and nearby settlements. Accordingly, risk mitigation action

plans are developed to minimize the adverse effects of natural and man-made hazards.

One of the products of geotechnical studies is the derivation of multi-hazard maps of the

proposed developmental and existing settlement areas. The maps cover not only hazard from

geological facet, but also from all levels of other hazards. The maps comprise of low, medium

and high hazard zones. Low Hazard indicates area suitable/fit for high density development.

Medium Hazard indicates medium density development with mitigation measures. High

Hazard signifies high risk area where no developmental activities should be considered. These

multi-hazards maps are widely used by urban planners and local government/implementing

agencies to control constructions and development in areas identified as high hazard.

A slope analysis map was prepared for the Thromde as part of the feasibility study for this

project. The slope is categorized into five slope categories viz.0-10 °, 10-20°, 20-30°, 30-45° and

above 45°. The analysis indicates that the areas falling within 10-45 ° slope category are

generally favourable for development while the areas falling above 45° slope are steep where

development is either restricted or not allowed at all. From the map, it is evident that the overall

topography of the Thromde is favourable for development.

In addition to the slope map, the existing topographic map of the Thromde was also updated.

The topographic map is the base data for carrying out geo-technical studies, GIS analyses and

plan preparation. The map shows the existing ground condition and the intensity of development

within the Thromde boundary. However, for the revision of the UDP during phase II of the

project, a detailed topographic survey needs to be conducted.

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Figure 56: Slope analysis map of S/Jongkhar Thromde

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Figure 57: Updated topographic map of S/Jongkhar Thromde

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5.3.8.1. Existing Scenario in SamdrupJongkharThromde Even though the Thromde experiences frequent disaster risks, there is no comprehensive disaster

management and response plan in place. Some of the recurrent disaster risks that occur in the

Thromde are:

Landslides and Erosion: The steep slopes of the hills in some of the areas in the

Thromde are also highly prone to landslides and erosion. The area gets heavy rainfall

falling under the “heavy” to “very heavy” rain fall category and results in frequent

landslides and erosion.

Earthquake: Southern Bhutan is considered more susceptible to earthquakes

since most of the prominent faults are located in the southern region. Samdrup Jongkhar

Thromde lies between Main Frontal Thrust (MFT) and Main Boundary Thrust (MBT)

which are 3 km and 5 km away from the core town respectively. Therefore, the area is

highly prone to earthquakes from these two major faults of the Himalayas.

Figure 58: Earthquake faults in the Eastern region of Bhutan (Source: UDP S/Jongkhar Thromde)

Flooding: Flooding is a recurrent threat in the Thromde that needs further interventions

with regards to flood protection works and management strategies. The town has

experienced flooding in 2004, 2012 and 2015. The flood of 2015 caused damages worth

Nu. 6,089,497.38 (US$ 94,000) and also washed away the suspension bridge that

connected the Thromde with the Primary School. The Flood Engineering and

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Management Division under the Department of Engineering Services, MoWHS has

conducted a study titled “Flood Risk Assessment for Dungsam Chhu in

SamdrupJongkharThromde” under the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN)

Funding. The objectives of the study were to reduce vulnerability to flood hazard for

people and infrastructure along the banks of Dungsam Chhu and to increase resilience of

the communities against climate change impacts.

The study has identified several areas throughout the town that are vulnerable to the risk

of flooding. These areas are the outfall below the RSTA office where the runoff from the

industrial area is discharged into the river, the area behind the Dzong which is at a much

lower elevation than the Dzong, the area behind the prison, the left bank below the

suspension bridge till the access road to the school, walls near the international border

are also susceptible to damage due to continuous scouring by the river, the lower market

area is also prone to flash floods due to over flow of water from the two irrigation canals,

and the upper town which floods from the storm water drain that constantly overflows

during heavy downpour.

Currently, there are many people who have built temporary structures and settled along

the river banks due to the lack of affordable housing facilities. This stretch of the river

bank is highly susceptible to flooding and there is a need to immediately relocate the

people living there.

