STATE Environment Management AND Safeguard Specialist

GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM

ASSAM HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT & MANAGEMENT SOCIETY (AHIDMS)

4TH FLOOR, NAYANTARA SUPERMARKET, SIXMILE, GUWAHATI-22

TERMS OF REFERENCE (ToR)

FOR STATE ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT AND SAFEGUARD SPECIALIST (SEMSS)

A. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

The Assam Health Infrastructure Development & Management Society (AHIDMS)

(a) has been created under the Medical Education & Research Department, Government of

Assam (GoA), headed by Hon'ble Health Minister as Chairman and Senior Most Secretary,

Medical Education & Research Department, GoA as the Member Secretary of the

Governing Body. The Project Management Unit (PMU) is headed by a Project Director (PD).

The key mandate of the Society is to function as an apex autonomous body of the GoA for

monitoring, coordination and/or implementation of JICA, World Bank and any other

Externally Aided Project (EAP).

(b) AHIDM Society is now taking initiative to implementing 'Assam Secondary

Health Care Systems Reform Project' (ASHSRP) with financial and technical support

from the World Bank. The project aims to strengthen management capacity, access and

quality of health care in secondary healthcare hospitals in Assam. The project will target

investments towards health care facilities and locations across the state over the six-

year project duration where the demand for health services is high and required

capacities are in place to maximize the impact of the project. The project aims to

address critical gaps in Assam secondary healthcare system to enhance its performance

to optimum levels by implementing interventions under following two components:

Component 1: Improving Governance and management capacity of health systems at the

state and district level (Results based financing)

Component 2: Improving quality and coverage of secondary health care services and

investment in supply and demand side intervention (quality and access).

The project aims are having internal performance contracts to boost the efficiency of

teams in the directorate and at the district management level. Besides, the project will

be investing in select District and sub district hospitals to expand the portfolio and

improve the quality of service.

With this background, the project intends to hire a State Environment Management

and Safeguard Specialist (SEMSS) as a contractual consultant member of the Project

Management Unit (PMU), to support the environment management & safeguard

related activities under the project. The detailed scope of work is defined below:

B. OBJECTIVE(S) OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The objective of the assignment is to provide technical and operation support for all the

Environment safeguard activities planned under the project. And also support the

intermediate steps required for completion of environment Safeguards activities planned

under the project and due diligence of environment framework under the project.

C. SCOPE OF WORK:

The State Environment Management and Safeguard Specialist (SEMSS) will be

responsible for implementation, coordination and reporting of Environmental actions,

focusing on biosafety, biosecurity, Waste management (biomedical, e-waste, liquid and

Hazardous wastes), occupational and community health and safety measures,

environmental risk mitigation/management, and conduct of environment audits and

studies at project locations. Key tasks: preparation and dissemination of

guidelines/advisories and action plans; provision of technical/operational support to

project teams including regular field visits; training and capacity building plan/activities;

support for state specific diagnostic work and strategies; conduct of relevant studies and

learning events across state; coordination with project stakeholders, technical

partners/resource agencies and World Bank, and documentation and progress reporting.

The SEMSS will support the Project Management Unit (PMU) in overall management of the

environment safeguard compliance under the project. The consultant will perform his/her

duties as per the directions of Project Director (PD) and he/she will closely work with

different Directorates, State entities and the PMU team members for Environment

safeguards compliance.

D. JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

The job responsibilities of the SEMSS shall include the following:

(a) Ensure exclusion of high-risk activities from the project. These are activities that are

likely to have significant adverse impacts on the environment and/or affected people.

(b) Ensure that the required screening checklists are duly filled out to ensure potentially

important biodiversity and cultural resource are excluded from the project.

(c) Will be in-charge of coordinating environmental management activities as per ESSA

across directorates including addressing issues related to generation, collection,

segregation, storage, transport, management and disposal of Biomedical, Solid and

Hazardous wastes, reducing the risk of contracting infections within healthcare

facilities, and occupational health and safety practices at healthcare facilities.

(d) Provide operational support on environmental risk management including

undertaking regular operational field visits to assist district, block, and field level

officials/ teams in identifying environmental risks, planning mitigation measures,

support towards implementation, reviewing environmental risk management

documentation, monitoring and reporting to ensure that environmental issues are

adequately addressed and that program in compliance with the environmental

Safeguards policies/ ESSA core principles.

(e) Support and coordinate capacity building; addressing bio-medical waste and liquid

waste management related issues and concerns in health facilities, laboratories, and

other health services care provisions as per BMWM rules; addressing civil works

related environmental issues and concerns; addressing occupation health and safety

(OHS) concerns; and other requirements for management of environmental risks and

moving towards environmental sustainability under the program.

(f) Will be responsible for helping develop the Environment Strategy for the Health

Sector in Assam.

(g) Will be helping conduct training/ capacity building activities towards environmental

management as identified in ESSA across directorates.

(h) Will regular monitor the implementation environmental activities and compliance to

Bio-medical waste management, solid waste management, infection control activities

and occupation and health safety measures.

(i) Will be responsible for helping implement action plans as identified in ESSA and

help monitor the same on periodic basis.

(j) Will be responsible for helping to coordinate the annual audit of CTFs across

different districts in the state

(k) Report to PD/ APD and prepare environment safeguards Review summaries and

relevant social sections for the monitoring/ review reports.

(l) Any other tasks related to procurement and as per the requirement of the project

and as assigned by the PD.

E. DELIVERABLES

Development of Environment safeguards assessment and action plan along with

(a) specification and timely revision of the same with progressing implementation

agreeable to Project Director.

(b) Stakeholder consultation report with clear recommendations for Environment

safeguards aligned with project objectives

(c) Provide implementation support to the project in managing the Environment

safeguards risk in order to achieve project objectives

(d) Periodic review of Environment Action plan and its progress as per the project

document for respective areas

(e) Conduct field visits and meetings with Government departments and other

contractors to monitor and resolve social safeguards related issues

(f) Any other task as assigned by the Project Director with specific deliverable

determinant to achieving the project objectives.

F. KEY QUALIFICATION AND SKILLS:

(a) Masters degree in Bio-medical Engineering/ Environment management from any

Govt. recognized university/ institution with training in Environment safeguards.

Excellent understanding of the World Bank Environment safeguards systems and

procedure is desirable.

(b) Experience : Must have at least 7 years of experience in Environment management or

safeguards role. Preference will be given to the candidate with experience in

Externally Aided projects.

Experience of working in the North East and in the Health Sector will be

preferred.

(c) Skills and Competencies:

Excellent communication and presentation skills, analytical and interpersonal

abilities along with advocacy and negotiations skills

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English language is

essential. Proficiency in local language will be an advantage.

Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team environment.

Demonstrated experience in operationalizing health program at field level /

working in strengthening of district level health systems would be an

advantage.

Willingness to travel to districts to provide technical assistance & ability to

work on different assignments simultaneously to meet the timelines for

assignments.

Non discriminating, transparent, participative

Advocacy, Negotiations, and communication skills

Experience in World Bank Project will be an added advantage.

Computer proficiency and familiarity with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

(d) Age limit: Upto 50 years as on 01/01/2025.

G. SALARY AND CONTRACT TERMS:

a) Consolidated Pay of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh) to Rs. 1,20,000/- (Rupees one

lakh twenty thousand) per month. The selected candidate will be offered 30%

enhancement on the last drawn salary. However, in case the selected candidates current

remuneration with 30% enhancement comes below Rs. 1,00,000/- per month, the lower

remuneration will be offered. Moreover, in case, the selected candidates current

remuneration with 30% enhancement exceeds Rs. 1,20,000/-per month, the highest pay

range i.e. Rs. 1,20,000/- per month will be offered. The fixed remuneration shall be inclusive of

monthly remuneration and performance linked incentive.

b) Reporting and performance review: Engagement of the State Environment Management

and Safeguard Specialist (SEMSS) will be on a full-time basis. The SEMSS will report

to the Project Director (PD) or the other senior staff designated by the Project Director.

The performance of the SEMSS will be reviewed periodically by the PD.

c) Contract Term: The assignment is on purely contractual basis. The tenure of contract

is intended for entire duration of the project and co-terminus with the project period.

However, the tenure is initially for eleven (11) months and will be extended upon his/her

satisfactory performance.

d) Travel: The SEMSS may be required to travel frequently within the State. TA / DA

for such approved travel shall be paid/ reimbursed as admissible as per the HR

Policy of the AHIDMS.

e) Leave: The provisions of leave shall be as per leave Policy of the AHIDMS.

f) Facilities to be provided: The SEMSS will be provided with access to all the available

documents, correspondence, and any other information associated with the project

and as deemed necessary. No clerical assistance or other facilities will be provided.

Note: This is a draft indicative ToR; The PD, AHIDMS reserves the right to change, update or modify this

ToR at any stage during the recruitment process.