For recording the detailed information on the ecological/biological parameters within the study area, the area within the 10 km radial distance was further categorized into the following three zones (Fig. 2.2).

Core zone: This included the area between the project site and the radial distance of 2.5 km. the core zone represents the hub of the major activities and is therefore likely to receive the maximum impacts of the project related activities. Most of the changes in the landscape are also expected to occur in this zone.

Middle zone: This included the area beyond the 2.5 km but still within 5 km of the radial distance from project site. This zone is likely to receive perturbation of secondary nature.

Outer zone: This included the area beyond 5 km but still within 10 km of the radial distance from the project site. This zone represents the area outside the impact of project related disturbance. The objective of inclusion of this area in the study has been to ascertain the spatial limits of project related impacts.

Select areas (Table 2.2) within each of these zones were intensively surveyed to evaluate the existing status of terrestrial wildlife habitats in different patches of Reserved and Protected Forests and the aquatic habitats comprising of maritime zone, coasts, mangroves, creeks, rivers, reservoirs, ponds and lake.

Table 2.2 Terrestrial and aquatic habitats identified within the different zones of the study area.

The parameters that were considered for the evaluation of the status of wildlife habitats in terrestrial habitats and wildlife species were generally those that have been employed in past EIA studies (WII 1993, 1994, 1995). The more specific parameters include: habitat and sub habitat types, structure and quality of habitat types, habitat size, floral and faunal species richness and rarity.

For wetlands, notes on features of the water channel, bank zone habitats, adjacent land use, details of floral and faunal communities and substrate quality were made.

Standard methodologies outlined (Hays et al., a981) were generally adopted for the evaluation of the habitat parameters to evolve site specific methodologies for the assessment of habitat and wildlife status within the specific zones of the study area.