Figure 59: Flood prone areas in S/Jongkhar Thromde

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According to the Flood Hazard Map in the Flood Risk Assessment report, 23.74 % of the

buildings in the Thromde fall under high hazard zone. The detailed breakdown of buildings under

different hazard zones is as shown below:

Sl.no Hazard Zone Number of Buildings Percentage (%)

1 No Hazard 174 21.30

2 Low Hazard 308 37.70

3 Medium Hazard 141 17.25

4 High Hazard 194 23.75

Total 817 100

Table 20: Hazard zones and vulnerable buildings in S/Jongkhar Thromde (Source: FEMD, DES, MoWHS)

A Flood Vulnerability Map has also been prepared which indicates that out of 817 buildings, 22

buildings (2.69% ) fall within the less vulnerable zone and 795 (97.31%) are in the high

vulnerable zone. The report also contains a Flood Risk Map which was generated by overlaying

the Flood Hazard map and the Flood Vulnerability Map. The Flood Risk Map segregates the

buildings under the following four classes of risks:

Sl.no Risk Zone Number of Buildings Percentage (%)

1 No Risk 11 1.35

2 Low Risk 180 22.03

3 Medium Risk 370 45.29

4 High Risk 256 31.33

Total 817 100 Table 21:Risk Zones and vulnerable buildings in S/Jongkhar Thromde (Source: FEMD, DES, MoWHS)

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Figure 60:Flood Hazard Map of S/Jongkhar Thromde (Source:FEMD, DES, MoWHS)

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Figure 61:Flood Vulnerability Map of S/Jongkhar Thromde (Source: FEMD, DES, MoWHS)

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5.3.8.2. International Best Practices Flood is a risk all over the world and every country that is vulnerable to it has been continuously

working towards adaptation and mitigation measures. Some countries have been successful in

implementing the measures and some are still working towards it.

Though the Thromde faces several disaster risks, this project has focussed specifically on flood

management as flooding is a serious concern for the Thromde. The Thromde has not been able to

successfully reduce the impact of flooding though there have been many interventions. Therefore,

to understand what are some of the interventions that other countries have adopted to manage

flood risks, case studies on flood management in Ireland and England were carried out.

Case Study 1: Natural Flood Management: Adopting Ecosystem Approaches to Managing Flood Risks in Ireland

The case study has been extracted from a report published for Friends of the Earth, Ireland.

Friends of the Earth is the world’s largest environment organization supported by millions of

people over 70 countries. The report was published for the Friends of the Earth, Ireland in

February 2017 edition. The report recommends natural flood management approach where the

entire catchment approach is considered. The flood water is managed by managing soil, wetlands,

woodlands and floodplains during times of flood risk. The approach is gaining popularity

worldwide as it is cost effective and implementable.

The study lists down the following natural flood management methods where natural hydrological

approach is used to manage flood water:

i. Agricultural Land Management Reducing Agricultural Practices along Flood Plains: When agricultural practices are

intensified especially in floodplains, the capacity of the soil to absorb and slow

floodwaters is reduced. This can result in increased flooding downstream. This is further

exacerbated if the soil is compacts and habitats like hedges, woodlands etc are cleared.

The report states that in the UK, practicing agriculture along floodplains accounted for

14% of flooding and resulted in damage worth £1.09 billion in England and Wales. In

Ireland, where field drains are installed to drain out water from agricultural fields, over a

period of time, the runoff into the stream is found to increase and thus increases flood

peak. Therefore, report recommends breaking field drains to restore wet grassland and

wetlands to reduce flooding.

Planting hedges: Hedges intercept runoff and also allow infiltration of water thereby

reducing flooding.

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Agroforestry: Planting trees in productive agricultural land has proved to increase soil

water infiltration capacity, thus reducing flood risks.

ii. Protecting Floodplains from Development

When the flood plains are developed, the capacity of the flood plains to store and hold water is

greatly reduced and it increases downstream flooding. Development of retail units, apartments

and industrial estates in the floodplains in Ireland has increased the risk of flooding. Moreover,

the level of development allowed in the floodplains varies between different local governments in

Ireland. Considering the issues, the study recommends that development should not be allowed in

flood plains and all development plans and zoning should strictly incorporate it. It also

recommends carrying out a research project to monitor the planning decisions of the local

governments in flood plains and how it can impact flood management. Another recommendation

is to impart training to the local authorities to support good practice which is imperative for

effective planning, implementation and management.

Case Study II: Slowing the Flow Project at Pickering, North Yorkshire, England

Pickering is a small and a vibrant market town in North Yorkshire, England. The Pickering Beck

River runs for over 29 kms through the Pickering town. The river has flooded several times since

1999 and the flood of 2007 was particularly severe as it affected the entire Yorkshire and Humber

regions and resulted in damage estimated at £2.1 billion.

To address the recurrent flooding issues, the “Slowing the Flow” project was initiated. The project

demonstrates best land management practices where the past problems were rectified and the

catchment’s natural flood attenuation capacity was restored. The project was a partnership project

funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and led by Forest

Research and supported by Forestry Commission England, The Environment Agency, The North

York Moors National Park Authority, Durham University, Natural England and the wider

community.

A range of measures were adopted to manage the landscape so that the flow of rainwater into the

river was reduced and delayed. Some of the measures included the following:

i. Constructing low-level bunds: A large, low level bund was constructed to store

additional flood water of 120,000 cubic metres. The bund is now operated during flood

events to store water which helps to reduce the flood downstream. The bund has been

designed in such a way that the properties nearby, transport links and archaeology are

not affected in any way.

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Figure 62: Low level bund constructed to store water (Source:SFP, Yorkshire)

ii. Creation of Riparian and Flood Plain Woodland: Riparian and floodplain

woodland can act as barrier to the flow of flood water flood. Around 29 ha of riparian

woodland was planted within the Pickering Beck and River Seven catchments.

Figure 63: Floodplain Woodland (Source: SFP, Yorkshire)

iii. Restoration of large woody debris dams: Large woody debris (LWD) dams increase

flood storage by raising water levels and reconnecting streams with their floodplain.

They are more effective when they are confined to watercourses of less than 5 metres

width. As part of the project, 167 LWD dams were installed within the Pickering Beck

and River Seven catchments.

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Figure 64: Woodland Debris Dam (Source:SFP, Yorkshire)

iv. Targeted Blocking of Moorland Drains: Drain blocks help to re-wet peats and

reduce the flow of runoff. 187 heather bale check dams were constructed in the

Pickering Beck catchment to improve water retention and delay flood flow along with

planting 3.2 ha of heather habitat.

5.3.8.3. Recommendations for Disaster Management for SamdrupJongkharThromde Some of the recommendations from the assessment of the case studies and the flood hazard

assessment report, the following approaches are recommended for disaster risk reduction in the

Thromde:

i. Considering the fact that Samdrup Jongkhar town is highly vulnerable to various

hazards, it is strongly recommended that a geotechnical study for the town be carried

out before the plan is revised in Phase II of this project. The study will outline all

possible hazards and mitigation measures which could be incorporated when the plan

is revised;

ii. The Thromde should prepare a Comprehensive Disaster Management and Disaster

response Plans to better manage the disaster risks and increase climate resiliency;

iii. The Thromde should coordinate with the Samdrup Jongkhar Dzongkhag in

identifying evacuation centres and construct evacuation drills regularly to sensitize

the people;

iv. The Thromde should immediately relocate the people living along the river banks.

These people comprise of mostly women and children and are highly vulnerable to

flood risks;

v. Reduce agricultural practices along flood plains, if it is practiced currently, to allow

more absorption of water and attenuate flood risks;

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vi. Planting hedges at appropriate locations to intercept runoff and also allow infiltration

of water thereby reducing flooding;

vii. Practicing agro forestry in productive agricultural land to increase soil water

infiltration capacity, thus reducing flood risks;

viii. Explore feasibility of constructing low level bunds to control flooding;

ix. Implement the strategies recommended in the study carried out by the FEMD. The

study recommends several short term and long term measures to prevent scouring.

The existing river dikes are about 5 metres above the ground with a free board of 1-

1.5 metres above the maximum flood level to the dike crest. The study reports that

there has no dike overtopping for the past decades. However, the toe and the base of

the dike are continuously facing scouring problems due to the speeding flow of the

river, inadequate protection of loose river bank materials, and improper alignment of

the dikes.

In order to provide protect the dikes and the river bank, the study recommends

construction of an apron for scour protection, construction of a toe mattress,

installation of concrete or sheet piles, and reinforcing existing flood protections

works. (Note: For detailed description and design of some of the components, the

Report “Flood Risk Assessment for Dungsam Chhu in Samdrup Jongkhar

Thromde” should be referred.)

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Figure 65: Short term and long term flood protection measures for S/Jongkhar Thromde (Source:FEMD, DES, MoWHS)

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5.3.9. Legislations & Smart Governance, Smart Economy & Climate Smart Agriculture, and Gender Integration Legislations & Smart Governance

Since the enactment of the Local Government Act (LG) in 2009, the Thromde has gone through a

major change in terms of Thromde governance as the office of the Thrompon (Mayor) is

established with a proper organizational development objective and many new professionals have

been appointed to provide technical support to the Thromde. The elected body called Thromde

Tshogde has a Thrompon and other elected members who are elected after every five years as per

the provisions of LG Act.

With such elections, the vibrancy of Samdrup Jongkhar town has increased by manifold and the

development is visible in the way the town has evolved ever since the first Thrompon’s election.

The LG Act authorizes the Local Government to administer and promote a planned and balanced

development. It facilitates the Thromde to develop financial and regulatory tools like taxation and

development control regulations for the promotion of planned development and efficient service

delivery that is resilient to environment. The LG act is also responsible for the promotion of good

governance and has developed a clear role of the LGs which has members elected by the residents

of the town.

