The assistance and support provided by various organisations and individuals has immensely helped us in preparing this report.

The Authorities of Engineers India Limited, New Delhi and Gandhidham are gratefully acknowledged for their Co-operation. Shri R.C. Bohra, Residential Construction Manager, and Shri G. Triloskar, Senior Engineer, EIL, Gandhidham provided the much needed support in the field. Shri J.A. Khan, Conservator of Forest, Kachchh Circle, Bhuj and Shri M.J. Parmar, Deputy Conservator of Forest, East Division, Bhuj are gratefully acknowledged for their support in providing all the relevant information. Shri S.B. Kulkarni, Resident Engineer, Secon Services, Bhuj is thankfully acknowledged for sharing the information on project area. Prof. Y.D. Singh, Director, Institute of Desert Ecology, Bhuj and his colleagues Shri S.F. Wesley Sunderraj and Shri Vijay Kumar made our jobs simpler by providing us everything that we needed during the course of the study. Sincere thanks are due to them, specially, to Shri Wesley Sunderraj who also assisted us in the field work. Shri M.J. Limaye, Lecturer, Dept. of Geology and Miss Nita, V.Shah, Lecturer, Dept. of Zoology, M.S. University, Baroda are acknowledged for sparing their valuable time for interactions that proved useful in the assessment of the project impacts.

At the Wildlife Institute of India, several people provided support. Shri S.K. Mukherjee, Director, Wildlife Institute of India, is gratefully acknowledged for providing valuable suggestions that greatly improved our ability to undertake the task under this consultancy offer. Dr. Y.V. Jhala, Scientist `E' was ever ready to provide us with the scientific information that proved of immense value in the identification of wilderness values of some of the areas en route the project.

Shri S.S. Oberoi, Finance Officer and Shri M.D. Gupta of the Finance Section maintained the project accounts very meticulously. Tireless efforts of Shri Narinder Singh Bist made it possible to present the report in its present form. Shri G. Shanmugam of the Computer Section helped us with the drawings. Shri Mohan Singh rendered his services as a driver and also cheerfully volunteered to assist us in several other ways during the preparation of the final report. Sincere thanks are due to them.

Dr. Asha

Faculty In-charge, EIA Cell