Expertise: Environment, River Basin, Wetland
Expertise Group: Engineering
Consultant Source: International
TOR Keywords: Environment, River Basin, Wetland
Objective and Purpose of the Assignment
ADB is supporting the Government of Manipur to develop the Manipur Sustainable Lake Ecosystem
Restoration Project. The consultancy assignment is to support the government to prepare: (i) masterplan
to restore the Lake Loktak ecosystem; and (ii) 3-4 project concept reports including the revised eco-
tourism components.
Scope of Work
The consultant will be responsible for the overall coordination and supervision to prepare the Manipur
Sustainable Lake Ecosystem Restoration master plan road map and prepare 3-4 project concept notes, and
day-to-day liaison with the executing agency as well as with other relevant agencies supporting the
work.
The consultants will lead the individually recruited consultants, supplemented by the ongoing project
management consultants (PMC) recruited by the government to cover the following activities:
• Conduct a landscape (watershed) review including the landuse/human activities and ecological issues
within the catchment that affect the integrity and biodiversity of the lake. Also review the trend of
environmental quality (water quality, solid waste (plastic) etc), consider if a review of the state
level is needed.
• Review implementation of the regulatory compliances of the central and state legislation, rules and
regulations
• Review policies and projects in the entire area and propose necessary reforms
• Review the existing Integrated plans for wise use and other existing literature
• Undertake a capacity assessment of concerned agencies
• Identification of social issues
• Conduct stakeholder consultations
• Develop Loktak Lake ecosystem restoration master plan
• Identification of subproject scopes and review existing ones
Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output
The consultants expected tasks include:
a. overall coordination and supervision of the individually recruited consultants (Environment
specialist, economist, Climate change specialist, economist, institutional specialist and GIS expert and
social development expert) in their respective components, and consolidate all the reports prepared by
the national specialists
b. coordinate inputs from individual experts and relevant stakeholders, and take the lead in the
preparation of the glossy information booklet and knowledge product for the Manipur Sustainable Lake
Ecosystem Restoration Road Map
c. Review policies and projects in the entire area considering the potential environmental impacts,
d. Review of existing plans for lake restoration, identify gaps and entry points and propose the areas
of project interventions.
e. Develop a robust participatory approach and methodology and undertake scenario-based spatial multi-
criteria analysis to inform future basin development and lake restoration plans
f. Review implementation of the regulatory compliances of the central and state legislation, rules, and
regulations
g. Identify areas of policy reform to promote integrated development of Loktak Lake
h. Conduct capacity and resourcing assessment of concerned agencies and institutions and identification
of gaps and development needs.
i. Conduct institutional assessment and stakeholder consultations (including outreach to NGOs)
j. Identify key social issues and develop a proposed way forward
k. Undertake landscape (watershed) review to assess environment status including water quality,
pollution, health risk and impacts, land use and land tenure/right, water use and users – (upstream and
downstream e.g., hydropower, and stakeholder assessments). Consider using dynamic ecosystem models and
GIS.
l. Identify the required activities to be undertaken in subsequent stages to prepare the Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA), if needed.
m. Review hydrology and climate change resilience.
n. Include recommendations for improving the hydrological balance and management of critical nature
reserves such as the phumdis and other biodiversity.
o. Analyse the potential impacts of existing and planned, ecotourism activities, navigation and flood
control measures, including infrastructure such as embankments, water storage and retention basins,
reservoirs, and water diversion schemes, on wetland integrity and functioning and on biodiversity.
p. Review state eco-tourism regulation and guidance, identify gaps to achieve equivalence to achieve
international good practices to achieve sustainable and inclusive outcomes
q. Propose recommendations for better integrating pollution and flood control and wetland conservation
in sustainable water resources policies and plans, including the current flood management plan
r. Undertake ecological character change analysis with respect to baseline
s. Include under the road map a plan on how to improve sustainability and delist Loktak Lake from the
Montreux Record.
t. Prepare a strategic plan under the road map and management recommendations for the Loktak Lake
ecological security including monitoring and evaluation priorities based on international best
practices, principles, national and provincial regulations, and feedback from any consultation
workshops;
u. Identify potential public -private partnerships
v. Identify economic benefits
w. Conduct awareness raising seminars and training for key government officials to support the planning
process
x. Review existing subprojects proposed by the government, propose alternatives if warranted
y. Identify new and update subproject scopes, include nature-based options where possible and provide a
prioritized list
z. Prepare concept papers for selected subprojects
aa. Finalize the Manipur Sustainable Lake Ecosystem Restoration Road Map
bb. Seek review and guidance from a Panel of Experts (to be recruited with ADB funds separately)
cc. Participate in any ADB review missions and support preparation of the AM and any other related
tasks as necessary
Minimum Qualification Requirements
The specialist should preferably have a Master’s Degree in environmental management, engineering or
other relevant discipline. Preference will be for consultants with at least 15 years of relevant work
experience including; (i) Applied technical knowledge related to lake/wetland restoration, (ii)
Experience in working with international organizations/ agencies, especially of ADB other development
agencies.
The specialist will preferably have (i) a postgraduate degree in environment, biology or water resources
management or engineering; (ii) sound understanding and experience in ecological protection,
environmental improvement, and integrated water resources management principles and processes; (ii)
relevant international experience (mostly acquired in lower-income countries) on complex river basin
planning, wetlands, ecology, water quality management, pollution control, water resource engineering /
water supply and sanitation engineering, urban planning, and/or public health assignments; (iii)
demonstrated experience in leading multidisciplinary teams; and (iv) experience in strategic planning,
and roles and responsibility, as well as institutional arrangements of river basin/wetland management.
Minimum General Experience: 15 Years
Minimum Specific Experience (relevant to assignment): 10 Years