A structure plan was prepared in 1986 that guided the development though at a slow pace.

However this plan served only as a development control tool since the proposals of the plan could

not be implemented as the fund flow was not forthcoming. One of the reasons was that the town

development was considered an attraction to rural-urban migration and the district administration

focused its development initiatives in the rural areas as there was no voice of the urban residents.

The other reason was that Samdrup Jongkhar town remained remote as the major connectivity

remained through India and the internal connection was considered cumbersome since the

northern road connection was too long and the condition of the road was also not good. The third

reason was that the problem was further aggravated by issues in the state of Assam in India from

the mid-eighties till 2003. Though the situation has improved over the years, frequent strikes at

the local level in the region disrupt the movement of people through India which is still

considered a deterrent to the development of the Thromde.

Having a good governance structure in place supported by strong legislations is important to

develop a climate resilient community. Some of the international climate resilient planning

principles that were studied earlier in this project and also the proposed climate resilient planning

principles clearly emphasize the need to have a smart governance system.

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A smart government will ensure sustainability in all aspects of the governance system including

comprehensive planning, exploring ways to generate various economic opportunities and

employment, promote inclusive decision making to include all sections of the population, and

creating an enabling environment to make the community robust so that it can easily adapt to

climate related stresses.

Smart Economy & Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)

Smart Economy, one of the proposed climate resilient principles for the Thromde, is a vital

component of a climate resilient community. Without a sound economic structure, it is impossible

to implement any planned activity. A smart economy ensures that the economy is sustainable

which is required for future proofing to the impacts of climate change.

Likewise, Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) is a means to ensure food self- sufficiency in an era

where climate change has aggravated scarcity of water supplies affecting food supplies. It is

gaining popularity in recent years and is a widely recommended approach. The Food and

Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines CSA as “agriculture that sustainably increases

productivity, enhances resilience (adaptation), reduces/removes GHGs (mitigation) where

possible, and enhances achievement of national food security and development goals.”

Figure 66: Climate Smart Agriculture (Source: Irina Papuso and JimlyFaraby, Seminar on Climate Change and Risk Management, 2013.

CSA has three pillars which are Productivity to increase agricultural productivity and income,

Adaptation to reduce exposure of farmers to short-term risks and build their resiliency, and

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Mitigation to enable reduction or removal of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (CGIAR Research

Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS).

Gender Integration

Similarly, gender integration also plays a crucial role in planning for climate resiliency. A climate

resilient community should be gender responsive that not only integrates the need of women in its

development plans and programmes but also takes into consideration the needs of the children,

youths, elderly and the differently-abled.

Women and children are the most vulnerable ones affected by climate induced disasters.

Therefore, it is important to involve women in the decision making processes and also encourage

them to participate in local elections so that they can represent the needs of other women in the

community. Gender integration has been an important component of this project where every

effort was made to include as many women participant as possible whether it was for the

sensitization workshops or the house hold surveys. The aim was to involve them from the

beginning of the project phase and get their views on how to include their needs while preparing

for climate resiliency.

Figure 67: Interviewing women during the household survey in S/JongkharThromde

5.3.9.2. Existing Scenario in SamdrupJongkharThromde

Legislations &Urban Governance

Despite the establishment of an elected local government, the Thromde continues to suffer from

the threats like frequent strikes in Assam that discourages the movement of tourists despite air

connectivity from Guwahati in India and Yonphula in Trashigang which are the nearest domestic

airports.

The recent decision of the government to liberalize tourism tariff is a good incentive for the

development provided the residents of the Thromde are willing to provide tourism infrastructure

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particularly hotels, transportation and housing. The Samdrup Jongkhar Initiatives is also a good

start provided the leadership remains constant and the trend continues in a sustainable way.

The development potential along the highway between the two distinct urban settlements of

Samdrup Jongkhar and Dewathang is high. Since the land falling outside the municipal boundary

is administered by the Dzongkhag administration, there is a high risk of haphazard development

leading to urban sprawl as the need and capacity to promote a planned development is weak.

Moreover the implementation of building rules is weak and there is major co-ordination issue

regarding the provision of safe drinking water, sanitation and other management issues.

Thromde governance continues to be a major challenge as some of the long established

institutions occupy large chunks of land but they are reluctant to assess their own land needs and

release the balance land for other developmental activities. This can be addressed only after the

enactment of Spatial Planning Act which is currently in a bill form and a stronger

ThromdeTshogde for better decision making. The Thromde has also been facing coordination

issues with other agencies like the Bhutan Power Corporation Ltd and the Bhutan Telecom Ltd in

implementing some of the activities in the UDP like laying of underground utility ducts

The governance of the town is further challenged by the fact that the voting rights of the resident

population is deprived as only the registered population is allowed to vote as per the provisions

of the Election Act. The parliamentarians will have to revisit such clauses and enable the residents

to have voting rights so that more people have a say in the Thromde management system.

