Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 03 (Sarpang) for 2026

The ESMP for Biological Corridor 03 (Sarpang) outlines the environmental and social safeguards for 2026 activities at the Southern Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (SWRRC). Categorized as a Category B project, the plan focuses on the maintenance of animal enclosures and a 700m access road, with a budget of Nu. 7,424,364. It identifies potential risks such as flooding and sedimentation of the Bhur stream, construction waste, and worker health hazards, providing specific mitigation measures for each. The document also details strict occupational health and safety (OHS) standards, stakeholder engagement protocols, and grievance redressal mechanisms aligned with both Royal Government of Bhutan laws and WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures.

• The Bhutan for Life (BFL) project is classified as a Category B project because potential adverse environmental and social impacts are "site-specific, reversible and can be readily mitigated".
• For 2026, the specific activity requiring an ESMP under Biological Corridor 03 (BC-03) is the "Maintenance of Animal Enclosures and Access Road to Strengthen Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conflict Response at SWRRC to Support Conservation and Ecotourism", with a budget of Nu. 7,424,364 and a timeline from August 2026 to June 2027.
• The planned infrastructure works at SWRRC include the construction of enclosures for ungulates, wild pigs, reptiles, birds, and gharials, the expansion of the bear enclosure, maintenance of a 4-unit observation enclosure, installation of CCTV and communication devices, and the maintenance of a 700m access road.
• The document identifies several potential environmental and social risks, including flooding and sedimentation of the Bhur stream, construction waste, dust and noise pollution, and worker health risks such as "heat stress, mosquito-borne diseases, snake bites".
• To mitigate risks to the Bhur stream, the plan mandates the construction of retaining walls, maintenance of drainage channels, and the requirement to "Transport and dispose of excavated soil and spoil material only at designated disposal sites (Bhur)".
• In cases of discrepancy between the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) laws and WWF’s Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP), the WWF SIPP shall prevail, particularly regarding the eligibility of non-title holders for compensation and the requirement for extensive community consultations.
• The ESMP establishes a multi-layered grievance redressal mechanism including a BFL-specific mechanism, a WWF Grievance Mechanism accessible via a Project Complaints Officer, and the GCF Independent Review Mechanism.

APA

WWF International (2026). Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 03 (Sarpang) for 2026. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2491/2.BC3_Sarpang_ESMPY8_2026.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 03 (Sarpang) for 2026. 2026. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2491/2.BC3_Sarpang_ESMPY8_2026.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 03 (Sarpang) for 2026 |date=2026 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2491/2.BC3_Sarpang_ESMPY8_2026.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2026environmental, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 03 (Sarpang) for 2026}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2026}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2491/2.BC3_Sarpang_ESMPY8_2026.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }