M/s Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) a public sector undertaking proposes to lay a 250 km long pipeline between the existing BPCL refinery at Bombay and the proposed petroleum products terminal at Paniwadi near Manmad. In line with the requirements of Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoE&F), the environmental impact assessment (EIA) studies which inter-alia includes study of forest and wildlife specially rare and endangered species of flora and fauna in the pipeline corridor were undertaken by Engineers India Limited (EIL), New Delhi in consultation with Vimta Labs, Hyderabad.

Subsequent to this, MoE&F desired that the above studies be undertaken in consultation with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun. Accordingly, WII was offered a consultancy project by the authority of BPCL, Bombay to undertake the EIA studies of the Bombay-Manmad Pipeline Project.

This EIA report presents the findings of the field studies conducted by the WII team in the project area. The report has been structured into five sections. Section - I of the report highlights the significance of environmental impact evaluation of linear expansion project and also presents the profile of Bombay-Manmad Pipeline Project. Section - II provides the details of methodologies adopted for evaluation of project impacts on different habitat components en route the pipeline corridor. Section - III is a compilation of baseline information on the pre-project biological environment. Section - IV provides an assessment of the predicted impacts of the Bombay-Manmad Pipeline Project on the wildlife values the pipeline corridor. Section - V outlines the mitigatory measures for the project related impacts.

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

The Authorities of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Bombay are gratefully acknowledged for their hospitality and cooperation. Shri D. Rajkumar, Chief Project Manager BMPL Project, Shri Anup Aggarwal and Shri V.P. Sharma, Managers, (Proc./ Services, BMPL) and Shri Chandrashekhar Rawalganokar also of BPCL are specially thanked for their unfailing support during the entire course of this study. Grateful thanks are specially due to Shri Anup Aggarwal who accompanied the WII team during the reconnaissance trip and provided the much needed insight design and operation. Our grateful thanks are also due to Shri S.D. Bhutada, Survey Officer, Shri V.D. Gole, Circle Officer, Shri B.K. Vispute, Survey Officer and Shri Dinesh Rathod, Driver of BPCL for their assistance during the field studies.

Shri Anurag Chaudhary, Deputy Conservator of Forests and Shri S.T. More, Range Officer, Nashik West Forest Division are thankfully acknowledged for providing valuable information on the project area. Co-operation of Shri M.M. Ngullie, Deputy Conservator of Forests, assistance of Shri Kishore Thakre, Asstt. Conservator of Forests during the field visit and the readiness of Shri R.N. Kankonkar, Asstt. Conservator of Forests, Shahapur Forest Division to assist the team in gathering relevant information on wildlife values of the project area is gratefully acknowledged.

Shri S.S. Oberoi, Finance Officer and Shri Rajiv Mehta of the finance section of WII maintained the project accounts meticulously. Tireless efforts by Shri Narinder Singh Bist, Shri Vipul Desai and Shri Shanmugam made it possible to present the report in its present form. Shri Mahesh Gosh and Shri Mohammed Ismail made copies of the report and Shri Mohan Singh not only rendered his services as a driver but also cheerfully volunteered to assist in several other ways during the preparation of the final report. Grateful thanks are due to each one of them.

Dr. Asha Rajvanshi

Faculty In-charge, EIA Cell