Economy and Agriculture

The recent opening of the long awaited road connectivity from Gyalpoishing to Nganglam has

affected business in the Thromde as the movement of the traffic from Dzonkhags like Trashigang,

Lhuentse and Monggar towards the western part of the country has the option to choose the new

route as it reduces the distance. In addition, the Thromde had to do away with the parking fee

collection as per the request of the business people whose businesses were getting affected by the

imposition parking fee. This has caused a strain in the revenue as one of the major sources of

revenue generation has been affected.

However, the neighbouring Dzongkhags of Monggar, Lhuentse and Trashigang which have high

agrarian base could provide economic potential to the Thromde to market and export agricultural

and livestock products since it is near the border.

The Thromde has sizeable fertile plain areas, rich mineral deposits and sub-tropical climate which

are favourable for agricultural practices. However, PHCB 2017 indicated that 94 households

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reported to have food insufficiency during the 12 months prior to the Census. The figure is an

indication that is immediate measures are not taken, the problem may aggravate with impacts of

climate change.

Gender Integration

As far as gender integration in planning and development is concerned, the participation of

women in meetings and important decisions has improved in the Thromde but the number is

comparatively much lower as compared to the male population.

5.3.9.3. Recommendations for Smart Governance and Gender Responsive Planning for SamdrupJongkharThromde In order to make SamdrupJongkharThromde self-sufficient to be able to cope up with any external

stresses, it is important to have a smart government in place that will think smartly and come up

with various solutions to improve the climate resiliency of the Thromde. Therefore, this has

provided few recommendations to improve the governance system and promote gender responsive

planning and development. Some of the recommendations that the Thromde could adopt are:

Legislations and Smart Governance

i. Initiate the revision of the existing UDP to incorporate climate resilient components

and incorporate the recommendations given in this report for the improvement of

different sectors in the UDP.

ii. Need for better coordination with other agencies like especially during the planning

and implementation of the UDP. During the stakeholder meeting, agencies like the

Bhutan Power Corporation Ltd and Bhutan Telecom Ltd indicated that the Thromde

could coordinate with them while laying the underground utility ducts so that it can be

done on a cost-sharing basis. Therefore, the Thromde should coordinate with all

service providers including the television cable operators and Tashi Cell Ltd to

construct the underground ducts on a cost-sharing basis. The maintenance works could

also be carried out in a similar manner;

iii. The Thromde should promote the use of ICT facilities and GIS to increase its

efficiency and get better results;

iv. The Thromde should provide incentives for smart infrastructure and services to

improve its resiliency and be sustainable in the long run;

v. The Thromde should prioritize its investment and especially focus on critical

infrastructure first like water supply system, flood protection works, storm water

drains, sanitary land fill site etc.;

vi. Invest in affordable housing for the low income groups; and

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vii. Currently, there is a lack of proper co-ordination between the Thromde and Samdrup

Jongkhar Dzongkhag in disaster preparedness. Therefore, the Thromde should

coordinate with the Dzongkhag to prepare a comprehensive disaster management plan

and create awareness programs and drills among the residents. The capacity of the

local government officials to prepare for and respond to disasters should be enhanced;

Smart Economy

In order to be economically self-sufficient, the Thromde should continue to capitalize on the

industrial estate at Matanga by providing improved connectivity and housing facilities for the

workers;

i. The Thromde should continue to support bodies like SJ Initiative which are helping in

managing wastes and contributing to the local economy;

ii. The existing urban taxes are very low and the rates have not been revised for a very

long time. Therefore, there is a need to revise the taxes;

iii. The Thromde should explore options to generate its own revenue and not only depend

on the central funding. Some of the ways could be by promoting local crafts like

weaving, making crafts from wastes etc.;

iv. Initiate activities and programs like exhibitions or trade fair to showcase locally made

products and also to promote social interaction;

v. Invest in enhancing tourism by providing quality hotel infrastructure, promoting

heritage sites, showcasing local products, and improving the amenities and services of

the Thromde; and

vi. Capitalize on agriculture, livestock, horticulture, and forestry products by starting food

processing plants, storage and export outlets to export products coming from the

nearby Dzongkhags.

Climate Smart Agriculture

i. Promote organic farming practices to minimize the use of harmful insecticides and

pesticides;

ii. Maximize land uses and regeneration of soil nutrients by growing only those crops

that are suitable for the soil condition and climate of the Thromde;

iii. Promote in diversified animal feeds;

iv. Facilitate marketing and selling of farm produce to encourage more people to take up

farming practices;

v. Invest in better farm mechanization, improved management of food reserves, and

efficient technologies for processing and refrigeration;

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vi. Invest in improved pest and disease management through capacity building of relevant

people involved in such practices; and

vii. Encourage community farming, vertical gardens, or even compulsory kitchen garden

for those who have adequate space. Such practices of keeping a dedicated area for

kitchen garden has been implemented in places like Malaysia and it has been found to

be successful.

Figure 68: Vertical garden ideas (Source:http://www.goodshomedesign.com/20-vertical-vegetable-garden-ideas/)

Figure 69: Climate Smart Agriculture Project in Africa and Greenhouse in St, Lucia in West Indies) (Source: Climate Interactive, CSA in Africa &St.Lucia News online)

185 | P a g e

http://www.goodshomedesign/


Gender Integration

i. Gender integration in plans, policies and programmes needs to be further

improved and therefore, the Thromde should encourage more women

participation in decision making processes.

ii. Initiate community activities like constructing and maintaining rain gardens,

bio swales, retention ponds, RWHS etc. where more women can get involved.

iii. The retention ponds could be used for fisheries to be managed by women

groups as a means to generate income and empower them.

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Considering the existing scenario of the public facilities and amenities and the governance

system, there is still tremendous scope for SamdrupJongkharThromde to improve its system as

well as the infrastructure for climate resiliency.

The recommendations given in this project are not restrictive and the Thromde could explore

other options that may be more feasible than the ones recommended here. Some of the proposals

like the BMPs to manage storm water and smart parking systems should be installed depending

on the site conditions and feasibility. It is also important to have a proper maintenance plan in

place for effective functioning of the installed devices. Similarly, the proposed Climate Resilience

Framework should be able to guide the Thromde in planning its climate change adaptation and

mitigation measures.

The local government should take the lead role and every individual should come forward to

support the local government in its endeavour to become climate resilient. It is important for the

Thromde to create awareness and inculcate a sense of responsibility and community participation

in the residents.

The Thromde should also try to promote the traditional and cultural values of the Thromde to

strengthen the bond between the people. Strong bonding and increased sense of belongingness

help in times of disaster risks through information sharing and volunteerism.

The climate resilient planning principles that have been proposed for the Thromde should be able

to guide the policy makers for future planning and developmental activities. These principles

should be incorporated in the UDP when it will be revised during phase II of the project.

To guide the Thromde on how to implement the proposals in this project, the recommended

activities under each sector have been divided into two groups viz. the ones that could be

implemented immediately and the ones that may require a longer time for planning and

implementation. However, the implementation will largely depend on the availability of adequate

funds. Therefore, the Thromde should set aside a dedicated fund for climate financing as proposed

in the Resilience Framework for the Thromde. The action plans should be implemented jointly

with the relevant agencies.

6. CONCLUSION

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Sl.no Activities Recommendations that could be

implemented immediately

Recommendations requiring

longer planning and

implementation time

1 Storm Water

management

Identifying suitable locations

to construct rain gardens and

bio swales.

Installation of RWHS in all

public institutions.

Landscaping, plantations, and

installations of permeable

pavements in the parking

areas.

Conduct community

programmes like stream

restoration, river front

development etc.

Promote street sweeping to

prevent clogging of storm

water drains.

Initiate programs like re-

vegetation or reforestation with

native species.

Coordinate with service

providers like BPCL, BTL,

Tashi Cell Ltd and cable

operators for laying of

underground utility ducts.

However, explore the

feasibility of laying of UG

ducts since it requires high

installation and maintenance

costs.

Remove or improve the

existing concrete slabs over the

storm water drains as they are

not pedestrian friendly.

Preparation of a

Drainage master plan.

Identify suitable

locations for the

construction of retention

ponds and street tree

trenches. These

measures require careful

study and engineered

design, so proper

planning is necessary.

Installation of RWHS in

private homes.

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Instead, study the feasibility of

using permeable pavements or

maintain natural drainage

system where possible.

2 Waste

Management

Strong enforcement of waste

segregation at source. The

Thromde should promote

segregation of wastes into

different categories viz food

wastes, pet bottles, plastics,

sanitary wastes, electronic

wastes and other dry wastes.

Promote options like vermin-

composting plants at building

level so that at least the food

wastes are managed within the

community itself;

Different coloured bi-

degradable plastics or

containers should be made

available for people to dispose

of different types of wastes.

Additionally, garbage

receptacles could be provided

at different locations so that

people can throw the wastes as

per their convenience.

Installation of separate bins or

areas for electronic wastes as

some of these wastes could be

hazardous.

Initiate installation of emission

free incinerators at appropriate

locations.

Coordinate with the hospital

for medical waste

Rehabilitation of the

existing land fill site.

Construct sanitary land

fill site in future only if

is absolutely necessary

as it involves huge

investment and

maintenance costs

Explore possibilities of

setting up recycling

plants.

Implement action plans

from the National Waste

Management Strategy

2019 once it is approved

for implementation.

189 | P a g e


management.

Conduct frequent public

awareness programs and

community waste management

programmes.

3 Drinking

Water and

Waste water

Management

iv. Initiate the preparation of a

climate resilient water safety

plan.

v. Levy water charges in all areas

and carry out water audit

regularly to minimize wastage

of water.

vi. Adopt Water Sensitive Urban

Design concepts like replacing

the existing bib cocks with taps

that help to minimize wastage

of water especially in public

places, RWHS etc.

vii. Involve the community in

water management projects.

viii. Promote safe sanitation

hygiene and continue working

with WaSH for improved

sanitation.

ix. Invest in climate

resilient sanitation

facilities by exploring

ways to use better

treatment facilities and

providing safe sanitation

facilities to 100 % of the

population in the

Thromde.

x. Plan public toilets at

appropriate locations for

the residents and also for

the tourists. Invest in

making these facilities

smart like using

automatic water taps,

smart lights, water

saving flush etc.

4 Green

Buildings

Promote Bhutan Green

Building Guidelines and

sensitize people on the benefits

of green buildings.

The Thromde should initiate

incorporation of green building

elements in the Thromde office

to lead by example.

Promote energy efficient

appliances that use less energy

in homes and offices.

Make it mandatory for all

Initiate green building

design in private homes

and other public

institutions. The design

should take into

consideration the

climatic condition of the

region and accordingly

design should be

prepared to facilitate

natural cooling and

heating of buildings.

190 | P a g e


institutions to use locally

produced construction

materials.

Explore possibilities of

providing incentives for

green buildings.

Initiate research and

design on green

buildings and explore

the possibility of

developing a software

that can certify a

building as green.

5 Green

Transportation

and smart

parking

Promote electric cars and

electric buses.

Explore the feasibility of using

mini electric trams as the area

is flat.

Improve pedestrian paths by

providing shades, planting

trees, and designing barrier

free walkways.

Explore the use of providing

reliable and comfortable public

transport facilities or cal

pooling incentives for office

goer to encourage using mass

transit.

Setting up adequate

charging facilities for

electric vehicle.

Prepare a transport

master plan for the

Thromde.

Explore the use of

concrete pavements

instead of asphalt

pavements.

Explore the economic

feasibility of smart

parking solution for the

Thromde.

Construct bicycle lanes

and safe parking

facilities for two

wheelers.

6 Cultural

heritage,

green areas,

open spaces,

parks and

recreational

areas

Expedite the implementation

of the proposals in the UDP

like construction of cultural

centre, war museum, plaza,

river front development etc.

Install rain gardens and water

fountains in the parks to

Explore options to make

the parks

multifunctional.

Invest in more

recreational facilities for

all sections of the

society. The plans for

191 | P a g e


management storm water and

provide cooling effect to the

users.

Maintain the existing open

spaces and plan more such

spaces since they are useful

during times of disaster risks.

Maintain the existing parks

and green areas.

Use lead free play equipment

in the parks.

Initiate more cultural events

that will bring people together.

parks and recreational

areas should incorporate

the needs of the elderly

and the differently-

abled.

7 Disaster Risk

Reduction

Prepare a comprehensive risk

reduction and response plan

for the Thromde.

Identify evacuation centres and

initiate regular evacuation

drills for the residents.

Invest in critical infrastructure

like water supply, roads and

flood protection works.

Improve the existing irrigation

channel that runs from the

centre of the town and causes

flooding during monsoons.

Initiate more plantations to

increase soil stability.

Carry out geo-technical studies

and a detailed topographic

survey to facilitate the revision

of the UDP.

Implement the

recommendations of the

FEMD’s report of flood

protection for

DungsamChhu.

Implement

bioengineering works

wherever possible to

prevent landslides and

erosion.

Explore possibilities to

relocate the vulnerable

population living along

the river banks.

8 Energy

Management

Evaluate the existing lighting

plans and modify to make

them climate resilient.

The Thromde should initiate

Initiate smart lighting in

private homes.

Encourage the use of

LEDS by exploring

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smart lighting by replacing the

existing street light bulbs with

LEDS and making it

mandatory for all institutional

buildings to use LEDS.

Create awareness on the use

and benefits of smart lightings.

ways to provide

incentives like

distributing LEDS at

reasonable rates,

assisting with

maintenance if required

etc.

9 Legislations

&Smart

Governance,

Smart

Economy &

Climate Smart

Agriculture,

and Gender

Integration

Initiate the revision of the

existing UDP to incorporate

climate resilient components

and incorporate the

recommendations given in this

report for the improvement of

different sectors in the UDP.

Promote the use of ICT and

GIS to make the system

efficient.

Explore sources to mobilize

resources to implement the

recommendations of this report

to make the Thromde climate

resilient.

Develop better coordination

with other agencies like the

BPCL, BTL and the hospital

for effective implementation of

the UDP and to foster better

working relationships.

Build capacity of the local

government officials to plan

and implement climate

resilient plans.

Co-ordinate with the

Dzongkhag Administration for

the development of peripheral

areas in an integrated manner

Explore ways to

generate revenues

through activities like

local craft making,

weaving, using wastes to

make products etc.

Implement the strategies

in the UDP to boost

economic activities and

tourism.

Explore ways to achieve

food self- sufficiency by

encouraging community

farming, vertical

gardens, compulsory

kitchen garden for those

who have adequate

space.

Promote other Climate

Smart Agricultural

practices as

recommended in this

report.

Explore the feasibility of

reinstating parking fee

collection.

Invest in affordable

housing for the low

income groups.

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Table 22: Short and long term recommendations for S/Jongkhar Thromde

and jointly prepares disaster

risk reduction and response

plans.

Encourage more women

participation and involve more

women in decision making

processes.

Initiate community activities

like constructing and

maintaining rain gardens, bio

swales, retention ponds,

RWHS etc. where more

women can get involved. The

women group could also start

fishery in the retention ponds

as a means to generate income.

Initiate activities and programs

like exhibitions or trade fair to

showcase products and also to

promote social interaction.

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The biggest challenge faced in the implementation of any plan is to mobilize the required

resources. So an assessment of the investment required has been carried out to guide the Thromde

on what could be the indicative investment required to implement the recommendations of this

project.

The UDP for the Thromde already has an investment plan for some of the sectors. So a

preliminary cost estimate has been prepared by adding 10% cost escalation every year since 2013

on the costs in the UDP. Further, an additional 20 % has been added on the overall cost to

incorporate climate resilient components.

Sl.No Activities Cost (Nu.) Cost (USD@

1USD= Nu71) 1 Installation of smart lighting system (street lights and public

institutions)

16,400,000.00 230,985

2 Roads, footpaths and bridges 553,600,000 7,797,183

3 Water supply system 1,264,000,000.00 17,802,816

4 Sewerage system 318,400,000.00 4,484,507

5 Storm water drains 27,200,000.00 383,098

6 Bank protection 324,800,000.00 4,574,647

7 Waste Management 10,000,000.00 140,845

7 Review of the UDP in Phase II of the project including carrying

out topographic survey and geotechnical studies

120,000,00.00 169,014

8 Capacity building of policy makers, MoWHS staff, local

government officials and other relevant stakeholders on climate

resilient planning and implementation.

71,000,000.00 1,000,000

Total 2,597,400,000.00 36,583,095

Total cost (adding 20% for climate resiliency ) 3,116,880,000.00 43,899,714 Table 23: Investment Plan for the Thromde

7. INVESTMENT PLAN

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The initial indicative budget within which the investment concept plan had to be worked out was

USD 10M (approx. Nu.710,000,000.00). However, with the increase in material and labour costs,

it is not possible to carry out the activities within the indicated fund limit. So, the Thromde may

plan the implementation in a phased wise manner depending on the priority of the projects and

available resources. The Thromde should explore options to mobilize the funds so that the

activities can be implemented without any delay.

It should be noted that some projects like the water supply system and sewerage system have

already been initiated. So the full investment as indicated in the investment plan above for these

activities may not be required. Only certain amount may be required to further improve these

infrastructures for climate resiliency. Therefore, the Thromde should work out the details of the

investment required and initiate the implementation at the earliest.

The lack of capacity of the human resource in the field of climate resilient planning and

implementation is a major challenge in Bhutan currently and could be a deterrent in effective

implementation of any climate resilient program or project. Therefore, one of the crucial

investments would be on capacity building of the policy makers, planners, designers, architects,

engineers etc who would be involved in planning, designing and implementing climate resilient

plans. In addition, the capacity building of the other relevant stakeholders like the private sectors

and the CSOs is also required for successful implementation of such projects.

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